Chapter 9 #2
I could hear him huff out a breath, and imagined him running his fingers through his hair in frustration.
“Look, like I said, I’m here now. Is there anyone who might have time for me?” he asked much more calmly.
It wasn’t enough. “No. And even if there was, I wouldn’t let you on a horse today.”
I turned back to see him frown.
“What? Why?”
I gestured at his body language. “Do you have any idea what it would do to a horse to be around you right now? With how frustrated and tense you are? You’re not going near an animal right now.”
He snorted loudly. “How are you going to do your job, then?” He gestured right back at me.
I let out a little growl. “I’m going to see a donkey about some scratches.” Then I whirled around again and started to march toward the only creature on this ranch who didn’t give a fuck about anyone’s mood.
It took me a moment to realize that Carter was following me. It also took everything in me to not whirl around and punch him. Instead, I bit back another growl and continued to walk.
If he wanted to walk behind me for ten minutes, he was free to do so.
About five minutes into the walk that was shorter because of my shortcut, I started to relax. Carter was still there, doing exactly what I did as he climbed over fences when necessary. Something about that amused me, which relaxed me more.
My radio crackled.
“Tommy to HH. Over.”
“What’s up? Over.”
“Gelding is in the paddock with Ramona and the others. Over.”
“Good job. Thanks, Tommy. Over.”
I put the radio back and continued the walk.
“What horses do you turn her out with?”
I whipped my head around. “What?”
Carter held up his hands. “I’m not challenging you. I’m just asking.”
“Calm, playful ones. She gets along with everyone, she’s very middle of the pack in her temperament.”
He hummed, and continued to walk a few steps behind me.
“Did the mom survive?” I asked after a few more minutes.
“Oh, yeah. She had a concussion but she and the baby should be fine. It just took time to extract her so I stayed to keep an eye.” He quickly added, “Not that I could do anything or that the baby needed me once the paramedics arrived, but….”
But he didn’t seem like a man who left things unfinished.
“Good.”
I could practically feel his urge to say something, but he didn’t, which I appreciated.
When we made it to Juanpablo’s paddock, I slipped inside. “He dislikes most people so I’d stay outside.”
“Noted.”
I whistled sharply, and two seconds later the familiar braying sounded from closer to the house we could see in the distance.
The donkey galloped from around the bend, yelling his fool head off.
Carter laughed, and I couldn’t help but to smile, too.
“What’s his name again?” Carter asked as the donkey got closer.
“Juanpablo. He’s the alarm system.” Which was a funny thought. I really should mention that to Ville, the only security type person in our extended family circle.
“I can hear that!” Carter said loudly over the braying.
“Okay, okay, shut up,” I told Juanpablo as he made it to me and pushed into my arms.
He let out a few more honking sounds and then panted for breath after his sprint.
I gave him all the scratches and most of the treats in my pockets, too. By the time I was done, I felt better, even if Carter was still watching us.
“He looks cuddly.”
“Oh he is, just not with anyone but me, my mom, and Mal’s kid, Payton.” I patted the donkey and tugged at his ears the way he liked, then quickly stepped away and through the fence before he could kidnap me. “He will grab clothing if he wants you to stay,” I explained needlessly.
“Ah, explains the dash.” Carter smiled.
The walkie-talkie crackled again.
“Mal to HH. Over.”
“Hawk here. Over.”
“Check with Cahill if midday tomorrow is good. I have time then. Over.”
I raised a brow at the man in question.
Carter nodded. “I can do midday.”
I pressed the button. “He says midday is fine. Over.”
“Good man. Talk to you later. Over.”
I returned the radio to my belt and gestured at the house. “Now that you’re here, want to meet some more family?”
Carter seemed surprised, then he glanced down at his clothing and frowned at his sleeve. “I have blood on my sleeve. From the mom,” he clarified at my confused expression.
“My parents have raised ten kids. They have four grandkids. They’re not easily scared by mess.”
“Well, okay then.”
I could tell he wasn’t fully comfortable going to meet the parents— not the fuck like that, holy shit —in his dusty-from-the-walk barn clothing.
We walked around Juanpablo’s paddock in silence that didn’t feel uncomfortable. I didn’t know what it was about this man that made me blow up and calm down like this. I didn’t blow up. Never had, really.
Even as a kid when my siblings had been unfair in the ways kids were, I’d rarely gotten angry. Meanwhile, especially my brothers, both older and younger, had fought each other with fists on occasion. There’d been parental consequences to violence, of course, but still.
I’d never wanted to punch anyone as much as I did Carter. No. That was a lie. There’d been one person. And maybe, just maybe I was projecting a little and needed to figure myself out before I ruined this job with my newly found temper.