Page 51 of Hunted Hearts
Theo twitched his head toward the trailer hitched to the truck. “Let’s get her unloaded.”
He followed Frank to the back of the trailer. When Frank unlatched the door and swung it wide, soft light spilled over the animal inside.
The mare stood poised and unbothered, a deep, burnished bay with a sleek black mane. She flicked an ear toward them, and her dark eyes were steady and intelligent, without a trace of skittishness.
Frank slipped the lead rope over her head. She stepped down from the trailer with slow, graceful confidence, her hooves landing on the gravel with muted crunches that spoke of how lightly she trod.
Watching her, Theo felt some of the tension coiled in his chest ease. He’d chosen the horse right, it seemed. But he would reserve his final verdict about the gift until Juliette gave her input.
“She’s calm as they come.” Frank said. “Figured she’d suit your pace.”
“What a beauty.” Juliette drifted forward and held out her flat palm for the horse to nose.
He watched her face as she gained the mare’s trust enough to lift a hand and stroke her mane.
She flicked her stare to Theo. “You didn’t tell me you were having a horse delivered.”
“She’s not mine.”
A small pucker appeared over her brow.
“It’s your horse, Juliette.”
Her jaw dropped. “You bought me a…horse?”
He shifted his shoulders in an awkward shrug, hoping to disguise the fact that his hands were shaking. “I had to keep up with the gift war between us, after all.”
She flashed a smile that warmed her eyes.
He swallowed hard. “I wanted to give you something special. I love riding, and I thought you might like to ride too.”
“I’d love to.” Their gazes caught and held for three heartbeats, then four.
When Frank scuffed his boot on the gravel and directed his gaze to his feet, Theo pulled himself out of the moment with Juliette. He turned to the man and clapped him on the shoulder.
“It’s a fine horse. We’ll take good care of her.”
“Knew I couldn’t go wrong sending her to the Black Heart. I hear great things about that sister of yours. Word is she’s got a gift for training.”
Theo nodded. “I haven’t seen Willow in action for a long time. I’ve been out of the country.”
“Heard that too. I served as a Marine back in the day. My wife still has the photo of me in uniform on display.”
“How lovely,” Juliette said with a tender smile.
Frank turned his head to stare off at the veterans’ lodge. “What you boys are doing here…it’s good. We vets gotta stick together.”
Theo clapped him lightly on the back. “That we do.”
For the first time since his return to the Black Heart, he gave more consideration to what his brother Oaks had built with the therapy program. Frank was right—itwasimportant work. Something that Theo should be more involved in.
“Does the horse have a name?” Juliette stroked its mane.
“My wife called her Serenity.”
A soft smile stretched across Juliette’s face, and her eyes seemed hazier than they were a minute before. “That’s a perfect name. Thank you for bringing her. I can’t wait to get to know her better.”
Frank nodded. “I’d best get on home. If you ever want to do more business, give me a jingle.” He shook their hands again and patted Serenity’s flank before closing up the trailer and hopping in his truck.
