In retrospect, Sophia probably should have been gentler about breaking the news.

Pop.

Sophia squealed as the truck hit a pothole, lurching forward. Finn flung out an arm almost automatically, saving her from careening into the window. The truck rolled to a stop. Sophia stared at him, her heartbeat slamming in her chest.

"I— thank-you."

His face was white. "No problem."

"Finn?"

"Yes?"

"You can lower your arm, now."

Finn did so, staring at the limb as if he couldn't believe it was attached to him. When he looked at Sophia, his blue eyes were the colour of summer storms.

"Let me get this straight," Finn said slowly. "You want to date me?"

"Not for real," Sophia added quickly. "Just for a few months. To convince the press that I've changed."

His mouth quirked. "Until your drug scandal clears up."

"Right."

"Okay," Finn said, easing the truck back into gear. "And what do I get out of this? The pleasure of your company?"

His voice was light, but it still hit a raw nerve. Sophia fiddled with a gold bangle. She'd spent too long wondering how many people in her life — Kit, Nick, her Influencer friends — would still be in it if she was just Sophia instead of Sophia™. She worried that her company might not be enough; it needed to have a brand attached to it.

"You get me," Sophia said. "As a brand. I'll promote Gemma's wine."

Finn's eyebrows flew up. "You would do that?"

"Why not?" Sophia shrugged. "It'll help me put my degree to use. I can teach Gemma about paid advertisements and content strategy."

Even the thought of building a brand from scratch energized her. What colour scheme would Gemma want? What keywords were important to her? Finn rubbed a hand over his stubble. He was considering it, Sophia realized with — she couldn't deny it — some excitement. He was thinking it over.

"Just for a few months?" Finn clarified.

"Yes," she said.

"And you just want a few pictures of us together?" His voice was wary.

"Yup."

"I won't have to do any interviews?"

"Nope."

"Fine," Finn said, turning onto her road. "My sister's doing a promotional shoot this week. Getting some content to show advertisers." He flicked on the radio. "She needs someone to pose with the wine on a horse. Can you handle that, Toronto?"

Oh. Sophia's heart fell slightly. Still, she thought, this would bring her one step closer to the Estrella contract. And the contract would bring her home.

"Yes," Sophia said. "I can handle it."

"Good."

She swallowed. "There's just one problem."

"Of course there is," Finn sighed. "And what's that?"

"Well," Sophia said slowly, "I can't ride a horse."

Sophia wasn't sure what she had expected after her declaration.

A YouTube tutorial, maybe. Or some assigned reading on how to work a saddle. Hell, Sophia even thought that Finn might be able to Photoshop the pictures to make it only look like she was riding a horse. She certainly hadn't expected to find herself sitting on top of a large black horse in a muddy ring, clinging onto the horse's mane for dear life.

"You need to calm down," Finn advised her. "You'll scare Una."

"Una?" she asked.

"The horse."

Sophia looked down at Una, who was calmly chewing a piece of hay, and privately thought that the horse couldn't give a shit whether she lived or died.

"That's easy for you to say," Sophia muttered. "You're safely on the ground."

Finn grinned. He was dressed in jeans and a navy jacket today, his blond hair rumpled with the breeze. He held a length of rope in one hand, which was attached to Una's neck. Or the leather thing around her neck. Sophia wasn't sure what to call it.

"Okay," Finn said. "Squeeze your legs."

Sophia looked at him in alarm. "I—what?"

"Squeeze your legs," Finn repeated. "That's how you get her to move."

Sophia frowned. "I've seen The Longest Ride, Hoag. I'm pretty sure you're supposed to click your tongue and dig your heels in."

Finn sighed. "I hate Hollywood," he said, to nobody in particular. "Look, just do it, okay? You can use the reins to tell her which way to turn."

"That's this, right?" Sophia asked, holding up the bits of leather in her hands.

Finn looked at her in despair. "I really hope that's not a serious question."

Sophia thought it wise not to speak again.

She bit her lip, staring down at the tall horse. I'm at a pilates class, she thought, taking a deep breath. I'm at a class with Ophelia, and our instructor wants us to squeeze a medicine ball between our thighs. To tone our quads.

"Okay," she said. "Here we go."

Sophia squeezed her legs.

Una's head shot up. She took a halting step forward, and then another. Then the horse stopped, turning back to her hay. Sophia frowned.

"Lazy bugger," she muttered.

Finn looked like he was trying not to laugh.

"You need to keep her attention," he said solemnly. "She's a gentle horse, but she's easily distracted. Especially by food."

Sophia could relate.

"Come on, Una," she urged, squeezing her legs. "Give me a lap." The horse didn't move, and Sophia dug her calves in too, this time. "Come on, you stubborn thing."

The horse lurched forward.

Sophia's heartbeat skyrocketed, and she clung on to the reins, trying not to lose her balance as Una pranced in a circle. She squealed as Una let out a whinny, clearly oblivious to Sophia's distress. Finn chuckled.

"You see? That's better."

"I'm going to die," Sophia moaned.

"I've seen worse."

Sophia shot him a glare. "Is that supposed to be encouraging?"

Una swerved suddenly, making for Finn. Her tail was swishing smugly, as if she knew that she was making Sophia uncomfortable. See? she seemed to say, butting Finn's hand. I'm still your number one girl.

Sophia glared at the horse.

"Friends off," she muttered.

Una shot her a superior look.

"Go again," Finn instructed. "And this time, trying posting a little."

"Er." Sophia blanked. "I take it that's not mailing a letter?"

