Easier said than done. I’d hardly slept last night—lying down strained my chest in ways I never imagined it could, and every restless movement had sent a fresh jolt through me. The pain meds had dulled the ache in my ribs, but they’d also left me light-headed and dizzy, with strange thoughts swimming in my brain. Thoughts about a certain pretty distraction I’d tried to put behind me a year ago. They took away the barrier I put into place every time I thought of her, and I didn’t like that. Sleep stayed just out of reach.
“Maybe later. Do you think you can take over the training of those two riding horses for a while? They still need plenty of lead practice.”
“No problem, I’m happy to do what I can to pick up the slack. Want me to see if I can rearrange my schedule a bit and spend an extra hour or two here to get some of the daily maintenance done?”
Those tasks stacked up in my mind, my gut twisting harder with each one. The most basic part of my job, and I couldn’t do it. “I hate to ask you to do that.”
“Who else is going to? You?” He dragged a gloved hand across his forehead, leaving a streak of dirt on his copper skin. “If a butterfly landed on you, it would knock you over.”
I gritted my teeth. The kid was right, of course, but he didn’t need to crow about it. “I’ll be able to ride again in a couple of days.”
“A couple of days? When I was in high school, a guy I know got clocked just like you did, only cracked one rib, andhecouldn’t ride a horse for a month without crying. I wouldn’t think it would be any easier on an older dude.”
I grimaced. The doctor had said six weeks at a minimum, but I didn’t have that kind of time,older dudeor not. The horses I boarded for the extra income wouldn’t be much trouble, but the others needed to stick to a daily training schedule. Beyond that, I had a few that still waited to be started, including that bastard, Bullet. I would just have to heal a mite faster than expected, that’s all.
“Maybe I’ll call around, see if some FFA kids can come in for the little stuff.” There were only so many favors I could call in from my friends. Anyway, Booker had laughed his ass off when he’d showed up the night before to turn out Bullet, and I wasn’t eager to relive the experience. “Even with your help, I’ll still be behind on all the real work.”
Aaron raised a shoulder. “It happens, man.”
“Not to me.”
He pulled a halter and lead rope down from the wall for one of the riding horses. “Sucks to be human like the rest of us, doesn’t it?”
He disappeared again before I could respond.
He thought the whole situation funny, but my clients wouldn’t find it so amusing. Eventually, I would have to call them, let them know there would be a slight delay in their horses’ training schedules. My stomach crawled thinking of the inevitable conversations. Circumstances were out of my control, but I didn’t make excuses. In a field that was all about reputation, this injury could seriously damage mine. If my clients started jumping ship, word would get around.
I made my slow way back to the house, playing through scenarios of how I could possibly stay on top of work, when gravel crunched in the drive. I looked up in time to see June park her car next to my truck. A stupid kind of elation like I’d felt when I saw her yesterday washed through me, a tidal wave I wanted to rush into when all sense told me to run the other way.
I had no business feeling anything where this woman was concerned.
She got out of her little eco-friendly car and walked straight toward me. I couldn’t decide if I should laugh or cry. The woman had no clue about ranch-appropriate attire. A cute little skirt and top yesterday, denim shorts and flip-flops today. Flip-flops. On a horse ranch. Heaven help me.
“What’s this? Returning to the scene of the crime?”
Her smile stalled, and a little line formed between her eyebrows. “Well, good morning to you, too, Mr. Sunshine.”
I grumbled in the back of my throat. It must be possible to keep her at arm’s length without being an ass about it, but I hadn’t figured that one out yet. I tried for something a little more welcoming—but nottoowelcoming.
“Good morning, June. Nice to see you again.”
Her raised eyebrows said my tone had landed on patronizing.
“How are you feeling today?” she asked.
Like I’d been hit by a truck. Not that she didn’t know. “Peachy.”
“Did you sleep all right?”
“Not really.” I didn’t think she needed the run-down on my night. Once again, she’d come out to see me for reasons I didn’t quite understand. I’d told her I had the Best Man stuff covered. I’d told her I would befriendlyat the wedding. What did she want, assurances in writing? “Did you need something?”
She pressed her lips together, glaring like fire. So I was still being a surly ass. My damn ribs were broken, and I’d barely slept all night—I’d earned today’s bad attitude.
“I came to check on you, see ifyouneeded anything.”
“I’m doing just grand.”
Her laugh cut into the sultry morning air. Still early yet, but already eighty degrees out—not that I minded, considering how she’d chosen to dress.Those legs.I pulled myself away from wholly inappropriate thoughts of everything from her flip-flops to her Daisy Dukes.
