4. Four
Four
Cash
The last time I drove under this gate, Carolyn was in the passenger seat. I wanted to see a friend, to give him a late birthday gift, and she was greatly annoyed that we had to make this stop. I could still see her checking her nails, making sure the bright red was still perfectly polished. I could still hear the tsks she would sigh loud enough to get to me. And I could still hear her shrill voice ringing in my ears… This detour better not take long. We’re going to be late. I don’t understand why you can’t wait to give it to him in Billings. You know I hate this place…
Seven months later, I got into my accident.
Three months after that, she filed for a divorce.
After Sylas Acosta died, it seemed my entire world imploded on itself, and as much as I tried to move on and keep being who I was, each passing day got harder and harder. Without my best friend, without the one person who would listen to me no matter what I needed to say, I had never felt more alone.
Once I wound up in the hospital, needing surgery and PT to get through the healing process, learning I would never compete again seemed to be the breaking point. But then having my wife, who was supposed to be my rock through everything up and leave because I no longer fit into her dream world…that was the icing on top. Once the divorce was final and I could walk without massive amounts of pain, I started over. I pushed everything aside and began again.
Tugging the long trailer behind me, the three horses inside most likely hating every single turn, I pulled up to the stables. It was as if fate was working in my favor. When Lachlan called offering up the stables for boarding use and the use of their massive indoor arena to rehab Quinn—for a small renters fee—how could I refuse?
The place hadn’t changed much in the years since I last saw it, but I could tell from a distance that the barn needed a paint touch up, and there were a few things on the stables that needed repairs, but that was Lachlan’s to worry about. My one and only concern today was getting these horses comfortable and avoiding Abi Acosta.
It’s not that I didn’t want to see her. If I were being one hundred percent honest with myself, I was dying to see her, to have that connection to my friend. It was knowing she didn’t want to see me that forced me to make this trip as fast as possible.
I popped my rig in park, and flung the door open the moment I saw my friend step out of the stables. Lachlan Hartwell, like the ranch, hadn’t changed much since the last time I saw him either. He wore his signature black boots tucked into his Wrangler jeans, a dark flannel shirt sticking out under his winter coat, and his black hat perched on his head. He hadn’t shaved in a few days, and since I was used to seeing his face bare, the scruff only added to his stoic demeanor. And yet, once he saw me, a small smile spread upon his lips. I hadn’t seen that man smile in years—and I was the lucky one to get to see him lighten up just a twitch.
During the circuit it was always Lachlan, Sylas, and me behind the chutes. Lachlan rode bareback, Sylas was the bull rider, and I was saddle bronc. The roughies that were always together. Two of us were always there when the other was getting down onto their chosen animal, hyping them up as they settled, and when the nod came, we cheered just as loud. After the eight seconds buzzer went off, we each would jump off the animal and raise our arms, the adrenaline seeping from our pores. We loved the rodeo.
“Fuck, if it isn’t the Cash Callahan,” Lachlan greeted me, reaching his arm out to pull me in for a hug.
“Hey Lach.” I patted his shoulder, pulling away to get a good look at him. “Still brooding I see.”
He shook his head at my joke and stepped past me to my trailer. I knew what Lachlan lived through. I saw the grief that struck his eyes, but he still took my jokes.
“How many horses you got?” He changed the subject, going straight to business.
“Three. Two are Quinn’s, one is mine.”
“Still riding Nova?” he asked as he opened up the back of the trailer, answering his own question once he saw my blue roan mare standing between Quinn’s two geldings. “She’s looking good.”
Leaning up against the trailer, I smiled. I loved Nova. I wouldn’t trade her in for the world. “She’s the one and only thing that has stuck by me. Of course it’s still her. I’ll be with her until the end.”
Lachlan raised his eyebrow at me. “You trained her. I wouldn’t think you would just get rid of her.” He took a deep breath as I passed him, Nova bobbing her head as we moved. Nova hated the trailer, and being shoved in between two geldings wasn’t her favorite thing in the world.
“Why is a barrel racer traveling with two horses?” Lachlan asked, pushing himself off the side of the trailer to step inside, heading straight for Hook first.
“Depending on how many runs she does, she switches horses,” I answered. “Smart of her, hell for training. I feel like I have to do double the work to get both horses where we want them.”
