Page 16 of Open Arms

“Thank you, Mr. Bridges. We’ll wait by the front entrance.”

“Alright.” I ended the call, shoving the phone back into my pocket a little harder than necessary.

“Trouble?” Gray asked, his eyes narrowing with concern.

“Abby’s stranded at school.” My voice is terse, clipped with frustration. “I need to go get her.”

“Of course,” Gray said without missing a beat. “Bring her back here if you need to.”

“Mrs. Henderson never misses a pickup,” I said out loud, more to myself than Gray who was now standing at the window watching me with concern etched into his rugged features. “What could’ve happened?”

“Maybe something came up.”

“Abby’s out there thinking nobody’s coming for her.” Thepanic that hit wasn’t just about the logistics of being in two places at once; it was the sharp sting of not being there when my little girl needed me. “She hates being last.”

“Go get her, Mase. She’ll understand.”

“Right.” I was already moving before the word fully formed, urgency lighting a fire under my boots.

“Let me know if you need anything,” Gray called after me.

“Thanks, man.” My steps quickened as I strode down the hall. Abby alone at school—that shouldn’t have happened. But now, it’s all about fixing the mistake and making sure she knows Daddy’s always gonna be there.

“Hey,” Gray calls after me. “Everything’s gonna be alright.”

I didn’t have time to respond, already mentally calculating the fastest route to her school. Abby was waiting, and nothing else mattered.

As I reached my truck, I tried to shake off the feeling of guilt gnawing at my insides. Mrs. Henderson’s been reliable since day one—never even late. Something had gone wrong. I punched the ignition, the engine roaring to life, harmonizing with the rush of thoughts in my head.

“Should’ve double-checked. Should’ve set a reminder.” Self-reproach was a bitter companion as I gunned the engine and tore out of the ranch’s main drive.

Holding it all together was proving to be more difficult than I’d imagined.

8

Mason

The schoolyard was empty,nothing but leaves blowing across the grass as I rushed passed the gates and into the main entrance. My gut was tight, a coiled spring, and there was this hitch in my breath I couldn’t quite shake. Where was my little spitfire?

“Abby!” The word was out before I could think it through, my voice bouncing off the walls and turning heads.

“Hi, Daddy!” Her laughter dances through the air, giving me a sense of relief I didn’t know I needed.

I followed the sound through the main office door, and there she was. My girl, her brown curls bouncing as she talked animatedly with someone kneeling in front of her. Someone who definitely shouldn’t be there.

Chloe.

My steps faltered, confusion tangling up with the relief inside me. Why was Chloe at Abby’s school? No reason for her to be there that I could reckon and the sight of the two of them, all smiles together, did something to stir up a peculiar rage in my gut.

She was crouched down to Abby’s level, nodding along to whatever tale my daughter’s spinning, a small smile tugging at her lips.

“Hey, Daddy,” Abby said again as she waved, all gap-toothed grin and sparkling gray eyes, so much like her momma’s.

“Hey, jellybean,” I managed to answer, but my gaze was fixed on Chloe, trying to puzzle out what brought her from Sunshine Acres to here.

“Chloe came to see me!” Abby declared, as if reading my mind. “She said you were busy with the horses.”

“Did she now?” My eyebrows knitted together while I tried to hide the surprise edging into my voice.

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