Page 79 of The Luminosity of Loriana Harper

“I, uh…”

She held his gaze.

“I met a cop today. It didn’t go well.”

“Colton?”

He didn’t try to hide his shock.

She laughed. “There are few cops in town. Now, Dorrie and Seth, they’re good people.”

“I’ve met Seth.”

“Yeah. He went to school with us.” She placed a cube on his hand and nudged him toward the next horse. “Colton, though, he’s a whole other breed.”

This horse was a bit more enthusiastic about her treat, but no less gentle.

“Dare I ask?”

“Well, I’ll admit to being biased.”

Another cube, another horse.

“And?”

“He and my sister Sunshine used to be married. For, like, a hot minute.”

Ah. So likely Rainbow wasn’t unbiased. Good to know.

“But that’s water under the bridge. He turned out to be a jerk. Much like her first husband, Logan.” She turned to him. “Why couldn’t she meet a nice man like you?”

“You don’t know me.”

“Oh, you think that. But I’ve a pretty good sense for people. And Kennedy would never have asked you back if she had doubts. And Justin wouldn’t have recommended you in the first place.”

“People can hide their true natures. I might be a monster. Hell, I just told you that I had a run-in with a police officer.”Why exactly are you arguing this?

She appeared to consider. “Right. That’s true. And if you turn out to be a serial killer, I’ll be disappointed in you.” She handed him another cube. “Did you do what they accused you of?”

“No.”

“Well, then, I don’t need to worry.”

Fallon snagged the cube, and Mitch swore he caught a glint in the horse’s deep brown eyes.

“There you are.”

Kennedy’s husky voice caught Mitch off-guard.

Rainbow plunked the last cube in his hand.

Without needing encouragement, he stepped to Briar. She was the most delicate of the four, nibbling very gently.

He smiled. He petted the horse’s snout and leaned in.

Somehow, maybe everything would be okay.

Chapter seventeen

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