“How are you training Quinn with two horses plus other clients?”
I chuckled between my teeth, lowering my chin to look at my boots before talking. “I don’t have any other clients.”
“None?” Lachlan paused. “None at all?” His rough voice hit with slight concern.
“Quinn’s it. She almost made it to the NFR last year, and if she sticks to the PT schedule, she can make it this year.” I turned to look at him over my shoulder. “I’m proud of that girl.”
“She’s young, too.” Lachlan stated.
“Twenty-two.” I confirmed, giving him a curt nod. “Age has nothing to do with it.”
A scoff left his nose, sounding more like a horse than man. “So, who’s this?” he changed the subject, patting Hook’s neck.
“Hook. This is the guy that fell on her.”
“He didn’t get hurt did he?” Lachlan looked over at me, raising an eyebrow.
His mind probably went straight to where mine went when I saw the horse fall on her. Thankfully, Hook got up with no problem. The horse that fell on me had a different fate.
I pursed my lips, not really wanting to go down that path.
He hummed, obviously sensing I didn’t want to mention that night, and then jerked his head down the row of stables. “The three at the end are for you—right next to Luna.”
Luna…
“Haven’t heard that name in forever. How’s that old gal doin’?” I approached the stall carefully, jitters running through my stomach at the thought of seeing something that was close to Sylas.
He would take Luna, Lachlan would be on Onyx, myself on Nova, and we’d roam the areas surrounding our events before we hit the bars or beds. Time with my friends was all I wanted when I needed to wind down from a ride, and I missed those quiet moments. I didn’t have moments like that anymore. Life was loud and chaotic.
“She’s great.” Lachlan opened a stall and led Hook inside, unlatching his lead and scratching behind his ear before Hook left him to go straight for the water trough. “Abi takes her out every now and then, when she’s not busy around the ranch.”
I stiffened at the mention of Abi’s name, glancing around the stables before leading Nova into her own stall and undoing her lead. I blinked out of my stupor. “Glad the old gal gets out.”
“She’s not that old. She’s only twelve.” Lachlan chuckled. “Onyx is fifteen.”
“And still dealing with your ass half the time.”
“Ha. Ha.” Lachlan grumbled. “What’s the other horse’s name?” He locked the stall and turned his back to me, an eyebrow raised in question.
“Charming.” I answered, watching Lachlan as he stopped mid step and turned to look at me.
“Charming?” he repeated, raising a brow in question. Lachlan kept to the traditional horse names, pretty sure there was an Echo in their stables.
“Quinn likes fairy tales.”
He raised a single eyebrow before giving his head a shake, turning with a sigh and adjusting his hat. “First Kyla named a cow Josie, and now a horse named Charming…”
“It fits the horse,” I hollered towards him.
His head down, he lifted his arm to me to wave his hand, “I’m sure it does.”
I chuckled, giving Nova some love before leaving the stall. They needed to be brushed down, given hay and food and then wrapped for the night. The barn was warm compared to the winter weather outside, but I knew they still appreciated a blanket over their coat. Leaving Nova’s stall, I stepped over to Luna. The brown mare gave me a slight huff as she poked her nose over the stall’s door.
“Well, you haven’t changed a bit.” I said softly.
Memories of racing flooded my mind the moment I touched her nose. Sylas on Luna always trying to beat me as we ran the length of the ranch. Lachlan would win no matter what Sylas and I tried to do. It was always in between rides that we came here. We relaxed and practiced and trained as best we could, but we always ended up in the field with nothing but our horses, a fire, and the cattle all around us. I could still smell the smoke; I could still hear the crackling of the wood. It was a memory I wouldn’t be able to erase anytime soon. It wasn’t one I tried to forget. A memory like that brought a smile to my face every time.
Luna nudged her nose up and down, forcing my hand from her. Her jaw moved as she took the last step towards the gate.
“Ready to meet the last house guest?” I asked her, adjusting the hat on my head.
I turned, reaching out to pat her nose once more, then my eyes drifted towards where my rig sat, the trailer still open. Charming was waiting in the trailer—or at least I thought he was. I froze, and I swear my heart stopped beating completely.
Abi Acosta stood in the stable’s doors, Charming’s lead tight in her hand as she stared right at me.