“Luke, you came to me bitching about the ranch’s finances—”
“Wrong,” I interrupt. “I talked to your fiancé, because he works in finance, and you decided to involve yourself.”
“Same thing. Can you just try it? I already have somebody lined up to stay there over Christmas.”
Of course she does.
I groan, giving a nail in the horse’s shoe a firm tug. Despite the cold, sweat prickles my back and dots my hairline.
Holly seems to be giddy on the other end of the phone. “Please do this test run before you decide. Having some extra income is going to make a huge difference.”
“I’m not dealing with this person at all. I don’t want to see them or hear them or anything.”
“I’ve got it all handled. You installed a digital keypad on the door, right?”
“Reluctantly.”
“Then you won’t even know they’re there.”
Better fucking not.
“Fine.” The horseshoe tugs free, falling to the cement barn floor with a vibrating clang amidst the late-afternoon stillness. “Remind me to never talk to Daniel about anything again.”
“You could always sell it, like Mom keeps suggesting. Walk away with a loaded wallet and buy yourself a house in town.”
Adjusting the positioning of the mare’s pastern on my thigh, I reply, “Hanging up now.”
“Love you. Promise this rental plan is going to be great.”
Finally pulling up to my own barn, I breathe a small sigh of relief. This place is my solace, and just breathing in the smell of hay, horses, and old wood is enough to remind me why I’m working so fucking hard.
This is all I have.
“What’re you still doing here?” I shout to Cora, wherever she is.
She manages my horses, and my bookkeeping, in exchange for free rent in the studio suite above the barn. Despite being just twenty-three, Cora works harder and bitches less than the two grizzled men who oversee the cattle operation. It’s especially impressive considering how much extra weight she’s been pulling the last few months with my long hours, while also working full time as a kindergarten teacher in town.
“Popcorn cut up his leg on the fence again,” she calls back from deeper in the barn.
Shaking my head, I stride down the alley toward her. The barn lights hum in the crisp night air overhead. Sure enough, Cora’s knelt down on the cement floor, wrapping his wound in a hot-pink bandage. Her gelding has about as much self-protection instincts as the five-year-olds who named him.
“He’s an idiot.” I lean back against the cold metal fence rail.
“Or smart enough to know a little cut means he gets to stay in the warm barn.”
“Sure.Keep telling yourself that.” I snort, rapping my knuckles against the fence. “You going home for Christmas?”
“Wow, I knew you were an ass, but considering I poured my heart out about my family issues when we were unloading all that hay last week, I’d expect you to remember.”
Shit.Okay, so maybe it’s not just that the town thinks I’m an asshole.
Maybe Iaman asshole.
“No, I fucking remember,” I lie. “Thought you might’ve resolved things.”
She pauses, turning to give me a look that calls me out on my bullshit. After tucking the bandage end, she stands and swipes her hands across her thighs, knocking dust into the air. “I didn’t. I’m spending Christmas Day with a teacher friend of mine, but I’ll still be around to do chores.”
With a single nod, I head back toward the large barn door, stopping only for a split second to fork over a mint to my senior mare—the horse who filled my head with dreams about owning property, working with horses, and riding off into sunsets. Her muzzle tickles my palm, and I whisper a good night to her.
