“Any woman but you?”
“Yes! Because after all those years fighting with mom, that’s my default. Luis hasn’t seen it yet, but it would come out if we spent more time together. Mom was right. I’m impossible to live with. Tell them about those fights.”
“The fights.” His jaw tightened. “Screaming you could hear all around the neighborhood. It was the worst when Jordie had achieved something major and mom couldn’t stand that. She’d criticize me, too, but Jordie got it worse. And she fought back.”
“Good for you.” Mila sent her a warm glance of support. “Never let the turkeys get you down.”
“But Luis isn’t a turkey,” Rio said. “He wouldn’t?—”
“She doesn’t trust him not to,” Cole said.
“I wouldn’t say that.”
“What about your achievement with this clinic? Do you trust him not to undermine all your hard work?”
She opened her mouth but Luis got ahead of her.
“I admire the hell out of what you’ve done. You know I do.”
“But what about the traveling, Bridger? Because clearly your life is here with the wild horses.”
“I’m flexible. I figured she’d travel some, stay here some. I know she loves being on the road, so I wouldn’t expect her to stay?—”
“Hold it, hermano.” Mila focused on him with the intensity of a laser. “Are you about to say you wouldn’t expect her to stay home all the time? That you’d be okay if she left now and then?””
“Something like that.”
“I’m not hearing flexibility. I’m hearing male privilege.”
“No, it isn’t. I?—”
“Have you considered changing your life to suit hers?”
He looked confused. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Couldn’t you go on the road with her? Help her with her clinic?”
Jordan blinked. “I could never ask that of him. He loves it here. And he’s the key to the rehabilitation program.” She met his gaze across the table. “Seriously, don’t even think about it.”
“I’ll admit I never have, but?—”
“You shouldn’t. Sorry, Mila. I appreciate your feedback, but that’s crazy.”
“No crazier than him asking you to curtail your travel because he intends to stay put. And let’s not forget that Rio will start training next week to learn Luis’s job.”
“That’s right, I will. And I’m a fast learner. Ask anybody.”
Luis turned to him. “I believe you’ll give it your all, but?—”
“There’s something else I’ve been meaning to say about the rehabilitation program.” Mila glanced at her sister. “Is this a good time or a bad time?”
“A good time. The only reason we haven’t talked to him is he’s always so busy.”
“Okay, then.” She took a breath. “Ever since Dad died, you’ve worked yourself to the bone to keep adoptions at the same number they were when he was alive. It’s lovely to adopt out horses, but financially you could cut back, especially now with the digital adoptions bringing in revenue.”
“It’s satisfying work.”
“But he wouldn’t want you to kill yourself doing it. And neither would the rest of us.”
