Page 16 of Broken Dreams
It wasn’t my doing, it was Lisa’s. She grew up on a horse farm in Oklahoma and spent her whole life loving these animals. In our time together, I learned everything I could, and we had four horses ourselves. We spent every weekend working with them before she got pregnant, and I sold them six days after she died. I couldn’t handle it. However, being here, and around them again, makes me feel like she’s with me as I ride.
“And no one would believe you’d end up as a sheriff with two kids from different women, but here we both are.”
“Yeah, here we are, but at least that means I get laid.”
“I got laid plenty.” Before I met my wife, at least.
He chuckles. “Listen, I stopped by to apologize about the other night.”
Ahh, yes, the other night, when Brynlee and Phoebe coordinated a possible suitor to randomly show up at our family dinner.
“It’s not your fault, it’s your sister and fiancée’s doing,” I remind him as I brush the horse after a good run this morning.
“The two of them thought it was the only way. I got on her ass about it, so she’ll back off. Phoebe just wants everyone to be happy, a lot like Brynn does.”
The thing is, you can’t make someone be happy. I wish everyone would stop trying to fix me. Sure, my life is a mess. Sure, I don’t know what end is up right now, but I’ll figure it out. I always do.
“I know she meant well. I also know Brynlee was the mastermind behind it all. It’s forgiven.” I toss the brush in the bucket and walk the horse back to his stall.
“How are things going with Brutus?”
Once he’s in, I close the door and pat his neck. “He’s a great horse, he just needs a firm hand. A little more training and he’ll be there.”
Asher walks closer and the horse snaps his teeth at him, causing him to back up. “I swear, they all hate me.”
I chuckle. “I think you should avoid animals after your last attempt with the goat.” Where Brynlee is like Snow White, Asher is like Squidward, who gets mauled by animals. For some reason he just doesn’t vibe with anything but dogs. They love him.
“The fucking goat kicked me! Anyway, I came to see how you were after you were ambushed.”
“I’m fine.”
“Seriously?” he asks, clearly unconvinced.
“Yeah, I forgive Phoebe. It’s our sister who might have retribution heading her way.”
Asher grins. “That, I accept. She deserves it. Any trips to New York this week?”
Since my only flying lesson client barely wants to attend, I had to find another way to make some money. I started a courier service for people who want things delivered quickly, discreetly, and are willing to pay a shitload of money for the convenience. What works out great is that I will only do it for flights under three hours.
“No, because the two clients who use me for this don’t have anything happening this week. So much is done electronically that it’s usually people doing illegal stuff who don’t want anything they send being traced.”
Asher shakes his head. “I really didn’t want to know that.”
“I figured.” I slap his chest as I walk past him. “Makes it all the more fun.”
Plus, I don’t think anything is illegal, it’s just sensitive paperwork people don’t want any chance of being hacked.
My brother falls into step with me, and we head out to where the new acres Rowan purchased are. Our family had plenty of space, but his plans are to expand his production with the dairy farm as well as take on horses. I think he’s insane, but I’ve always thought that.
“And the investor?”
I shake my head. “Jeston wants me to be married or in a committed relationship. He invests in people who have strong convictions. Fuck if I know what that means.”
Asher slaps me on the back. “Sorry. You have other options?”
“I’m meeting with Mr. Kopaskey this week to discuss it. Other than him, no other investor has replied. I can scrap the plan, but that feels like giving up.”
“You really want to fly a private plane?”
