“I don’t know why Jace thinks horses are bad when there’s two of you roaming around with your sharp claws and whatnots,” I said as the cat passed by and walked to the open barn door, sitting and watching the gray clouds roll in overhead. “I know you’re not all that bad,” I continued as if the cats were listening to me talk. “There were cats at some of the ranches I worked at before, usually these tiny sick looking things abandoned by the side of the road. You’ll be glad to know I always took them up to the main house, and someone there would take them to a shelter. So, I’m not against cats.”
A slight laugh startled me. “Talking to yourself?” Martha asked as she walked into the barn. “I got a text from Jace earlier, saying you’d be taking the van into town.”
“I find talking to animals helps them feel easy around me,” I said, letting one of the goats off the milking stand and another appeared at my side, ready to gnaw at my trousers for attention. “But we’ll probably just take my car.”
She nodded. “Has he been acting strange lately?”
“Not that I know of,” I countered immediately.
“I only say that because the coffee pot hasn’t been used, and there’s been no oven activity, and they’re both usually warm when I get up from his morning antics,” she said, cocking a hand on her hip and another tapping away on her chin. “I can’t say any of his behavior has ever been predictable, you know, he goes through stages. I just wonder what stage he’s in right now.”
As I milked another goat, I was intrigued by the idea of stages, especially since I didn’t know how open he was about his little space with his family. “Any particular stages that stand out?”
She chuckled. “One winter, he would refuse to leave the barn. He wanted to be around the animals with the rough weather to keep them calm,” she said. “I think it worked. This was before the alpacas. Now, they’re another story altogether. I can’t recall when he started asking for them, but it had been years, and then when we did get two, he said they were social animals and needed more for the herd.” She scoffed. “A herd. His dad was already having all his back problems then as well, so the idea of a herd was out of the question.”
Jace deserved a herd of alpacas, although I didn’t dare think of all the shenanigans he’d get up to with them. Siege the ranch and take it over, at least that’s what I was led to believe from how he spoke about his plans for this place.
“He’s got a lot of ideas,” I said.
Martha nodded in agreement and a big smile. “I’m also just glad he’d getting along with you. He doesn’t take well to knew people, especially people coming in and doing his job alongside him.”
“I think we got over whatever was troubling him about that,” I said, reflecting that big smile energy back to her. “And I’m going to get him to ride one of the horses today. Don’t tell him I told you; I don’t want to make it a big deal.”
“That’s a huge deal,” she said. “Anyway, the other reason I came by was to tell you to stop by the house before you head into town. I have some things I’d like picked up, if you don’t mind. And I’ll add to it that we should get Jace something for overcoming his fear of horses.”
I couldn’t tell her I was already on step ahead, but I was. “I will do.”
“Ok, good luck with it, and good luck with those goats. Remember not to squeeze too tight,” she said. “They won’t try and bite you afterwards.” Martha left with a light chuckle travelling on the wind.
The cat looked back at me when she left, walked over, and slumped down at my side.
17. JACE
After the morning work was done and the horses were in the field, we were all set to head into town. We watched the horses for a moment at the fence as they enjoyed their time in the fresh air and from Lorenzo’s words, doing much better than he imagined they would be. He’d also filled me in on my mom’s surprise appearance at the barn where he was sure she was onto us, or at least onto me, but like he told her, unusual behavior was normal for me.
“Ok, so my mom has an entire shopping list of stuff she’s going to want us to get,” I said. “I thought this was going to be a cute trip we’d be taking together into town, holding hands, and stuff.”
He clapped his hands together. “You wanna hold these hands?”
I bit my lip, knowing full well, I would’ve jumped right on top of him here and now. “Don’t tease me.”
“You’re right, I’m sorry for teasing you.” With a curled finger into a knuckle, he pressed it under my chin and pushed gently, tipping my head up. “You do not deserve to be teased, which is why I’m going to say, today—well, tonight when you come over, I want to reward you for all the hard work you’ve done. Assuming you actually mount one of the horses.”
I nodded so obediently, forgetting what I’d signed myself up for, but he said reward, and I was already asking how high to jump even though the cost would be a spike of anxiety, and a back covered in sweat. I could feel it now, creeping up around my collar and a tightness in my throat at the thought.
He pulled me into an embrace and kept me there for a moment, sapping away at the emotion that had taken over me inquick succession, from joy to fear, and back to my happy place where his warmth met mine.
“Any more of this, and we might not even make it to town,” he said, kissing me on the nose.
Every kiss and touch out in the open was a risk, but also not a risk at the same time. It was safe to say nobody came up here much, but that would change once the horses were on display, as per my father’s wishes.
We headed back to the guesthouse where Lorenzo grabbed his list of things, and I headed home for my mom’s list and the keys to the van. It had been a while since I’d been in Pineberry. Ever since the horses arrived, getting time to do anything but monitor them and keep up with everything else going on was very hard.
“I’m giving the list to Lorenzo,” my mom said, standing out on the porch with Diasy laid by her feet. “I know what you’re like; you’ll change and swap things out that I want forotherthings.”
“Maybe because you were asking for those cake bars that were full of all types of sugars,” I said, not backing down. “You can’t blame me for wanting to take care of you, and also for making much nicer cake bars here.”
“But those remind me of my childhood, Jace. Sometimes, it’s good to feel a little nostalgia.”
