A girl made a loud “wohoo!” out the window of the truck. The sound of her voice echoed off my trailer. A few minutes later, the truck engine shut off and the noise stopped. I did my best to roll over and go back to sleep, but I was already heated.
Who did he think he was? He disturbed the horses and me. He probably woke his father and stepmother up as well. I hoped he got in trouble for this.
After forty-five minutes, I gave up trying to go back to sleep. I jumped into the shower and washed my hair and my body and shaved my legs. I threw on a t-shirt and jean shorts. I hastily pulled my blond hair into a ponytail and then threaded it through my ball cap. My boots were the last thing I put on as I walked out the door.
I opened up the barn door and greeted the horses. Most of them had been sleeping, but a few were awake to greet me. Sugar cubes were handed out, and I started on my list of chores. By six, I was sweating like a dog. Now that it was a reasonable time, I put on my chore playlist, and it played through the speakers in the barn.
I had cleaned all the stalls and was sweeping the center aisle of the stable when Riley came strolling by with last night’s conquest.
She had high heel pumps with the classic red sole. Her matching red dress clung tight to her body but was a little askew. Her hair was disheveled, and her lipstick was smeared. He slept with anyone who would open her legs for him. Her awkward, clingy demeanor and messy appearance told me that the two hours between now and when he came home this morning were not spent sleeping.
I felt a pang of jealousy. What was it like to speak to a version of Riley that didn’t hate you? What was it like to be in the same room as him without exchanging verbal blows? What was it like when Riley kissed you?
I looked at this girl and wondered what she had that I didn’t. I looked at her and felt jealous that she knew a version of Riley that I never would. I knew his weaknesses and insecurities, but I didn’t know him, not anymore.
“Good morning, Emma. Up bright and early, I see,” he said, taunting. He was well aware of the ruckus he caused last night when he arrived home.
“Get lost, Riley. I am in no mood to deal with you today.”
I’m no mood to see you flaunt your flings today, not when you look every bit of the heartbreaker you are.
“You let your help talk to you that way?” the nameless one-night stand asked him.
“No, I usually just ignore her,” he said.
Liar. He usually sought me out and verbally punished me. Or he destroyed my entire life with a few words from that wicked mouth of his.
I continued to sweep the floor, tuning them out to listen to the music.
“Don’t mind us, Emma. I am here to show Marcy Tigger.”
“Marly,” she corrected Riley.
I snorted in response.
I could feel the dirty glare on my back, but I didn’t give him the satisfaction of acknowledging it. I continued to sweep until the aisle was spotless. I turned around and saw that Tigger was backed all the way into the corner of his stall, trying to get away from Marly’s aggressive hands and body language.
“You might want to take a step back,” I called out to her.
She sneered in my direction. “Why is that?”
“That horse is about to bolt. Your body language is too aggressive for him.”
Riley was staring at her like he had x-ray vision and could see through her dress. He wasn’t watching what she was doing; he was just watching her. Bringing someone like her into the stable and not watching her was dangerous.
Riley snorted at my suggestion, but seconds later, Tigger pawed the ground, showing his anxiety. Another five seconds later, when Marly didn’t follow my advice, Tigger bolted, his shoulder catching hers. She spun around and then fell on her ass in the stall.
I had to hold back a laugh when she let out a high-pitched squeal. The horses around us didn’t like the sound and threw their heads back. Riley ignored Marly and rushed out of the stable to catch up with Tigger.
Tigger had other plans and started running down the fence line. Riley would never catch him chasing after him like that. Riley quickly got winded and was bent over and panting.
I smiled smugly as I passed him and walked in Tigger’s general direction. He stopped running to watch us. His ears were pressed down against the back of his head, and his eyes followed us.
“For someone who rides horses for a living, you have horrible horsemanship,” I taunted.
I needed to punish him for making me feel jealous. I was content to be by myself, yet he made me desire more, and that scared me.
I walked thirty feet in front of Riley then stopped. I let out a whistle.
