Page 10 of Stick Around,
“Well, aren’t you the most adorable little man?” I gently scratched his little head.
“He’s working you.” Reid set the plates with mixed vegetables and potatoes on the table. “Don’t fall for it.”
Kellan brought over a pitcher of iced tea. “Would you like something besides tea to drink? We have pretty much everything you could imagine.”
“Tea is fine. I really shouldn’t drink on an empty stomach.” My stomach chose that moment to growl again. “See, it agrees.”
“Well, if you change your mind or you need a snack or drink later, the lodge is open twenty-four-seven. Your cabin key will open the door.” Kellan poured me a glass and sat down next to me.
Enzo was the last to appear, carrying a plate piled with roasted chicken. He nodded in my direction, the barest acknowledgment of my existence.
I smiled, trying to convey that I was totally fine, completely at ease, and not at all overwhelmed by being surrounded by three ridiculously attractive men. “Everything smells delicious.”
“A guest we had a few weeks ago said our cooking was better than the five-star place in town,” Reid said.
“Are we talking about the lady who also thought Debra was a majestic horse specimen?” Enzo took the seat across from me, showing the smallest hint that he had a sense of humor.
I snorted, then immediately regretted it when all three pairs of eyes turned to me. “Sorry, majestic isn’t the first word that comes to mind.”
“What word would you use?” Reid put down another plate with dinner rolls and took his seat.
“I don’t want to offend your girlfriend.” I took a sip of my tea and was surprised at how good it was.
The food was served, and soon we settled into eating. I took a bite of chicken and had to stifle a moan. It was perfectly seasoned and juicy, and I was impressed they’d cooked it. Not once during my relationships with Jason or any of my other exes had they served me anything remotely as tasty.
Not that these three were anything other than acquaintances.
After a few minutes of comfortable silence where we all stuffed our faces, Kellan looked to me. “So, Quinn, what are your plans while you’re here?”
I nearly choked on a green bean. “Plans?”
“For the week… Any particular activities or training you want to do?”
“I, um...” I realized I had absolutely zero idea what I was meant to be doing here besides immersing myself in the world of horses. “What are my options?”
Kellan leaned forward, eyes lighting up. “We’ve got trail rides, horseback riding lessons?—”
“Do you even ride?” Enzo interrupted, his fork hovering halfway to his mouth, as if my answer was important enough to delay his next bite.
“Horses?” I immediately wanted to melt into the floor, possibly continuing straight through to the earth’s core where no one could witness my complete ignorance. “I mean, no. Never. The hobby horse competition was literally my first horse experience.” I fidgeted with my napkin, feeling like I’d shown up to a calculus exam after sleeping through every class.
“I could tell from your footwear.” Enzo went back to his food with a dismissive flick of his eyes under the table to my cute sandals that had seemed perfectly appropriate when packing but now felt like wearing clown shoes to a funeral. “You can’t be around the animals in open-toed shoes, let alone ride a horse.”
Kellan gave Enzo a pointed stare. “What my tactful colleague means is we’ll make sure you have the proper footwear before you get near any of our four-legged friends.”
“Why’d you enter a hobby horse competition if you’ve never been around real horses?” Reid sounded genuinely curious, and I couldn’t blame him. His brown eyes were soft with interest rather than judgment.
Heat crept up my neck as I pushed a potato around my plate, buying time. How did I explain that I’d been swept up in April’s post-breakup “yes to everything” recovery plan without sounding like a complete disaster? That I’d been so desperate tofeel anything besides heartbreak that I’d pranced around on a stick horse in public?
“My friend April signed me up. I was going through a breakup, and she thought it would be... therapeutic?”
“A breakup?” Kellan’s expression shifted to one of sympathetic understanding. “Those can be rough.”
“Well, it was more the betrayal part than the breakup itself,” I admitted, mentally kicking myself for bringing it up at all. The last thing I wanted was to be the sad, dumped girl at the table. “But honestly, the hobby horse competition was the first time I’d laughed in weeks. It was ridiculous, but also... freeing.”
Reid nodded, a small smile playing at his lips. “Sometimes the most absurd things can be exactly what we need.”
“Exactly!” I pointed my fork at him, grateful for the understanding. “And now I’m here on a ranch with actual horses, which is probably the universe’s idea of a joke, but I’m open to learning. How hard can it be, right?”
