Page 21 of Meadowsweet and Marigold
She rolled onto her side, pulling the quilt tighter around her shoulders. The bed felt too big for just her — yet wonderfully, entirely hers.
"But I'm going to find out," she promised herself, feeling the tender bruises of rejection and betrayal still aching within her.
Yet beneath that pain, like a seedling pushing through soil, there was something new taking root — determination, possibility, the first fragile tendrils of self-discovery.
Marigold closed her eyes, feeling the quiet of Willowbend envelop her like a protective embrace.
Tomorrow would bring its own challenges, its own decisions.
But for now, in this moment, she allowed herself to simply be.
Broken but not shattered, wounded but healing, alone but increasingly whole.
4
SWEETNESS IN THE DEPTHS OF THE MEADOW
~MARIGOLD~
Marigold stoodat the edge of Meadow Calloway's ranch, her heart pounding against her ribcage like the rhythmic beats of a pas de deux.
What brought her here?
An ad for a part-time position at a ranch in Willowbend. A poster advertisement was left upon the door of her new humble abode, gauging her interest immediately because she was now unemployed.
Let go of her dream career all thanks to her sister.
Just wasn’t trying to marinate on her reality, but maybe this was the universe’s way of cheering her up by making this new transition a bit easier than horrendously daunting.
The sprawling pastures before her were a far cry from the polished stages she once called home. She clenched and unclenched her fists, trying to quell the trembling in her fingers.
"You can do this," she whispered to herself, the words barely audible above the rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze. "It's just horseback riding. How different can it be from dancing?"
Taking a deep breath, Marigold stepped onto the property.
The crunch of gravel under her boots startled her, so unlike the silent give of ballet slippers on sprung floors. Each step forward felt like a small victory against the fear threatening to send her fleeing back to the safety of town.
The scent of hay and horses wafted towards her on the breeze, earthy and pungent. Marigold inhaled deeply, letting the unfamiliar smells wash over her. It was so different from the sterile air of dance studios or the polluted haze of the city she'd left behind.
"This is what new beginnings smell like," she mused, a wry smile tugging at her lips. "Manure and all."
As she approached the stables, Marigold's trained dancer's eye couldn't help but notice the graceful lines of the horses in their stalls. Their powerful bodies reminded her of the strength she once possessed before betrayal had shattered her world.
"You're not here to reminisce," she chided herself. "You're here to move forward."
With that thought, Marigold squared her shoulders and lifted her chin, channeling the poise that had once made her the darling of the ballet world. She may have lost her place on stage, but she wouldn't let that define her.
Here, on this ranch, she had the chance to rewrite her story.
"Hello?" she called out, her voice carrying across the yard. "I'm here for my first lesson."
As Marigold's voice echoed across the yard, a figure emerged from the barn, his presence immediately commanding her attention.
Meadow Calloway approached with a calm, measured stride that spoke of quiet confidence. Marigold found herself captivated by his rugged appearance, so different from the polished Alphas she'd known in the city.
His jawline was strong and defined, accentuated by a slight stubble that caught the sunlight. But it was his eyes that truly arrested her — a striking amber-brown that seemed to hold warmth and wisdom in equal measure.
Chestnut hair, tousled by the breeze, fell across his forehead in a casually appealing way.