Finn's lips twitched. He talked her through the basic motions, showing her how to rise up and down out of the saddle. He placed a hand on her ankle, flexing the toes toward the sky, and Sophia couldn't help but think about what nice hands he had.

Long-fingered. Calloused. Tanned.

Sophia thought it criminal that such nice hands were attached to such a rude man.

"Toronto?" Finn demanded. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Hmm?"

He sighed, stepping back. "Just give it a go."

Sophia did. Badly. By the time she was done a lap of trotting, her calves and thighs were burning, and Finn was watching her with a look that suggested her performance was exactly as bad as she suspected.

"Well," Finn said cheerfully. "At least you didn't fall off."

Sophia glared. "Again. Not helping, Hoag."

"Try again."

Sophia did. It was okay the second time, and better the third. By the time she reached the sixth lap, Sophia was beginning to feel confident.

"Take that," she told Una smugly.

The horse glared at her.

"Okay," Finn said, clearly oblivious to their silent struggle. "Now I want you to let go of the reins."

Sophia whipped around. "What?"

"That's the leather thing that you're—"

"I know what they are now, Hoag," Sophia said, exasperated. "How am I supposed to steer her without them?"

"Use your legs." Finn stepped forward, patting her right thigh. "Push with this one when you want her to go to the left." He squeezed her right calf, pushing it against Una's side. "Like that, see?"

Sophia's mind went blank.

She didn't see. In fact, Sophia could suddenly only concentrate on how damn good Finn's warm hand felt on her leg. It's because you're lonely, she told herself, and looking for a rebound after Kit. But her traitorous body chose to ignore her.

"Toronto?" Finn arched an eyebrow. "You good?"

"Fine," she said hoarsely.

"What's with your voice?"

"I'm sick," she said, yanking her leg out of his hand. "Now let go so I can ride."

Sophia did better this time. She managed to trot Una in a circle, keeping her gaze fixed straight ahead — mostly because Finn told her to, but also because Sophia was determined not to look at him. Her leg still tingled where he touched it.

What the hell was wrong with her?

She was losing it.

Clearly.

Sophia slowed to a walk, yanking the reins toward her lap.

"Okay," Finn said, nodding slightly. "That wasn't terrible."

Sophia suspected this was the biggest compliment she was going to get.

"Now I want you to close your eyes," Finn added, and Sophia whipped around so fast that she nearly fell off the horse.

"What?"

"Close. Your. Eyes."

"Oh, no," Sophia said, shaking her head. "Absolutely not."

"Una will take care of you."

Sophia looked down at the horse, who was currently shaking a fly off her ear and looking mournfully toward the hay. She suspected that Una was more interested in stuffing her face. And possibly throwing Sophia into a cow patty.

"Come on, Toronto," Finn urged. "I don't date girls unless they know how to ride."

"I'm your fake girlfriend."

"Do it for the photoshoot, then."

Sophia scowled. "I know you don't have much experience with fashion, Hoag, but you keep your eyes open for most shoots."

"This isn't about—" Finn broke off, making a noise of frustration. "I'm just trying to get you to trust Una, okay? You look uncomfortable."

"I am uncomfortable!"

"She'll pick that up."

Sophia muttered something rather non-complimentary about what Finn could pick up and shove up his—

"Okay!" Finn clapped his hands. "Let's get started."

Sophia took a deep breath, trying to distract herself with anything. The smell of sulfur and wet dirt. Finn's barn in the distance, sunk knee-deep in golden straw. The feel of the October sun on her shoulders. Even Una, warm between her legs.

It didn't work.

She could feel herself shaking.

Finn sighed. "Look, Toronto, you don't have to close your eyes." He tugged gently on the rope, bringing Una closer to him. "We can leave it there, if you want."

Sophia wrapped her arms around herself, shivering slightly. She didn't want to look at Finn. She already knew how he would be looking at her: as if Sophia was a delicate glass doll, one stumble away from shattering. Men always looked at her like that. Kit refused to even let her carry the groceries from the car.

"You're so small," Kit would tease. "One bag of flour would bowl you over."

Sophia hated it.

But when she peeked at him, Finn was watching her steadily. He believed in her, Sophia realized with some surprise; he thought she could do it.

Or maybe she just had mud on her face; it was difficult to say.

"You really think this will help?" Sophia asked in a small voice.

Finn shrugged. "A good rider knows how to control the horse; a great rider knows how to think like one."

Sophia squared her shoulders.

"Okay," she muttered. "Let's go."

She closed her eyes, holding out her arms for balance. Una's body twitched under her legs. Gently, Sophia pressed her right calf into the horse's body. Move, she urged. Come on, Una, move your—

The horse sprang into action.

Sophia made a noise, squeezing her eyes shut. Her heart was galloping in time with Una's hooves, and she forced herself to breathe steadily.

She was fine.

She was doing it.

Una must have realized that something was up because she took the turns carefully, as if she was wary of throwing Sophia off. I don't like you, the horse seemed to say, but I also don't want to kill you. At least, not yet.

Sophia wasn't sure how long she rode. Seconds, maybe. Minutes. But by the time Una slowed, she was breathing hard, unable to stop herself from grinning.

"Well?" she demanded, her eyes flying open. "How was I?"

Finn was looking at her with an odd expression. The rope was lying loosely on the ground next to him, as if he had forgotten about it entirely. Slowly, he cleared his throat.

"Not bad," Finn said. "Not bad at all."

And Sophia couldn't help but notice that he sounded a bit hoarse this time, too.