all roads lead to you

by Probst, Jennifer

  The image of the horse was ingrained in her brain. The desperate glint sparking from his big brown eyes. The almost-panicked air as he butted and nudged her body, trying to get her to focus on him for attention. The soft whinnies from his mouth.

  Harper cleared her throat. “He just started nipping at my hair and butting me like he was trying to tell me something. I petted him at first. Then tried to ignore him. Then pushed him away. But he kept getting worse, so I put the cap back on the bottle and laid it down beside me. And the strangest thing happened then. That horse just lay down right in his stall and put his head in my lap.” She shook her head. “Horses don’t do that. He acted like some oversize lap dog and just plopped himself as close as possible, and his neighing was like whimpering, and all I could do was stroke him and kiss his head and tell him everything was going to be okay.

  “That’s when I realized he knew I was going to kill myself. And he didn’t want me to. I think Jiminy Cricket knew if I quit on life, there’d never be hope for him, either. In that moment, we were connected. He’d been sent to me with a message. And I made my decision not to let those girls win. That I was worth living a big, beautiful life. That I wasn’t ugly, and stupid, and useless. I cried for hours in the stall, with my arms wrapped around Jiminy Cricket, and he never moved. When I was done, I returned the bottle of pills to my mother’s cabinet. I told no one. But the next day, my mother told me Jiminy Cricket had become a different horse. He was responding to her, and had begun to eat, and play in the pasture with the other horses, and became happy again.”

  A smile curved her lips. “He was adopted six months later by a family who fell in love with him at first sight. I visited him all the time, and he finally had the perfect home, just like he was meant to.”

  “And you?” His voice came out like rough gravel. “What about you?”

  Her smile grew bigger. “I decided I’d spend my days making sure as many animals as possible get their second chance. Just like Jiminy Cricket gave to me. I still had a tough two years. Not much changed about their behavior, but I had changed my reaction. I knew I was trapped in a tiny droplet of time, but there was a massive ocean of years out there, waiting for me. I just needed to do the best I could until things changed, and they did. I graduated high school, and I never looked back. I decided not to have children. The world is too painful, and I feel like I could do better taking care of animals who needed me. Maybe I lost a few things along the way. But overall? I love every moment of my life. And I owe it to that horse.”

  She didn’t realize she was crying until he cupped her cheeks and wiped her tears away with his thumbs. His eyes were so warm and bright, she fell into them, and oh, there was understanding and so much tenderness. No pity. No judgment. Nothing but the man’s heart shining just for her.

  “Mo stór,” he whispered. “You humble me. Thank you for giving me the gift of your trust. Thank you for being brave enough to live.”

  His lips brushed hers. Whisper soft, and as fleeting as a butterfly’s wings. And because there were no words worthy of a response, she reached for him, and he made love to her slowly, shattering the last defense of her heart and rebuilding it whole.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “Hey, Harper. Something’s wrong with Flower.” Owen stood in front of her, brows lowered in a frown.

  She hung up the last stack of bridles on the hook and wiped her hands on her jeans. “What happened?”

  “She’s acting funny. And there’s this gross stuff coming out of her nose. Looks like she has a cold.”

  She motioned for him to follow and headed to the mare’s stall. Giving a quick whistle in greeting, she opened the gate and stepped in. Flower usually jumped to greet her, extremely affectionate and playful, but she just stared sleepily at Harper, as if unable to use up the last of her energy. “What’s the matter, sweetheart?” she murmured, stroking her while she did a quick examination. Owen was right—there was mucus coming out of her nose, and she weakly swayed in her stall. Flower rarely liked to lie down, preferring to sleep standing up, but in a matter of minutes, the mare sank down in the hay in surrender.

  Crap. She was really sick.

  “Is she okay?” Owen asked, staring at the horse. “Why is she lying down?”

  “We need to get the vet over here. Thanks for letting me know, Owen. Can you finish hanging up all the equipment for me? I don’t want to leave her.”

  “Sure.” With one last worried glance, he trudged out of the barn.

  Harper plucked her phone from her pocket and dialed her vet. Thankfully, Sara Beadle was able to get to her quickly, and within two hours, she’d given her diagnosis.

