Focusing on my job and not glancing over at Fisher every chance I get is more challenging than I expected. Having him in such proximity will likely cause an accident because my dumbass will one hundred percent walk into a wall while gawking at him.
Watching him work and staring at his hands gave me flashbacks of him spanking my ass while I rode him reverse cowgirl. Those goddamn calloused palms did filthy things to me, and it’s all I could think about when the veins in his arms popped as he worked.
As much as I try not to picture our night together, every time I close my eyes, I see the images and hear his deep growl in my ear. I squeeze my thighs as I walk to relieve the ache I remember he left there.
After our text convo a couple of nights ago, we’ve only said a few words to each other in passing with secret heated glances that neither of us should be doing since we agreed to be friends. Ruby or Trey have been walking the horses for him, and if he has a question, one of them or Ayden is around to help. I go from the corral to the training center all day with some breaks in between, so it’s not feasible for us to talk without wandering ears.
When Jase mentioned meeting him at Lilian’s this Friday, I panicked.
That’s not a restaurant where you take a friend.
It’s one of the fancier places in town with romantic dim lighting, fresh roses and candles on each table, and a fireplace in the middle of the restaurant. People dress up and drop a few hundred dollars on the wine alone.
Instead of deflecting or telling him I had plans already, I mentioned his dad. He should be the one he spends time with, not me. But that blew up in my face when he suggested the three of us go to dinner.
When I asked if that was a good idea, considering Fisher and I work together, he pushed and said it’d help him to have a buffer person since they still don’t talk much. I felt too bad to say no, so I said I’d get back to him. After I spoke to Fisher.
I didn’t tell Fisher the full truth because either way, it’s a bad idea, and there’s no point in making him feel worse about the situation.
Jase calling me his girlfriend to his dad already tells me this will be awkward as hell.
Knowing things are tense between them adds pressure to keep the conversation flowing.
But I’m not doing it sober.
Now I’m half dreading and half excited to see Fisher outside of work.
Until then, I’ll distract myself with training.
“Ellie, you’re a little slow on that second barrel. That delay could cost ya the win,” I shout from the side as she finishes a run. Craig Sander’s suggestion from the rodeo rings in my ears, and I hate that he was right. The weasel’s jealous that Ellie passed on his offer to train with him and is making a name for herself with my help.
“He drags each time.” She shrugs.
“Lift the reins and kick a second sooner and see if that helps.”
She gets Ranger back into position, and I reset my timer.
“Go!”
I watch as she rounds the first barrel flawlessly, then does as I said for the second, making Ranger move faster toward the third and sprinting to the finish line.
“That was better!” I note her time on my clipboard, where I record them.
“I reckon he needs new shoes.” She rides over to me, then hops off. “We have another competition next week, and at that point, it’ll be seven weeks since his last cleaning. His feet are takin’ a toll with our extra practices.”
I rub my hand over his back and down his leg to take a look. There’s nothing obviously wrong with it. His toe is almost to the point of being overgrown for the shoe, but he’s not in the danger zone.
“Want me to have Mr. Underwood take a look? I can get him on the schedule for tomorrow.”
“Yeah, would you? At least to ease my mind.” Her forehead wrinkles.
“Let’s go now,” I offer so she won’t have to wait. “I’ll see if he can squeeze him in.”
“Thank you.” She smiles.
She leads him as we walk from the training center to the barn and down to where Fisher’s set up. When he comes into view, he’s in the middle of searing a shoe, and my stomach twists when he gives me his full attention.
“Hey,” I say as we approach.
“Hello.” His eyes meet mine in question before they shift to Ellie.
“This is Ranger. Ellie’s worried somethin’ might be wrong with his hooves. He’s been a little slow goin’ around the barrels. Would you have time to check him?”
“Yeah, no problem. I’m on Millie’s last hoof now.”
“Great, thanks.”
Ranger boards here during their busy training months since Ellie doesn’t want to move him too much. But between all the traveling and training, it’s possible he could have an infected hoof.
