Page 29 of Begin Again

“Get away from me, you crazy chicken,” Owen commanded, trying to intimidate the creature by pulling himself to full height.

“Umm, Owen, I don’t think you should⁠—”

“I won’t let him intimidate me any longer!”

“But—”

The chicken cocked his head, considering the command.

Then charged.

Owen let out a low yell and Hei-Hei began pecking at his feet, moving his body side to side in some type of bizarre dance. Chloe tried to stop it, but Owen seemed to want to protect her, even though she’d always been able to control the chicken. Hei-Hei only listened to Chloe, Ethan, and of course, Mia.

Suddenly, a female voice whipped out and echoed in the air. “Hei-Hei! How dare you treat Owen like that—he’s a friend.” The chicken stopped his insane pecking and regarded his mistress. Mia wagged a finger at him in warning. “I mean it. Now go back to the house and if you don’t behave, I’ll let Evie play with you again.”

Hei-Hei rushed away from Owen and began rubbing his feathers against Mia’s legs, as if begging her to reconsider the punishment. Chloe imagined playing with a one-year-old wasn’t high on the chicken’s list of fun things. “I don’t know why he’s always been so naughty with you, Owen,” Mia said, shaking his head. “He must’ve snuck past me in the commotion back at the house.”

Owen cleared his throat. “No problem. I was handling it okay.”

Chloe bit back the giggle that threatened and headed over to Mia. “Hei-Hei just likes to make a dramatic entrance,” Chloe said with a grin, giving her honorable aunt a huge hug. “Sorry we got caught up with the horses.”

“You both always do. And each other.”

Heat flushed her cheeks, but Chloe ignored the comment. Mia practically glowed with health and happiness. Her trim figure was fashionably dressed in linen shorts, a lacy white blouse, and white sandals. Dark hair curled under her chin in a blunt, stylish cut. Her amber eyes gazed back with her usual frankness, boldly studying the two of them to decipher exactly what was going on. Chloe knew she’d be grilled by everyone the moment they got her in private. Mia might be the owner of one of the most successful PR firms that handled her father’s campaigns, but underneath, the woman still adored good gossip.

“I cannot believe we’re celebrating Evie’s first birthday,” Chloe said, grabbing Mia’s hands. “How did a year go by so fast?”

“With little sleep,” Mia quipped, squeezing her hands. “But worth every moment. Ophelia’s making dinner for everyone tomorrow night with a cake to celebrate. Why don’t we grab a bite to eat first and then you can take an early evening ride? We put out some sandwiches and ordered pizzas.”

“Sounds great—I’m starving,” Owen said.

Mia laughed. “Harper said when you first started your volunteer work, all you cared about was your phone and next meal.”

He winced. “I outgrew one out of two. I’d give up my phone any day.”

They laughed and walked to the main inn where everyone waited. Ophelia and Kyle welcomed them warmly, and Chloe noticed Ophelia had not only ordered a variety of pizzas, but created a tray of sandwiches and wraps, with a Greek salad and crusty rolls of bread. She remembered eating dinner here that first night and being overwhelmed at the amount of delicious food Ophelia happily cooked. As the main owners of the B&B, the married couple had turned the inn into a highly successful retreat that was consistently booked all year round. With her long golden hair, willowy body, and blue eyes, Ophelia reminded her of a fairytale princess. They all fell into easy chatter, but Chloe noticed her father refused to acknowledge Owen’s presence. Alyssa kept shooting him pointed looks, but every time Owen tried to say hello, her father became engaged in another conversation.

Great. The governor of New York was acting like a toddler.

“Ah, there’s our guest of honor,” Mia said. “Did she wake up early?”

Chloe turned to see Ethan and his daughter, Evie, walk through the door. The baby had a head full of auburn hair, amber eyes, and a stubborn jaw just like her mama. Her chunky legs kicked with glee at the crowd of people, pegging her as an extrovert. She wore pink stretchy leggings, a glittery shirt with a unicorn on it, and pink walking shoes.

Ethan laughed and chucked Evie under the chin. “Her naps are getting shorter each day. She tried to crawl after Hei-Hei but he was too fast for her.”

“Good, that chicken needed a good punishment,” Owen muttered.

Ethan called out greetings to everyone, and Chloe ran over. Her heart melted as Ethan handed her the baby, leaning in to kiss Chloe on the cheek. “Good to see you, Chlo,” he said, those kind eyes full of warmth. “We missed you.”

“Missed you more,” she said, cooing and tickling the baby, relishing her shrieky, happy giggles. Ethan had been the one to guide her through her freshman year of college, when she felt aimless, angry, and full of pain. Recognizing a fellow wounded soul, he showed her how the animals could heal, and ended up changing her life. She loved him like a second father, and they consistently corresponded via text on a regular basis. With his rugged, quiet aura, russet hair, and gentle touch, he’d retired from the military after a terrible injury and came back to work on the farm. His ability to heal Phoenix helped turn the horse into a racing legend.

Evie happily became the center of attention as everyone took their turns with her. Chloe noticed Owen block her father to the side and say a few words. Holding her breath, she watched as Dad’s face tightened. Then he gave a sharp nod and marched outside.

Owen followed.

Chloe met Alyssa’s supportive gaze and hoped for the best.

eleven