  “It’s equine flu, I’m afraid,” she said, standing up and dusting off the hay from her knees. Sara always looked coldly professional, but she had strong hands, a gentle heart, and an iron will to do the best for her clients. She’d been working with Harper for years, and they’d become friends. “Caught it early, but there’s not much I can do. I’d advise quarantine, especially since Phoenix may have come in contact. Keep a close eye on the others.”

  Harper rubbed her temples to ward off the impending headache. With the stress of the upcoming Champagne Stakes less than a month away, now she’d have to keep a careful eye on the poor mare and pray none of the other horses got sick. “Anything I can do to speed up her recovery?” she asked.

  “The usual. Lots of fluids and rest. Keep a close watch for worsening conditions. The next few days are key to make sure there’s not another type of infection going on. Call me if there’s any concern.”

  “Thanks, Sara. I appreciate you coming out here so fast.”

  “Are you kidding? I owe you. You saved that poor baby goat. How is he doing?”

  “Thriving. Loves farm life and found a best friend in Phoenix. He’s part of the family.”

  “So nice to hear a happy ending for a change. I knew the moment I looked at Aidan he wouldn’t leave the goat behind. He’s so like you.”

  Harper tried not to blush at the vet’s pointed gaze and led her out of the barn. After thanking her, she headed back to the sick mare and stroked her head. Those joyful brown eyes now filled with exhaustion. “My poor baby. We’ll take care of you.”

  She sighed, making a mental list to rearrange tasks in order to be on call for Flower. She’d move her to Phoenix’s old stall, scrub this one down, then move Stitch, who’d just recovered from a bruised foot, in here. Aidan was gone for the next few hours doing errands, Ethan had trail rides booked all day, and Chloe had returned to the city to be with her father. Which left . . . her.

  And Owen. But he’d be leaving shortly after she announced the big news.

  After Chloe left, Harper had expected his work ethic to suffer again, figuring most of what he did around the farm was to impress his new crush. He’d gotten her number, and Harper was sure he texted her regularly. She’d caught him taking selfies next to Chloe’s Pride.

  Maybe he wasn’t as clueless as she’d originally thought. The kid knew the way to a girl’s heart was through her animal companion.

  The subject of her thoughts walked into the barn and stood by the stall. “What’d the vet say about Flower?”

  Harper leaned an elbow against the scratched wood. “Equine flu.”

  “Does she get medicine?”

  She shook her head. “Unfortunately, no. She’s got to ride this out. Sometimes it takes a few weeks to get back to normal. It’s also contagious, so I have to move her into Phoenix’s old stall, sanitize everything, and watch her round the clock for the next few days.”

  “That doesn’t sound good.” He walked in and stroked her mane. “What if she doesn’t get better?”

  “She will. She’s strong, it just may take some time.” Harper tucked a stray tendril of hair behind her ear and smiled. “I do have some good news for you, though, Owen. I’m sorry I have to announce it when no one’s around, but you’re officially free.”

  He blinked. “What do you mean? Free of what?�
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  A laugh escaped her lips. “Of us—the farm. You’ve done all your community service hours. I contacted your grandfather, and he signed off on the paperwork, so if you’re done sorting the equipment, you’re free to go.”

  He was silent for a while, as if trying to process. “You mean I don’t have to come here anymore to work?”

  “That’s right. I know you don’t have much time left before the fall semester is in session, but you can hang with your dudes for the few days and party.” She regarded him thoughtfully and was able to utter the truth. “You did well. Not at first, but you learned, and I’ve seen a huge progression these past few weeks. Thank you for all your work and kindness to the animals.”

  Owen grinned, pride flushing his sunburned cheeks. A wave of affection washed through her at the sight of his bouncy surfer curls, blistered hands, and new air of confidence that surrounded him. As much as she bitched, watching the kids grow up and mature over a summer made the program worth it. “Welcome. And thanks for not getting too pissed off at me when I screwed up.”

  She laughed and squeezed his shoulder. “I know Aidan and the crew will want to say a proper goodbye. Maybe you can swing by later in the week for dinner? Or at least a cake?”

