Page 50 of Wild and Unruly
“Well, considering I’ve already been in your fine-ass pants—pun intended—I think it’s safe to assume I’m being real here.”
Her expression turns more serious, and she gives me a soft grin. “Thank you, Stets. I appreciate it.”
“I mean it.” I squeeze her fingers. “Now, finish up dinner because I have dessert ready to go.”
“I figured dessert was you,” she teases, wiggling her brows.
I sit back in my chair, satisfaction in my expression. “I love that you can read my mind.”
18
bonnie
I can hearthe heavy breath of a horse galloping from outside the arena as I enter Smith Performance Horses again. There were a few days where I debated this whole situation, where I wondered if I should just let it go and be done with it. But then I thought of my brother, who wasn’t even answering my texts, who was worrying our mother to death, and now wasn’t leaving their apartment.
It made me more upset than I care to admit.
He used to be so full of life, so fun. He used to have goals and ambitions and the heart to go out and get whatever he desired.
That Mason left us when he woke up and could hardly feel his legs again.
I got the sense that while he was polite about it, Stetson didn’t love how my brother was currently treating me. Who would? No one liked being a doormat, and for all intents andpurposes, that’s what my mother and I have become to try and make his life easier.
I felt it in my bones that I could find out Smith’s secret, that he was still pulling the same bullshit with his current clients, and I was intent on finding out what it was he was up to. Even if it meant putting myself in a situation I wasn’t thrilled about.
As I enter, several people who work for Tommy are up and down the alleyway, some cleaning out stalls, some brushing horses, or using a hose to fill the water buckets. I noted all the staff wore a specific shirt and wanted to snort at the sight. It was a far cry from Three Rivers, where everyone who worked there was family and not just by blood but by choice, where their employees were welcome at any event, where they were allowed to be themselves.
This seemed like an impersonal staff that just worked for the money. Which, don’t get me wrong, was important too. But my experience was you need passion and a love for horses to do a job like this one.
I step up to the fence that separates the arena from the alleyway and look over, seeing Tommy loping his horse around the arena at a fast pace. The horse is already wet with sweat, and I crinkle my nose, trying not to be pessimistic or biased because I don’t like Tommy, but I have to wonder how long has he been riding?
He spots me and grins. A chill skitters over my spine at the look, and I fake a smile, nodding at him. Finally, he slows his horse to a walk, making his way over to me before getting off and handing the poor horse off to someone else who starts to walk him out.
“I didn’t realize you were coming today,” Tommy starts,walking through the gate of the arena. He was sweating as well, his eyes moving over me in a way I didn’t like at all.
Clutching my bag, I keep that fake grin pasted on my face and shrug. “Well, I wanted to get some photo ops for the article.”
Tommy clicks his tongue, his brows meeting in the middle and says, “You know, I heard you were working over at the Trevors’ place.”
I work to keep my expression neutral and feign confusion. “Oh, I am. Do you know them too?”
Of course, I know this. Not because it’s worldwide news, but it’s pretty easy to connect that he would be familiar with the Trevors family given that they all show in the same discipline, that they live and train out of Colorado. The training world wasn’t that big when you really thought about it.
He takes a moment to watch me, maybe deciding if he can trust me or if I am lying, but I keep my face in its genuinely confused façade and wait. “We’ve been acquainted over the years.”
“Oh, that’s nice. So, what’s on the agenda for today? Could I grab some shots?” I lift the camera that’s attached to the holster on my shoulders.
“Of course.” Tommy’s grin is as fake as mine, and we both hold out until someone calls for his attention. He nods to me. “My facility is at your disposal, Ms. Helix.”
I watch him walk away, wondering if this is actually happening. Did he really just give me full access to his place without being watched?
I take the chance to wander, taking snapshots of different gorgeous horses in their pens, and nod at the employees, keeping my eyes peeled for anything of interest.
Watching people work here is fascinating. I don’t know if it’s my experience in this world or if it’s always this obvious, but there’s a clear difference between the people who know what they’re doing and the ones who don’t.
Thankfully, from what I can tell, the ones that don’t aren’t just lazy and uncaring. They’re trying.
One pulls a horse out of its stall, and I watch from ten feet away as the horse neighs, rearing back on its hind legs and scaring the poor girl who led him out bad enough that she lets go of his lead. I take stock of what’s happening and step quickly toward the stallion who’s acting out.
