Hollie’s gaze flicked to mine, her brow furrowing.
I didn’t realize I had a double meaning until the words had already escaped.
I continued, “There’s rattlers, prickly pear, wild animals, and horses that don’t know a tourist when they see one. We even have tack rooms and”—I looked directly at Hollie—“those seem to be especially problematic for some.”
Too far? Maybe. I didn’t really care though because my chest felt like it was being hacked in two. On the one side, I determined to be the kind of man my son could respect. My walk and talk would match. On the other side, I selfishly wanted to yank Hollie right back into the tack room and finish what we started.
If I had to suffer, she should suffer too.
At my words, Hollie’s fear evaporated, the emotion draining out of her face one muscle at a time from the forehead down. On its heels came a shield, blank and emotionless. Her jaw set, her cheek slightly feathering as she clenched down.
But Izzy’s eyes filled with tears. She whimpered, “I’m sorry, Mr. Jesse.”
Immediately, my fire dwindled as I chided myself for being an ass in front of the kids. “It’s okay. You scared me though.” I reached out and gently tugged her pigtail. “You good?”
She nodded, a smile toying at her lips. “Yeah.”
“You want to brush Lady May?”
At that, two sets of round brown eyes widened, hands clasping beneath chins in delight.
“Come on then, I’ll show you how.” I didn’t look at Hollie.
This was for the girls only.
Ten minutes later, Lady May was living her best life. Cade had joined us, so three brushes worked her coat, well, two really, because Nora kept dropping her brush on the ground to hug Lady, who sighed and leaned against the girls every chance she got. The grand majority of our horses were gentle spoiled brats, courtesy of Tag. Really, Scallywag and a few others were the exception. Not the rule. In the heat of the moment, I might’ve overblown the ranch’s potential dangers.
Hollie hung back, away from the horse, twisting herfingers.
“Mommy, come pet her.” Nora waved her closer.
Hollie’s smile faltered as she deflected Nora’s invitation. “She’s pretty. I love her white fur.”
“She looks like a lady. A horsey this pretty couldn’t be a boy.”
Izzy rolled her eyes. “That’s stupid.”
Nora frowned and stuck out her tongue.
When it was time to let Lady back out to pasture, the girls frolicked in the long grass behind me. I wanted them to be on their way, not because they were trouble, but because the ice between Hollie and I grew unbearable. She avoided my gaze, but when I looked elsewhere, I felt her eyes on me.
We needed to have it out. Shit needed to be said.
After releasing Lady, I walked them over to the arena, where Harlan trained a new painted gelding, Harry Trotter, to bolt forward for steer roping. All three of the kids climbed onto the fence, watching Harry, Cade narrating for the girls. Hollie stood a few steps back from the fence. Unable to help myself, I glanced over my shoulder to read her expression. She rolled her lips together, clasping and unclasping her hands on repeat. Her face showed no fear, anger, happiness, amusement, nothing. Blank in every way besides her restless lips and hands.
She looked up and our eyes connected. I held her gaze, daring her to come closer and open the can of worms.
Following my cue, she moved forward and tentatively placed her hand on the top pole of the arena fence. “Thank you, Jesse, for saving Izzy.”
I gave her a polite nod. “Couldn’t let someone get hurt on my watch.”
“It was an honest mistake.”
“I know.” I shifted, finding my entry point to the conversation. “Honest mistakes I can deal with. It’s the dishonest ones I have no tolerance for.”
Her blank expression shuttered before she corrected it. “W-what do you mean—I really didn’t know?—”
“I’m not talking about the horses.”
