Page 61 of Love Me Fierce

And will they be back?

Chapter Seventeen

VIVIAN

Normally,I use Mateo’s karate class for grocery shopping and maybe popping into the knitting shop, but today, my first stop is Bitterroot Community College to meet Professor Milankovitch.

When I enter the campus café, I find him in the back, by the big window where he likes to work on weekends, his laptop screen propped open, and a Dodgers baseball cap pulled low on his head. I expected someone older, but he’s probably late-thirties, with dark brown hair and a clean-shaven face, and a wedding band on his left ring finger. He’s also wearing boots, like he likes to hike. But I guess that makes sense, because he’s a geologist.

“Vivian?” he asks.

I offer my hand and he stands up to shake it. “Can I get you anything?” he asks, nodding at the counter behind me where students are ordering coffee drinks and pastries.

“No, thank you,” I say.

“All right, but next time, I won’t take no for an answer.” He flashes me a smile, then sits back down.

I tuck into the chair across from him, and he slides a small envelope toward me. “Everything looked good.”

“Great,” I say and tuck the envelope into my purse.

“Would you be willing to take on more next time?”

“Yes, as long as I can get it done in my spare time.”

“Ah yes, the day job.”

I laugh. “Yeah, and the mom job.”

His eyes turn curious. “A mom, huh? How old is your kid?”

“Seven,” I say.

“He keeps you busy, I bet.” He sits back. “All right then, I’ll be in touch.”

“Thank you again.” I stand and sling my purse onto my shoulder.

He gives me a nod before returning his focus to his laptop.

Once I’m in my car, I can’t help but count the money, just to be sure. It’s all here, then I drive straight to the cash machine and deposit it.

WatchingEverett ready the horses is nothing short of cowboy porn. He’s dressed in faded Wranglers that are tight in all the right places, scuffed boots, and a waffle-knit henley shirt scrunched to his elbows, revealing those muscular forearms. He carries saddles and cinches them into place, moving with a familiarity that speaks volumes to not just his confidence, but his passion for this life and the deep knowledge that comes with doing something hundreds of times.

Then there’s the gentle way he is with the horses, talking to them like there’s some secret language they share. I don’t know why these things have me in such a chokehold, but I’m practically panting from my perch against the stall door.

After we returned from Mateo’s karate class and I made us lunch at the cabin, Nelson gave him his first riding lesson. Everett and Logan showed up soon thereafter with Greta. The way Mateo’s face lit up when he heard them all cheering for him will be forever branded on my heart.

After, Matty begged to stay behind with Logan and Greta, who both assured me they’d love to have him along. The sudden, easy freedom to say yes to going riding with Everett was so foreign that it took me moment to soak it in. After spending the last six days with Everett’s family, their warm welcome has grown into something lasting, and genuine.

Maybe I’m not destined to be such an outsider after all?

“I wanted to give you an update on the break-in,” he says while fussing with straps.

“Do you know who did it?”

He shakes his head. “I’m waiting on some forensics. I should have those results next week. Hopefully we’ll get lucky.”

He means with fingerprints or DNA left behind by the person who broke in. Something they can try to match with a database. But even if they get the person’s ID, it won’t clean up my trailer or replace the contents of my fridge and pantry.

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