Page 6 of The Feud

None of them has to say a word. They all have my back, as would my other sister, Kat’s twin, Abby, if she were here. As it stands, she lives in Pennsylvania, the only Blackburn to not work at the farm. It’s fine though because she is pursuing her passion for veterinary medicine and comes home often to visit.

All the Blackburn kids not only have Fi’s Celtic green eyes but our father Tommy’s raven hair. It’s a striking combination, and no one in Shelby County would ever deny the Blackburn family is a beautiful one.

But that’s all surface stuff because what we really have is fortitude, grit, perseverance and an unrivaled work ethic. It’s how we’ve built our empire and it’s how we’ll maintain it for future generations.

“Let’s get back to work,” I say. “More important stuff to do today.”

Trey, Wade and Kat all rise, my brothers in jeans and barn boots and Kat in a pair of riding jods. A big chunk of her job is to train the show horses—although my brothers train as well—so she spends most of her days in the saddle. I might have the larger share of responsibility, but my siblings all work just as hard in smaller microcosms of the enterprise. I can do every one of their jobs plus a million others, and I get the added glory and burden of worrying about the successes or failures.

Trey claps me on the shoulder. “Got your back, bud.”

“Yeah… I know it. Thanks.”

Wade holds out his fist to bump. “It’ll be fine.”

“Of course it will.”

Kat hangs back and after Trey’s and Wade’s voices recede, she says, “Michelle DeLeon is interested in buying Lady Beatrice.”

For a moment, my mind is completely blank. The change in subject momentarily stumps me, but it only takes a second for it to connect. “The owners want two fifty but might consider something slightly less. Is Carmen ready for that horse? Because if not, it’s going to be a big waste of money.”

“That’s a better question for Wade,” Kat replies with a lift of her shoulder. Wade is the primary trainer for the young woman who owns Lady Beatrice and knows the horse’s strengths and weaknesses. It’s a lot of horse and Carmen is a young kid, although I’m not sure of her exact age. “But he knows Michelle is looking at the mare for her daughter, so I assume he thinks it’s a good fit.”

“Good enough.” I grab the manila folder I’d tossed down on a sideboard and shove the folded letter from Alaine in it. “I’ll give her a call.”

“She’s single, by the way,” Kat says as we walk out of the sitting room.

It again takes me a moment to process and when what she said hits me, I scowl. “So what?”

“I’m just saying… she’s been divorced for a year and is super pretty.”

“Again, so what?”

“You could ask her out,” Kat prods, nudging me with her elbow as we traverse the main foyer and out the front door. Kat’s pink Gator sits beside my truck.

“Quit your matchmaking,” I grumble. “I’m not interested.”

“I don’t want you to be lonely. You’re getting old—”

“I’m only thirty-seven,” I bark with faux outrage.

“And that Diane Turner is no good for you.”

That statement penetrates with utter clarity and I whirl on the front portico to face my sister. “What do you… I mean, how do you know about Diane?”

I’ve never told one of my siblings about my “arrangement” with Diane. It’s a private matter, sex only, and none of their business. What Diane and I had was so meaningless, it didn’t even bear thinking about once outside of bed.

Kat cocks a black eyebrow at me. “How do you think I know? Because Diane runs her mouth every time she’s at the barn. She’s telling anyone who will listen that y’all are sleeping together.”

“Jesus Christ… it’s a random thing. Last night was the first time in—”

“Last night, huh? Diane has a lesson later today with Monica. I bet that’s one of the first things she talks about.”

“Fuck,” I mutter and turn away from her, jogging down the porch steps. I spin and point at my sister once I reach the sidewalk. “You hear that shit, you shut it down. It’s over.”

“I will,” Kat assures, heading down the steps herself and angling toward her UTV. “But that won’t stop Diane from running her mouth.”

“I’ll have words with her.” I open the truck door and hop in. At least, I’ll have words with her when I get a minute.

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