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“Okay. Okay.” I gave a soft sigh, letting my fingers drum gently on the bar top. “It was good. It was even better than I expected. He was kind. Gentle. And he made me feel… It was good. It was really, really good.”

“Well, how ‘bout that,” Nikolai chuckled. “Mom is stepping out and taking names. I’m proud of you.”

“I’m trying.” I looked at him, and my chest tightened. I’d raised him through hell, alongside a man who only knew how to terrorize, and he’d still managed to become a good, decent man. And I adored him, but he was still my son, and there were things I simply couldn’t say. So, I said, “I’m taking it one step at a time.”

He nodded like he understood, and I think maybe he did. “So, when are you seeing him again?”

“Tonight, actually. We’re having dinner at his place.”

“Man, you two don’t mess around.”

“At our age, you gotta get while the gettin’ is good.” I glanced down at my watch, and when I saw the time, I winced. “Speaking of which, I gotta get going. I’m supposed to meet the vet in half an hour.”

“What about Marissa?”

“I’ll catch her on my way out.”

“Okay, so what time will you be home?”

“I don’t know. Late, I would imagine.”

“How late?”

“Nikolai.”

“What?” he fussed. “I’m watching out for my dear, beloved mother.”

“Your mother can take care of herself.” I patted him on the chest, then turned and started out of the room. “Have a good afternoon, sweetheart.”

“You know I hate when you call me that.”

“I do.”

“Then, why… ah, forget it.” I’d almost made it out of the room when he called out, “Behave tonight. Be careful and remember who you are.”

I stopped dead in my tracks and whipped around to face him. “And who is that?”

“Tabitha Volkov. She’s an amazing lady. No one on the planet like her.”

“Thank you, Nikolai.”

He gave me a nod, and I was on my way. I met Marissa in the hallway and gave my approval on the color swatches. We planned to meet later in the week so we could go over some of the final details. As soon as we were done, I made my way back out to my car, and like earlier, the Fury boys were still posted out front.

I gave them a quick wave, and they each waved back with no emotion on their faces. I couldn’t tell if they were okay being there or not. It wasn’t something I gave much thought. I had too many other things on my mind. I needed to get to the barn and find out what the vet had to say about Faith and several of the other horses he was checking in on.

When I finally made it to the barn, Dr. Lewis was already there and in the far stall, crouched beside the mare. His vet bag was open at his side, and I could hear his voice, calm and steady, as he tried to reassure Faith while examining her hoof. The mare flicked an ear toward him but didn’t pull away.

“Hey, Doc.” Not wanting to disturb them, I stood by the gate as I told him, “I’m sorry I’m late. I got caught up in town.”

“No need to apologize. We’ve been doing just fine without you.” He looked up and gave me a quick smile. “She’s looking better. That hoof’s healing up nicely. The new stall upgrade is great. It’s just what she needed.”

“A friend did it for me. I think she likes it.”

“She certainly does.” Doc gave me a little side glance. “It’s making a difference.”

That warmed me a bit. I didn’t say that Hudson was the one who’d helped me. I didn’t need to. Just knowing he’d had a hand in helping Faith stuck with me more than I expected.

Doc finished checking the mare, then stood and stepped back with a concerned expression. “She’s holding steady. Good weight. No swelling and it looks like her appetite is picking up.”