Page 70 of Stick Around,

Junebug chuffed, practically blowing my hat off my head with the force of her exhale. I steadied the brim with one hand, laughing as her breath ruffled my hair.

A throat cleared behind me, and I jumped, nearly losing my balance. My traitorous heart recognized the sound before my brain did, sending a rush of warmth through me even as embarrassment flared up my neck. I steadied myself against the post and took a calming breath before turning around. I’d been so wrapped up in my one-sided therapy session with Junebug that I hadn’t heard footsteps approaching.

“Should I be jealous?” Reid stood a few feet away, hands tucked into his jeans’ pockets, his lips curving into a half-smile that always made my stomach flutter.

I regained my composure and stroked Junebug’s nose. “She seems to like me better than you.”

Reid approached cautiously, and I noticed Junebug’s ears flatten slightly. “She usually only likes me.”

“She appreciates my lack of expectations.” I watched as Reid tried to reach toward her, only for Junebug to pull her head away.

Reid crossed his arms, studying us both with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. “She’s fixated on you.”

I ran my hand along Junebug’s neck, feeling an odd sense of pride at this special connection. “I should try riding her sometime.”

Reid’s expression shifted instantly from relaxed to alarmed. “You should absolutely not.”

“Why? She loves me.” I wrapped my arms around Junebug’s neck and pressed my cheek against her hide. “Don’t you, girl?”

“Junebug is unpredictable and has thrown riders with decades of experience.” Reid took a step forward, his brow furrowed with concern. “She’s not safe, Quinn.”

As if understanding his words, Junebug’s head snapped toward Reid, teeth bared in a flash of warning that made him jump back.

My mouth fell open. “Did she just snap at you?”

“Yes.” Reid blinked several times, looking puzzled. “She did.”

“There’s no way she understood what you said.” I glanced between them, an absurd referee in a human-equine disagreement.

“Horses understand more than you think.” Reid kept a careful distance now, eyeing Junebug with new wariness. “But that was unusual.”

Junebug pressed her nose against my shoulder again, completely docile with me. The contrast between her behavior toward Reid versus me was so stark it was almost comical.

“Maybe she’s trying to tell us something.” I scratched behind her ears, earning a contented huff. “Like that you should let me ride her.”

Reid ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the ends slightly. “I’ll have to think about it. We’d need to work up to it. Start in the arena with a lead line. Test her responses.”

“I get it.” I shrugged, feigning nonchalance while testing the waters. “It’s not like I’ll be here that much longer anyway. Probably better not to let her get too attached.”

The words hung in the air between us, heavier than I’d intended. I hadn’t meant to bring up my impending departure so bluntly, but there it was, the awkward truth wedged between us like Junebug herself.

Reid’s expression shifted almost imperceptibly, the kind of flicker in his eyes that I might have missed if I hadn’t spent so much time studying his face when he wasn’t looking. The sun beat down on us, highlighting the fine lines of concentration across his forehead. Even Junebug seemed to sense the sudden tension, her ears flicking forward then back as she nudged my shoulder again, as if urging me to fix what I’d broken.

Reid nodded slowly. “Yeah, that’s probably smart.”

My heart sank. No protest, no suggestion that I should stay. Just agreement that keeping a boundary between Junebug and me made sense because I was leaving.

I swallowed past the lump forming, trying not to let my disappointment show. “Well, I should probably go finish up some things.”

Reid stepped closer, careful to stay out of Junebug’s strike zone. “I wanted to remind you about tonight.”

“Tonight?” I blinked, momentarily distracted from my gloom.

“Our date.” His smile returned, softer now. “The four of us.”

The fluttering in my stomach returned full force. “Oh, right.”

“You didn’t forget, did you?” Reid’s eyebrows raised slightly.