Clarke
“Shit,” I muttered. Big-city “cowboys” and actual cowboys rarely got along. They liked what horses could do for them, not the horses themselves. They didn’t put in the work—the dirt, the sweat, the connection. Horses in the city were showpieces, not souls.
Avalon looked at me, eyes wide. “What’s wrong? Are we fucked? Are they going to kill us?”
Her face paled as she frantically patted herself down.
“What—no. What are you doing? They’re not going to kill us.”
God, she was dramatic.
Avalon shook her head, still rummaging through her pockets. She pulled off her necklace and rings, hesitating over which earrings to remove.
“Nope. You might be comfortable dying at the hands of some dirty Texas bandits—”
She was stripping off her jewelry now.
“—but I refuse.”
I couldn’t hold back my laughter. The sight of her—panic-stricken, clutching her valuables—was too much.
I turned back to the window. The riders were close enough now that I could make out the colors of their handkerchiefs. Most big-city riders came from ranches like ours and wore colors to represent them—the closest thing we had to family rings.
One wore burgundy and gold.
I exhaled in relief.
One of my father’s ranch hands—probably someone hired while I was on tour.
The other wore deep green and silver. I stifled an eye roll.
Slumping back into my seat, I glanced at Avalon, still panicked.
“You can put your jewelry back on, Avalon. These boys won’t kill us.”
I laughed and leaned out the window.
“They couldn’t even if they tried!”
The first rider laughed, pulling his horse to a stop a few feet away. “I can still throw you over my shoulder, Kit.”
He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the saddle horn.
He tipped his head back, sunlight illuminating his features—strong jawline, broad nose, and the same playful blue eyes I’d grown up seeing.
“Long time no see, Colt. I like the mustache—is it new?” I ran a finger over my upper lip, laughing when my brother sat back and let out a booming laugh.
“You know how it is in the city, little sis—anything to keep the ladies around.”
Colt nudged his friend, who pulled his horse up beside him.
“What is going on? You know these ruffians?” Avalon whispered, peeking out the window.
Nodding, I opened the door and jumped out. My boots hit the loose ground with a satisfying crunch as I walked toward my brother.
“It’s just Colt and Ethan. They’re harmless.”
“Harmless? Well now, I find that offensive, Clarke.”
Ethan placed a hand over his heart, smiling. His curly hair poked out from under his hat.
When I was younger—before I understood myself—I used to imagine ending up with Ethan Lautner. He was sweet, well-mannered, and practically family. But he’d taken it well when I told him the truth. He’d laughed and asked if I wanted to help break in the new filly.
Ethan was a good guy. A great friend to Colton. A second brother to Melody.
He was also staring at Avalon like she’d grown a second head.
“What the hell…” His voice trailed off. “Oh wait, I know you.”
He pointed at Avalon, who had finally stepped out of the truck.
“You do?” she asked cautiously.
“You’re that girl who served a nasty right hook to the pap last year, ain’t ya?”
Avalon beamed. I resisted the urge to gag.
I left them and walked to Demeter, running my hand down her fine coat. She nickered and nudged me, searching for treats. I laughed softly and pulled out the sugar cubes I always kept in my pocket.
“I’ve missed you, pretty girl.”
She nibbled at the sweets, her whiskers tickling my palm.
“How’s the big city?”
Colt sighed, stretching in his saddle. “Oh, you know how it is.”
I nodded. City life was fast, draining, relentless. Opal Springs was slow, intentional, meaningful. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
“How long are you here for this time?” I asked, still petting Demeter.
Over my shoulder, I saw Ethan trying to help Avalon onto Spartan—his prized Palomino. Spartan was tall, powerful, and Avalon… was not. Ethan’s hands were on her waist as she tried to wedge her combat boot into the stirrup.
I laughed as she yanked her boot out, frustration written all over her face.
“I’m thinking of sticking around for the summer,” Colt said. “There’s some things I want to take care of before heading back to Nashville. They offered me a permanent job down there—no more half-year stuff.”