  He ducked his head. “Wow, cool. Yeah, I’d like that.”

  “Good. Okay, I gotta get to work. Get the hell out of here and have some fun.”

  She waited for him to grab his phone and text his buddies or sprint out of the barn with a celebratory shout. Instead, he stayed where he was, petting Flower, and regarded her a bit cautiously. “Umm, Harp. I got nothing really going on yet. Can I help you get Flower settled? She doesn’t look too good.”

  Gratitude flowed through her. “Owen, that’s the nicest offer I’ve had in a while. I would love some help.”

  He threw back his shoulders. “I’ll get Stitch moved out so we can swap.”

  The rest of the day passed quickly in a flurry of activity. By the time Aidan returned, she and Owen had managed to switch stalls, sterilize everything, and get Flower settled with fresh hay and water. The other horses were content, munching on dinner, and Captain Hoof was napping with Phoenix. She told him the details with Flower.

  “Crap, we have to watch Phoenix carefully. Let’s not push him this week. Give him plenty of rest with easy breezes to keep him limber. What do I need to do with Flower?”

  “Actually, Owen was a great assistant.” She laughed at his stunned expression. “It’s his last day, and when I tried to send him home, he asked if he could help me with Flower. I guess this summer did make a difference.”

  “Told ya. Chloe didn’t hurt, either. It’s amazing what a boy can manage to do in the quest to impress a lady.”

  She leaned in and stole a long, lingering kiss, enjoying the delicious fullness of his lips skating over hers. She pulled back and gave him a naughty wink. “Interesting. Looking forward to you impressing me later.”

  His brow arched and a low growl escaped his throat. “You flirting with me, love?”

  “You up for it, Irish?” A fizzy pleasure bubbled in her blood at the look of darkening hunger on his face. She’d actually learned how to flirt without feeling like her actions were forced or contrived. With Aidan, the banter was fun and natural.

  “Always. What color today?”

  The man had become officially obsessed with her underwear. She pursed her lips and pretended to think. “Hmm, don’t remember. Was it the hot-pink boy shorts? Or the peach thong?” She shrugged. “Sorry, maybe you’ll find out later.”

  She tried to walk away, but he grabbed her around the waist and tried to steal a kiss while she laughed, playfully fighting him off. After a few more kisses and giggles she’d swear never happened, they took a look at the schedule for the rest of the week.

  “Let’s swap turns to stay with Flower for the next few nights,” he suggested.

  She nodded. “I’ll take tonight.”

  He didn’t fight her, which was a complete turn-on. The man respected her decision to take care of her own. He gave her the space to be who she needed to be and never tried to change her.

  She’d finally met a man who had no desire to rescue her. He knew she’d slay her own dragons, but he wanted to be there in case she needed an extra sword to borrow.

  It was a heady combination.

  After a late dinner, she headed back to the barn and settled herself in. Flower had a bit of a wheeze in her breath, but she’d been drinking water at least. She hated being in isolation, though, and was definitely one of her most needy companion animals. Harper laid out her sleeping bag on a fresh pile of hay as close as she could to the stall, so at least Flower knew she was near.

  The creak of the barn door alerted her to company. Definitely Aidan. She opened her mouth to tell him to get his ass home and that she had things covered, but Owen walked into the barn. He carried a backpack and a rolled-up blanket.

  “Owen! What are you doing here?”

  He stopped a few inches in front of her. “I want to sleep here tonight. I’m worried about Flower.”

  Surprise flickered. She narrowed her gaze and studied him. “Listen, Owen, you don’t have to do this to impress Chloe. I’ll be sure to mention you were amazing today with her. There’s no reason to stay—I’ve got it covered.”

  A mulish expression flickered over his face, but she caught the faint blush her words had caused. Still, his mouth firmed with determination. “I think Chloe is the bomb, but I’m not here for her. Flower was the first horse to teach me not to be afraid. She’s sweet, and she takes care of everyone else on this farm. I want to help take care of her.”

  Ah, crap.

  She blinked back the sting of emotion from his declaration and sighed. “Fine. You can stay. I guess she wants all the company she can get, don’t you, girl?”

