Page 21 of Training the Heart

“Gemma has to …” He looks down at Mabel then back to me. “Work. She couldn’t pick her up from school. CeCe’s on her way. Mabel’s going to have dinner and sleep at their place tonight while I work, but she wanted to come to the barn to wait, if that’s fine?”

“You can come with me,” Ivy says, holding out a hand to Mabel.

Mabel’s smile takes up her whole face and Cole breathes a sigh of relief,

“Thanks, guys. I-I wasn’t expecting … I just can’t miss a shift right now.”

“It’s fine, man. Mabes probably asked her mom to work so she could come hang with us and Nutmeg. Right, Mabes?” I ask, rustling her hair. She giggles in response and happily skips out of the barn with Ivy.

“She’s not at work, I’m guessing?” I ask Cole when they’re out of earshot.

“Fuck no, she just texted me an hour ago and said she went to Lexington with two of her friends and forgot she had to pick Mabel up today.” He puts air quotes aroundforgot.

“You’re a good dad. Fuck Gemma.” I pat him on the shoulder. Cole’s also a good cop and I know he’s stretched thin right now. “We’ve got Mabes for you. Now go keep those streets clean.” I grin, knowing his night will probably consist mostly of splitting up a few bar fights and watchingBreaking Badon the iPad he keeps in his sheriff’s truck.

Laurel Creek is usually pretty quiet on a Wednesday night, or really any night.

“Fuck you,” Cole says, sensing my sarcasm. “And thanks.”

I nod and take a big gulp of my coffee before heading out to observe the training. But when I get into the barn, I can hear Ivy and Mabel talking from Nutmeg’s row as they ready him, so I start unpacking a large order that must have just arrived and text some of the boys to come help me.

“When can I learn jumps with him?” Mabel asks.

“Well, he’s not that kind of horse, but if you want to start learning that, I’m gonna bet we start that training in the summer when you’re done with school. But it will maybe be Sam that does that with you or Dusty. That’s their department.”

I set my jaw involuntarily, surprised that I don’t really like thinking about a time when Ivy isn’t on the ranch.

“I think Sam won’t come back,” Mabel says.

“Why do you think that?”

“She has babies now.”

Ivy laughs at Mabel’s answer. “She does, but your Uncle Wade says she loves the horses and lots of mommies go to work after they have babies.” A moment of silence passes. “Pass me the brush please, honey,” Ivy says to Mabel.

“He likes to be brushed,” Mabel says as she hands her the wide bristled tool. Mabel’s little face is deep in thought from what I can see. “If she doesn’t come back, will you stay?”

“Hmmm … well, that will be up to your nana and Uncle Wade.”

“If you do stay, who will train the horses when you have babies? I like when you’re here.”

I smirk at Mabel’s personal question. Kids have no filter.

I pull a box down from the pallet I’m unloading as I wait to hear Ivy’s answer.

A long silence makes me lift my gaze and glance between the aisles at Ivy’s face. Her eyes are distant. She forces her lips to turn into a grin.

“You don’t have to worry about that with me, honey. Thehorses are my babies.” She tweaks Mabel’s chin and Mabel seems satisfied, but I’m not.

As I watch the two of them lead Nutmeg and Cosmic out of the barn like two peas in a pod, I can’t shake the same feeling I had before. Ivy Spencer’s layers run deep, and that mystery isn’t really helping me to push her from my mind. In fact, it’s making me think about her even more. I have no clue how to get through the next few months and keep things professional, but at this point? It’s going to take a fucking miracle.

Twenty minutes later, my phone buzzing in my pocket pulls me from deciding between putting away the feed delivery and watching Ivy and Mabel work with Cosmic. For the klutzy way she handles herself, Ivy’s sure a natural when it comes to working with the horses as she takes her time to teach Mabel how to run through some basic groundwork.

Two texts wait for me when I pull my phone out. One from Janelle asking me if I can change the roofer appointment I made for her today, and the other from the roofer.

JAKE PARNELL

I’m here Wade and Janelle isn’t. Are you coming instead?

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