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Beth’s head jerked at the sound of a loud snort.

“What the hell was that?”

Delaney gasped, then covered her mouth. “It was supposed to be a surprise!” The words came out muffled behind her hands.

Beth narrowed her eyes at her big sister. “No. More. Surprises, Lanes. You got me out of Vegas, didn’t you? You got me to agree to the job and to staying here until my recuperation is over. What else am I being tricked into doing?” She did the little “Come on” gesture with her hand, like she was Morpheus challenging Neo to a friendly round of kung fu, knowing her Keanu-obsessed sister would get the reference.

Delaney groaned, then pulled out her phone and fired off a voice text. “You’re busted, Sam Callahan!”

After a short pause, Delaney’s eyes brightened. She pressed a button on her phone and played the apparent response so Beth could hear.

“Then bring your sister out back so we can do this thing!” It was her brother-in-law Sam’s voice.

“Do what thing?” Beth asked, now wishing she hadn’t pushed the matter. “Remember the pepper spray, Lanes? The pepper spray!” was all she could think to add in order to convey how surprises failed monumentally when Beth was involved.

“Let’s go!” Delaney grabbed Beth’s hand and gave it a gentle yet excited tug. “There’s no confetti, I promise! And unless you’re hiding pepper spray inside a bodily orifice, I think we’re safe!”

“Ew! Bodily orifice? And what thing?” Beth whined as she let her sister lead her out of the carport and along the side of the house.

When they made it to the back porch, they found Sam standing in the grass beyond, patting the withers of a large white horse she knew was not Cirrus.

“Bethy,” Delaney began, “this is Ace. He and Sam are going to teach you to ride.”

Beth stood there, blinking, not sure how to react. She’d wanted to ride Midnight, but that prospect was off the table. This horse was a stranger. She could feel a change in the air around them, like the barometric pressure dropping right before a storm. Meeting Midnight for the first time felt different. It felt safe. Beth felt safe. But just seeing Ace tied her stomach in knots. It made her dizzy. It made her scared.

Delaney led her toward the porch steps that lowered to the grass, and Ace snorted, shook his head, and backed up.

Ace sensed her fear, and he didn’t like it.

Beth recognized the feeling she had now. It was the same pit in her stomach she had when Eli lost control in front of Midnight, when Midnight could have seriously hurt either of them or worse.

“Easy, boy,” Sam told the gelding in a soothing voice, but Beth felt far from soothed.

“He doesn’t like me,” she finally said. And Beth was pretty sure the feeling was mutual.

“He’s just scared,” Delaney told her, trying to inch her forward.

Beth wouldn’t budge.

“And so are you,” Delaney added.

Beth nodded. “Ya think? Lanes, you’re the animal whisperer. Aren’t you supposed to ease animals into meeting new humans? I don’t know this…this creature, and it doesn’t know me. I feel like this isn’t following proper horse-greets-new-human protocol.”

Ace backed up again, head shaking and breath huffing out from his nostrils.

“Ace is the most-ridden horse on the ranch,” Delaney told her. “He’s featured on the website. People book trips at Meadow Valley Ranch specifically to meet Ace. This doesn’t make any sense.”

Beth mirrored the horse’s movement and backed toward the house.

“Lanes…” She spoke softly and slowly, all the while keeping her eyes on Ace, who looked like he was ready to charge. Did horses charge? Because Beth sure as hell didn’t want to find out.

“Yeah, Bethy?”

Delaney’s voice eerily matched her own, as if her sister was finally catching on that Beth hadn’t traveled to Meadow Valley specifically to meet Ace and that Ace was well aware of that fact.

“I don’t trust that horse, Lanes, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t trust me either.”

Beth could see her sister nod in her peripheral vision.