Page 18 of Back in the Saddle

ERIN:Look. You know I’m always on your side. You know I’m always here to listen, even if I can’t solve your problems. And I’ve never said much about the whole situation between you and Finn. But your marriage is over. It organically dissolved on its own, with or without some handsome cowboy’s help. Whatever happens, you’ll still be signing the divorce papers once you’re back in Glasgow.

CAROLINEYes, but that doesn’t mean I can just go off and take up with another guy so soon after.

ERIN:And why not? If anyone deserves to let herself a bit loose and have some fun, it’s you. You’ve had a tough time for ages now. You don’t even have to see Hunter again for now. Unless you want to, of course. You can just talk a bit. Exchange a few messages.

CAROLINE:It still feels wrong somehow.

ERIN:Did it feel wrong when his tongue was stuck down your throat?

CAROLINE:Erin!

ERIN:Car, I love you. But you’re too harsh onyourself. Sometimes life just puts exactly the right kind of person on your path. Someone who you were supposed to meet.

CAROLINE:If you’re going to talk about soulmates and higher power now, I’m tapping out …

ERIN:Ugh, you’re so infuriating!!! Simple question: do you want to see Hunter again? Yes or no? Don’t think about it! Trust your gut.

CAROLINE:Yes.

ERIN:There you go. Looks like my work here is done. Just in time, too. I feel like I’m going to fall asleep any minute now. Speak soon?

CAROLINE:OK.

CAROLINE:Hey, Erin?

ERIN:Yeah?

CAROLINE:You know you’re my favourite person, right?

ERIN:Ha, I do. But if things keep going how they are, maybe Hunter will trump me on the list.

She followed her message with a winky face and Caroline shook her head, exiting the app. Despite what Erin thought, it still didn’t sit well with her.

Mulling over what she had known she had to do from the start, she finally worked up the courage about half an hour later. Her finger hovered a while on the number. Anxiety rising in her chest, she took a few steadying breaths.

She had to call Finn.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Caroline

Caroline paced the length of the bedroom, working up the courage to press the ‘call’ button next to Finn’s name. She’d had his contact page pulled up for the past twenty minutes. Her mind whirled, playing through the different scenarios of how that conversation could go. What he would say. What she would ask him. Even though the only way she could find out was to actually click her finger and bring the phone up to her ear.

Which she did, though she wasn’t sure if there was more intention or accident involved. Maybe it was a muscle twitch. Either way, she couldn’t hang up now. She pressed her hip to the windowsill. Flexed her fingers. Rolled her shoulders, like she was preparing to walk into a difficult exam.

Finn picked up on the second ring. ‘Car.’

That was all he said.

Caroline tightened her grip on her phone. Hearing Finn’svoice stole her breath away, but not in the way it used to. It wasn’t the pulse-accelerating euphoria that she remembered from her teenage years. It wasn’t the comfort of being wrapped up in a safe cocoon of knowing she could share the best and worst of her day with her favourite person on the planet of her early twenties. It wasn’t even the maddening emotional rage of her late twenties.

Just the resigned acceptance that it was truly over for them.

‘Car, are you there?’ Finn asked.

She cleared her throat, resting her temple on the cool window. ‘Hi.’

‘Hi.’