Chapter 42

Faye

There are sixty-four horses living on Hideaway Rescue ranch. Four dogs, a couple of barn cats, and two dozen chickens. A highland cow would round it out nicely. I smile at the thought of Dottie—the way Lark and Lily are probably enjoying having her so close to their house. It’s beautiful and quiet here, just like Mom said. It’s been just over two weeks, and I still haven’t seen the entirety of the property. The snow that flurried in this morning was normal here in late February, according to Mom. The cold mornings transitioned into brisk days that were always accompanied by deceivingly bright sunshine.

“The silverback over to the left likes to be in charge; she’s been here the longest. She was pretty thin when she arrived, but somehow, she ended up being the one to heal me. I think watching her get stronger helped me do the same,” Mom says as we sit and swing on her porch.

“It’s beautiful here,” I say as I close my eyes and let the sun warm my face.

“You miss him,” Maggie says. It’s not a question, it’s an observation.

“I love him,” I tell her on a sigh.

“He’s a good man, Faye,” Mom says, searching for my hand. With a squeeze, she says, “If there was anyone I could have picked for you, it would have been Lincoln Foxx.”

I smile, looking down at our hands when I ask, “Why is that?”

“He always leans in—to hugs, to his family. It’s something that I thought set him apart from his brothers most. He was a lot like Griz in that way—a natural storyteller, could captivate a room full of people without even trying, and he’s very good looking.”

“She’s right,” Maggie agrees with an eyebrow wiggle that has me laughing.

I lean my head on my mom’s shoulder, knowing that I won’t be able to do this whenever I want or maybe even ever again. She may not have the threat of Waz King any longer, but Wheeler Finch is too connected, whether he’s behind bars or not. The same is true for Maggie. I’m the wild card—I’m not a threat to him, as far as he knows. Anything regarding his case is tied to Maggie. Del, along with Bea and Cortez, will all make sure of that.

Mom clears her throat, cutting into my thoughts. “A man like Lincoln isn’t one you love and leave. He’s the kind you let hold you and then make sure you never let go.”

My eyes water as the three of us watch the horses run the length of the closest paddock. “I’ll miss you forever,” I say with a shaky voice.

“And I’ll never stop missing you, my beautiful girl,” she says, squeezing my hand tight.

Maggie stands up a minute later and claps her hands in front of her. “Alright, if this is our very last meal together as the Calloway girls, then I vote cake for dinner.”

“Cake for dinner,” I agree with a laugh, even as a tear slips down my cheek.

My mom smiles and stands. “Let me go find the ingredients.”

I stand up and move over to Maggie. She leans her elbows on the porch railing, looking out over the landscape. The afternoon blue skies are peppered with wisps of white clouds—it feels like a perfect kind of day.

“If I forget to tell you later, Faye,” she says, and then pauses. “You’re my favorite person. Always have been. Probably always will be too.”

My chin wobbles as I try to bite back the sob that her words bring. “You know I love you?”

She nods, her lips tucked into her mouth as she tries to hold back the same emotions. As she rests her forehead on my shoulder, I absorb all of it, banking it to memory so I can call on it when I might need to.

A few minutes pass before I whisper, “Promise me you’ll be okay?”

She tips her chin back and takes a deep breath. “It’s going to be boring as fuck out here without you.”

I chuckle. “I’m sure you’ll find some trouble to get into.”

“Obviously,” she says, looping her pointer finger along with mine. “Feels good to do the right thing.”

I smile wide. “What do you mean?”

She turns on her heel and heads inside as she says, “You’ll see.”