Chapter 7

The wind whipped through Evelyn's hair as she urged her horse into a gallop, the rhythm of its hooves pounding against the grass as they raced across the open field, the incline bringing them to the crest of the hill, the views stretching out before her, the greens vibrant against the clear blue sky.

Evelyn knew that this trip had been the right decision. The weight of her life in Los Angeles had gradually fallen away in the last month, and right now, as she slowed her horse to a trot, she couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this free, this happy.

She glanced over her shoulder, smiling when she met Claire's eyes, a few strands of black hair escaping her ponytail as she brought her horse alongside Evelyn's.

Claire's smile was infectious. "When I asked you if you were comfortable riding a horse, that's not at all what I imagined." Her eyes glinted with amusement and possibly a hint of curiosity although she didn't voice it.

Evelyn returned her smile. "I might have downplayed it," she admitted, "But that's only because I thought I might be a bit rusty. I grew up in Colorado, surrounded by horses, but when I left to chase my dreams when I was eighteen… That was it. This is actually my first time on a horse since then."

Evelyn looked away, thrown by the way her throat had just tightened, and her voice had quivered ever so slightly. She hoped Claire hadn't noticed.

"Well, you certainly haven't lost it," Claire said softly. "I could barely keep up."

Evelyn swallowed down her emotions, and the sound of her phone ringing cut through the stillness. She pulled it out of the pocket of her jeans, Arianna's name on the screen. "Do you mind if I take this? It's my manager. We've been playing phone tag for days."

"No, not at all," Claire said as she gently urged her horse forward with a light kick of her heels, giving Evelyn some privacy as she answered the video call.

"Evelyn," Arianna said with a smile. "Are you… Are you out riding?"

"Yes," Evelyn said, grinning. "The views are just…" She flipped the camera around to show her the scenery. "This is just beyond the house where I'm staying. Actually…" She slowly panned the camera. "There it is."

"Wow. It looks amazing," Arianna said. Evelyn turned tapped the screen to get the camera back on her. "As do you. You look happy."

"I am." Evelyn ran a hand through her hair as her horse slowly walked on.

"Who's that with you? Was that the woman you said works on the grounds?"

"Yes. That's Claire."

Arianna laughed softly. "Well, I'm guessing your opinion of her has changed. The last time I caught you, just after you'd arrived, you weren't happy to have someone else on the property with you."

Evelyn pressed her lips together. "Yes, it has. But she's down at the other side of the estate. The woods and probably a thirty minute walk separate us, so it's been fine."

"Good. I'm glad. Hey, I was thinking of coming out to visit you. Maybe sometime in July?"

"You should." Evelyn felt her lips sliding into a smile as her eyes landed on Claire who was taking her time, walking maybe fifteen or twenty yards ahead of her.

"You'll have been there for three months by then. You might even want to come back with me."

Evelyn's acting skills came to life as she smiled back at Arianna while internally, all she felt was panic gripping at her throat, her heart beating faster. The thought of returning to the chaos of her failing career sent a shudder of dread through her. She knew she couldn't stay here forever, but after a month, she was only settling into her new, slower life here.

"Let me know when you've booked your flights," Evelyn said with a smile, hiding the knot of apprehension tightening in her stomach.

"I will. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. Talk soon."

As she ended the call, Evelyn took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh scent of the grass and the wildflowers. She wasn't in complete denial. She knew she'd have to go back. Just not anytime soon.

With a gentle kick of her heels, she urged her horse on, catching up to Claire. As she approached, Claire reached up to remove the elastic band from her ponytail, shaking her hair loose. Evelyn swallowed as she watched Claire run her hands through her black hair, gathering it up to retie her ponytail. Evelyn knew she was staring, but she couldn't stop herself.

"Everything okay?" Claire asked as she pulled her hair through the band and turned to look at her.

Evelyn blinked. "Yes." She forced herself to smile. "Yeah. Everything's fine." She looked down at her horse, lifting her gaze to the mountains in the distance, anywhere but in Claire's direction.

"You sure?" Claire asked as they started heading back towards the stables.

Evelyn exhaled. "Yeah. She's thinking of visiting in July," she said as their horses fell into a comfortable pace beside each other. "And she threw the idea out there that I could go back with her." She paused, not sure if she wanted to bother Claire with her problems or if she'd even care. "Just before Arianna called, I was thinking about how glad I was that I'd come here. And the idea of going back…" Her voice trailed off. "I mean, I know that I have to at some point, but I can't think about it yet."

Claire didn't say anything for a few moments, and the sounds of birds chirping and the horses' hooves filled the silence.

Evelyn could feel Claire's gaze on her, but she kept her eyes focused straight ahead.

"Don't you have to go back at some point in July? I thought three months was the longest Americans could stay."

"I would if I didn't have an Irish passport," Evelyn said softly, daring herself to look at Claire again, reminding herself that it was okay to admit to herself that she found this woman attractive. No one was here to notice, and Claire would never suspect.

Claire's warm laugh made Evelyn smile. "You're full of surprises."

Evelyn ran a hand through her hair. "This is my first time using it though," she confessed. "I applied for one when I was eighteen. I wasn't making much progress in Los Angeles, and I was thinking about exploring Europe for a while. I knew my grandfather was Irish, and that I could get a passport that way."

"That's amazing. I had no idea."

They rode in silence for a while with just the sounds of nature all around them. Evelyn stole a glance at Claire, taking in the way the sunlight danced over her features, the way her body swayed with the rhythm of her horse, and she wondered what Claire would think if she knew the effect she had on her. This was the first time in her life that she'd ever allowed herself to openly check out another woman, and now that she'd done it once, she wasn't sure how she was going to stop.

As if sensing her gaze, Claire turned to look at her and met her eyes. Evelyn swallowed hard, feeling her face flush. "Thanks for doing this," Evelyn said in a rush. "You have no idea. I haven't had a day like today in so long."

Claire's lips slid into an easy smile. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. And we can go whenever you want. I'll always make time to go for a ride."

With a smile playing on her lips as they rode back, Evelyn felt lighter than she had in a very long time.