“I know what to expect here. I’m kind of nervous about starting a new school, but it’ll be a million times better than the last one, so it’s no big deal.”
“If there is ever evenone minutethat you don’t feel safe, you come to me or Willow and tell us. No more keeping that to yourself. Got it?”
“I didn’t want to worry her. She already has so much going on—”
“She’s your mama bear, kiddo. It’s her whole job to worry. And, news flash, she’ll worry whether you give her a reason to or not. Might as well keep her in the loop so she’s worrying about the right things.”
I never thought about it like that.
“Yeah, you’re probably right.”
“Of course I am. Here, I need you to lift this thing so I can slip the loop onto the hook.”
I bend my knees and get under it, then lift, and Ry guides it onto the hook, and then it’s all done.
“One punching bag.” Ry pats it and then ruffles my hair. “Now, let’s saddle up and ride some fence line today.”
I nod and turn toward Sunflower. I’m good at saddling her up, keeping her tack clean and taken care of.
She’s my best girl.
First, I brush her down and give her some carrots, and then I lay a blanket on her before lifting the heavy saddle onto her back. Once it’s secured, I turn to see that Ry’s done the same for his horse, and we ride out of the barn.
“It’s already hot out,” I say to Ryker as we head out into the sunshine.
“Yeah, we might all end up in the lake again this evening,” he says. “It’s handy. I could put in a pool, but what’s the point?”
“Aunt Wills would probably prefer a pool.”
His gaze whips to mine. “Why?”
“She doesn’t love swimming with fish and bacteria and all the other creatures in the water. Those are her words, not mine.”
“She didn’t say anything yesterday.”
I smirk. “Of course not. It’s not like she canchoosea pool out here.”
He starts to say something, but his phone rings. “I have to take this, buddy. Ride ahead, and I’ll catch up.”
I nod and turn Sunflower toward the fence line closest to the house. But as I get closer, I frown.
Why are there people here?
They aren’t anyone that works here. Half of them are women.
Girls.
As I approach the fence, they start to wave, and I feel Sunflower hesitate.
“Whoa, girl, it’s okay. We’re just going to say hi.”
“You’re not Cap,” someone says with disappointment in her voice.
“You all need to leave,” I announce, keeping my voice strong. The girls are pretty. They’re not wearing much of anything. Bikini tops and jean shorts, their hair up, and their eyes hidden behind sunglasses. There are four of them, along with two guys.
They all look older than me. Maybe in college.
“We don’t have to go anywhere,” one of the guys says. “Where’s Ryker James?”
