Page 15 of One Hot Summer

She nods.. “Not long enough, perhaps.”

My fists clench at my sides, nails digging into my palms. After everything that has happened, how can she just show up here. “What are you doing here?” I ask, unable to keep the edge out of my voice.

Claire's gaze flicker over my shoulder, taking in Kelsie's presence before returning to me. “We need to talk.”

I stare at Claire, her presence as unsettling as ever. I fight the urge to step back, to put more distance between us. “Talk? I don't think we have anything to discuss.”

She sighs. “I’m here for Sarah's things. The rest of them, at least. I thought... I thought it was time.”

The mention of Sarah's name reopens wounds I thought started to heal. I inhale sharply. “Right. The boxes are in the guest bedroom. You can grab them and be on your way.”

Claire's brow furrows, a flicker of hurt crossing her face before she masks it. “I know we've never gotten along, but?—”

“And we're not about to start now,” I cut her off, my tone harsher than I intend. Kelsie's eyes are on me. “There are some things I'm keeping for Collin, but the rest is yours to take.”

I see Claire's gaze soften at the mention of Collin's name, and it makes my chest tighten.

“How is he?”

“He's fine. The boxes are inside. You know where to find them.”

As Claire disappears into the house, I turn to Kelsie, feeling the weight of her questioning gaze. I run a hand through my hair, feeling the tension knotting in my shoulders. “I’m sorry about that. Claire and I... we've got bad blood.”

Kelsie's green eyes are warm. “I could tell. You want to talk about it?”

I hesitate, watching a hawk circle lazily overhead. The words feel heavy on my tongue, but something about Kelsie's presence makes me want to share. “She's Sarah's sister,” I explain, the name of my late wife still bittersweet on my lips. “And she... she tried to talk herout of marrying me. Right up until our wedding day.”

Kelsie's eyes widen. “What? Why would she do that?”

I let out a humorless chuckle. “She never thought I was good enough for Jess. Told her I'd hold her back, that she was making a mistake.” The memory stings, sharp and vivid even after all these years. “Even on our wedding day, she cornered her in the bridal suite, trying to convince her to call it off.”

“That's awful,” Kelsie murmurs, her hand brushing my arm in a gesture of comfort.

The sound of the screen door slamming makes us both turn. Claire emerges, struggling with two large boxes. Part of me wants to help her, but a larger part keeps me rooted to the spot, watching as she makes her way to her car.

Claire loads the boxes into her trunk. Finally, she slams it shut and turns to face us. For a moment, our eyes meet before she quickly looked away.

“Goodbye, Carson.”

I didn't respond, just watch as she climbs into her car and starts the engine. As she drives away, kicking up a cloud of dust on the gravel driveway, a knot in my chest starts to loosen.

“Good riddance,” I mutter under my breath, hoping fervently that this will be the last time I'll ever have to see Claire.

Chapter Eleven

Kelsie

The first rays of sunlight kiss my eyelids, coaxing me from slumber. I swing my legs over the side of the bed, letting my bare feet sink into the worn wooden floorboards.

Today's the day. No more hiding.

My fingers trail over the soft flannel of a well-worn shirt hanging in the closet. It smells faintly of hay and leather, reminding me of Carson. I push the thought away, focusing instead on the task at hand. As I button up the shirt and slip into a pair of sturdy jeans. The floorboards creak beneath my boots as I make my way downstairs. I didn’t help much yesterday, but today will be different.

Freshly brewed coffee and sizzling bacon draw me toward the kitchen. Carson looks up from the stove, a hint of surprise in his piercing blue eyes. “Well, good morning, early bird,” he says, a slow smile spreading across his rugged features.

“Morning.” I try to ignore the flutter in my chest at his smile. I turn my attention to Collin, who is practically bouncing in his seat at the table. “Someone's excited this morning.”

Collin's eyes light up. “Miss Kelsie! Guess what? Dad said I can help him with the new foal today!”

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