Chapter 24

Austin

I am currently in the process of working on Stacy's saddle. I have set up the printer to print the saddle tree, and while it is being printed, I am cutting out pieces of leather and working on the tooling pattern that Stacy has chosen. As time passes, I realize that it's lunchtime when my stomach starts growling. I take a break and head to the barn office to grab Declan and have lunch.

I walk into my home office and lean against the door frame. Cortland is sitting in the chair, talking on the phone with his back turned to me. I admire his profile for a moment, grateful to have found someone who truly understands me. While I value my independence, it's comforting to have someone who cares about me. Without Cortland, I would have woken up alone in the hospital with no one to look after Vanna while I was there.

I appreciate Cortland and his family for their support. It's great to see Carrington warming up to me. Although I sometimes worry about potential issues in our relationshi