Are we lucky? I suppose so.

Two months later, in the chilly winter air, my family broke champagne over the front doors to our new barn. We built it in the exact same place as the old one, though it has some improvements. While it wasn’t easy for Daddy to let Branson pay, he understood why he had to. It was part of cleansing his soul of the wrongdoings he believed he was the cause of.

When I reach the place my feet always take me to, my thumb brushes over the name plaque nailed to the wood outside the last stall on the left of the barn.

Achilles War.

My mind wanders, as it often does, and I wonder if there’s anything I could have done differently that night. I fight the tears in my eyes as my finger traces each of the letters in gold.

Warm breath tickles my face, and I laugh.

“I know, buddy. Your mom’s a big, ol’ sap.” I reach up, rubbing the front of his muzzle with the palm of my hand. “I guess it’s not just you and me anymore, Chil,” I whisper to him like it’s a secret as we listen to my family’s laughter sound through the aisle.

He snorts and shoves me a little, his ears twitching back and forth as I whisper to him all of my secrets. He’s the only one who knows as much about me as Branson does.

“Should we go for a walk, handsome?”

As he nods his head in agreement, I unlatch the opening to his stall and slide the halter over his head.

It’s been a long recovery for both of us, but we’re managing. The fireman barely got him out in time before the building collapsed, and if the vet on standby, Ray Brookes, hadn’t been so attuned to his condition, Achilles wouldn’t have made it.

He’d ingested cholecalciferol—or, as most people know it, rat poison. Charlotte had split a bag in the feed room that day, which she later came clean about as she handed in her resignation, and it had accidently gotten mixed in with Achilles’ evening grain feeding.

It was a poor doubling-up of bad circumstances, and thankfully, he hadn’t ingested enough to cause him irreversible damage. For that, I considered us very lucky.

As I lead him outside, I can’t help but smile when the first drops start to fall.

I think people assume they’re only granted one extraordinary love in their lifetime, but I believe love pours full and heavy like the November rain. Plentiful and frequent as the coming days, each drop leaves its own unique impression on the varying parts of their hearts.

However, like all great loves, it does not come without sacrifice, hard work, or an abundance of pain by way of growth. I am blessed to have known three remarkable loves in my life—the selfless love of my mother, the passionate love of horses, and the love of a wonderful man.

No love is without struggle.

Like Momma always said: “Love is worth it. You just have to be willing to get a little rain on ya is all.”

THE END.

If It Ain’t Too Much To Ask—Jackson Young

Tennessee Whiskey—Chris Stapleton

My Heart Skips a Beat—Dwight Yoakam

Angels Fall Sometimes—Josh Turner

Love on Me—Brent Cobb

Ride (feat. Macy Maloy)—Chase Rice

Cowboys and Angels—Dustin Lynch

A Soft Place to Fall—Allison Moorer

Sober Me Up—Frankie Ballard

How ‘Bout Them Cowgirls—George Straight

Real Good Man—Tim McGraw

Why God Made Love Songs—Joel Crouse

On to Something Good—Ashley Monroe

Kiss by Kiss—Brett Young

Smoke—A Thousand Horses

Georgia Rain—Trisha Yearwood

Cowgirl—Tyler Farr

Shut Me Up—Old Dominion

Little Bitty Dreams—Will Hoge

She’s Got This Thing About Her—Chris Young

Forever and Ever, Amen—Randy Travis

To Marie Garner, I owe you the biggest bear hug ever! This book would not be where it is without you. You were my slave driver, my confidant and my cheerleader for this book. I love you to the moon and back and can’t thank you enough for everything!

For my beautiful beta readers, thank you for your honesty and excitement! Larni Phipps, Wendy Colby, Maggie Lugo, Alycia Sanchioni, Tracey-lee Mylchreest, Nikki Mccrae, Elizabeth Thiele, Lori Christensen, Ashley Jasper, Sam Shemeld and Kristi Webster.

Thank you to my editors Mickey Reed and Kayla Robichaux!

To Ashley Martinez, my bestie, thank you for proofreading and loving this book as much as you did! I’m so blessed to have met you and I can’t wait to see what comes next in the adventures of Ashley and Anne.

For the cowboy, Jackson Young at Mini-Movies Trailers, thank you for bringing my words to life. It has been a pleasure watching your creative vision form into such a brilliant trailer.

My amazing formatter, the lovely Stacey Blake from Champagne Formats has done it again! This book is even more beautiful than the last, you are a creative genius and I am so thankful to be working with you on yet another project.

Thank you to Diego Durden and Carmen Delgado for collaborating on the stunning image for the cover of this book. I’m so lucky to have found you both. I am so excited for more of our upcoming covers together.

Big kisses on the cheek and a thank you to Sara Eirew for the fabulous design of this cover. I am completely in love with your work and look forward to more projects together.

Thank you to Lydia Quintana, my Book B from HEA Bookshelf and Nazarea Andrews at Ink Slinger PR for making sure this book was promoted everywhere! You are both amazing women and I am beyond grateful to have you in my corner.

For my angels, the best street team a girl could ask for, thank you for everything: the man candy posts, the pimping, the teasers, and all the love you’ve shown me.

For all the readers, these books are for you, so thank you for reading. I love you all more than you could possibly know.

To my friends and family, my life is richer and more beautiful because you’re in it. Thank you for everything.

MAD LOVE. x

Hey y’all,

I was born and raised in Ladner, a small farm town just outside Vancouver, Canada. I grew up riding horses, shooting guns, and driving in trucks.

I never expected to be an author. A massage therapist? Yes. Take over the family construction company? Yes. But an author? No. Writing was something that snuck up on me and rooted itself into my life. It was beautiful to discover that love, and I’m truly grateful to say I’ve found my passion.

Since I’ve always been a creative person, it feels amazing to harness all of that energy and use it to tell a story I love. I enjoy incorporating bits of my real life into the stories I write. What parts are true? Hah. I’ll never tell—what would be the fun in that?

If I could leave y’all with one thing, it’s that life’s far too short to not live it out loud. Drown in your passions, hold on tight to the things that inspire you, and chase your dreams relentlessly. I can promise you without a doubt that you won’t regret it. I know I don’t.

Mad love,

Anne Jolin

Y’all can follow me on,

Website – www.annejolin.com