“She won’t react well if I show it to her.”
“Why not?” Beau asks a bit too innocently, and I realize I’ve been led straight into a trap, and that my best friend is trying to pry.
“Because, Beau, you know damn well that Candice hates me.”
“And how do you feel about her?” he asks, his voice icy cold now. Back in college, where Beau and I became friends before I dropped out, I was the guy who all the girls knew was an easy fuck, but Beau was the one they were too afraid to approach but desperately in love with.
“Your sister?—
“Yeah, what the fuck about mysister, Nate?”
I sigh and try to find a way to say this that won’t piss him off too much. Because Beau loves Candice more than anything in this world. “Your sister is…not my biggest fan. And I’m not hers, either. But I won’t cause any problems for her if she doesn’t cause any problems for me.”
“You’re damn right you won’t,” he says. “The rescue has enough issues as it is. And I only got Candice to agree to take you as a volunteer because I promised her you’d be on good behavior.”
I ignore the part about the rescue’s issues, but tell myself I’ll ask about it later.
“By the way,” I say, still treading lightly. “What exactly did you tell Candice I’d be doing while I was volunteering?”
Beau shrugs his shoulders. “Candice organizes the volunteer work.”
“So when you told me that I’d be helping with training, you were lying.” I glower over my beer at Beau, but he doesn’t seem to give a fuck.
“I just assumed she’d put your talents to good use, because that’s the obvious place you fit in around here,” he says. He finally seems to notice my dagger eyes and says, “What’d she stick you with? Muck duty?”
“Yes.”
Beau throws his head back and laughs. “Of course she did. Candice knows how to hit a man where it hurts. Taking America’s rodeo king and making him muck. I hope you wear your championship belt buckles to the barn.” He laughs more, his voice nearly going hoarse. “Damn, I haven’t laughed like that in a while. Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me,” I say. “Help me convince her to let me train.”
“Now, Nate, if you think you’re too good to be a stable hand, just say so,” Beau says, eyes twinkling.
“I amnottoo good for it. Christ, Beau, you know what it was like when I was growing up…” I trail off, unwilling to add more detail about how much the ranch suffered, how my siblings and I had to pitch in and help with everything from the time we were barely twelve. I don’t resent my mom for it, and we were happy to help, but working on that ranch ate up most of my childhood.
“I know,” he says, serious now.
“So help me out here. Convince Candice to let me train. I haven’t worked with rescues before, but I’d like to learn. And I’ve been pretty damn good at the training I’ve done before. I trained Bally myself at first, and I’d like to develop the skill more.”
“Candice is the barn manager,” Beau says. “And if she doesn’t want you helping her with training, then there’s not much I can do about it. But anytime I need help, you’ll be the first one I call.”
“Thanks,” I say.
“And Nate?” Beau says.
“Yeah?”
“Working with rescued horses is the most difficult thing you’ll do, but it’s also the most rewarding. Even if you’re just cleaning out stalls and grooming, it will still challenge you and uncover parts of yourself that you didn’t know existed. Sometimes, it will rip your heart out, but when it does, you’ll know it was for the right reason.” He pauses for a long moment, letting the words sink in, before continuing. “And you should also know that my sister is the absolute best there is, period. And there is no one more dedicated to our horses than her.”
BARN BULLETIN
Just so you all know, we’ve got a new starter this week. Any difficulties with him, just blame Beau.
-Candice
We’ve also got a new horse. Brown Sugar. She’s anxious but in good health. Also, Nathan won’t cause any problems.
-Beau
