Wren and Bella Rose lingered near the barn doors, their voices tangling in the warm evening air—quick bursts of laughter bouncing off the rough-hewn walls like spurs clicking on old wood.

Isobel stood deeper in the barn’s cool shadow, her gaze following Ryder as he eased Delilah into her stall. The mare’s chestnut coat shone in the fading light, and the mingled scent of hay, leather, and horse sweat settled over her like something she’d known all her life but never truly ...