Page 43 of Nothing Breaks Like A Heart

I gave him an incredulous look. "Not a chance. I'm not getting back on that horse. Do you think I'm crazy?"

"You can ride with me," Andrew said.

I didn't like that idea, either, but we were probably a few miles away from the resort, and I didn't feel up to walking. Still, I hesitated. "I don't know. Your horse looks even bigger than Sally. Maybe we could call for someone to bring a golf cart up here."

"A cart won't be able to make it up here," the stable hand said. "It's either ride with your husband or walk."

"I won't let anything happen to you," Andrew promised.

He'd told me that earlier. Not that it was his fault, but it was difficult to trust his words now.

"Dammit," I swore, knowing I had no choice. "Okay, fine, I'll ride with you, but I want to go straight back to the stables."

"Of course."

"Where is everyone else?"

"They're already headed back to the stable," the guide said, glancing down at his phone. "My manager wants to know if you need a doctor to meet you there."

"I don't think so," I said.

"Well, if you change your mind, let me know."

"I'm going to help you up, and then I'm going to get up behind you," Andrew said, giving me another warm, reassuring smile.

"All right." It took every ounce of courage I had to climb into Andrew’s saddle, my body tense with pain and fear. His hands were strong and steady as he helped me up, then swung up behind me with practiced ease. His arms caged me in as he took the reins, his warmth pressing against my back.

"You’re safe now," he murmured, his voice low in my ear.

I didn’t feel safe. My skin prickled with unease, my mind replaying the moment Sally had bolted.What had made my horse take off like that?Something had definitely spooked her. Maybe it had been a bee. Just a freaky, bad-luck moment.

As we descended the trail, I could see the others in a pack far ahead of us, their laughter and chatter so carefree, so different from the way I felt. The scenery blurred past us: golden hillsides dotted with wildflowers, the ocean glinting in the late afternoon sun. But I couldn’t focus on the beauty. My thoughts were a tangled mess of pain and unanswered questions.

When we got back to the stables, everyone was waiting for us, their expressions filled with concern. Andrew got off first and then helped me down. When I put my weight on my left leg, I winced, biting back a gasp of pain.

"Lauren! Are you okay?" Bennett asked, striding forward with both worry and annoyance in his gaze.

I had a feeling he was more concerned with what was going to be written about this event by the influencers than how I was actually feeling. But he was trying to act like he cared. And I needed to be cognizant of my reaction and the photos that were currently being snapped by Talia, Kat, and Tyler.

"I’ll be fine," I said, forcing a smile. "Just bruised."

"Bruised?" Bennett echoed. "Did you fall off?"

"I didn’t fall—I was thrown," I corrected. The memory made my stomach tighten.

Bennett shook his head, seemingly bewildered. "I don't understand what happened. Sally is such a calm mare. I rode her yesterday, and she was too slow for me."

"Well, she wasn’t slow today when she took off like a rocket," I snapped, frustration bubbling to the surface. "Something spooked her. I heard it."

"What did you hear?" Bennett pressed.

I hesitated, glancing at the group. Harper, Colin, and the influencers stood nearby, avidly listening to our exchange.

"I don’t know…it was a hissing sound."

"Or maybe a buzzing," Andrew suggested. "It could have been a bee that stung Sally and sent her running."

"That was probably it," Bennett said with a nod, happy to have a reasonable explanation.