Page 73 of High Intensity

“Not like she’d know the difference,” Dan calls back.

“Corn bread out of the oven. Chili is on the stove,” Ama announces, sticking her head out the door. “Thomas, get your bony butt in here before the young ’uns descend and eat it all.”

“They better not if they know what’s good for them,” he grumbles, tossing his throw blanket aside, and pushing himself up out of his rocking chair.

I grin and shake my head. These guys are like one big patchwork family.

“Where’s Wolff?” Ama aims at me.

Right. I should probably do some damage control there.

“I’ll go get him.”

Wolff

Fuck it.

If she wants to rush back to her place, let her.

I don’t know why it pisses me off anyway.

The moment I open the door of the cabin, her dogs are all over me. They’ve only been here a couple of days but greet me with almost as much enthusiasm as they do Jillian. It’ll be quiethere if she goes back home.Whenshe goes back home. Only a few days and already I know I’ll miss them. All of them.

So maybe I do know why. I like having her and her dogs in my space, but it seems evident she’s not enjoying it as much, or she wouldn’t be in such a hurry to leave. Hell, maybe it’s better she does, I’m in a foul mood and not up to being social anyway.

Maybe I need to take Judge for a nice long ride, clear my head. He hasn’t had much exercise since the search for the plane. It’s a nice day and as far as I know, there’s no bad weather in the forecast.

I change my muck boots for my riding ones, and step outside to head to the stables, when Jillian comes walking up.

“I was just coming to get you,” she indicates. “Ama has lunch ready.”

“That’s okay, I’m not particularly hungry. I’m gonna head out for a bit, I’ll grab something when I get back.”

The expression on her face is a combination of confusion and maybe some hurt, but she forces a smile on her lips.

“Yeah, sure.”

But when I start walking past her, she grabs my hand.

“Hey, listen. I hope it doesn’t have anything to do with what I said earlier. I should’ve worded that differently.”

I retrieve my hand from her hold and wave it dismissively.

“Nah. I just need to clear my head, that’s all.”

“Of course,” she responds immediately.

For some reason, her look of understanding makes me feel guilty as hell. It doesn’t stop me from going to the barn and getting Judge saddled up. I need some air and a bit of space to get my head straight, because I’m not myself.

Leading Judge out of the barn, I hear Jackson behind me.

“Hold up, will ya?”

I wasn’t paying a lot of attention to my surroundings and hadn’t noticed Jackson inside. He walks out behind me with his horse, Banner.

“What are you doing?” I ask as I mount Judge.

“Going for a ride, I guess,” Jackson returns, swinging into the saddle himself.

---