  Owen dropped his stuff, unlatched the stall, and sank down next to the sick horse. Even through the vats, Harper watched the sweet mare press against Owen, as if sensing his strength of will to get her better. Owen crossed his legs, getting comfortable, and Harper pulled the blanket over her and closed her eyes.

  A smile played on her lips.

  Score another recruit for the Bishop farm.

  Harper rubbed the back of her neck and tried to stretch it out. She’d spent the last two nights in the barn with Owen, watching over Flower. Thank goodness the horse was feeling better. Harper craved her own bed.

  Specifically, with Aidan in it.

  She opened the door, praying there were buckets of fresh coffee awaiting, and stilled at the scene in front of her.

  Figaro lay sprawled out on Aidan’s lap, purring madly. He stroked her back while the dogs wrapped around his feet in a snug bundle of fur. Captain Hoof snoozed on the side of the couch, his head smooshed against Aidan’s hip, his tiny horns poking through the chicken costume. The scent of coffee hung in the air, along with eggs and greasy bacon.

  His words drifted to her ears with a touch of his lyrical Irish brogue.

  “I don’t know why cats have such a bad reputation. Is it so wrong to demand trust is earned rather than give it freely, without thought?” Figaro flipped over to her belly and stretched. Her paws batted in the air, demanding more petting. “You’re a big mush, but I promise not to tell. As long as you don’t tell Mom I fed you extra tuna today. Deal?”

  The purring resembled a chainsaw in action, rumbling through the room with pure feline satisfaction.

  He laughed. “Yeah, I love you, too.”

  And then it happened.

  Harper realized she was in love with Aidan O’Connor.

  Her heart leaped, and her sweaty hands closed around the knob. She sucked in a ragged breath as the realization rolled through her. So stupid. She’d done everything they’d agreed not to, yet her heart had gone AWOL.

  Damn him. Damn him for recognizing her inner heart and understanding her secrets and loving her animals and saving a disabled goat on his own.

  Damn him.

 
Harper closed her eyes and fought for composure. At least he’d never have to know. She’d keep the words locked tightly inside. It wasn’t his fault she’d broken the rules, and she refused to make him feel guilty or ruin the next few months hoping he’d feel the same way.

  Decision made, she schooled her features into a calm mask and shut the door hard behind her.

  The dogs jolted and jogged sleepily over for their greeting. Figaro shot her a disgusted look at interrupting her nirvana, leaping gracefully out of Aidan’s lap to rub against her legs for a quick hello, then retreated back to her favorite place on the chair. Captain Hoof joined the group, butting his head against her, and she got down on the floor to give them her attention.

  Aidan slid off the couch and headed toward the kitchen. “Hey, how is she doing? I’ve got your coffee ready, and a big breakfast. Not that I cooked it. But I made a special stop to Bea’s Diner, and all I have to do is heat it up. Sit down, I’ll get you set up.”

  Her throat tightened with emotion. She stared at him and wondered how many other women had experienced his tender side. The way he nurtured the people and animals he cared about. The man had a gigantic heart buried under a bit of Irish gruff. He was everything she’d ever wanted, and she needed to try and savor every single moment he was hers.

  She rose and walked toward him. Jeans rode low on his hips. His T-shirt was stretched out and faded from too many washings. His feet were bare. His jaw was covered in rough stubble.

  Harper rose on her tiptoes, fisted his shirt in her hands, and yanked his mouth to hers.

  He growled with pleasure, hitched her high up in his arms, and carried her to the bedroom. “Good, I wasn’t ready for breakfast, either,” he muttered, his tongue diving deep and claiming her in the thrilling way that made her toes curl. He laid her on the bed, stripped off their clothes, and slowly pressed his lips over every inch of her body. With slow, teasing kisses, nibbles, and strokes of his tongue, he journeyed from the curve of her collarbone to the swell of her breasts and worked his way downward. She felt practically worshipped as he sucked on her nipples, dipped into her navel, and settled his hot mouth right over her sensitive clit to lick and pleasure, his fingers curling and plunging deep inside until she cried out his name and begged for him to take her.