The Anthem #2
“I need horses for this therapy program that can handle beginner riders. I can get on a horse and get it to do just about anythin’, and I could train it up to be that bomb proof, but that takes time, and having a couple or so project horses is one thing, but a whole barn full?
” he huffed. “Fuck, might as well just buy a herd of babies and break ‘em myself.”
“So, basically what you’re saying is if I can ride the horse, it’ll be broke enough for others to ride it too.”
I didn’t know whether to be offended or not.
I mean, it made sense, what he was saying.
I had only been seriously riding for a few days.
Obvi, I was still a bit green when it came to cowboying, but I could be a prideful bitch, and the little reminder that I was still a beginner stung.
But still, I wasn’t so stubborn and proud that I’d say anything to Hux.
I knew he wasn’t saying it to be rude, but merely stating the obvious.
He nodded. “Exactly.”
I blew out a huff of laughter. “Well, damn, way to kill my confidence.”
“I told you don’t take it the wrong way,” he said with a laugh.
“It’s fine, really. I’m just messing with you. Yeah, I’ll go.” I paused, pursing my lips as my mind wandered to transportation. “Um, not to be rude, but how are we gonna get there? I don’t think taking my bike is gonna work…and you can’t really drive.”
If he was offended at me calling out him not being able to see, he didn’t let on. In fact, he smiled. “Can you drive a truck?”
I scoffed. “Is that even a question?”
“Quinn ain’t ever had before.”
“Look, I love Quinnie, but she is a sweet, sunshine city girl. It’s not surprising she’s never driven a truck before. I, on the other hand, have been working on and driving anything with wheels since I was twelve.”
“That’s not in the least bit surprisin’,” he said, more to himself than me. “Whenever you wanna head out, I’m ready.”
I smirked. He was so blunt and honest. There was no veiling his thoughts at all. He just said what was on his mind. I liked it, appreciated it. “Let’s go, then.”
There were few things I loved more than driving down a two-lane highway with the windows down and music on the radio. Hux seemed to be just as content riding in the passenger seat, his dog, Rusty, sitting between his legs.
I hadn’t spent as much time with Hux as I had with the ranch hands or Quinn. Hux was quieter, more closed off than the guys, but between him being older than all of them, and his circumstance, it made sense for him to be a bit more reserved.
I glanced over at him. We still had another hour left of the drive. “So, I remember you said at the fundraiser you were gonna ride one more time,” I said, surprising myself and him as he jolted upright. If I wasn’t mistaken, I’d have thought I’d just woken him from a nap.
“What?” he asked.
I chuckled. “Quinn wearing you out?”
He pulled off his sunglasses a moment to rub at his eyes even as a laugh rumbled out of him. “I wasn’t sleepin’, by the way, just restin’ my eyes.”
“Sure you weren’t, it’s okay. It wasn’t important.”
Sitting up straighter, he said, “No, what was it you asked?”
“So, you’re gonna ride again?” I cast a sidelong glance his way.
Hux blew out a breath and nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I am.”
“How long’s it been?” I knew that was the reason he went blind and stopped riding, but aside from that, I basically knew none of the details.
“Three years, just about.”
“And you’re just doing one ride?”
“Yeah,” he said. I noticed his hand reach out to run over his dog’s head.
“How come?” I asked, my gaze flicking between him and the empty road before me.
I couldn’t imagine what he’d gone through.
Losing a part of themself like he had, giving up a career, almost dying.
I wondered what I’d do in his situation.
But no matter how hard I tried to compare it to my own life, I couldn’t.
“I finally found somethin’ that means more to me than ridin’. I don’t wanna lose Quinn, and bein’ with her is more excitin’ than any eight second ride.”
It was always interesting to me when the fiercest, hardest appearing men had the softest, cinnamon roll hearts.
In theory, the idea of it was enticing, but as much as I liked sweets, I couldn’t imagine someone pining over me like that.
I wasn’t made soft and sweet. I was hard and stubborn and spicy.
Maybe if I met the right guy things would change, but I doubted it.
I smiled though. “You guys are good together.”
He nodded in thanks.
“Have you proposed to her yet?” I asked.
“No, I’m workin’ on gettin’ a ring now. I’ll do it soon.”
“Nice.”
We fell into silence once more when his deep voice rumbled, “So, what’s your story?”
I stilled, chewing my bottom lip. I hated talking about myself. About my past. It sounded so tragic and pathetic, and I hated people looking at me with pity. But if anyone understood that, it was probably him.
With a sigh, I replied, “My mom was a meth addict, I don’t know who the hell my dad is. She overdosed when I was a toddler, so I lived with my grandpa til he died. Then I was put in foster care and went from group home to group home until I aged out.” I set my gaze on the road before me.
“Shit, that sucks. So, now you just drift around?”
“Pretty much,” I huffed.
“Makes sense. Well, I’m glad you drifted here, and I know Quinn is too.”
I glanced at him once more, finding nothing but sincerity in his words. I’d expected him to pry a bit more. Ask when and if I planned to leave. I was grateful he hadn’t. Truth was, I didn’t know when or where or how I’d drift on, but there would come a time when it was inevitable.
But, for now, I was happy here.