Pulling the utility knife from the belt I’d found earlier, I cut into the feed, groaning as I lift and empty some into Loni’s bucket.
“I mean, can you blame me?” I ask the mare, “You’ve seen him, right?”
“Who are you talking to?” The feminine voice catches me off guard, and a squeal escapes me as I jump about three feet into the air and drop all the feed onto the ground, the grains scattering across the dusty floor.
“Oh, shit!” They rush out and before I can get my bearings, a woman I haven’t met before is running toward me, the wild, auburn curls around her head bouncing. She’s wearing a Knight Falls Ranch branded tee tucked into tight jeans worn beneath a pair of beige chaps, her boots scuffed up and dirty.
“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you.” The woman rushes out, cringing at the mess on the floor.
I press my hand to my chest, “I thought I was alone.”
“So you were talking to the horses?” She asks.
“Don’t you?” She clearly works with them, but I don’t know how anyone can be alone with these creatures and not want to talk to them. They’re such intelligent animals, and sure, the conversations are entirely one-sided, but I like to believe they can understandsomeof what I am saying.
“I just try not to get caught,” the woman jokes, tossing her head to the side to look me over, eyes pausing on the bruising but not for long. “Are you new here?”
“Uh,” I fidget, “I guess so.”
“Me too,” she grins and shoves her hand out in offering. “I’m Ada Walsh, the new cutter. I was actually just coming to check out the stables for Granger.”
“Granger?” I question.
“My cutting horse, he’s how I got the job after all.”
“Sorry, I’m confused,” I frown. “What’s a cutting horse?”
Ada grins wide, “I amsoglad you asked.”
I barely manage to keep up as she explains exactly what she and Granger do, pulling out her cell to show me videos of the two of them. She singles out a single cow from the middle of the herd and somehow, she and her horse work as if they share one brain, shifting and moving until the cow is completely separated from the herd. I’ve never seen a horse move the way Granger does; he’s agile andquick, able to get low and predict the cow’s every move, cutting off every direction it attempts to go.
“I’ve done a few shows here and there,” she goes on, “only amateur, of course. I’m no professional, but hopefully now we can practice some more here on the ranch.”
“I have never seen anything like that,” I admit, “It looks intense.”
“It can be,” she admits, “But me and Granger have been doing this for years, we trust each other and ultimately, all the skill is in the horse, I’m just going along for the ride.”
I listen as she keeps talking, telling me about the competitions she’s won with Granger, how she applied for the position here on the ranch while we clean up the feed from the ground, dumping it since it’s now too dirty to be used. I show her to the stall that’s empty and assume it’s the one Granger will be given whenever he arrives.
“Well, since we’re both new to town, maybe we should go grab lunch or something?” Ada asks. “Be nice not to navigate this place alone.”
I nod quickly and then realize how desperate that may look. I lost any friends I did have when I first got with Cal, but a friend right now sounds too good to give up. “Yeah, sure.” I try to be cool. “That sounds good.”
The woman grins.
“Oh, I’m Juni,” I rush out, “I don’t think I said.”
“It was good to meet you, Juni,” Ada starts to walk off. “I’ve gotta meet the truck for Granger soon, but I’ll see you around!”
I watch her leave, her mess of auburn hair setting alight the moment she steps out into the summer sun but I’m not alone for long when Silas comes around the corner, leading Mars by a rope and then I remember how little I achieved today. My cheeks burn with it, and I glance around, unsure how I’m meant to explainwhyI didn’t get everything I needed to get done.
“That’s it for the day,” Silas doesn’t seem disappointed even though it’s very clear I did nothing. “I’ve got to get the kids from the nanny, but it’s family dinner at the main house tonight.”
“Oh, right,” I nod. “Okay. I’ll just see you later then?”
“You’re invited, Juni,” he says softly. “You can come with me to grab the kids if you want to.”
“Are you sure?”
