Into the Fading Twilight (Starlight Grove, #2) (99)

Those nerves amplified. “I can’t do just one with you?” The idea of opening up to someone new had my stomach cramping.

Aster’s expression was full of understanding. “We’re friends, Nova. At least, I hope we are. And that means I can’t be your therapist. But I will always be your friend. I’ll listen, and I’ll be here. I’ll help you find someone who is the exact right fit to walk you through this on the therapeutic side.”

“Okay,” I rasped. “Thank you.”

“I’m with you all the way. Whatever you need.”

And that was a comfort. Because I believed her.

The woman with the gray hair and smile lines around her eyes approached.

“Marly, this is my friend Nova. Nova, this is my friend, Marly.”

The older woman smiled, and it came easily, just as I’d expected it would. Nothing about it was forced or too big. “It’s nice to meet you, Nova. Aster said you might want to join our group today.”

I swallowed hard. “Nice to meet you, too. I think I’d like to … try.”

“That’s all any of us can do,” Marly said sagely.

I kept breathing. “They’re beautiful,” I admitted, taking in the six horses. There were a variety of colors. I recognized the brown and white patchwork one that Aster had been riding the day Maverick and I had run into her on the trail. There was a black horse with a white stripe down its nose. A brown one with a little white patch between its eyes. A reddish-brown one. Another that looked like the horse equivalent of a blonde. And the one standing farthest away was a deep gray, kind of like my eyes but with a freckled swath over its rump.

“Is there one calling to you?” Marly asked.

My gaze flicked to her. “Calling to me?”

She shrugged easily. “You might think I’m a little woo-woo, and that’s okay, but I think there’s something spiritual between horses and people. Maybe horses and everything around them. When we open ourselves to it, it creates a connection that can heal.”

I took a deep breath. I remembered feeling that way from yoga. Before. Before everything fell apart. But even then, I didn’t let it in deep. Maybe because I was already carrying so many wounds. I’d basically raised myself, my parents not giving a damn and making it clear. I’d been on my own at such a young age, and it was terrifying.

But now, it was time. To dig deep. To heal the things that were harming me so I didn’t bring them into this new chance at life.

I stared at the horses, letting my gaze hover over each one and opening myself to whatever I might feel. My gaze kept landing on the gray the longest. Something about the horse tugged at me.

“The gray one,” I croaked.

Aster smiled, genuine pleasure moving across her face. “Twilight. That’s her name. She’s an Appaloosa mare. And she’s a tough judge of character.”

A chuckle left my lips. “Of course, I’d choose the picky bitch. It’s only fitting.”

“Takes one to know one,” Aster teased as Marly chuckled.

“You know it.” But a hint of excitement filled me.

“Hey,” a deep voice greeted.

Something about it was familiar, and I turned to see Jack, the man from the Compass meeting—the one who’d lost his wife to Travis’s reign of terror.

I forced a smile, even though it wavered. “Hi, Jack.”

His gaze stayed on my face as he frowned slightly. “You okay?” When I didn’t answer right away, he went on. “Was at the Boot when Wylder got the call that you were missing.”

Great. I couldn’t wait for my coworkers’ reactions about that. “Just a little mountain biking mishap. My sense of direction isn’t so great.”

“You need to be careful,” he said, making an effort to gentle his voice. “With everything going on …”

I did not need that reminder, but I knew it came from a place of care, so I simply nodded. “I will. I think I’m going to stay off the mountain biking trails for a while.”

“Smart,” he said gruffly.

“Okay,” Marly cut in. “I think it’s about time.”

A wave of excitement and nerves swept through me, but it was a lot better than the dread I’d felt before my past therapy appointments. I followed Marly toward the ring, but Jack stuck close, as if he were keeping an eye on me.

Shit.

I could only imagine what I represented to him, someone who had made it out of the torture his wife hadn’t. Me getting lost probably stirred all that up.

We headed toward a group of three other people who’d clustered near the ring. I didn’t recognize any of them. There was a man who looked to be in his sixties, with gray hair and a mustache. A woman in her fifties, with brown hair swept up into a ponytail. And finally, a younger woman, probably about my age, with hair that was a mix of light brown and blond.

“Hello, everyone,” Marly greeted. “I’d like you to meet Nova. She’s joining us today.”

There was a smattering of hellos.

“Nova, you obviously already know Jack. This is Eddie, Gena, and Livie.” Marly introduced the group in age order, from the oldest to the youngest.

“Nice to meet you.” I gripped my hands in front of me to keep them from trembling.