“Actually, I’ve been thinking about this for a while.”He sighs.“I think you should buy him.”
Shoot.I should’ve seen that coming.Rían hasn’t asked to ride him once, even now that he’s a lot calmer.“You’ll find that he’s a different horse.”I pat his neck.“You might love him, I swear.”
Rían shakes his head.“I’ve actually tried riding him twice now, both times when you were gone, and it’s been a mess.He races through my hands, he ignores my leg, and he bucks like a bronco that wants free.He hates me.”He stands and reaches for Scout, and the horse snaps at him.
It’s rare, but I’ve seen this before.Some horses and some people just don’t get along.“The thing is, if I’m being honest, I’m not sure I can pay you what he’s worth.”I remember how badly Rían wanted a major raise when we first got here.I imagine he needs the money, and I don’t want to cheat him.“I can list him, if you’d like.”
Rían smiles up at me.“Sam, you may be the only one who hasn’t noticed, but Scout literally hateseveryonebut you.The reason I won him is that he had kicked, bucked, and bitten everyone else who went near him.I thought I could win him over, but no dice.You’re like the Scout-whisperer.”
I blink.“But?—”
“I mean it.”
I think about it.I always feed him, because he chases the kids.Natalie grumbles when I pass him off to her—is it because he’s a stinker?Ugh.“Then what are you hoping to get for him?”
“I’d take a thousand, honestly,” Rían says.“The only reason he’s worth more is that you fixed him.”
“How about eight?”I ask.“That’s what I can afford, and I’m sure that I could get that for him.Plus, he’s worth that to me.”
Rían’s eyes bulge, and I know he’s fine with it.
I hold out my hand.
“You have a deal.”He spits on his hand.
I take it with a little cringe.“I didn’t think people still did that.”
“Wait, isn’t it an American thing?”He blinks.
I laugh.“Gosh, I hope not.”
“It’s a cowboy thing, I’m sure of it,” he says.
“Well.”I wipe my hand on my smooth pants, leaving a gross streak.“I’m definitely not a cowboy.”
He laughs.
After I cool Scout down, on my way to the barn, I notice Richard standing on the edge of the arena.“Oh, hey.”
“I didn’t want to bother you,” he says, “but my meeting ended early.”We’re supposed to be getting lunch today.
“You should have waved,” I say.“I get too locked in when I’m riding.”
“I love watching you—you’ve done a lot with that animal.”I can tell by the way he says it that he’s not a fan of Scout.
“He’s really a pretty good boy,” I say.“And I love black horses.Always have.”
He shakes his head.“It’s that stupidBlack Stallionmovie.You women were all obsessed.”
I laugh.“Guilty.”
“Are you planning on showing him next week?”
I shrug.“I registered the girls today, but I’m not sure I even want to show the first time I go as an official trainer.”
“You should.”He drops into step right alongside me.
“Oh, yeah?”I ask.“Why?”
