Page 37 of Falling for Forever

In the stall next to him, Lola chuffed then pawed the ground with her hoof. She wanted to be out in the sunshine. He hadn’t taken her outside yet today, and she’d be chomping at the bit to stretch her legs. Currently, Misty was grazing out in a meadow while he cleaned out her stall.

If Lydia were here, they’d be joking around while they got the work done in half the time. Then he’d have her help him out with Misty again.

The shovel scraped against the ground as he scooped up the debris he needed to toss into the compost pile. After he was done with that, he’d bring in some fresh straw.

He paused, resting his gloved hand atop the shovel’s handle. He’d nearly asked Jason how Lydia was doing earlier, then caught himself. Whatever she wanted him to know, he needed to hear it from her.

He bent to scoop up another shovelful right as a familiar voice reached him.

“Hey, stranger.”

The shovel stopped against the floor.

He turned to find Lydia’s beautiful face resting atop her arms. They were folded along the stall’s door. He wasn’t sure it’d closed, but now it was the only barrier between him and Lydia.

All he wanted to do was throw the shovel aside and go to her. He wanted to push the door open, take her in his arms, and never let go.

Instead, he rested the shovel against the wall and approached the door. He stopped on his side of it, leaving the latch alone. “You’re here.”

One side of her mouth lifted. It was small, and the pain behind it showed.

Lola pawed at the floor again, and Lydia glanced toward the next stall. “Someone’s getting impatient.”

“She’s been supervising. Apparently, I’m too slow.”

“Well, she’s used to having your better half here.”

They both went still. Lydia looked down, color rising in her cheeks.

“The better half of the work crew,” she added.

“I knew what you meant.” He couldn’t quite manage a smile.

She turned toward the open bale of straw beside the wall. “Do you need some of this?”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

She pulled a flake free and lifted it over the door. Chet took it from her and scattered the straw across the clean floor. Before he could ask, she had another ready for him.

“You remembered.”

“You always need more than you think.”

“And you always tell me so.”

A smile showed, familiar enough to make him reach for the next flake before she’d finished lifting it. Their fingers brushed against the dry stalks.

Lydia released her end and stepped back. Chet spread the last of the straw, then brushed his hands together. When he returned to the door, she’d folded her arms along the rail again.

“So, I think we need to talk,” she murmured.

His fingers curled around the side of the door. He’d wanted this chance to talk to her. Now that she stood in front of him, he couldn’t think of where to start.

He nodded. “Okay, I’m listening.”

She rocked on her feet and glanced away. Her lips pursed to the side. He waited, resisting the urge to fill the silence.

Lydia’s eyes found his. “I don’t like where things are at right now.”