Page 125 of Falling for Love

I grinned, watching the zebra casually flick her tail like she hadn’t just pulled off another great escape.

“Yeah, she just showed up here like she owns the place. When you retrieve her, you might want to check her for a hidden area map.”

“Thanks for calling,” he said warmly.

“Well, you can owe me after you come and help,” I teased, leaning against the truck. “She’s calm for now, but I don’t know how long that will last.”

Liam chuckled. “On my way. Don’t let her talk you into any more sugar cubes.”

“Too late,” I muttered with a laugh, and the line went dead.

Liam’s truck rumbled up the snowy driveway a few minutes later, kicking up white in its wake. He parked beside me, and when he stepped out, his eyes went straight to Macy, who stood nonchalantly by my trailer like she hadn’t caused a ruckus.

“Well, look who decided to have an adventure,” he said, crossing his arms and grinning.

“Your girl is quite the explorer,” I replied, watching as he approached. “You need to put a GPS collar on her or something.”

“Don’t tempt me,” he joked, pulling a lead rope from the back of his truck. “Thanks for keeping an eye on her. She’s lucky you’re so good at wrangling runaway zebras.”

“I’ll add it to my resume,” I said, smirking. “Equine farrier and zebra whisperer.”

Liam laughed, his blue eyes sparkling as he approached Macy.

“What’s your secret? Bribes?”

“Sugar cubes and flattery,” I quipped. “Seems to work on both zebras and people.”

He shot me a teasing look, and I quickly looked away, pretending to check the knots on the lead rope.

As Liam secured Macy in his trailer, I couldn’t help but notice the easy way he moved, his hands confident and sure. He glanced over at me with a crooked smile.

“You sure you’re not trying to steal her for yourself? Seems like Macy’s got a soft spot for you.”

“Don’t worry,” I said, leaning against my truck. “She’s all yours. I’ve got enough chaos in my life without adding a zebra to the mix.”

He chuckled, giving Macy a pat on the neck. “Fair enough. But seriously, thanks for calling me. You saved me a lot of trouble.”

I shrugged, trying to ignore how my heart fluttered whenever he looked at me. “Just doing my civic duty.”

Liam stepped closer, his smile softening. “Well, I appreciate it. And I appreciate you.”

The way he said it made my breath catch for a second, but before I could respond, Macy let out a loud snort, breaking the moment. Liam laughed, shaking his head.

“Alright, let’s get her back to the lodge before she decides to make another break for it,” he said.

“Good idea,” I agreed, following him to his truck.

As he climbed into the driver’s seat, he glanced over at me.

“You sure you don’t want to come with? I could use a co-pilot.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “I think I’ve done enough zebra wrangling for one day. But thanks for the offer. I actually have to get home to meet Hayden’s bus.”

Liam leaned against his truck, arms crossed, and studied me with a grin that was just this side of mischievous.

“Ah, mom duties.” His smile softened. “I get it. But you just saved me from a wild goose chase—or, I guess, a wild zebra chase. I owe you one.”

“You don’t owe me anything,” I said quickly, though my heart thudded at the easy warmth in his tone. “Macy practically walked up to me and asked for a ride.”

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