nto weeks at K

r was clean, t

manicured lawns and whispered

lly, but the wound

a quiet man, his presen

nder

arah," he said one evening, watching

ing Meadows, of me hiding my name,

g myself to a world that valued pedigree,

' t say "I

pain was worse. It meant he

my de

o back to Ste

uestrian in Texas, had a stan

amily, admir

as Sarah Kingston,

rtnership quickly be

proposal.

t time," I told my father. "To offic

illed with a sadness

h. Principled. He understa

now,

th," I said, the words

tart. A c

crop Mr. Finch had

ol of his mentorship, of the future

s eyes shining with pride when he gave it to m

me on the back. "We' ll all be

mis

ty

even remember th

ouldn' t mean anyt

thing to