Page 175 of Mad As Hell

Ryan had told Brenda, the horse trainer who had let Corinne follow her around for the afternoon, that we’d take over for her once Cori hugged me and refused to let me go. Brenda, to her credit, had smiled and said she didn’t mind, and it was obvious she meant it.

“I’m still too little to ride Lovey, but I can ride Red.” She leaned into me and lowered her voice. “You really can’t ride a horse?”

“I really can’t,” I assured her for the fifth time.

“Ryan can,” she boasted, grinning at her big brother, who held her other hand.

I met his gaze over her head. “Hmmm, I never really considered a cowboy fantasy…”

He laughed loudly, one of my favorite sounds, but Corinne’s face screwed up in confusion. “What’s a fantasy?”

I coughed a little when I choked on my own spit. “It’s like a dream.”

“Huh.” She shrugged and hummed a song I didn’t recognize under her breath as we finished the trek from the stables to the house.

Ryan opened the back door into the kitchen, and three women all looked up. Their faces lit up when they spotted Corinne.

With a squeal, Cori dropped our hands and ran at the oldest woman, hitting her hard around her midsection and rocking her back a few steps until her back bumped into the counter.

Laughing, she wrapped her arms around Corinne. “And where have you been, my girl?”

Cori looked up with glittering eyes. “I saw the puppies, Ms. Flounders! And the horses. Did you know Juniper is going to have a baby next month?”

Ms. Flounders’s eyes rounded dramatically. “Heavens, no. What should we name it?”

Corinne giggled. “We can’t name it till we know if it's a boy or a girl.”

The older woman slapped her forehead. “Of course we can’t.” Her gaze moved past Corinne to where Ryan and I lingered by the door. “And who’s this?”

“That’s Maddie,” Corinne spoke up. “She’s gonna marry Ryan.”

Ms. Flounders’s brows lifted. “Is she now?”

“That’s the plan,” I replied with a smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Pleasure’s mine,” Ms. Flounders replied with a warm look. She glanced down at Corinne. “And you, little miss, need to wash up for supper. You smell like horses and puppies.”

“The best smells!” Corinne proclaimed, throwing her arms in the air with a flourish.

“Perhaps, but not for dinner. Ms. Wallace is waiting for you in your room.” Ms. Flounders leaned in close and added in a stage whisper, “I think there’s a new dress waiting for you.”

Another squeal and Cori snuggled close to Ms. Flounders for a second before tearing out of the room.

“Corinne!” Ryan shouted after her, shaking his head with a rueful smile.

“Sorry! I’ll walk!” she called back, and the sound of her footsteps slowed—barely—as she went from sprinting to power walking.

“Sorry, Ms. Flounders,” he apologized, and I gaped at him until he said, “What?”

“You apologized. Like that.” I snapped my fingers, still stunned. I leaned up to press the inside of my wrist to his forehead. “Are you sick? Do you have a fever?”

He poked my side, and I jumped back with a giggle.

“You’re hilarious,” he muttered dryly.

“And rude,” Ms. Flounders scolded. “Maddie, this is Helena and Nancy.” She gestured to the women helping her. “One of us is usually in here, should you need anything.”

“Rule number one,” Ryan warned, “is no touching Ms. Flounders’s kitchen.”

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