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“Where do you think you’re going?”

She screamed and spun around to find her father sitting at the kitchen table. “What are you doing sitting in the dark?”

Zeke tilted his head slightly. “Sometimes it’s quieter when the lights aren’t on.” He rose from his seat and strode toward the kitchen sink. His mug was placed in the sink with the other dishes before he turned to face her. “I’ll ask again. Where are you going?”

“Riley and I are going for a ride. He wants to see the sunrise from…”

Zeke’s dark expression gave her pause.

“What?”

“You’re still spending time with that man?”

She groaned just as the toaster erupted with the slice of bread. She snatched it, then stood beside her father to butter it. “You know I am. I don’t know why you act surprised every time I do something with him.”

“He’s treating you right?”

“Dad, we’re not even dating. Not technically.” They hadn’t even said they loved each other since that night two weeks ago. “For now, we’re just friends.”

Her father huffed. “I don’t believe that for a second. Maybe you should step back and reevaluate—”

“Dad. Nothing is going on between us. And if something does start again—”

“I’ll be ready with my shotgun.”

“No,you won’t.” Grace tore off a corner of her toast and chewed it thoughtfully. “Dad, I’m going to say something, and I want you to keep an open mind. Ireallylike him. Okay, I love him. But I’m being careful this time. We’re being careful. Riley knows he needs to be to a certain place before we take that next step, and he’s just not there yet.”

Her father muttered something under his breath. “He’s not good enough for you.”

“I guess it’s a good thing you don’t get to choose who I spend time with. He’s an honorable man. You two just started off on the wrong foot.”

“He hurt you, and I don’t want to see that happen again.”

Grace pushed the last bit of toast into her mouth. “We all make mistakes, Dad. Life is messy, and it’s okay for things to be messy sometimes.” She leaned up and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. “Don’t worry about me, Dad. I’m fine.” With a little wave, she hurried out the door and sprinted toward the barn. This would be the first time she’d officially invited Riley to her home. This would be the first time he’d meet her horse and get to see the world she grew up in.

And boy, was she a nervous wreck.

It hadn’t taken long for her to open up to Riley again. Even with the things he’d said. There was no logical explanation for that except the fact that she could actually see a physical shift in the way he acted around her.

For one, he wasn’t nearly as pushy as he once was. It was as if they had just started over. He didn’t try to kiss her, the hugs they shared were purely platonic, and they didn’t talk about relationships at all.

Grace tossed the pad over her horse’s back, followed by the saddle. She was running late. If they wanted to get out of there on time, she needed at least one horse saddled before he arrived.

Just thinking about him gave her goosebumps. It was the weirdest thing. Now that the pressure was off, she found herself wanting to be with him like they had been before. When they talked, she found herself leaning closer to him. When their hands brushed against each other, she fought the temptation to hold his hand.

Confessing any of that to her father was a very bad idea. If he knew, he’d shut this whole friendship down in a second.

Then where would she be?

Riley wasn’t even making advances. After his confession of love, he stuck with their agreement. For all she knew, he wasn’t ready for anything yet anyway.

Grace stepped back to examine the saddle. Telling Riley that she was quickly falling down the rabbit hole when it came to having feelings for him wasn’t going to happen either. She’d made a commitment to herself. When Riley was ready to confide in her, that’s when she’d tell him—even if it took years.

Footsteps echoed down the long aisle from the barn’s entrance. She moved to the edge of the stall and poked her head over the half-door. Riley’s familiar form approached, and that thrill returned.

He glanced over his shoulder toward the entrance, then let his eyes sweep through the structure before landing on her. One side of his mouth quirked up and he gave her that crooked grin that she was so fond of.

She folded her arms over the top of the door and rested her chin on them. “Hey,” she said.