Page 47 of Pretend and Propose

When it gets late and we’re all yawning, Honey calls the practice a success and asks Goldy to organize a time for ournext one. Honey hands out copies of the songs she’s written and everyone drifts off to their own corners of the house.

I set the bass down and start toward the kitchen, hoping Noah won’t realize I’ve noticed him. I’m overwhelmed with sensation and I can’t handle more right now.

“Daisy,” he says as I pass. “Can we talk?”

“I’m going out to say good night to Zephyr.”

But Noah follows me out of the house, walking by my side through the grass, the sky too cloudy to give us much light from the moon. Luckily, the back porch light is on and there’s a light on the outside of the barn to guide our way.

“Daisy.” Noah slides his fingers through mine, like holding my hand is the most natural thing. Maybe it is to him. We’ve held hands before as friends. Walking down a busy street or through a crowded party so we don’t get separated.

Holding hands with him now is different. It feels meaningful. It feels like too much.

But Noah holds on tighter when I try to pull away. He stops and spins me to face him. “I don’t want to fight anymore.”

“We’re not fighting.”

“We’re barely talking and we’re avoiding each other. I miss my best friend.”

“I don’t know how we fix this,” I say. “You think I'm a terrible person for trying to get my job back.”

He sighs heavily but doesn’t argue. “We don’t have to fix it. I’m allowed to worry about you, and I don’t have to agree with every choice you make. I can still be your friend. Iwantto be your friend.”

He’s so sincere and I’ve missed him so much that just standing here with him like this is making my chest ache. “Okay.”

He pulls me in for a hug. My body and my soul release all the tension and sorrow and fear they’ve been holding onto, like theyknow better than my brain that this man is my safe haven. Tears of relief burn my eyes and I lower my lids against them.

“I missed you,” I whisper.

“Me, too. Now, let’s go say good night to Zephyr.”

He keeps an arm around me as we walk to the barn and I let him, because it feels too good to fight it.

Zephyr whinnies as soon as we step into the barn, sticking her head out of her stall.

“Hey, pretty girl.”

“Wow,” Noah says. “She’s looking better already.”

I stroke Zephyr’s nose. Her ribs are less visible than they were just a few days ago. “She still has a long way to go, probably another two months at least, but Jared says the fact she survived the first two weeks of re-feeding is an excellent sign she’ll recover completely.”

“That’s great news.”

Zephyr lowers her head, so I’ll scratch between her ears. I oblige, of course.

“She really loves you.”

“She’s a sweet mare,” I say. “I promised Dani I’d take over feeding and grooming her now that she’s finished with the re-feeding program.”

“You have time for that?” Noah asks gently.

“Not really, but Zephyr needs someone around who’s not going to cause her more stress.”

I pull a couple of apple slices from my coat pocket and hold them out on the flat of my hand. Zephyr digs right in and nuzzles around my hand, looking for more after she’s done.

“That’s all I’ve got, sweetheart. Have a good night. I’ll see you in the morning.”

I give her one more stroke along her nose and step away. Immediately, Noah wraps an arm around me and walks with me out of the barn and toward the house.

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