She chuckled, then glanced over her shoulder when she hit the bottom step at the base of the garage. “Don’t think I didn’t notice that you didn’t share anything more with me than the surface stuff.”
I had to laugh. “Maybe there’s nothing more to tell.”
“I don’t buy it. I know you better than that. You don’t have to hide it from me.”
“Hide what?” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“If you’ve got a woman, don’t keep her hidden on my account.”
“I’ve got nothing to hide, Horse Girl.”
She narrowed her gaze as if she didn’t believe me, and then she waved before making her way up the stairs.
I’d never lied to Wren. Not once. So seeing all that doubt and hurt in her eyes when she looked at me was fucking with my head.
Why the hell was it so hard for her to trust me now?
ten
. . .
Wren
I’d decidedto get up early this morning and train with Wrax for a few hours before work. I was fairly caught up on all the paperwork for the company, and Axel had agreed to let me help with the trailer he was working on. I’d always been interested in his business, because horses were my passion, and custom horse trailers to me were probably like sexy sports cars to other people.
My phone vibrated, and I saw the text from Collin saying he was pulling up to the ranch. I’d thought about just meeting him and my father at the restaurant, but I wanted to surprise him and take him out to the stall so he could see Wrax. He’d sent me a text this morning that someone had a lead on where Wrax was, and he’d be following up on it this week. I’d felt slightly guilty for not telling him, but it would be worth the surprise today when I showed him in person.
I’d already told Axel that my brother was coming to the ranch to pick me up.
There was no love between them, obviously, and the last time they’d seen one another, Axel had knocked him out, which had pissed me off. Yes, Axel had every right to be angry at Collin. Butblindsiding my brother at a bar and sucker punching him was a shitty thing to do.
Axel said he would stay away when Collin showed up today, and he assured me there would be no physical altercations or issues. Though he’d made me that same promise years ago, the night before I’d left town.
He’d made me many promises that night.
And he’d kept none of them.
“I’m going to head out,” I said, as it was just me and Axel in there now. The guys had left a half an hour ago.
“Are you going to take him out to see Wrax?” he asked, his lips forming a straight line and making it clear that he was unamused that my brother was coming here.
Emerson had moved on after what had happened between her and Collin. Hell, she was married to someone else, she had adopted his little boy, and she was living her best life.
Axel’s disdain for my brother was over the top at this point.
Two years had passed, and everyone was over it.
But his anger felt very fresh, and that made no sense to me.
“Yes. And it’s clear that you still despise him. I wouldn’t have had him come here, but seeing as he’s trying to find Wrax for me, it seemed like the decent thing to do so I could show him that I got him back.” I threw my hands in the air in frustration.
“Fuck, Wren.” He rubbed his face. “I’m just trying to do the right thing, you know?”
I sighed. We were working on getting our friendship back on track, and there was no doubt he’d done a lot to help me over the last few weeks.
“Listen, I appreciate all that you’ve done for me. The job, the apartment, getting Wrax back. It means a lot. You’re a good friend, Axel.” I held my hands up when he tried to stop me. “But my family is going through a lot at the moment. And Collin isworking hard to help me find Wrax, so I thought it would be nice to have some good news, you know?”
“It’s fine.” He gave me a curt nod and turned his attention back to the trailer.
