Not His First Choice

I pulled up to the horse ranch right at three.

After I parked, I spotted them—one guy, one girl, riding close like they owned the place.

Troy Gardiner had his shirt hanging open, every button undone. Pants half unfastened too. Classy.

Even from here, the marks on his chest were obvious. Fresh. Messy. Not subtle.

Finger marks. The kind you don't get by accident.

Yeah. Anyone with eyes could figure out what they'd just been doing.

I snapped a photo and sent it to Troy.

He checked his phone and jerked his head up. The second he saw me, his brows slammed together.

He swung off the horse—and Ellie Yarwood, his assistant, slipped right into his arms like she'd rehearsed it.

She leaned in, whispering in his ear.

Just like that, his face softened. He smiled. Actually smiled. Said something back to her.

And when he walked over to me, that smile was still there.

I watched them—wrapped up in each other like the rest of the world didn't exist.

That's when it hit me.

I'd made it all up in my head.

I was never the one he planned to surprise.

All morning, I'd been getting ready—pushing back meetings, canceling everything. I had the house cleaned, redecorated. Even bought the car Troy wanted.

Because today wasn't just my birthday.

It was our anniversary.

Troy forgot all of it.

Not just that—he let another woman ride my horse.

So what now? Was he not mine anymore either?

I clenched my fists, swallowing the anger.

Ellie stepped up fast, stopping in front of Troy.

"Ms. Beaumont, the client's an equestrian expert. Troy brought me to improve my skills. You're not upset, are you?"

She said it like it was all for the company—like disagreeing would make me the problem.

Almost funny.

It'd been years since anyone talked to me like that.

"I'm not upset. If you don't close the deal, just resign."

Ellie went still. "Deals depend on both sides. I can't control that."

I let out a cold laugh. "Then why are you riding a horse?"

"I—"

My eyes dragged over her. "You looked pretty good out there. Done this before?"

Ellie clearly had no clue what I was getting at. "I rode a few times when I was younger."

The way she handled that horse said otherwise. She wasn't new.

She should've recognized it too—my Quarter Horse. Bought at auction. Two million.

I was about to press her when Troy ran out of patience.

He walked over, slung an arm around me, and steered me toward the parking lot.

"Alright, Belinda. I just brought her to try it out. Don't make it a thing. You don't even ride these horses. We just messed around for an afternoon. You don't mind."

I stopped and stepped out of his arm.

"I do mind. I bought that horse as a foal. I raised it myself. I don't even ride it. She doesn't get to touch it. You brought someone to my ranch without asking—did you respect me at all? And what's on that horse? Do I need to have it tested?"