She’d been right about the pretty part, at least. The barn was massive and beautiful. Flagstone floors, wood and wrought iron accented stalls, there were even chandeliers hanging in even intervals from the ceiling.
“How come there aren’t any horses in here?” Whit asked, speaking up for the first time. She’d been surprisingly quiet since the tour started. Completely unlike her normal, loud opinionated self. But then again, it was hard for anyone to get a word in with Georgette around. Girl loved to talk. Not to mention, even I was a bit overwhelmed by the grandeur of this place.
“Well, once things settle down, Carl and I are gonna get ourselves a couple,” Georgette replied with a grin.
I’d given up calling her Georgie, I just couldn’t.
I pursed my lips, a hint of confusion flickering to life in me. Why would they get horses for this place if they were only renting it for the wedding? Before I could open my mouth and ask though, Georgette leaned into my dad, pressing a hand to his chest. It was an innocent enough gesture, but I hated the unsettling feeling constricting and wrestling in my stomach because of it.
Even though we were technically outside, I had to get some air—or, at the very least, I had to get away from them. I knew I was being dramatic, and probably a bit petty, but I couldn’t help it. I don’t think I’d ever seen Dad hold my mom like that. Touch my mom like that. Joke and laugh and act like a love-drunk fool. Granted, Mom had been sick the last four years before she died.
Every couple was different, though, I guess.
I couldn’t even fathom acting like that in public when I’d been with Devin. He was super against PDA. Said that touching and kissing and holding each other was for us—a special moment for our eyes only. It seemed just as stupid now as it had then, but I’d been afraid to say anything for fear of causing a fight.
Story of my life.
Maybe one day I’d learn to say what I actually felt. What was on my mind. Like how Georgette stroking my dad’s arm up and down the way she was made me want to throw up.
But then that meant potentially disappointing my dad, and I hated that idea even more.
Taking a deep breath, I tried to blow out all of my worries and frustrations. My gaze fixed on the other barn across the way, along with a guest house right beside it. It was close to a big sandy arena.
“Hey, you okay, Quinn?” Whit’s voice rang with concern.
I turned back to find her, my dad, and Georgette making their way out of the barn.
“Is that the barn and bunkhouse for the ranch hands?” I asked, glancing that way once more. I couldn’t look at her and my dad being all lovey-dovey. Maybe this could serve as a distraction.
I didn’t know anything about horses, or ranch hands, or if they were the same as cowboys or different, but all of it sounded intriguing. And if all cowboys were as hot as the one I’d run into…well, maybe spending a month here wouldn’t be absolutely terrible.
“Yeah. There’s what, honey, four of them? Oh no, wait, five with Hux,” Dad said, his gaze following mine to the barn.
Georgette groaned, drawing our attention. “Let’s be honest, we might as well have only four. Hux, well, he’s not much of an asset to this ranch.” She placed a hand around her mouth like she was telling Whit and I a secret. “He’s nice to look at though.”
I frowned. Okay, ew. Was she really talking about how attractive one of their employees was in front of her fiancé? Also what was she talking about—he wasn’t much of an asset? As if sensing the question in my gaze she huffed and went on. “He’s blind, and with that equal rights employment thing, or whatever it’s called, the previous owners felt bad and gave him ajob. There’s basically no use for him, but firing him would cause problems.”
I scoffed, literally scoffed at the audacity, the ignorance, and the hatred falling from this woman’s lips. Mom had always advocated for people with special needs and disabilities. We’d spent most of my middle school years volunteering at different events for them. If she heard this woman talking right now…
I glared at her before shifting my withering stare at my dad. “Doyouthink this about him?”
“Wh–what? No…” Dad’s expression turned apologetic as he fumbled for words. “No, Queenie. You know I don’t think that.”
I huffed. Yet he was going to marry a woman who did.
“Quinn.” My dad’s tone held a desperate note to it. “She didn’t mean it.” He wrapped an arm around Georgette’s waist. “Did you, sweetheart?”
Georgette looked confused, an expression she wore way too well, as she met my dad’s stare. Something silent passed between them, and Georgette nodded slowly. “Right, I’m sorry, Quinn. Sometimes I just put my foot in my mouth, is all. He’s a…good person.”
“Right.” I nodded, the lingering anger in my chest burning like hot coals. I needed to get away from her before I snapped. Up until now, I thought she was a bit obnoxious, but for the most part harmless. But being capable of saying something so awful, and mean… No. I didn’t like those poisonous words. Didn’t like even more how quickly my dad came to her aid.
I didn’t want to start a fight, so I needed to get away.
“Well, uh, should we continue on the tour?” my dad asked, a forced lightness in his voice.
I found myself shaking my head. “Actually, you guys go ahead, I want to walk a bit, explore the grounds. You know, be out in nature.”
A complete lie—this weather was miserable, and I felt like I was wading through a bowl of soup, but I couldn’t be around them right now.
