them.
“Did the spider come back?” Carolina asked.
“No.”
The bottom of Zoey’s pant leg had become caught in her boot.
“Here.” Pulling her aside so the others in line could get by, Carolina stooped and straightened it. “Can’t have you looking like a greenhorn.”
“What’s that?”
“Someone who doesn’t know anything about horses.”
“But I don’t know anything about horses.”
Zoey was so earnest, Carolina had to laugh. “But you will soon.” They started walking back to the corral.
“Daddy!”
Before Carolina had a chance to react, Zoey sped off. Neil stood by the corral fence. What Carolina saw next strummed her heartstrings like nothing else had in a long, long time.
Neil, wearing an expression of pure joy, scooped his daughter into his arms and hugged her as if it had been months rather than hours since they’d last seen each other.
Zoey was one lucky little girl to be the recipient of such obvious love.
“Hey, pumpkin pie. How are you?” He set her down and held her away from him so he could look at her.
“I’m going to ride a horse. Wanna watch me?”
“You bet.”
She skipped off, then came to a sudden stop. “There was a big, scary spider in the bathroom. Carolina asked it to leave and it did.” With that, she was gone.
Neil turned to Carolina. “Hi.”
She knew it was his daughter that had put the besotted smile on his face but she basked in its radiance anyway, forgetting for a moment the awkwardness and injured feelings of their last parting.
“Hi yourself.” She walked over to join him. They both leaned their arms on the corral railing to watch Zoey with Big Ben.
“You asked a spider to leave?” Neil appeared skeptical.
“It’s a long story and not nearly as exciting as Zoey made it sound.”
“That’s a strange-looking horse.”
“He’s a mule. The differences are lost on young children.”
“I think they’re lost on me, too.”
“Half horse, half donkey.”
“I’m not going to ask how that works. I don’t think I want to know.”
“I’m sure Zoey will tell you after Briana explains it.”
“I can’t wait.”
Zoey finally got her turn to sit on Big Ben. Neil and Carolina both shouted encouragement and clapped when she was lifted off. Cars pulled into the open area, parents arriving to collect their children. Guests from the trail ride continued to mill around the stables, watching the hands unsaddle the horses and put them up for the night. The place had turned into a hive of activity.
“I should probably get going,” Carolina said.
“I’m sorry about the other night.”
Neil’s comment was out of the blue. She waited a moment to gather her thoughts before responding. “Apology accepted.”
“To be clear, I’m not sorry about kissing you.”
Neither was she.
“I wish I’d handled things better. Not hurt you.” His hand involuntarily opened and closed around the railing. “I’d like us to be friends.”
She let that trite platitude pass for the moment. “Good. Because I may need your help in the near future.”
“With the investigation?”
“Sort of. My boss is putting me in charge of a new story. If we can work out the details.”
“What story?”
“The illegal mining operation.” She drew on her courage, which was in shorter supply than usual these days. “And you’re my connection in the law enforcement agency.”
Carolina was pretty certain she’d struck Neil dumb, but then he answered her, just not the way she expected. “I accept.”
Her jaw dropped. “You’ll do it?”
“No. I accept your dinner invitation.”
“I’m…confused.”
“You’re right. We need to talk. Is Thursday okay? I’ll pick you up at your place. About six okay?”
He didn’t wait for her reply, merely strode off to get Zoey.
Chapter Seven
At Neil’s knock, the dog—he couldn’t remember its name—started barking. Carolina promptly opened her front door, and her smile flickered for only the briefest
“Did the spider come back?” Carolina asked.
“No.”
The bottom of Zoey’s pant leg had become caught in her boot.
“Here.” Pulling her aside so the others in line could get by, Carolina stooped and straightened it. “Can’t have you looking like a greenhorn.”
“What’s that?”
“Someone who doesn’t know anything about horses.”
“But I don’t know anything about horses.”
Zoey was so earnest, Carolina had to laugh. “But you will soon.” They started walking back to the corral.
“Daddy!”
Before Carolina had a chance to react, Zoey sped off. Neil stood by the corral fence. What Carolina saw next strummed her heartstrings like nothing else had in a long, long time.
Neil, wearing an expression of pure joy, scooped his daughter into his arms and hugged her as if it had been months rather than hours since they’d last seen each other.
Zoey was one lucky little girl to be the recipient of such obvious love.
“Hey, pumpkin pie. How are you?” He set her down and held her away from him so he could look at her.
“I’m going to ride a horse. Wanna watch me?”
“You bet.”
She skipped off, then came to a sudden stop. “There was a big, scary spider in the bathroom. Carolina asked it to leave and it did.” With that, she was gone.
Neil turned to Carolina. “Hi.”
She knew it was his daughter that had put the besotted smile on his face but she basked in its radiance anyway, forgetting for a moment the awkwardness and injured feelings of their last parting.
“Hi yourself.” She walked over to join him. They both leaned their arms on the corral railing to watch Zoey with Big Ben.
“You asked a spider to leave?” Neil appeared skeptical.
“It’s a long story and not nearly as exciting as Zoey made it sound.”
“That’s a strange-looking horse.”
“He’s a mule. The differences are lost on young children.”
“I think they’re lost on me, too.”
“Half horse, half donkey.”
“I’m not going to ask how that works. I don’t think I want to know.”
“I’m sure Zoey will tell you after Briana explains it.”
“I can’t wait.”
Zoey finally got her turn to sit on Big Ben. Neil and Carolina both shouted encouragement and clapped when she was lifted off. Cars pulled into the open area, parents arriving to collect their children. Guests from the trail ride continued to mill around the stables, watching the hands unsaddle the horses and put them up for the night. The place had turned into a hive of activity.
“I should probably get going,” Carolina said.
“I’m sorry about the other night.”
Neil’s comment was out of the blue. She waited a moment to gather her thoughts before responding. “Apology accepted.”
“To be clear, I’m not sorry about kissing you.”
Neither was she.
“I wish I’d handled things better. Not hurt you.” His hand involuntarily opened and closed around the railing. “I’d like us to be friends.”
She let that trite platitude pass for the moment. “Good. Because I may need your help in the near future.”
“With the investigation?”
“Sort of. My boss is putting me in charge of a new story. If we can work out the details.”
“What story?”
“The illegal mining operation.” She drew on her courage, which was in shorter supply than usual these days. “And you’re my connection in the law enforcement agency.”
Carolina was pretty certain she’d struck Neil dumb, but then he answered her, just not the way she expected. “I accept.”
Her jaw dropped. “You’ll do it?”
“No. I accept your dinner invitation.”
“I’m…confused.”
“You’re right. We need to talk. Is Thursday okay? I’ll pick you up at your place. About six okay?”
He didn’t wait for her reply, merely strode off to get Zoey.
Chapter Seven
At Neil’s knock, the dog—he couldn’t remember its name—started barking. Carolina promptly opened her front door, and her smile flickered for only the briefest
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