“You’re the one who won at the rodeo,” Fisher says to Ellie.
My face flushes at the mention of Ground Zero.
“Yeah! You were there?” Ellie asks.
“Yep, I was in the audience when I saw Noah screamin’ for ya.” He smirks, and butterflies invade my stomach at how he looks at me.
Ellie laughs. “Yeah, she’s a good cheerleader.”
“When’s the next competition?”
“Week from Saturday, so that’s why I’m a little nervous. He’s been jumpier and slower than usual.”
“No problem. We’ll get to the bottom of it.” Fisher winks, and I swear a faint blush covers her cheeks.
I side-eye her giggling response. Then I mentally slap myself for reaching a new level of pathetic.
Once he’s done, I take Millie back to her stall while Ellie walks Ranger so Fisher can examine his gait.
“His back leg seems to be the problem. Tie him up, and I’ll start there.”
Once Ranger’s in position, we stand next to him as Fisher checks his hoof.
He carefully feels around and furrows his brows. “There’s definitely somethin’ here. I’m gonna remove his shoe and clean out the dirt so I can get a better look.”
Ellie’s face drops as she wraps her arms around herself. Ranger means everything to her, so if there’s something wrong with him, she’ll be devastated.
Fisher removes the shoe and uses his knife to remove the excess dirt. He inches closer to the hoof and carefully feels around.
“Found the problem.” His voice is filled with remorse.
Ellie gets closer. “What is it?”
“Two nails are wedged near the frog, causing irritation and a possible infection. I’d get your vet out here right away.”
Ellie’s lips tremble. “Oh my God.”
My brows pinch as frustration rolls through me. “I don’t understand how this happened. He’s been trainin’ here since the rodeo and was doin’ fine.”
Fisher looks at me with a grim expression. “He likely got them from here, then.”
“That’s not possible,” I say defensively. “His stall gets cleaned out every other day, and there’d be no reason for anyone to have nails ’round here.”
The training center is only used by me or my brothers, which means no one else who isn’t training is in there unless it’s to watch. It’ll be set up for the fundraiser in a couple of weeks, so having nails in the dirt is a big problem.
“This makes no sense…” I shake my head. “I’m gonna halt all trainin’ until we look through everythin’ to make sure there aren’t more.”
Ellie puts a hand on my arm. “Noah, it’s not your fault. These things happen. He coulda stepped on them at the rodeo, and it just started botherin’ him now. Doesn’t mean you did anythin’ wrong.”
Although she’s trying to make me feel better, it doesn’t. I take full responsibility when something like this happens to my boarders, which is almost never because we make sure the ground stays clean. But I feel sick to my stomach that I kept pushing them to keep practicing and run faster. He couldn’t tell me what was wrong and had to work in pain.
I give her a sincere look, fighting back angry tears. “I’ll call the vet now and tell him it’s urgent.”
“I can soak his hoof in Epsom salt if you wanna grab me a bucket of water,” Fisher says. “It’ll relieve the pain temporarily.”
“Good idea. I’ll get one of the ranch hands to do it.” I grab my phone and rush into the barn.
Trey’s the first one I see, so I tell him what I need, and he nods.
Then I call the vet and beg him to come as soon as he can.
“What’s goin’ on?” Ayden asks.
“Two nails in Ranger’s hoof. We need to do a full sweep in his stall and the trainin’ center.”
“Oh shit. Is he okay?”
“The vet’s on his way over, so we’ll see.”
I text a couple of my brothers to help.
NOAH
SOS—training center.
LANDEN
Is this an actual emergency or like the time you needed us to bring you tampons?
TRIPP
Or the time you needed a change of underwear after drinking a 64-ounce of coffee?
LANDEN
Or when you ate too much of Momma’s cheesecake and got sick from the dairy?
NOAH
You two are assholes and were dropped on your heads as babies! Now just get here and help me!
