I glance to the side. The lights cast soft hues on his face as he looks up. That’s when I realize just how much effort he’s put into this. The horses. The ride. The wine. The timing.
All for me?
I swallow hard while looking back at the display God put on for us tonight.
Then I ask quietly, “Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?”
For a moment, I think he’s still watching the sky. Then I realize he isn’t.
His gaze is now fixed on me, and his eyes stay on mine as he answers, his voice rough, “Never.”
Axle
The clinic door swings open as I shoulder my way inside with Trent Walker trailing behind me, one hand clamped around a bloody towel wrapped around his thumb.
The kid looks greener than fresh-cut grass.
“Dr. Seth, Jovie!” I call. “Anybody here?”
Jovie appears from deep in the clinic, carrying a set of vibrant-colored resistance bands.
“What happened?” she asks as she rushes to us.
Her eyes drop to Trent’s hand.
“Tie-down roping practice,” I say. “His hand got caught between the rope and the saddle horn. Filleted his thumb.”
Trent winces.
“Let’s take a look.” She guides Trent onto the exam table.
The moment she unwraps the towel, he looks away.
The skin on his thumb has peeled back where it got trapped while he was pulling slack.
I’ve seen worse. Royce damn near lost his ring finger once when his grip got trapped.
“Ouch,” Jovie says softly. “Good news? Nothing appears broken.”
Trent visibly relaxes.
“Bad news? This is going to hurt.”
“It already fucking hurts,” Trent says, and I chuckle to myself as he uses tough language while visibly fighting back tears.
Jovie starts cleaning the injury. The second the antiseptic touches the wound, he nearly launches himself off the table.
“Sweet mother of—”
“Language,” I say. “There’s a lady present.”
He bites down on his lip.
“You’re doing great, Trent,” Jovie says. “And don’t worry; I won’t tell anyone you let a few cuss words slip.” Her eyes flick toward mine, and her lips twitch. “Patient-doctor confidentiality.”
I grin.
She spends the next several minutes cleaning, dressing, and wrapping the injury while Trent tries and fails to put on a brave face. If the boy gets this worked up over a little pain and some blood, he’s never going to make it in this sport.
