My hostile, slightly grumpy girl has a sense of humor. Then I check myself.My girl?
Holy fuck, this woman is stealing every single emotion from me without even trying and I’ve only known her for a couple of hours.
“I can try. It’ll be good for me.” Even as I say it, I’m not so sure. The last thing I want to do is fucking break down in front of her. What a sap.
But even as I step out of the truck, I know in my heart of hearts that it has to be done.
It’s time.
CHAPTER 7
Bailey
I don’t know what is happening, but this cowboy is tugging at my heartstrings, and I never let anyone do that. Not even Sadie. Okay, maybe Sadie, but that’s it.
I’ve never met anyone who loves horses as much as me, maybe Jed, and my boss Zane with his thoroughbred Zeus, but suffering a loss is something deeply personal. And I get where he’s coming from.
Still, I don’t want this to be a sad occasion. There’s nothing sad about Spirit, Dancer and Rebel, heck no.
I climb out of the truck and Brett is right there to help me down. I don’t know how he got around the truck so fast, but I thank him as his warm hand envelopes mine and my feet hit the ground.
Our eyes meet as electricity sparks between us. I stumble. I’ve never had a reaction to a man like I do him, not even with my ex who IthoughtI was in love with. I’ve never had the urge to just throw myself into someone’s arms like I am right now. Onceagain, the blame can only be put on the White Russian, but I also know I’m not drunk.
He closes the door behind me and follows my lead down the side of the house, over to the stables. The automatic light comes on as we approach and he whistles low when he sees the place.
“I know,” I sigh. “The Taj Mahal for the animals, while I live in a two by four.”
I laugh out loud. “Touche.”
“Spirit, Dancer, Rebel, it’s Mommy, and Mommy’s new friend.” I notice him grinning as I turn to look at him and say, “What?”
“Do you use that cute voice only for your animals?”
I roll my eyes. “What cute voice?”
He imitates my voice, albeit poorly, high-pitched and adoringly. “Spirit, Dancer, Rebel?—”
He doesn’t even get to the ‘it’s Mommy’ part, which makes me want to laugh out loud before I’m elbowing him in the ribs.
“Funny.”
“Wow, the stables are huge,” he says, glancing around the space as he helps me slide the door open. I have several stalls, along with a huge area with shelving and horse feed, equipment, and riding gear. Everything I need to make sure I’m prepared, including all my farrier equipment. “This place is pretty major. I’m impressed.”
“Well, I farrier on the side whenever the time calls for it. I’m a jack-of-all-trades around here,” I say, then holler out to my babies again, “I come bearing gifts.”
I jog over to the far wall, sticking my hand into a large sack and pull out some of the leftover fruit and vegetables from earlier and hand Brett a carrot.
“Which one am I butterin’ up with this?” he asks with a smile.
“Rebel, definitely. If you get on her good side, the others will love you immediately. She’s the hardest one to tame.”Likemother, like daughter.The words are out before I can stop them, but Brett just grins even wider, as if he can read my next thoughts:I’m a little harder to please.
It’s not even that. I’m just guarded. My heart has been broken one too many times, and yeah, I’m wary of guys. I’ve been so sick with heartbreak, followed by bitter resentment, that I’ve just kinda given up. I’m happy as I am.
We head to the first stable, where Spirit has her head already poking out. “May I introduce my baby, Spirit. Spirit, this is Brett.”
I turn to look at him, and he’s rigid. It could just be me, but he looks a whiter shade of pale as he stands there, a look of sheer terror on his face.
“Brett?” I say, alarmed. “Are you okay?”