Before I lock my screen, another message pops up that includes the twins. I purposely didn’t text them because they’re as helpful as an umbrella during a hurricane.
TRIPP
We’re placing bets on Noah’s SOS. $100 she shart herself again.
Again? That lying fucker is a dead man.
LANDEN
$150 she’s stuck in the bathroom stall and needs TP because no one ever restocks it.
WAYLON
$200 she ripped her jeans and is flashing her bare ass.
Oh my God. I’m going to kill him!
It’s one thing to tease me about it in private, but now he’s told my other loudmouthed brothers who don’t know how to shut up about anything.
NOAH
$500 y’all are fucking idiots!
TRIPP
I’m heading over now to collect my payment.
LANDEN
Me too. Be there in 5!
WAYLON
I’m at The Lodge so bring MY payment over here.
WILDER
I’m coming to get my payment from Mr. Farrier himself.
Asshole.
NOAH
I hate y’all. Fuck off.
Then I leave the group chat.
“His stall is good,” Ayden says, pushing out the wheelbarrow. “I cleaned every inch. No nails.”
“That’s a relief. Thank you.”
I walk back to Ellie and Ranger. Fisher’s working on his other hoof while the infected one soaks in a bucket.
“How’s the rest of him?” I ask.
“Fine so far,” Fisher says, carefully taking his time.
Ellie clings to Ranger, rubbing her hand up and down his neck.
“His stall is good to go, so I’m gonna meet my brothers at the trainin’ center and look around.”
“Sounds good.”
“I’ll let ya know if I find anythin’.” I wrap an arm around her shoulders and squeeze. Then I rub my palm over Ranger’s nose. “You’re doin’ great, buddy.”
Landen and Tripp walk in at the same time I do.
“Well, you look normal,” Landen teases, pretending to check over me. “What’s goin’ on?”
Tripp chuckles, removing his ball cap and brushing a hand over his sweaty dark hair.
I explain the situation and tell them we need to cover every inch of the center to make sure there aren’t more.
“Got it.” Landen gives me a firm nod. “I’ll grab the rakes.”
“And while y’all are here, stock up the TP in the bathrooms!” I call out, and they both laugh.
Within ten minutes, Tripp’s calling out for me and shows me a few more nails he’s found.
“What the fuck?” I take them. “We don’t use this kind. Where are they comin’ from?”
“No idea. But it looks like they were planted.”
“What do ya mean? Who’d do that?” I ask, furrowing my brows.
Tripp shrugs. “Make any enemies recently?”
“No more than usual.” I huff.
“Found some over here,” Landen shouts from across the arena.
We rush over, and I gasp at the way they’re spread out.
“It’s like someone just dumped a box of them and stomped them into the ground,” he says.
“This is crazy. Who could do this without being seen?”
“Coulda been in the middle of the night when we’re all sleepin’,” Tripp suggests.
“What about the cameras? If that’s what happened, wouldn’t they have caught it?” I ask.
Landen shakes his head. “Dad only installed them on the exterior, not inside.”
“Shit.” I clench my jaw.
“I’ll check them, though,” Tripp offers. “Coulda picked up someone before they entered.”
“Okay, thanks. Let’s get the magnetic sweeper in here. Then I want fresh dirt laid on top and leveled.”
“I’ll get it hooked up,” Landen says.
“Reckon that means I’ll get the dirt.” Tripp smirks. “But I’m makin’ Waylon help.”
“I don’t care as long as it gets done.”
“What about the corral?” Landen asks.
“I was in there this mornin’ and didn’t see anythin’ obvious, but it wouldn’t hurt to sweep it to double-check.” I’d rather be safe than sorry.
Most of my clients own top-level competitive show horses, so it’s always been a priority to keep it clean, which is why the ranch hands sweep in here once a week. Whoever did this would’ve had to do it last night for me not to catch it until now.
And I’ll do whatever it takes to find out who and make them pay.
