"But-" Kelsey looked back over her shoulder. They were still standing, yards apart. "He looked so sad."

"His world's been shaken, badly. It'll settle again. Maybe not quite in the same way, but it'll settle."

"Candace won't let him brood for long." Still, she dragged her feet. "Gabe, what made you bring him here?"

"We're closing the circle," he said, "before we start our own."

"I like the sound of that." She tipped her head toward his shoulder. "You're awfully smart, Slater. And sneaky, too, going behind my back to bring him here."

"Going to see him was my idea. Coming here was his. He needs to make his peace with Naomi."

"He will." She smiled to herself. It was, after all, her personal fairy tale. "I love it here," she murmured. "I love everything about here. Think of the champions we'll make, Gabe."

"Are we talking horses?"

She shook her head and laughed up at him. "Not only horses. Is that okay with you?"

"That's just fine with me."

He walked with her away from the barn, from the crews, toward the rising hills where mares grazed with their foals, and horses raced their shadows.

"Next spring, a foal will be born. His dam from Three Willows, his sire from Longshot." He turned her into his arms. "I'll remember the day he was conceived, how I looked at you and wanted you to belong to me."

"And I do." She linked her arms around his neck. "So, what's next?"

"We've got a fresh deck." He tapped his pocket. "Anything can happen."

"Anything? Well ..." She drew his mouth down to hers. "Deal them."