Chapter Thirty-One
Evie
The sun hung low over the rolling hills of Buttercup Lake as I packed up my tools at my last stop of the day. The Thompsons owned a modest piece of land, just a couple of acres on the outskirts of town. They had one pony for their daughter, a sweet little Shetland named Dandelion who stood all of eleven hands high but thought she was the queen of the equine world.
“Thanks again, Evie,” Mrs. Thompson said, waving from the porch as I loaded my gear into the truck bed. “Dandelion looks great.”
“Always happy to help,” I called back, giving her a friendly wave. “She’s good to go for the next couple of months.”
With my tools stashed and gloves tugged off, I glanced at the time. I had just enough cushion to swing by the market, grab Hayden’s favorite snacks, and make it to the bus stop in time. It was a good feeling—being ahead of schedule and everything going smoothly for once.
That’s when I saw it.
At first, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. I stopped mid-step and squinted toward the far side of the Thompsons’ fence line, where a flash of black and white moved through the grass.
When the striped figure turned its head and stared straight at me, my heart nearly jumped out of my chest.
“Macy?” I whispered to myself, barely believing it.
Sure enough, the escape artist of Honey Leaf Lodge stood there as proud as could be; her head tilted in that quizzical way she always had like she was mocking my shock.
I blinked a couple of times as if she might disappear if I didn’t focus. But no—there she was, tail flicking lazily, her zebra stripes vivid against the golden glow of the late afternoon.
A laugh fell out of me before I could stop it.
“Of course, it’s you,” I muttered, hands on my hips. “The one and only Macy. What are you doing all the way out here?”
Macy snorted as if to say, What’s it look like I’m doing? Exploring.
I glanced back at the Thompsons’ house. There was no way I would walk up there and explain why a zebra was casually strolling their property. Plus, I didn’t want to get Honey Leaf in trouble.
Nope. This one was on me.
“Macy,” I called, keeping my voice light as I approached. “Hey, girl. Remember me? Your favorite farrier?”
She didn’t move, but her ears flicked in my direction. That was something, at least.
I reached into my jacket pocket, fingers brushing against the emergency stash of sugar cubes I always held for horses that needed extra convincing.
“I’ve got treats,” I coaxed, pulling out a cube and holding it out on my palm. “Come on, girl. Let’s not make this harder than it needs to be.”
Macy took a tentative step forward, then another. My heart lifted as she closed the gap between us, her nostrils flaring as she sniffed the sugar cube.
“See? We’re friends,” I said softly, staying as still as possible. “You don’t want to be out here all alone, right? Let’s get you back to the lodge where you belong.”
She hesitated a moment longer before finally stretching her neck to pluck the sugar cube from my hand. I smiled as she crunched it loudly, her tail swishing contentedly.
I walked over to the truck, never taking my eyes off Macy.
“Good girl,” I murmured, slipping the lead rope from my tack box out of my truck.
I made my way back and smiled at the zebra.
With slow, deliberate movements, I looped it gently over Macy’s neck. “There we go. Easy does it.”
Macy didn’t fight me—probably because she knew I had more sugar cubes in my pocket. She followed me to the back of my truck.
Mrs. Thompson popped her head out the door just as I tied Macy to the back of my trailer. Her eyes went wide, and her jaw dropped.
“Evie,” she said, her voice laced with disbelief. “Is that a zebra?”
So much for secrecy.
I laughed, brushing my hand over my forehead. “Yep. Long story. Don’t worry; she’s friendly.”
Mrs. Thompson just stared for a moment before shaking her head and laughing. “You’ve got the most interesting job in town, you know that?”
“Never a dull moment,” I replied with a grin, climbing into the driver’s seat. “I’ll get her back where she belongs. Thanks for not asking too many questions.”
She laughed and shook her head. “I didn’t see a thing. I don’t know a thing. I’m just headed back inside.”
I chuckled as I managed to pull my cell from my pocket and dial Liam’s number.
“Of course, you found her,” Liam said through the phone, a laugh buzzing over the phone. “Leave it to Macy to wander halfway across town.”
I grinned, watching the zebra casually flick her tail like she hadn’t just pulled off another great escape.
“Yeah, she just showed up here like she owns the place. When you retrieve her, you might want to check her for a hidden area map.”
“Thanks for calling,” he said warmly.
“Well, you can owe me after you come and help,” I teased, leaning against the truck. “She’s calm for now, but I don’t know how long that will last.”
Liam chuckled. “On my way. Don’t let her talk you into any more sugar cubes.”
“Too late,” I muttered with a laugh, and the line went dead.
Liam’s truck rumbled up the snowy driveway a few minutes later, kicking up white in its wake. He parked beside me, and when he stepped out, his eyes went straight to Macy, who stood nonchalantly by my trailer like she hadn’t caused a ruckus.
“Well, look who decided to have an adventure,” he said, crossing his arms and grinning.
“Your girl is quite the explorer,” I replied, watching as he approached. “You need to put a GPS collar on her or something.”
“Don’t tempt me,” he joked, pulling a lead rope from the back of his truck. “Thanks for keeping an eye on her. She’s lucky you’re so good at wrangling runaway zebras.”
“I’ll add it to my resume,” I said, smirking. “Equine farrier and zebra whisperer.”
Liam laughed, his blue eyes sparkling as he approached Macy.
“What’s your secret? Bribes?”
“Sugar cubes and flattery,” I quipped. “Seems to work on both zebras and people.”
He shot me a teasing look, and I quickly looked away, pretending to check the knots on the lead rope.
