Seeing Harper (Riley’s Pride: 2nd Generation, #2)

Preface

Harper backed out of her parking spot and prepared to pull out onto the highway, but just as she began to lift her foot from the brake, somebody stepped into her field of vision.

She shielded her eyes from the glare of sunlight with her hand, trying to focus on the person’s face.

“Clay?” she asked, rolling down her window.

“Hey. I saw you leaving, thought I might tag along.”

“Why?” she asked.

Clay shrugged. “Because being around so much family gets to be a little much sometimes. And I heard your parents giving you crap, and I just thought it might be nice to meet some of your horses.”

Harper smiled. At least somebody was interested in the work she did at the Bigsby’s. “Sure, why not? Get in,” she said, unlocking her doors.

Clay walked around her car and got in the passenger side. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

“So, how did you get started working at the equine center? I know you’re always there, but I don’t know how it started.”

“It’s a long story,” Harper said, on a chuckle as she pulled out onto the highway.

“I got time,” he said.

“Well, there was this horse that broke out of its enclosure when I was about eight years old. It found its way onto our property and I was...”

Clay listened intently, to every word she said, but didn’t register a single one.

He heard her voice, he watched the animation in mannerisms as she spoke about the thing she loved most, and he fell a little more in love with her than he’d been yesterday, and the day before that and the day before that.

How he’d ever get the courage to tell her how he felt, he didn’t know.

But for now, this was enough. Sitting beside her, breathing in her scent, listening to her tell him about one of the things she loved most in the world, this was good.