Page 20 of Falling for Love

I choked on the coffee, coughing as I waved her off.

“Oh, Mrs. Anderson, that’s sweet of you, but I’m not really… looking right now.”

“Nonsense,” she said, undeterred. “You deserve someone good. And Caleb’s very polite. He’d be thrilled to meet you. I already asked him.”

I laughed, setting the cup down on the stool. “I appreciate it, really. But I'm kind of booked between work, Hayden, and wrangling our foster dog.” I added a wink to soften the delivery. “Besides, I think he might be a little young for me.”

Mrs. Anderson chuckled, shaking her head. “Well, the offer stands, dear. You just let me know.”

“Thanks.” I crouched back down to finish Shadow’s hoof, my cheeks still warm from the interaction.

It was moments like these that made me love animals ever more. They never made me feel awkward.

But it wasn’t Caleb I was thinking about—it was Liam. His easy smile, the way he could make me laugh even on my worst days, how he felt like someone I could lean on without hesitation.

“Maybe I am looking,” I muttered to Shadow, who flicked an ear in response. But for now, I had hooves to finish.

I crouched back down, running my hand along Shadow’s leg again to make sure I hadn’t missed anything.

The gelding shifted his weight, giving me the side-eye as if to say,You’re still here?

I chuckled softly, scratching his fetlock.

“Patience, sweet thing. We’ve got one more hoof to go.”

The cold bit at my cheeks. The kind of sharp chill made you question all your life choices.

My breath puffed out in small clouds, mingling with the steam rising from Shadow’s flank. There was a strange comfort in the routine, though—a rhythm to the work that grounded me, no matter how chaotic life got.

I reached for the rasp again. its worn wooden handle provided comfort.

This was how I made our family thrive.

Because of these amazing animals, I achieved dreams I didn’t even know I had. I owned my own home and provided everything and more for my little one.

My fingers were stiff, but the motion was muscle memory by now. I stroked the rasp along the hoof wall, smoothing the rough edges.

Shadow shifted, snorting softly, and I paused to let him settle.

“Hey, I’m not trying to win any races here. Work with me.”

His ear flicked toward me, and I smiled.

Horses always had a way of making me feel like they were humoring me.

Kind of like Liam.

As I worked, my mind wandered.

Mrs. Anderson’s matchmaking had thrown me off.

I shook my head, focusing back on the task at hand. The metal rasp scraped against the hoof in a rhythm.

That’s what this work demanded: steadiness and precision. You couldn’t rush through it, not if you cared about doing it right. And I did. I always had.

My breath fogged again in the frigid air as I crouched, tapping his fetlock lightly to cue him. He shifted and lifted his hoof, and I caught it in one practiced motion.

“Good boy,” I murmured, steadying it against my knee.

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