Page 15 of Fool for You
I had to remind myself that it was how Wyatt Hartwell worked; it was how he flirted and got all the women he had been with. I wasn’t an idiot. I heard stories about him from other barrel racers and rodeo queens, which only solidified my first impression of him. Playboy. Childish. Self-centered. Prideful.
Hear that, stomach? He’s a playboy and only trying to get what he wants out of you.
So why—when I didn’t see him at all—was I a little upset?
I traded out horses and took Hook back to the arena, whipping out a few runs with him in no time, impressed when the barrels only wobbled a little bit. Cash was impressed, too, ending the session with his normal pep talk of the horse is only as good as the rider and how far I’ve come, with a gleam of pride in his eyes. He’d pat my back, giving me his full support, and then I’d be left alone with my boys.
I removed Hook’s saddle first, tossing it over his stall before giving him a brush down. Charming waited patiently in his own stall, his head poking over the wall, watching my every move. I looked up at him as I inspected Hook’s shoes, pulling on some dirt that had lodged its way up in his hoof.
“You’re next, don’t worry.”
He huffed.
Sweat started to seep from my brow. Once I was finished with Hook, I gave him an apple before heading in with Charming, taking the slobber on my hand as a sign of love. Moving from stable to stable, I glanced around, not admitting to myself that I was looking for a certain Hartwell. If he were here, would he have helped? He would have taken Hook, obviously, and I would be ready to head home. Would he give me that smile? Would he talk to me?
Would I let him?
I scoffed.
Talk? He’d try to hit on me again.
So no, I wouldn’t let him.
Removing Charming’s saddle, I flung it on the stall’s wall just like the other one, and my phone began to vibrate in my pocket. My mind filtered through my contacts. I had friends from home, but they were the kind of friends we would go months without talking and still consider each other friends—they wouldn’t be texting me. Cash was with another client… that only left my mom or my dad. My bet—mom.
Bingo.
Mom
Haven’t heard from you in a few days. How’s Alpine Crest?
I furrowed my brow.
Me
It’s Alpine Ridge, and it’s wonderful. You and Dad would actually like it.
Mom
Oh, no wonder I couldn’t find it on the map. Just checking in.
Me
Doing great. Just finished a training session, heading out on the road in a few weeks.
Mom
That’s good.
And with that, the conversation was over.
Not that it surprised me.
I pocketed my phone and kept working with Charming, walking out of the stables twenty minutes later, my legs already starting to feel the pull from the day. I could go home and just sink into a nice warm bath and—
“Hey!”
A cheerful voice from behind me called, derailing my thoughts of a bath completely. Spinning, warmth spread across me once I saw Abi. She was the sunshine of Hartwell Hills, even after enduring everything she had, just being near her made anyone feel the joy she radiated. It still shocked me to learn how much she lost all those years ago. Her husband, her friend…holding everything in until Cash came back into her life. Even through all of that, her smile never faltered. She always made me feel welcome, like she wanted me there—not just because I was her fiancé’s client, but because I was a friend.