As Liam secured Macy in his trailer, I couldn’t help but notice the easy way he moved, his hands confident and sure. He glanced over at me with a crooked smile.
“You sure you’re not trying to steal her for yourself? Seems like Macy’s got a soft spot for you.”
“Don’t worry,” I said, leaning against my truck. “She’s all yours. I’ve got enough chaos in my life without adding a zebra to the mix.”
He chuckled, giving Macy a pat on the neck. “Fair enough. But seriously, thanks for calling me. You saved me a lot of trouble.”
I shrugged, trying to ignore how my heart fluttered whenever he looked at me. “Just doing my civic duty.”
Liam stepped closer, his smile softening. “Well, I appreciate it. And I appreciate you.”
The way he said it made my breath catch for a second, but before I could respond, Macy let out a loud snort, breaking the moment. Liam laughed, shaking his head.
“Alright, let’s get her back to the lodge before she decides to make another break for it,” he said.
“Good idea,” I agreed, following him to his truck.
As he climbed into the driver’s seat, he glanced over at me.
“You sure you don’t want to come with? I could use a co-pilot.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “I think I’ve done enough zebra wrangling for one day. But thanks for the offer. I actually have to get home to meet Hayden’s bus.”
Liam leaned against his truck, arms crossed, and studied me with a grin that was just this side of mischievous.
“Ah, mom duties.” His smile softened. “I get it. But you just saved me from a wild goose chase—or, I guess, a wild zebra chase. I owe you one.”
“You don’t owe me anything,” I said quickly, though my heart thudded at the easy warmth in his tone. “Macy practically walked up to me and asked for a ride.”
“Still,” he pressed, straightening up. “Let me do something to say thank you. What if I brought dinner over tonight? A surprise for you and Hayden?”
My heart did a little somersault, which was as disorienting as it was ridiculous. Dinner with Liam sounded like the kind of thing that could make a regular Tuesday feel like a fairytale, but it also sent my brain into overdrive.
“I don’t—” I started, but my words faltered as Liam’s eyes locked on mine. They held a mix of humor and sincerity, making it hard to form a coherent thought. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I know I don’t have to,” he said, his voice dropping a notch. “I want to. I like spending time with you, Evie. And I’d like to get to know Hayden better ,too. And you know, I like to see my girlfriend now and again.”
There it was again—that warmth, that sincerity that made it impossible to hide behind my usual walls. But along with it came a pang of worry. Dinner? At my house? With Liam? That felt... serious. Too serious.
But then, the thought hit me as clear as day.
You already slept with him, Evie. You’re in too deep already.
I bit back a laugh, a mix of nerves and humor mixing inside me. When my eyes met his again, the corners of his mouth curved into a soft smile, like he could sense the whirlwind of thoughts running through my head.
“Okay,” I said finally, surprising even myself. “Dinner sounds nice.”
His grin widened, and I forgot how to breathe.
“Great. I’ll swing by around six. And don’t ask what I’m bringing—it’s a surprise.”
“I wouldn’t dream of asking,” I replied, shaking my head. “Just, uh... nothing too fancy.”
Liam chuckled. “Noted. I’ll keep it simple.”
He gave a wave, and I watched him go, my chest tightening with a strange mix of anticipation and nerves. This was happening. Dinner. With Liam. At my house.
I turned back to my truck, momentarily climbing in and resting my hands on the wheel before starting the engine. My mind was racing as I drove home, alternating between imagining what kind of dinner Liam would bring and panicking about the fact that I had agreed to this.
When I pulled into my driveway, I couldn’t slide the smile off my face.
As I waited for Hayden’s bus, I leaned against the porch railing, watching the familiar yellow vehicle come into view. My little boy bounded down the steps with his usual energy, waving enthusiastically as he spotted me.
“Mom!” he called out, running up the driveway. “Guess what? We learned about zebras today in class!”
I burst out laughing, the irony of the day’s events not lost on me.
“Did you now? What did you learn?”
“They can run really fast,” he said, his eyes wide with excitement. “And they’re like horses, but not really. And did you know their stripes are different for every single one?”
“Sounds like you’re an expert,” I said, ruffling his hair as we headed inside. “Maybe you can help me keep Macy in her pen next time.”
“Did she escape again?” he asked, giggling as he kicked off his shoes and darted toward the kitchen. “Can I have a snack?”
“Sure,” I said, grabbing a banana and some crackers for him.
As he settled in at the table, munching happily, I couldn’t help but smile.
This was what mattered. These quiet, ordinary moments with Hayden. And yet, I couldn’t ignore the flicker of excitement that sparked every time I thought about Liam.
I smiled and started tidying up the living room, picking up a couple of Hayden’s books and a lone sock that somehow made its way onto the coffee table when movement outside the window caught my attention. Through the lace curtains, I noticed a car rolling slowly down the street, its tires crunching softly on the snow.
At first, I didn’t think much of it. Buttercup Lake wasn’t a big town, and it wasn’t unusual for cars to creep by leisurely. Maybe it was someone admiring the view or a neighbor I hadn’t seen in a while. But as the car reached the front of my house, it slowed even more. Too much to be casual.
A chill ran up my spine. I set the books on the side table and walked closer to the window, peering out for a better look. It was an older sedan, navy blue, with a dented fender. I couldn’t make out the driver through the glare on the windshield, but whoever it was must’ve seen me because the car suddenly sped up, rolling past my driveway, and disappearing down the street.
My stomach twisted as I stood there, watching the empty road. My hand brushed against the curtain as I stepped back, my mind racing.
Who was that? Why had they slowed down? And why did it feel like it wasn’t just a coincidence?