My chest tightens, bringing me back to my harsh reality. "Yeah? Fill me in."
He looks at me like I'm a moron.
"What?" I push.
"Willow can represent you." His grin is laced with arrogance and mockery, undoubtedly about how simple the solution sounds to him.
"Surprised she didn't snatch you up last night when she found out you're a free agent," Mason chimes in.
I scoff. "Sure. Right after she found out I started a fight with her other riders."
"Not a big deal. You'd be a great addition to her client list," Jagger claims.
I shake my head. "I don't think that's a good idea."
Jagger's eyes turn to slits. "Why not?"
My pulse creeps up. I quickly claim, "She's pretty pissed at me. Or did you forget how she glared at me all night?"
He shrugs. "So what? You know it's not the first time her clients got into a little tiff."
I remind him, "I created a sixty-thousand-dollar problem for her. It wasn't just a 'little tiff,' and you know it."
"So what? You'll pay her back. And Jericho and Colt aren't innocent either," he replies.
I point out, "They didn't take the first swing. I did."
"When did you start falling on your sword?" Mason questions.
I pick up another apple, step into another stall, and hold it out for the horse so I can brush its mane. I sigh. "It's a bad idea, so drop it."
"Why? Because you have so many other options?" Mason retorts.
He speaks the truth, but Willow isn't going to represent me.
Jagger asserts, "Willow will do it. She's probably already cooled off. I bet she's already putting her pitch together for you."
My gut twists.
Doubt it.
He continues, "Anyway, she has to say yes. You're as good as a brother to her."
The twisting gets tighter.
I blurt out, "No, I'm not."
"Of course you are. Why would you say otherwise?" Jagger asks. And even though I'm focusing on the horse, I can feel the weight of his stare.
Panic hits me. I stroke through the horse's mane a couple more times, then turn, trying to look nonchalant, and shrug. "I haven't seen her in years. We're not kids anymore."
"So what? Family is family," he insists.
A tidal wave of guilt floods me. It's worse than seven years ago. Maybe time and age put my betrayal in a different light. But Ibroke bro code, and if Jagger or Mason ever find out, it'll ruin our friendship. They'll never call me family again.
The barn door grinds along the metal rails. Another rush of bitter cold floods the barn. Sebastian and Alexander enter with mugs of coffee.
Sebastian calls out, "What's the big debate?"
