The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the winding country road as Aeliana gripped her steering wheel tighter. Her emerald green blouse—carefully selected for the interview—now felt too formal against the backdrop of endless fields and open sky. Six months ago, she would have been buried in sociology textbooks at her university library, but that life felt like a distant memory now.

The old Corolla shuddered beneath her, the engine making a concerning rattling sound that had started about twenty minutes back. Aeliana chewed her bottom lip, a nervous habit she'd never managed to break.

"Not now," she whispered out as anxiety rose in her chest. "Please, not today."

As if in defiant response, the car gave one final violent shudder before the engine died completely. Momentum carried her to the roadside before the vehicle rolled to a stop beside a wooden fence that stretched into the distance, marking the boundary of what appeared to be an extensive ranch property.

Aeliana closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, centering herself. The job interview at the local community center was in forty-five minutes—her chance to put her sociology degree to use helping rural families. After leaving behind her college life in the city, opportunities like this weren't exactly abundant.

She stepped out of the car, the gravel crunching beneath her sensible heels. The vast openness of the countryside still felt foreign after growing up in the close quarters of her large Haitian family home and then the bustling university campus. But there was something about this place—the unfiltered sunlight, the honest earth—that had called to her when she'd visited last spring.

Aeliana reached for her phone, her fingers automatically finding the gold hoop earring she wore, twisting it as she thought through her options. No signal. Of course.

The sound of hoofbeats drew her attention to the field beyond the fence. A rider approached, silhouetted against the golden hour light. As the figure drew closer, Aeliana straightened her posture, her petite frame somehow commanding presence despite her situation.

The horseman slowed as he approached the fence line, clearly having spotted her stranded vehicle. The horse—a magnificent chestnut with a white blaze—huffed and stomped as its rider brought it to a halt just yards away.

Aeliana's deep brown eyes met the stranger's gaze directly. Her natural reserve battled with her immediate need for assistance. She cleared her throat, deciding to be direct.

"Excuse me," she called, her voice carrying a musical lilt that hinted at her bilingual upbringing. "My car broke down, and I have an interview in—" she glanced at her watch, "—forty minutes. Is there any chance you could help me?"

She stood there, the breeze catching her voluminous curls, one hand still fidgeting with her earring, the other gesturing toward her useless vehicle. Her expression held a blend of frustration and determination that suggested this wasn't a woman accustomed to having her plans derailed—but also not one who would crumble when they were.