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Remi nodded. Colt’s patience was much better than hers on the quiet rides to school in the mornings. Sometimes, the only words she could get out of him were about cars. “Was there dirt to be played in?”

“Yes, and you’ll be glad to know we changed into his extra outfit before going to dinner.”

Remi stepped closer to Colt, and his arms fell to the back of the couch. “So, you fed him?”

Colt’s gaze didn’t leave hers, and he wasn’t blinking. Did the nearness affect him these days in the same way it affected her?

“Yes.”

She stepped up beside him and propped her hip against the couch. “Did you let him figure things out on his own?”

Colt swallowed. “I think so. Is this a test?”

She playfully patted his cheek. “Yes, and you passed.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “You’re doing great. Just give him time.”

Colt’s strong arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her in. “I can be patient. I just want him to know he can come to me if he ever has something to talk about.”

“He will.”

She knew that Colt was the person she could go to with almost everything. It had taken her a while to figure it out, but her heart was softening.

But there were things she still hadn’t told him–mistakes she still hated. Shame kept them locked up tight in the hopes they would disappear given enough time.

“Are you still okay with all of this? I haven’t asked you this week.”

That she could answer. She nodded and looked up at him. “I am. We make a good team.” She nudged him with her shoulder. “I knew you were a catch.”

Colt pulled her close and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Same, princess.”

Warmth and comfort spread from her head to her toes, and the urge to flinch away from the contact was gone. When she gave in to the pull, her heart shifted. She’d been distancing herself from Colt’s goodness, but the chains holding her back loosened. Colt was going to break down her guilt and shame, and she only hoped he was strong enough to survive the fallout.

Chapter20

Colt

Colt looked over his shoulder where Ben sat atop Burgundy. “We need to turn.”

Ben tugged on the right side of the reins. “I got this.”

For a kid with endless energy, Ben somehow managed to wrangle some focus when it came time for riding lessons. They’d only squeezed in a handful of sessions so far, but Ben was determined to make the most of his time with the horses.

“One more round, then we need to get home.”

“Not yet,” Ben whined. “We just got started.”

“We’ve been here for an hour and a half.”

“But we had to do all the grooming stuff, and I didn’t get to ride a lot.”

“The most important part of riding is taking care of the horse.”

He could argue that the most important part of having kids was taking care of them, but he could also see the importance of nurturing adventure and creativity.

Ben didn’t need any help in that department. He was just like Mark when it came to getting into trouble. Not in the sense of doing bad things, but he made his own fun. Fun followed him, not the other way around.

When Ben dismounted, they led Burgundy around the small walking yard next to the barn. “Why does he need to stand around after we ride?”

“He needs to cool down.”