I nodded, fingers moving to Demeter’s dark mane. Her hair was deep brown, almost black, but in the sun, hints of red peeked through. Like Avalon’s.
“And you’re going to take it? What did Mama say?”
Colt laughed. “You know Ma. She’d rather I stay close, but she wants what’s best for me.”
I understood. Mama always wanted what was best for us—even if it meant letting us go.
“Will you be happy?” I asked.
Colton nodded, jaw tightening. “Of course. There’s just…”
He leaned closer.
“I’d like to get married before I go.”
I choked back a laugh. “You want to get married? Colt, you haven’t been in a serious relationship since high school.”
He shrugged. “So? Being in a relationship can’t be any different than breaking in a new horse. You take things slow and gentle—”
“But you’re talking about marriage. No one I know would be crazy enough to marry you before summer ends.”
He cocked an eyebrow. My stomach dropped.
“Oh God no. Not her. Seriously, Colt?”
“C’mon, Kit. Even you can admit Lia’s been in love with me since we were in britches.”
I couldn’t deny it. Delia had been hopelessly in love with him for years.
“C’mon, Colt. She’s my best friend.”
“So, talk to her. Tell her how I feel.”
I chewed my lip. “How do you feel about her? Is it love?”
Colt shrugged. “I think my feelings for her may have changed this past year. She’s grown into herself.”
I smiled. Lia really had grown up. She’d always been a fairy to me — wild orange curls, green eyes, a little bit of magic.
“So will you talk to her for me?” Colt asked again.
“She’s my best friend, Colton.” I sighed. “And I know her. She’s dreamed of her wedding since we were kids. Lace dress, specific shop, banned guest list—she’s not giving that up for a shotgun wedding.”
Defeat flickered across his face. He had a reason for wanting this—something deeper than love or Mama’s wishes.
“But I’ll try.”
His smile returned, and I felt a little lighter.
“So, what’s wrong with Daisy?” he asked.
“The radiator’s out. I was going to call Dad once the emergency phone warmed up.”
Colton nodded and jerked his head behind him. “Hop on. We’ll give you girls a ride to town.”
He held out his hand, and I took it, swinging onto Demeter behind him. I wrapped my arms around his waist, trying to get comfortable. There had been more room back here when we were kids.
“We were headed home, Colton.
He shrugged and looked at me over his shoulder. “And miss out on a day with the coolest guy in all of Opal Springs? Nah, home will always be waiting for us.”
I smiled and pulled myself closer to him.
It would be nice to spend the day with him—we saw so little of each other with our conflicting schedules.
Everything was better when Colton was home; Mama breathed a little lighter, Dad smiled a little more, and you practically had to drag Melody away by her arms if you wanted to separate her from her favorite sibling.
Colton whistled to Ethan, who had climbed up behind Avalon on Spartan. Ethan’s arms were around her waist, holding the reins while letting her believe she was the one controlling the horse.
We set off toward Opal Springs at a steady pace, letting the horses pick up speed now and then.
Town wasn’t far from where we’d gotten stranded—just about a twenty-minute ride.
I’d walked the distance countless times as a child, sneaking out for music lessons when I was supposed to be doing farm chores.
I’d always loved the trip to town. Wildflowers and willow trees lined the path, birds nesting in the branches, jackrabbits and small rodents darting through the brush.
Willoughby Well sat along the way—the most popular high school make-out spot.
And then the homesteads, stretching for miles across my father’s land. His ranch hands and the on-call vet lived in those small houses, each one passed down from father to eldest son, each one working for my dad.
It wasn’t until the colorful rooftops and the water tower came into view that Colt finally broke the silence.
“I never did ask—who’s your friend?”
He nodded toward Avalon and Ethan, who were sharing a laugh. Jealousy curled up inside me, sharp and unwelcome, and I quickly turned away.
“Avalon Kennedy is not my friend.”
My brother didn’t press the subject. He simply let out a laugh that rumbled through his shoulders.