I need coffee and a shower. I’m pretty sure I’ve got puke on my shirt, and my sweat is ninety-percentJim Beam.
Instead of waiting around until I’m sober enough to drive myself home, I walk the short distance to Hunter’s house in the hopes that he can give me a ride home.
I rap my knuckles against the door and wait. There’s a childlike giggle followed by small feet bounding on the wood floors before the door swings open.
My attention is drawn downwards to the little girl bouncing in the doorway before catching on her very pregnant mother as she rushes into the hallway. “Reign, what have I told you about opening the door to strangers?” Savannah scolds.
“But it’s not a stwanger, mummy. It’s uncle Killian,” Reign argues and if I weren’t so hungover I would laugh.
“But you didn’t know it was Uncle Killian until you opened the door, did you?” Savannah counters.
“Sorry,” Reign mutters, dipping her head in disappointment. My heart squeezes at the sadness on her face and I bend down, scooping her up in my arms before turning my attention back to her mother.
“Sorry for showing up out of the blue. Is Hunter here?”
Reign fidgets in my arms and I adjust my hold on her. Savannah glances between us, clearing her throat. “No, he’s doing a walk-through with the new groomer today. He’s up at the barn.”
Savannah frowns at Reign as she wriggles against me and I look at her, noticing her face screwed up in disgust. “You okay, Reigny?” I ask.
She shakes her head, pinching her nose between her fingers. “You smell bad, Uncle Killian.”
Savannah gasps and a loud laugh bursts from my chest as I set the child back on the floor.
“I’m so sorry,” Savannah winces, though the look on her face tells me she’s holding back a laugh of her own.
I shake my head. “Don’t be. Nothing will humble you faster than a five-year-old.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” she chuckles before sobering her features and giving me the once over. “Are you okay?”
“All good. I just had a little too much to drink last night and need a ride home. I’ll see if one of the ranch hands can take me.”
She nods. “As long as you’re sure.”
Smiling tightly, I step back. “I am. Thank you.”
Savannah says her goodbyes and closes the door, and I make my way toward the main barn up by the big house in the hopes of running into someone that can drive my ass home so I can crawl into bed and rot.
It’s not until I’m walking through the open doors of the barn that Savannah’s words register.
He’s doing a walk-through with the new groomer today.
The new groomer, who just so happens to be Daisy.
Daisy, who is currently standing in front of me with a horse brush in hand as she takes in my current semi-inebriated state.
Fuck my life.
CHAPTER 8
DAISY
He’s drunk.
It’s barely eleven in the morning and he’s swaying on his feet. His hair sticks up in different directions as though he’s been running his hands through it. His clothes are rumpled and stained, and his eyes are bloodshot.
“Holy fuck, dude. What the hell happened to you?” Hunter asks with a laugh as he walks out of the stall and catches sight of Killian.
I snap my mouth shut, only now realising that I’ve been standing here, silently gaping at him.
