Page 21 of Back in the Saddle

How foolish of her.

Everything that had happened in the last four years – her work, marriage, longing for things she didn’t even know she had been missing – it had been too much. It had pushed her off balance, knocked her down.

But no more. It was time to get back in the saddle of her own life.

CHAPTER NINE

Hunter

Techno music blared from all directions. The DJ was wearing a fluorescent orange costume with pink flashing antlers as a headband. If this was what a fashionable club looked like, Hunter would be glad never to set a foot in one again. But Mitch had wanted to check it out, and after Hunter suggested The Rouge Scot last time, he couldn’t have said no.

‘What did you say?!’ Mitch leaned in, almost bumping his forehead into Hunter’s face.

‘I said it’stoo loud! Can we not leave and just find a bar?’ Hunter shouted into the ear of his best friend.

A waitress walked by their table and Mitch motioned to her to lower the tray. He took two shot glasses of vodka and put the bills back on the tray. The waitress flashed them both a smile, but her eyes lingered on Hunter. He was almost sure that she winked at him.

Mitch must’ve noticed it as well because as she walked off, he put his arm around Hunter’s shoulder and squeezed him. ‘You’re such a lucky bastard, you know that? How do you do it?’

‘Do what?’ Hunter asked, though he knew perfectly well what Mitch meant. He didn’t want to sound cocky.

Mitch rolled his eyes impatiently. ‘Have this effect on women. And you don’t even try.’

Hunter only shrugged in response to that. What could he say? None of it had done him any good in recent years.

Mitch just laughed and shook his head. He pushed both shot glasses towards Hunter and his eyes gleamed. ‘Bottoms up, bro!’

‘I thought one was for you,’ Hunter raised his voice as the DJ started mixing another track. The thunderous bass practically made the furniture vibrate.

‘Nah, I’ve had enough. Have work in the morning. Driving up to the van der Moltens’ ranch to check up on their new foals.’

Hunter smiled, mostly to himself. Mitch was four years older than him. They had met while Hunter was in his final year of college at Texas A&M University. At the time, Mitch was studying veterinary medicine and came over to give a talk about the DVM programme and the life of a student vet. Hunter had approached him afterwards to ask a few questions and they’d ended up grabbing beers. They’d been friends ever since. Mitch had moved to Oklahoma City after he graduated and set up his practice on the outskirts of the city.

There was a time when Hunter had felt rather jealous of Mitch and the life he had. Not that long ago, he’d wanted to be in his shoes.

Hunter eyed the clear liquid in the shot glasses and hesitated. He wasn’t a big fan of vodka. It was one of those things that you thought you liked when you were young, but as you grewolder, and in this case wiser, you realised it was not for you. He wasn’t driving back to Purcell either. Crashing on Mitch’s sofa in Oklahoma City every time they went out for drinks had become a pattern they had both fallen into. Hunter still asked if he could stay, even though by now the question was likely redundant.

What the hell. Two shots of vodka were just two shots of vodka. He downed them both in quick succession.

As the empty glasses clanked on the table, Mitch started cheering.

‘That’s my man! Do you still want to go to a bar? We could chat.’

He caught a flint of worry in Mitch’s expression. Ever since Alan’s health had started deteriorating, Mitch had been the only person Hunter confided in. He didn’t want to add to his family’s burden with his own feelings. It wouldn’t do any good.

At home, he kept up the pretence of optimism and hope. He tried to be positive, to lift the spirits of his mother and Megan. Hell, even Buck.

But the truth was that Hunter was scared. And exhausted.

He knew that there was a very high chance that his father was going to die. He knew that he was an adult and that this was the natural order of the world. Parents grew older and eventually they passed away. Despite having time to come to terms with Alan’s diagnosis, he still hadn’t. Because he refused to imagine never seeing his father again. Never hearing his laugh, never seeing his disapproval at something completely unimportant. Then, there was his mother. He knew Mary would shatter to pieces. His parents had had the blessing of finding and holding on to the kind of everlasting love that could withstand all. One that only seemed to grow stronger with time.

And Meg was only eighteen. Her world would completely fall apart. Then there were Cody and Morgan – they’d lose their beloved grandfather, who had taught them both how to ride their bikes and always had a bedtime story to tell when they stayed overnight at the ranch.

Hunter tried to keep it together for all of them. He felt a responsibility to ensure everyone was all right. Even though he wasn’t the oldest, even though he probably wasn’t even the right person for this job. But Buck had his own family. He had enough burden on his shoulders.

How could he put all of these dark clouds hanging over his head into coherent words? This was neither the time nor the place. Besides, Mitch knew. He might appear outgoing and fun to people, but Hunter knew that underneath the party-loving exterior, Mitch had a sensitive and loyal heart. He had been there when Hunter was stuck in a mudslide of grief and needed a hand to prevent him from sinking to the bottom.

You could tell him about Caroline.

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