He Faked a Lottery to Choose Her—Until I Changed the Game Chapter 08

A month turned into three. I extended the booking twice.

One evening, as I was coming back from a walk, my landlady flagged me down.

“Laurie, do you have a boyfriend?”

I shook my head, not sure where this was going.

“No, Ms. Ellery.”

Her face pinched.

“Some man showed up asking for you earlier. You’re not mixed up with anyone sketchy, are you?”

“He said his name was Grant…”

I didn’t react.

“He’s just my ex.”

She visibly relaxed.

“Oh, good. As long as he’s not some creep.”

The next afternoon, I opened my door and there he was. Leaning against the wall outside.

His whole face changed when he saw me. “Laurel…”

I didn’t smile. “How’d you find me?”

He looked down.

“I saw it on Graham’s phone.”

I’d blocked Grant but not his friends. My posts had the location tagged. Stupid of me.

“What do you want, Grant?” I asked, stepping past him. “If you don’t have a good reason, I’ve got

plans.”

He swallowed.

“I do.”

“I came to say I’m sorry.”

Apologize…

Three months ago, I might have needed to hear that.

“Don’t bother.” I walked past him. “I don’t need it.”

I’d been meaning to go riding since I got here.

The landlady had given me an instructor’s number.

When I got there, the only person around was a guy about my age.

No way he was the instructor.

He looked too young.

I texted the number. The call came right back.

“Miss Bennett?”

“Yeah, that’s me.” I shaded my eyes with one hand. “Where are you? I don’t see anyone.”

A beat of silence. Then:

“Right in front of you.”

I lowered my phone. The guy was walking straight toward me.

He stopped in front of me and held out his hand.

“I’m your instructor.”

I shook it, feeling my face heat up.

“Right. Sorry. Hi, um, Coach…?”

“Miles.” He let go and pushed his sunglasses up onto his head. The eyes underneath made me forget what I was about to say. “Just Miles is fine.”

“…Okay.”

He picked out the calmest horse in the stable for me. First-timer privileges.

Up in the saddle, everything looked different. I felt ten feet tall.

He walked me through the basics for half an hour.

Then he handed over the reins.

“Start with a walk. Get a feel for it before you try anything faster.”

I took the reins. Then, before I could stop myself:

“How long before I get to actually ride? Like, full speed?”

“Not on your own. Not yet.” He shrugged. “Someone would have to ride with you.”

I thought about it.

“Could you ride with me?”

I knew it was a lot to ask.

If he said no, I’d drop it.

I was already opening my mouth to take it back when he said, “Sure.”

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I didn’t push it.

“All right. Thank you, Ms. Ellery.”

Grant was still outside my cottage when I got back.

“You’re still here?”

Grant ran a hand over his face.

“Laurel, I… I want to talk to you.”

I looked at him for a long second. Then I unlocked the door.

Out of habit, I poured him a glass of room-temperature water.

“What do you want to talk about?”

He held the glass with both hands and drank.

“Are you still mad at me?”

Was I angry with him?

Maybe once.

But we were way past that now.

If you took Celia out of the equation, Grant had been good to me.

He was kind. He didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t pick fights.

For a while, we were happy.

Then he got busy.

Too busy for me.

I’d complain. He’d smile, say the right things, and I’d let it go.

I didn’t answer his question. Instead:

“What about her?”

Grant knew exactly who I meant.