“Yeah, we did. I basically threatened to quit unless he met my conditions.”
“And has he?”
I chew disgruntledly. “He has.”
Maverick has, annoyingly, stayed true to his side of the agreement. I have full control over all horse-related matters, including vet care when needed. Thankfully, I’ve only had to call a vet out once, but it felt good being able to just do my job without having to beg for permission. Half the time, my requests were denied anyway, which only made me feel worse. This time, I was able to ensure Copper’s coughing and runny nose were attended to in a timely manner. He was prescribed a course of antibiotics, and within forty-eight hours, the gelding’s symptoms had faded, and his appetite had returned.
“Would you really have quit?” Clancy asks.
I think back to the day Maverick arrived at the center. “In the moment, I was tempted. Another rich asshole with a savior complex swooping in, only to make things worse. My blood was boiling.”
Clancy grins knowingly. “You’re all bark, no bite.”
I roll my eyes but don’t disagree. “Where else could I work?”
We’re the only horse rescue in town. The other two horse ranches in Silverstone are a thoroughbred breeding farm and a dressage ranch. I know the owners of both, and no, thanks. I may have given Maverick shit about being a rich asshole, but those owners actually are rich assholes.
“So Maverick isn’t as terrible as you initially suspected?”
I sigh. “You and Pip. I swear to God.”
Clancy chuckles. “He giving you a hard time about it, too?”
“As if you don’t know.”
“Hey, I haven’t seen him in weeks. He must be busy with his summer courses since he’s been missing weekly family lunches.” I make a noncommittal sound, which Clancy instantly clocks. “What is it?”
“Well, Pip is always saying how busy he is with his studies, but I’m not buying it. I think he’s up to something.”
“Like what?”
“Beats me.”
Clancy chews on his sushi thoughtfully. “You think he’s seeing someone?”
I shake my head. “He’d tell me if that was the case. I think he’s got a hobby.”
Clancy grasps his chest dramatically and gasps. “How dare he.”
“The hobby part is fine,” I clarify around a smile. “I just wish he’d tell me.”
“Give him time. I’m sure that if he is up to something, as you say, there’s a perfectly good explanation for it. Next time you see him, though, let him know I’m expecting him here for the Fourth of July.”
“I will.”
We eat in silence for a while. The conversation about Pip takes me back to the hint of jealousy in Maverick’s voice when he asked if he and I were together, the way his face tightened as I took my sweet-ass time answering, and the relieved smile that washed over him when I told him we were just friends. I could be reading too much into it. He probably only asked because, like he said, I hardly talk to anyone at the center except for Pip.
But what if I’m not imagining it? Could the almighty Maverick Benson actually be interested in a guy like me?
“Heard anything from Ridge Duporth?” Clancy asks, pricking my Maverick thought bubble with an abrupt, and unwelcome, change of subject.
“No. Why would I?”
“Because you punched him in the face,” Clancy replies. He hates the Duporths more than anyone, but he didn’t approve of what I did then, and judging by the frown creasing his forehead, he still doesn’t approve now. “I’m worried he’ll press charges.”
“He won’t.”
“How can you be so sure?”
