Page 10 of You're My Person - For Always

"I won't."

"Promise?"

He nodded, easing her worries. From the start, he saw through her attitude to the scared girl, lost in the system. It'd taken her a good year before she started talking to him about what went on in her life. Until recently, she viewed him indifferently, much like her social worker or a teacher at her school.

Five minutes later, she came running around the corner of the garage and thrust a candy bar in front of him. "I took one for you, too."

"Thanks." He ripped open the wrapper and looked at the bar. "What is this? Oatmeal?"

"Granola."

He grunted. Since he'd eaten most of his meals at the bar in Gem Haven since he was little, he'd never eaten one before. He took a bite and latched on to the chocolate chip inside the dry crunch.

"Do you like it?" Kenna broke off a piece and put the other half of the bar in her back pocket.

"It's okay." He pointed at her hip. "Why aren't you eating yours?"

"I'm saving it until later." She wrinkled her nose. "They're leaving me meatloaf from last night to eat while they go out." She shuddered. "I hate meatloaf."

He rewrapped his granola bar and handed it to her. "You can have part of mine, too."

"Thanks."

"How's school?" He tilted his head. "Have you made friends?"

She shook her head.

He looked across the street at the other two-story houses. "Nice neighborhood. I bet there are kids around here you could play with."

"I'm thirteen. I don't play." She brushed off her hands.

"What do you do after school?"

"Draw."

"Yeah?" He leaned against the garage. "What kind of things do you draw?"

"Lots of things." She moved beside him and put her back against the building. "Trees and horses."

"You like horses?"

She looked at the ground. "What happens to horses if their owners don't come back?"

He looked away, feeling the desperation in her question. Without asking, he knew she must've had a horse before the state took her into the system.

It was a hell of a situation. He swallowed, thinking of something that would make her feel better.

"My dad paid to have my horse stabled, but nobody is paying the bill," she whispered.

"To be honest, I don't know." He exhaled. "I can find out, though. Do you know the name of the stables?"

"Maryhill Stables." Kenna turned to him. "Can you really find out?"

Even better, if he could track down the horse, he'd pay to have it boarded until he could figure out a way to reunite Kenna with her horse. Maybe that would put a smile on her face.

"No promises, but I'll try." He caressed her cheek. "What's your horse's name?"

"Luxy."