Page 20 of Finding Chloe

“What do you think of her? Isn’t she fantastic? And beautiful? And sweet? And funny?” he asked, a silly grin spreading across his face. I’d never seen him like this.

“She is gorgeous, but it was a short conversation. I helped her with the saddle, and that was it. I don’t want you to get your hopes up.”

“Well, at least the introduction is done. She’s meeting us for dinner tonight in the dining hall.”

“What?” That was news to me.

“We’re getting together for dinner, so she can meet you. She needs to know you and fall for you so we can have her as our woman.” His hand slapped my shoulder, then he turned and walked to the tack room.

“I worry about you sometimes.” I watched him walk away. Hunter’s optimism was a force of its own. Did he really think it would be that easy?

“I need you to have more confidence. She is going to love you,” he called over his shoulder.

“Confidence. Right,” I mumbled and followed him into the tack room, watching as he grabbed his grooming kit. His meeting with Blake was after mine, so he had time to work with Atlas. Sapphire was going to have to wait until after my appointment.

“Did you say that Chloe was going for a ride?” he asked as he entered Atlas’s stall.

“Yes. She was going with some of the other guys.”

“Maybe we can take her for a ride sometime. Show her some of the nicer spots.”

“Maybe.” I let myself into Sapphire’s stall and opened the turnout door. She nudged my back and followed me into the turnout area. I’d let her get some air while she waited for me.

The dapple-gray mare called out, and I looked over to see Chloe headed my way on Bear. I shielded my eyes as I watched her. She was poised in the saddle like she was born to ride.

Sapphire called out again, and this time the other horses answered, drawing Chloe’s attention to me.Shit. I squirmed in place and forced a very likely awkward smile.

“Thanks again, Kyle.” Chloe waved as she made her way past me and down the drive with Matt, Ryder, and Jason.

“Have a good ride,” I called back.

She smiled at me, and my heart did a little flip. Her curls caught in the breeze and the sun made her hair shine. I watched as she disappeared around the corner and into one of the paddocks.

“Kyle, you ready?” Blake called from inside the barn. I turned to see her and Hunter staring at me.

“Coming.” I pushed off the railing and made my way inside.

An hour later, Blake and I had reviewed every detail about the event and had a game plan for training over the next couple of weeks. The next show was after the wedding, and we needed to be at the top of our game.

“I’m going to put Sapphire out in the pasture for some fun time. You want me to grab Atlas too?” I asked Hunter as I exited Gavin’s office. He let us use it for our meetings every now and then. It wasn’t like Blake needed a full-time office when she was usually out in the arena all day.

“Sure. I’ll meet you after I finish.”

I led the mare and gelding to one of the pastures to turn them loose. Atlas took off like a rocket as soon as he was free, but Sapphire nudged me in the arm, wanting praise before she trotted off to join the other horses. It was almost mesmerizing watching the horses in the field. Prancing around, hopping without a care in the world. It wasn’t long before I heard the heavy steps of Hunter joining me.

“You ready for dinner tonight?” He leaned against the railing I was perched on.

“Define ready.”

“Just be yourself. She’ll love you. You even me out, other half.”

“I don’t want to mess this up. For me or foryou.I know how much you want this to work out. You basically fell in love the second you met her.”

“Let’s get through dinner, and you can tell me how you feel after that.”

“Deal. What are you doing until then?”

“I need to order a few things for Atlas, so I was going to head to the room and relax. Atlas snagged his bonnet on something at the show and it’s ruined. You?”

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