Chapter Thirty-Two

Hannah…

I’m just heading out to greet the new members of the horse family when Jessica pulls up in her shiny BMW. “Hey, you!” she greets, climbing out of the vehicle. “I heard I’d find you here.”

“Hey!” I say, hurrying down the stairs to meet her. “What’s going on?”

“Jason had to go out of town. I thought maybe I’d stay with you, and we could have a girl slumber party to plan the Christmas festival here at Roarke’s place. I can even help with the animals.”

“That sounds wonderful,” I say, truly pleased with this idea. I want to get to know Jessica, and having a new friend here would be welcomed. Of course I might not stay, but I shove aside that idea the minute I have it. I want to be here, and even if things don’t work out for me and Roarke romantically, that man is still the best friend I’ve ever had. I need to keep him in my life.

“I even bought vegetables and popcorn,” I say. “We can feast.”

“Seriously?” She crinkles her nose. “That’s the best you can do? Vegetables and popcorn?” She gives me a sly look. “But I must say, grocery shopping is very intimate. It didn’t take you long to move in here.”

“I don’t know that I have moved in. I’m just—I’m watching the animals while he’s gone.”

“Because he doesn’t have a staff to do that?”

“Okay, smartass,” I chide. “They have their hands full. And right now, I’m on my way to welcome the new horses to their retirement home. Want to come?”

“I’d love to.” She dangles her keys. “I’ll drive. I know where we’re going.”

A few minutes later, we’re greeting the two new horses with Javier by our side. It doesn’t take long for me to decide that Javier is intelligent, good-looking, and kind. He’s really impressively skilled as well, as I determine when one of the horses is acting oddly, and he takes immediate action.

“He’s a good addition to the team, don’t you think?” Jessica asks, watching him work.

“He is. How long has he been here?”

“About a year, I think. From what Roarke and Jason both told me, Roarke was really feeling the loss of his father, and he needed help. He and Javier get along well. Javier is really all about the medicine. Roarke is more the surgeon with a magic way of taming and calming animals.”

“A gift Roarke inherited from his father,” I say. “I still can’t believe his father left.”

“He was gone before I got here,” she says. “I’ve never seen anyone but Roarke in action.” She glances over at me. “That man was a rock for Jason when his parents died. He helped us come together. I value his friendship. I value him as a man who gives and protects. And that man loves you.”

“I love him, too,” I say softly but without hesitation, my heart squeezing with the words.

“But it’s complicated,” she supplies.

“Yes, it is, but it feels less so every moment that I’m here.”

“That’s a good thing,” she says, wrapping her arm around me, and the two of us grab a bushel of carrots Javier provided and head out to the field to feed the horses. Just thinking about the fifty additional horses at the other facility brings tears to my eyes. They’d all be dead if not for this sanctuary, if not for Roarke.

It’s hours later when we sit in the kitchen with wine-filled glasses, cheese, and veggies. “You’re a good influence on me,” she declares.

“Because there’s no Whataburger here. Beware if there is. I’ll eat your meal and mine.”

She laughs and holds up her glass. “Whataburger is good eating.”

Her phone buzzes, and she looks down. “Roarke posted a new video.”

“I can’t quite get my head around Roarke posting videos.”

“Well, he doesn’t. Would you believe it’s Mick, one of his warehouse guys? This tall, brawny, good-looking black guy who looks like he’s been lifting weights with Arnold Schwarzenegger. He’s a complete YouTube fanatic and was some sort of tech genius in the army.”

I sip my wine. “Army. Interesting. I’d like to meet him. Seems we have all kinds of heroes running around here.”

“I think he really is a hero. He was in combat, and I’ve heard stories about some sort of Special Operations. Anyway, he’s the one who loaded the video that started the whole Horse Wrangler thing. He started it all and, of course, he gets a cut of the money. Roarke wouldn’t have it any other way.” She scoots over close to me. “Let’s watch the new video.”

“Yes, let’s,” I say, and for the first time ever, I’m going to do so without denying I’m doing it, without denying my pride in Roarke, without feeling any anger.

“Oh my,” she says. “That’s—” She looks at me. “Is that his father?”

“Yes,” I say, watching as the two of them work with a horse that’s basically losing its shit. “Yes, it is. He looks good.”

“He does,” she says as my phone rings.

I grab it from the counter to find Roarke calling. “That’s him,” I say. “I’ll be right back.”

She smiles. “Take your time.”

I wave at her and answer the line. “Hey,” I say, walking out into the living room and settling onto the comfy brown couch.

“Hey, baby. How are you?”

Baby. The endearment spoken in a soft and tender voice does funny things to my belly.

“I’m fine,” I say. “How are you? I just saw the video you loaded with your dad. That seemed pretty special.”

“It is. It damn sure is. He’s better, Han. I read articles and talked to doctors about how strokes can change a person’s personality, sometimes permanently. Thank God, it now looks to have been temporary in his case. He’s even taking on contract vet work.”

“That’s such good news. Was he able to help with the case you’re on now? Did you find any answers to your problems? Why are the horses sick?”

“My father has an expert he’s worked with coming in tomorrow. We’ll see. I had another horse go down today. I hope like hell we can stop this before we add to the numbers.”

“Have any died?”

“Not since I got here.”

“Where are you exactly?”

“A Native American reservation just outside of Houston. I’m in what amounts to a cabin that they call a house. What about you?”

“I hope you don’t mind, but Jason went out of town, and Jessica showed up here to help greet your new horse retirees. We ended up at your house for a sleepover.”

“Did you now?”

“Yes, I mean—Roarke, do you mind?”

“I mind that I’m not sleeping over with you. Of course I don’t mind, Hannah. Damn it, woman, you know—” He curses under his breath. “When I get home.”

“When do you think that will be?”

“Right now, I have no end date for this hell.” His father calls his name.

“I heard. You need to go. I’m just getting drunk on wine and the scent of you all over this house. I’m good here.”

“Hannah,” he whispers. “I’ll see you soon.”

We disconnect, and for the first time in weeks, I realize that Saturday night, Halloween, is two days away. It’s also my birthday, and the only thing I want this year is to be with Roarke, and, ironically, considering I’m in his house, I don’t think I’ll get that wish. I think of the holidays before me and wonder where I’ll be on Thanksgiving Day, aside from in a panic preparing for the Christmas festival only days away. Will I be with Roarke, or will the past be just that—the past—and us with it?