Page 24 of More Than a Fling

“Likewise,” she said.

“He seems really nice,” Annie commented after Cal had disappeared into the barn.

“Yeah, he’s new. I hired him this week. He seems to be working out fine.”

“Maybe a little of his charm will rub off on Slim,” she said.

“Doubtful,” Gabe said and laughed.

“Just a thought.”

Gabe gave her a leg up onto Whiskey before jumping onto his palomino. “Whiskey has been on stall arrest for a hoof abscess, but he seems solid now. He’ll be glad to get out on the trails.”

Gabe jumped onto his horse’s back and said, “Are you ready to show this beautiful lady the countryside, Gil?” Gil nickered his response and they took their leave, trotting down the trail leading into the woods.

“It’s as peaceful and beautiful as I remembered,” Annie said as they wove their way through the trees along the well-trodden path.

Annie loved following Gabe; she had the best seat in the house, watching his broad shoulders and sexy butt move as one with his horse. His old black cowboy hat perched on top of his head, his faded blue jeans accentuating his lean body to perfection, she was having a moment for sure. The clip clop of the horses’ hooves was hypnotic yet at the same time invigorating. She felt content yet excited. Gabe turned around in his saddle to look back at Annie, his grin revealing his joy.

“How long have you been riding?” Gabe asked.

“Since before I can even remember,” Annie said, “It was my greatest escape from an unhappy home life, the thing that fed my soul and kept me sane when I was a kid,” she shared.

“Yeah, same here, my older brother and me spent every summer from dawn until dusk either riding or mucking stalls, repairing fence, whatever was needed. It probably saved our lives.”

“Where did you grow up?” she asked wanting to know every single detail about his life.

“About an hour north of here, but our summers were spent at my grandparent’s farm in Kentucky. My Mom couldn’t wait to get rid of us. The minute school let out we were shipped off. I can’t say that I blame her, we were a pair of wild asses,” he admitted, laughing at himself.

“What about your dad?” she asked.

“Never knew him. He ran out on us after I was born, I guess the domestic life didn’t suit him,” he said. “My mom raised us all by her lonesome working as a waitress, no help from him, once he ditched us, we never heard from him again.”

“I’m sorry Gabe, that must have been hard.”

“They say you can’t miss what you never had but I beg to differ, I missed my dad every single day of my childhood and beyond. His absence had as much influence as his presence would have, only not in the way I wanted. I vowed if I ever had children, I would give it 100 percent, no shortcuts,” he declared. “My mom and my grandparents did their best to fill in the gaps though. They loved us fiercely, still do…my mom, she died five years ago from breast cancer, soon after her fiftieth birthday,” he said. “We were all devastated, I still miss her.”

“That must have been tough, raising two boys all on her own, and you not having a father around.”

“Honestly, I’ve learned as much about how I want to live my life from what I don’t want as what I do.”

“Preach.” Annie said.

“Oh, I’m good at pontificating just ask all my exes,” he joked.

“And…how many exes are there?” she asked, curious to see how he would answer.

“Now I reckon that’s a trick question,” he said, as he laughed out loud. “I may be an ole cowpoke, but I know quicksand when I see it.”

“Okay secret squirrel, have it your way,” she said, playfully pouting. “Back to your family, is your brother still around?

“He actually moved to Kentucky after high school to be close to our grandparents and chose a career in accounting. Ha. Go figure, hard to fathom if you’d known him from his hell raisin’ days. I’d go crazy being cooped up indoors looking at a computer or calculator all day. What about you? Are your parents still around?” he asked.

“Nope, both my parents are gone. Drank themselves to death,” she said matter-of-factly. “Truth be told, my sister Darcy practically raised me.My parents didn’t want another kid, I was a drunken night’s mistake, and my mom certainly never failed to remind me of that. I was the youngest of four girls and my sisters spoiled me rotten, so I think that compensated for my parent’s lack…like you said, sometimes we’re shaped more by what could have been rather than what was.”

“How could anyone not want you? That is unfathomable to me,” Gabe said.

“I know, right? What’s not to love?” she said, attempting to lighten the mood.

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