Page 10 of Falling for Forever

The thought of picking up and leaving left him ill. There was no easy answer.

“Like this?” Lydia called over her shoulder. She didn’t take her eyes off Misty, a rule they’d discussed at length. She kept her pace slow, showing her hands but not so it could be misconstrued as threatening.

“Yes, exactly,” Chet called back. Lydia closed the distance fully for the first time, and he couldn’t look away. Misty was nervous, tossing her head and stomping her hoof into the earth, but she didn’t immediately bolt.

That was a good sign.

Lydia was murmuring to Misty. He couldn’t make out what she was saying, but even from the distance from where he stood, he could tell she was helping the animal relax. When her palm rested against Misty’s neck and she ran her hand down the corded muscles there, Chet went rigid. But once again, Lydia made it clear that she had a knack for this.

Just like her brother.

The Dennison family had instincts with animals that people could only dream of gaining. There wasn’t a single experience Chet had witnessed that didn’t leave him in awe. And it wasn’t because he had feelings for Lydia, either.

Lydia patted Misty’s neck, then she eased back, still murmuring to the animal. She didn’t turn her back on the horse until she was a good ten feet away. Then she faced Chet and the smile on her face said it all.

He almost thought she’d start running to him, but she knew better. Her pace did pick up as she got closer, then she threw her hands around his neck and giggled. “Did you see that? She let me pet her!”

Chet nodded. “She likes you.”

Lydia flipped her braid over her shoulder. “That’s because I’m so irresistible.”

With a straight face, he murmured, “No one’s more irresistible than you.” He bit back a grimace. He wasn’t supposed to say that. The evidence was written all over Lydia’s face. She was staring at him as if he’d grown two heads. Maybe if he’d been sarcastic, then she wouldn’t have been caught off guard. He scrambled for a cover. Any excuse would be better than the curious stare she was shooting his way.

Chet coughed. “To horses, anyway. Lola has always liked you more than me.”

She snorted and he breathed a sigh of relief. Lydia turned to face Misty again, head cocked. “You think we can move onto the next step?”

“I do.”

Lydia’s smile spread across her face, and she cut him a look out of the corner of her eye. “And what’ll that be?”

“Dinner.”

She laughed. “I’m serious.”

“I am, too. You’ve been approaching her and backing away for close to an hour now. I’m hungry. You’re perpetually hungry. How about we get something to eat?”

She turned to face him, her eyes rounding. “Why, Chet Callahan, are you asking me on a date?”

Lately, she’d become more brazen with teasing him about relationships. With others or between the two of them, it didn’t matter. She simply liked to see him squirm. He managed to maintain an unruffled if not bored façade. He shrugged. “Friends go on dates all the time. Just don’t expect me to kiss you.”

At that, she flushed and attempted to cover it up with a wrinkle of her nose. “Eww.”

“Eww? I’ll have you know my kisses are phenomenal.”

She huffed. “I guess I’ll have to take your word for it. Or maybe your pillow’s? Is that what you practice on at night.”

He nearly choked at that. She laughed and then strode away. How was it she could get past his defenses so easily?

Chet hurried after her as they headed for their vehicles. Lydia stopped with her door open, her attention on him. “I’m going to freshen up, and I’ll see you at The Steer House.”

He nodded, fighting off the disappointment that he wasn’t going to be the one to pick her up and take her. But this wasn’t a date. That much was obvious to them both. And he had nothing to complain about.

After he took a shower and changed, he drove out to the restaurant. Lydia was already seated, and she’d ordered his favorite drink. She was looking over the menu when he pulled out the chair across from her. Without looking up, she murmured, “I think we should get the special. It looks really good.”

Chet leaned over and looked at where she was pointing. “Yeah, let’s do it.”

She raised her head and grinned at him. “Good, because I already ordered.”