Page 14 of Summer Redemption

Morgan’s face lights up and she smiles again. “Good. You deserve an apology, and so much more. Make the man grovel,” she announces like she’s giving a royal decree.

I find myself laughing with her and wondering if letting go of the past, and the hurt it caused, can be as easy as laughing with her. The only thing I can do is hope it is.

Even after Morgan and Roscoe leave, I feel like I’m floating on cloud nine. Not only has today been amazing in terms of finally doing what I’ve dreamed of for so long. But, and maybe even better, it feels like I’ve made a new friend.

Things are looking up in Wintervale. I wonder how long I can avoid Huxley Burns and Limitless Ranch.

CHAPTER 6

HUXLEY

Looking around the barn, I wonder if I should clean things up. Again. Does it even matter at this point? I mean, it’s a barn. How clean can it even be?

Buttercup is giving me a side eye like she knows how nervous I am. As if I need the judgement of a horse. She might be smart, and sweet most of the time, but I don’t need her to look at me like she is right now.

“Seriously, Buttercup?” My tone is exasperated, but she doesn’t care even a little bit. All she does is snort and look around the barn like she’s looking for treats.

As if she hasn’t already gotten one today.

I wish she could sing my praises but considering the way she’s looking at me right now, maybe it’s better that she can’t. I swear she loves the drama, but what she loves even more is being in the middle of it.

I’m convinced the only reason she hasn’t forgiven Eden for leaving for college and not coming back for such a long time is because she loves watching Eden try and earn her forgiveness. Buttercup needs to let that shit go. But then the extra treats Eden sneaks out to the barn, thinking no one knows other than Buttercup, would stop.

And heaven forbid that happen.

“Sunshine is coming again today and I’m nervous, okay? She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and I was a huge asshole to her back in school.” Buttercup looks at me and makes a sound I’m not even going to interpret because I’m sure it doesn’t mean anything good. “I know,” I exclaim, clearly exasperated, “I already did apologize to her.”

Thunder neighs from down the way in the barn and I glare at him. He loves to interject and get Buttercup all riled up. As if she needs the help.

“Don’t you get started,” I warn him. “I did apologize to her. I’m aware that it wasn’t good enough. But what am I supposed to do? It’s not like I can get her a gift that says ‘hey, sorry I was a dick to you when I was a kid, but I can’t stop thinking about you and it has nothing to do with forgiveness’. What gift would it even be?”

“Who are you talking to?”

I whirl around to find Sunshine standing right outside of the barn, her eyebrows raised and her green eyes bright with amusement. My stomach sinks.

Did she hear me? And if she did, how much did she hear? I hope it wasn’t much of the one-sided conversation.

But, then again, maybe it would be better if she heard me. What better way to say sorry for being a jerk than by embarrassing yourself? I mean, I’m sure there are better ways, but I’ve always been the kind of guy who works with what I have.

And if this is all I have, then rolling with it is better than nothing.

“Uh,” I stammer, unattractively, and swallow hard, “the horses?”

“Why are you asking? Are you not sure who you were talking to?” She holds her hands up. “Don’t worry, I didn’t hear what you were saying. So, if you were talking to yourself, then your secrets are safe. I guess that’s true if you were talking to the horses as well,” she muses. As she steps inside, the corner of her mouth twitches even though she tries to keep her face neutral. “Buttercup doesn’t seem amused though.”

“She wouldn’t,” I grumble. When she arches an eyebrow in question or in challenge, I explain, “Buttercup loves drama. If she can’t cause it, then she wants to witness it. She still hasn’t forgiven Eden for leaving for college and not coming back until earlier this year.”

Sunshine makes a humming sound as she steps into the barn. “Horses have long memories and very deep feelings. I’m not surprised she hasn’t forgiven Eden if they were close before.”

“Very close,” I find myself saying, my throat going dry.

She’s wearing jeans that mold to her body again. Fuck, her hips are swaying with every step and it’s not like she’s trying to walk like a fucking sex kitten. She’s just walking.

My cock doesn’t care and hardens behind the fly of my jeans. I try and look away, I really do, but it’s impossible. The longer I look at her, the harder I become.

I should adjust myself because there is nothing comfortable about the way my length is trying to tunnel its way out of my jeans. But I don’t want to bring more attention to my problem than needed. I’m not sure that Sunshine would like knowing how much she affects me.

Or would she?

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