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“I was just about to take a shower,” Thea said.

Right. Just what he needed–thoughts of Thea in the shower. He needed to sit in timeout until further notice.

Brett flopped onto the couch, pressing his face into one of Hadley’s decorative pillows. “I’ll be here. Guarding the door,” he muffled into the pillow.

“Good. I’ll get a shower after you,” Hadley said before disappearing into her room.

Chapter17

Thea

Thea sat in the stables with her foot propped on a bucket. She’d been moving around without the crutches more and more, but there were times when the ankle still ached.

Star swooped down to nudge her cheek against Thea’s.

“I know, girl. You’re next.”

Brett led Vanilla, a gorgeous palomino, around the indoor arena. Every few feet, he leaned in to whisper to the horse, and, despite the cold, Thea’s heart melted like a popsicle on a summer day.

“He’s good to you, isn’t he?” Thea asked Star.

The horse anxiously stepped to the left, then back again.

“He’s good to me too. Let me tell you, that man is a…”

He’s a keeper, but Thea hadn’t had the luxury of keeping things that were too good for her. There was a point in time when she’d thought Brett was her ticket to freedom–her chance to have happiness after a lifetime of hate. Looking back, she truly believed God had sent him when she needed him most.

Now, was He sending Brett to her again for a reason she didn’t understand yet? Or was He just hoping she wouldn’t mess it up this time the way she had all those years ago?

Would he extend the forgiveness she desperately prayed for?

Brett said something to Vanilla before turning his attention to Thea. Even from across the arena, the intensity of his stare sent a wave of heat up her chest and neck. There was a silent plea in every look, begging her to trust him and let him in again.

And she wanted to. Oh, how she wanted to.

She got the feeling he wanted to try again, but things would turn out the same way this time as they had before. How could it be any other way? They were doomed, or they were doomed. No way around it.

Violent delights had violent ends, didn’t they?

Brett finished his session with Vanilla and came to take Star for her turn. The younger horse eagerly followed Brett, and Thea chuckled low. Brett had a friendliness about him that even the horses could feel. They trusted him in the same way Thea had.

The same way she still did.

Would her regrets ever catch a break? Brett was opening up to her again, but she couldn’t shake her guilt.

Paul came in with Thane, and the big dog set his sights on Thea. She welcomed him with open arms, and he nuzzled his face against her neck.

“Hey, snuggle bug. I missed you.” She hadn’t seen the wolf dog in a few days, and the reunion was well overdue. He lay down between her and the bucket supporting her foot, and she gave him all of her attention. “Does Paul know you’re an attention hog? Does he talk to you more than people? I’ve never heard him say more than ten words at a time.”

Paul walked up and cleared his throat. “I’ll be in the storage shed if you need me.”

“We’re fine here. I’ll take good care of him,” Thea promised.

With a slight tip of his hat, Paul went about his business. Thea sat in Thane’s quiet company for at least half an hour. Brett and Jess moved here and there throughout the barn, seemingly working together without communicating much. Jess pretended Thea didn’t exist in the corner all afternoon, and their silent push and pull was enough to tie Thea’s muscles in knots.

As badly as she wanted to pretend she didn’t care what Brett’s sister thought, her mind didn’t get the memo. Theadidcare, and there didn’t seem to be anything she could do to mend the relationship.

Jess was right to feel the way she did. Thea caused problems for Brett whenever she was around.