Page 64 of Forever To Me

Because if this keeps up—if she keeps looking like that, laughing like that, fitting so damn easily into my world?—

I’mdone for.

Maggie unloads the rest of the bags onto the kitchen table. It's mostly junk food which makes me laugh. They seemed to have had a fun time.

Mack flops onto the couch, dramatic as hell. “We survived.”

Violet drops into the chair next to her. “Barely.”

I cross my arms, smirking. “Didn’t kill each other?”

Maggie snorts. “Came close.”

Violet sighs. “We disagreed on important things.”

Mack nods solemnly. “Like whether denim skirts are a crime against humanity.”

I blink. “I feel like this is not my conversation.”

“It’s not,” Maggie confirms.

I raise my hands in surrender and head toward the door.

Violet perks up. “Where are you going?”

I hesitate. “Checking on the horses.”

Her eyes light up. “Can I come?”

I try not to read into the way that makes something stir in my chest.

Instead, I nod. “Yeah. Come on.”

I hear Maggie and Mack whispering, and when I turn around, they give me fake smiles. “Have fun,” Maggie calls with a wave.

I roll my eyes and pull the door closed behind me.

The pasture stretches wide, the afternoon sun hanging low. The barn doors are already open, a soft breeze filtering through the stalls.

Violet walks ahead of me, turning in slow circles like she’s trying to take it all in.

“You have no idea how much I love horses,” she says, her voice almost awed.

I watch as she approaches Maximus, my black quarter horse, who immediately nuzzles against her palm.

She laughs softly, running a hand over his muzzle.

“You ride?” I ask.

“I used to,” she says, and something shifts in her expression. “Haven’t in a long time, though.”

I don’t ask why.

Instead, I nod toward the gate. “We can go for a ride sometime.”

She glances at me, brows raised.

I can’t help but think back to the night we shared. Hell, I think about that night more than I probably should. I wonder if she’s taking an entirely different meaning from my words about going for a ride. I decide to play it off innocently.

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