Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25316 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 127(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25316 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 127(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
“You want to show your love for the land and the animals that have given so much to your family over the centuries.”
“Exactly. I don’t think I have it in me to abandon them and then go off to learn to code or whatever it is people are supposed to be doing for a living nowadays.”
A horse rancher who wants to create a new future for horses, and a horse girl who wants to take care of them and keep them healthy. Beyond the obvious sparks of lust we had with one another, my imagination went wild with the possibilities, about how much more perfect we could be together.
“I could be your chief veterinarian. Taking care of all the horses. Maybe you could put foster horses out on show to people who might be able to take care of them, and show them individual love and kindness.”
“We’d have to vet them, of course. Uh, in the checking-their-backgrounds sort of way, not in the animal doctor sort of way.”
Lots of laughter shared between the two of us as we discussed our plans for the future. I spent the entire night just lost in his eyes, talking up a storm with this man, smiling madly the entire time.
We didn’t really talk about our relationship, or what that even was. Just this future ranch we both would pour our hearts and souls into. Even as business partners, we were showing more passion for one another than Sarah and Jack ever had for one another.
People were walking past us, and I realized it’s one in the morning, the music had stopped, and the only sounds remaining were drunks droning on about something or other in the distance. Typical one-in-the-morning fare.
“We should head home,” Jack says. “I had a wonderful time tonight, but everything must come to an end.”
“All we did was talk.”
“And that was incredible. I’d keep going until the sun rises, but the local sheriff gets anxious if she sees someone out after two in the morning. Thinks they’re up to something, selling drugs, or whatever the big modern fear of the day is.”
“Not to mention we need to be up at five to start our work for the day.”
He nods. “Shall we, then?”
“Yes, we shall.”
There is no one else on this planet that I want to spend the rest of my life staying up till 1:00 a.m., talking about horses, with. I think I’m in love too. I just need to figure out how and when to tell him.
Which, with the whole engagement thing? Even if it’s just for business? It’s way easier said than done.
7
LILY
It’s what I’m deciding is a typical day at the Desert Sky Ranch. I feed the horses, do some paperwork for Jack, take the horses out for some exercise, do some training, make sure new feed is ordered. This is pretty much what I expected the grind to be when I signed up for the job.
Seeing Jack as I did, it is just one hell of a bonus. Last night we talked for hours, and we barely got any sleep. But seeing him rejuvenates me and pushes me to keep doing what I’m doing. I imagine if we started taking our relationship even further, though, that might be enough to keep me tired out.
I wrap up for the day, and not a moment too soon. It’s been a gray day. There is no call for rain, but you can never trust the weather predictions wholly. As I return to the ranch house, I’m greeted with the unfamiliar sight of an old pickup in the driveway. It’s rusty and run-down and looks like it’s from the nineteen seventies. I’m surprised that something that old is still running.
Jack is out in front of the ranch house, and seeing who’s in front of him explains the dire look on his face.
“You think you’re so fucking special, don’t you? My daughter has been home all day crying.” He’s on the older side, balding with gray hair—where he does have hair.
“She most assuredly has not,” Jack is quick to fire back.
“The hell you know! You don’t care about my daughter’s feelings!”
I’m also greeted by the intense smell of liquor. This guy smells like a brewery, and not a particularly good one. I keep my distance, not really enjoying joining arguments I’m not yet a part of.
“I think I’ve talked to your daughter a whole lot more than you have, which is a shame, given you’re her father.”
Sarah’s dad? I guess I see a vague resemblance, but she’s lucky she got 95 percent of her looks from her mother.
“You’re disrespecting me! Flaunting your infidelity in front of the whole goddamn town!”
He finally notices me out of the corner of his eye.
“There she is! The fucking slut you’re giving up my daughter for!” He looks at me, the hate in his eyes raging.