“He is. You can pet him if you want.”
She reached out and stroked his long face. The black horse nuzzled her fingers.
“Do you ride?”
Elana shrugged. “It’s been a while. I haven’t been on a horse since I was little. I didn’t have much opportunity.”
He cocked his head. “Too busy with work?”
She grinned. “Something like that.”
The cowboys near the barn called out to round everyone up. Riley turned and nodded to his boss. “Well, Elana. It was nice meeting you. I hope you have a safe journey on to Montana. And whenever you get the chance to ride, don’t pass it up.” He grinned and rode back to the rest of the cowboys.
Elana watched as the cowboys rode out into the pasture and off into the sunrise.
She finished off her coffee and headed back to the van with Jack in tow.
Maybe Riley was right. Maybe she’d already passed on some of life’s opportunities.
But if her grandmother was right, there was still time.
CHAPTER23
They hit the road after the cowboys shared their breakfast with them. Elana was glad she didn’t eat as much as her grandmother. If she did, she would be in a food coma. An hour into the road trip, Grandma Cecilia ended up crawling back into bed for a nap.
Elana looked in her rearview mirror at the image of her grandmother sleeping comfortably in the back. She glanced over at the passenger seat, where Jack was sitting watching with excitement.
The older dog had wasted no time in climbing into the empty seat, and Elana didn’t bother stopping him.
Her phone buzzed just as she put on an audiobook. She reached for the phone and looked at the message.
Call me.
She sighed heavily at her father’s message. She had been letting his calls go to voicemail. When he sent a text, she would only reply with short yes and no answers.
Her phone buzzed again.
Now, Elana.
Her gut twisted as she dialed his number. He answered on the first ring.
“Hi, Father.”
He growled slightly before he spoke. “Why haven’t you been answering my phone calls?”
She plastered a fake smile on her face and answered as cheerfully as possible. “Because we are in the mountains and the service is spotty. We spent last night in Wyoming and should be in Montana this afternoon.” She cast a worried glance at Jack.
“Where’s your grandmother?”
She glanced in the rearview mirror to make sure Grandma Cecilia was still sleeping. “She’s taking a nap.”
Her father grunted. “Is she sick?”
Elana shook her head. “No. She ate too many pancakes this morning and is in a sugar coma. Other than that, she is as healthy as a horse.” She glanced at the time.
“I can’t believe she would just take off on a whim to meet some stranger she has built up in her head. Well, not to worry. By the time you both get back, I will have all the paperwork ready for her to go into a nursing home.”
Elana frowned. “I thought you said assisted living?”
