Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Pippa
T he remaining drive back to Glenlaig was blessedly uneventful, though I absolutely had some pothole PTSD and flinched every time we hit one, terrified of having a repeat of the harrowing part of yesterday. Zeke had been sweet and affectionate and chatty, and I had absolutely no idea what any of it meant.
Last night had been… well, incredible, and I’d spent the past three and a half hours trying to work up the nerve to ask him if this was a onetime thing. Well, obviously, he didn’t intend it to be a one- night thing, given he already wanted to see more of me while he was here. But what came after that?
I hadn’t been able to bring myself to ask, because if he simply intended for this to be a fun wee holiday fling before Christmas, I didn’t know if I could contain my disappointment. Turned out that I wasn’t like Saoirse. I wasn’t built for a simple shag that was about nothing more than pleasure. I cared far too much about Zeke for that. And now I had all these questions with no answers that were seriously dimming the post-orgasmic glow that had carried me through since this morning. I just had to be patient and see what happened.
As I turned onto the long drive leading to the manor house at Lochmara, I struggled to let go of expectations and simply enjoy whatever time I had with Zeke while he was here, however long it lasted. We crested the hill, and the estate came into view below, a callback to a bygone era. Instead of driving all the way to the two-story red brick and stone house that perched in front of formal gardens and a compound of smaller outbuildings, I headed for the stables, where Raleigh’s truck was parked out front. He must’ve heard us coming because he stepped out of the barn, his own Stetson planted firmly on his head. I deliberately angled so the windscreen was in the sun, making it less likely that he’d spot Zeke. Then I slid out of the van.
“Hey, Pippa. I wasn’t expecting to see you today. Thought you were out of town.” His hazel eyes flickered to the horsebox behind me, obviously curious.
“I was.” We both glanced back at the van as the passenger door opened.
“Zeke!” Raleigh’s voice was full of joy as he instantly crossed over and pulled his friend into a back-thumping man hug. “What the hell are you doin’ here? I didn’t know you were coming!”
Zeke rocked back on his heels. “Well, it was a bit of a last-minute trip because a deal I’ve been working on for some time finally went through. So, here I am.”
Raleigh’s brows drew together in confusion. “I don’t understand.”
Zeke absolutely couldn’t contain his grin. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”
At that unabashed grin, Raleigh started giving him the side eye. “What is it?”
Raleigh’s estate manager, Malcolm, and one of the other staff came out of the barn as Zeke circled around to the side of the horsebox and dropped the gate. Raleigh made a choked sound as he spotted Zodiac. Inside, the horse clearly recognized him. The gelding jerked his head, stamping his feet, ears twitching madly. Raleigh rushed inside, hesitating only a moment before laying his hands on the graceful arch of Zodiac’s neck. The horse whickered, and Raleigh answered in a low, choked voice. In a few efficient tugs, he’d released Zodiac from his ties and led him out of the box and over to a nearby paddock. We gravitated in that direction, watching as Raleigh slipped off the lead rope. Zodiac kicked up his back legs and burst into the equivalent of equine zoomies as he raced around the perimeter several laps before skidding to a halt and bumping his head against Raleigh’s chest. The second-hand joy I felt at simply watching this reunion made me so very glad Zeke had called me to be a part of it.
“Daddy! Daddy! Who dis horsy?”
At the cheerful demand, I spotted Lily in the arms of Raleigh’s second mama, Charlotte.
“This is Zodiac. He was daddy’s horse,” Raleigh explained to his daughter.
“It’s daddy’s horse again,” Zeke announced. “Hey Charlotte.”
“Hey Trouble. Good to see your handsome face.”
“Back atcha, beautiful.”
But their banter didn’t distract Raleigh for a second. “What do you mean, he’s mine again?”
“I finally persuade the asshat to sell him to me. Merry Christmas, man.”
“You bought my horse back?” The absolute shock told me this was the last thing he’d expected.
Looking very pleased with himself, Zeke folded his arms. “I did. You’re welcome.”
Even as his hands gently stroked over the animal, Raleigh shook his head. “Man, I can’t. This is too much. I know how much he wanted for him. Did you manage to talk him down?”
Zeke broke eye contact then, looking more than a little shifty as he shrugged. “I paid what he was worth.”
It was more than apparent to me that this horse was worth an immense amount to both men—to Raleigh for personal reasons, and to Zeke because of what he meant to Raleigh.
“I’ll pay you back,” Raleigh insisted.
Zeke scowled. “You will do no such thing. He’s a gift.”
“It’s too much.”
“I’m allowed to give gifts to my friends.”
Raleigh opened his mouth, clearly about to object again, even though it was equally obvious he didn’t want to let go of his horse.
Charlotte nudged his shoulder. “Let the man spend his millions how he wants. He wants to give you something back that you lost. So say thank you and be grateful.”
I froze as what she’d said penetrated my brain. Millions?
Had I really heard that right?
“You wouldn’t let me try to buy the ranch back, and I get that. But you’re sure as shit—” He glanced at Lily and winced. “—gonna let me buy your horse. He’s where he’s supposed to be.”
Zeke had wanted to buy the entire ranch back for Raleigh? I had definitely heard Charlotte right.
I stared at the man I’d had in my bed last night. The man I’d been emailing and talking to for three years . He came from money? And clearly real money, if I was reading all the subtext of this interaction properly. Absolutely horrified, I stepped back. What would a man like that see in me? I’d fed him Cup-a-Soup, for God’s sake.
No one was paying attention to me. Raleigh was too busy feeling justifiably big emotions over the gift he’d just been browbeaten into taking, and Charlotte was chatting with Zeke, whom she’d known since Raleigh was a boy. I quietly snuck around to grab my bag from the van. I needed some space to think about all of this, and my ladies were waiting for me.
So, while everyone else was occupied, I slipped away, leaving them all to their reunion.