Page 29 of We Redeemed the Rain

He opened his own hand, palm facing up. “I have calluses too.”

“From what?”

“Mucking stalls. Ropes.”

He waited. It was my turn. I reached out and let my own fingers travel over the bumpy calluses on his palm.

One, two, three.

I stopped breathing, holding my breath like I was about to do a cannonball into a cold lake. I glanced at his face. If there was light, we’d be staring into each other’s eyes.

“Callused by the things we love, huh?” He said. I caught a glimpse of a smile, the white of his teeth visible.

“Guess so.” I returned my hand to Glory’s neck, my fingers finding the bar chordB majorwithout being told. “So what else? What else makes you happy?”

“The land. This ranch. What about you?”

“School. Trying new things.”

He nodded. “I like school, too.”

“What about it? What’s your favorite subject?”

He gave a quiethmmagain. “I think I like literature best. We read interesting things, and…I like the writing assignments.” He shrugged. “And P.E. is fun ‘cause we play dodgeball.”

“Ugh.” I shuddered. “Ihatedodgeball.”

“Most of the girls in my class hate it too. What do you like about school?”

“My friends, mostly. I mean, the school itself isn’t too bad, but I like socializing. I get detention for talking too much and being a distraction.”

His smile broke with the barest of chuckles. “What’s your name?”

“Nope.” I made a locking motion across my lips. “Not saying. I hate my name. If you only get to know me for a night, you’re not using my name. Whatever you call me will be better. My parents have no taste.”

He hummed in thought. “How ‘bout…Strings?”

“As a name?”

“Might as well call you by something you love.”

Strings.

I tried it on.

Strings.

“I love it. What’s yours?”

He shook his head. “If I don’t get yours, you don’t get mine. Fair and square.”

Seemed reasonable. I rubbed my thumb up and down D string as options filed through my head. “How about I call you…”

But my thoughts dead ended. I couldn’t think of anything. I didn’t know enough about him or horses to come up with something clever. And the last thing I wanted was to throw out a stupid suggestion he hated and look completely dumb.

“Crap. I can’t think of anything.”

“That’s okay. I respond to ‘hey, you.’”

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