CHAPTER 2
NOEL
An odd sense of accomplishment washes over me as I finish up mucking out Thunder’s stall. Huxley is whistling a tune with an upbeat rhythm as he finishes up in Sierra’s stall. Some days the way he seems to not give a single fuck about the work he’s doing, even as he does it without complaint, can piss me off. Not today.
No, today is the last day before I start making my dreams for Limitless Ranch come true. It’s taken me a long damn time to get here, but I’m trying to be okay with waiting and being patient. Patience has never come easily to me, but I’m doing better.
Learning discipline and having to follow orders in the military helped me learn to slow the fuck down, listen, and wait. There wasn’t a single situation I was put in while serving where I could rush in without a plan. It would have been deadly, and it wasn’t only my life on the line. There was no fucking way I was going to be the reason behind someone in my unit dying.
Fuck no.
Now that I’m back stateside, I might not have to deal with life and death situations anymore, but those lessons stay with you. I knew I was coming back home but Wintervale has always been a place where I felt a little off. Out of place, out of sorts, out of step. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, but I just didn’t know where I belonged or what my role was supposed to be.
Fletcher, the eldest of my siblings, was always destined to take over Limitless. In so many ways I grew up in his shadow. Huxley, our youngest brother, has always had boundless energy and far too little sense at times, can fix things and has never shied away from work. Even though I’ve always had a way with the horses, and loved training them, it wasn’t like my brothers couldn’t do the same if they wanted to. Our sister, who is between Huxley and me in birth order, was the only girl and she was treated like a princess which sheltered and stifled her. I wasn’t surprised to find out she left Wintervale in her rearview while I was serving. Maybe she’ll come back one day, but I’m not holding my breath.
“You’re a good boy,” I murmur softly to Thunder while scratching his shoulders. He’s obsessed with shoulder scratches in the same way most dogs like their bellies rubbed. “We’ll be training you in a new way soon. I think you’ll love it.”
He’s going to thrive with whatever the equine therapy consultant brings to Limitless. As much as I’m trying not to be too excited, I can’t wait to get started. I’ve done a shit ton of research on what is about to happen, both before I brought the idea to Fletcher and after.
There were a lot of options when it came to a consultant, but the more research I did, the more the name Delaney Reeves came up. Everyone spoke highly of her to the point I wasn’t sure that she’d even be available to come to Limitless. Once I contacted her to see about her availability, not looking forward to putting off making the equine therapy program a reality, I was thrilled to find out she had the time and the inclination to come to Limitless.
Knowing it was going to happen made waiting bearable. And it’s here. Well, it’s about to start and it all begins tomorrow when Delaney arrives with her little brother.
Even though I don’t really care, I find myself asking, “What are you even whistling?”
“Don’t judge me, but I can’t get the theme song from the cartoon Macklin was watching this morning after breakfast out of my mind,” there’s amusement in his voice and when I glance over, he’s grinning from ear to ear.
I can’t help but chuckle. “It is kinda catchy.” With a smirk on my face, I offer, “I’m sure Mack would let you watch his show with him.”
Huxley scoffs, “Of course he’d let me watch with him because I’m his favorite Uncle.”
I turn toward him slowly and give him a death glare. He knows full fucking well he’s not the favorite uncle in this situation. The jerk only wiggles his eyebrows at me, knowing this is an argument neither of us will ever win and will continue for years.
Macklin is an unexpected addition to our family, one who has made our lives better, most of all Fletcher’s life. Not only does he now have a little boy who looks up to him like a dad, and us as uncles, but Fletcher now has the love of his life back in his arms.
Years ago, when they were both too young to know better, Fletcher let Eden go so she could pursue her dreams. They tried to be in a long-distance relationship, but Fletcher’s future was built around Limitless while Eden had big dreams and the chance to make them into reality.
I wish I would have been around to have Fletcher’s back when he was dealing with a broken heart while also starting to take on more responsibility around the ranch. I don’t know if it would have made a difference, but I’ve wondered over the years if he felt like I abandoned him when he needed me the most.
It became obvious when I came home to stay that my older brother was not the same guy he was when I first enlisted. He was harder. He had lost some of his spark. He seemed defeated even though he kept putting one foot in front of the other.
Then a few months ago Eden showed back up in Wintervale. But she wasn’t alone. Macklin is three, and the most adorable little guy I’ve ever had the chance to know. Granted, I haven’t spent time around kids, but I still know he’s a good one.
Eden never forgot Fletcher and her heart could never let my brother go. Macklin was the result of a one-night stand and Eden tried to make it work with the sperm donor. It didn’t work out; it was never going to.
The only man who has ever held Eden’s heart is Fletcher.
I’ve never seen a man move faster than when Fletcher realized Eden was back in town. Sure, he was surprised to find out about her son, but it didn’t take much for Mack to steal every bit of Fletcher’s heart Eden didn’t already have.
They’re sickeningly sweet and very much in love. Huxley and I have gained a pint-sized shadow who is eager, funny as hell, sweet, and loves trouble. What could be better?
“Favorite uncle my ass,” I snark at my brother.
He flips me off before he turns serious, a bit of wariness in his voice as he asks, “Do you think Eden is going to ask us more wedding related questions?”
I grimace. The woman has been going full steam ahead when it comes to planning her wedding to Fletcher. I’m surprised our brother gave her as much time as he did before locking her down. The man is practically fucking feral.
I don’t understand the inclination myself. I’ve never met a woman who made me want to spend more than a night or two with them. It was always just physical. I’m not sure I’m capable of having a deeper connection.
Not like my parents have with each other. Not like Fletcher and Eden have.
Although, seeing Fletch all loved up with his woman has made me curious if there’s a woman out there for me. I shake my head at myself because I have too many scars to be good enough for anyone.
The ranch is enough. My brothers are enough. This is the life my path in life has given me; it’s enough.
“I have a feeling there will be a lot of wedding talk until the day comes for them to tie the knot,” I admit to Huxley who full-on pouts at my words. “Don’t let Fletch hear you complain about it. He’ll kick your ass.”
“He can’t kick my ass,” he mumbles.
“I’d believe you if you weren’t whispering like a little kid trying not to get in trouble,” I tease him.
He looks around as if Fletcher is going to pop up out of nowhere before repeating himself, louder, “He can’t kick my ass.”
I hold my hands up as I smirk. “If you say so.”
He puffs up his chest like he’s won something. He hasn’t and we both know it.
His next question has me almost swallowing my tongue, “When will you be getting married? You’re next, right? I mean, this whole falling in love, love of one’s life thing, won’t try and come for me next. I’m the baby of the family,” he whines.
Barking out a laugh, all I can do is shake my head at my little brother. The face he’s making at the thought of committing to one woman is comical. I wouldn’t quite call him a manwhore, but he’s not far off. He’s had a lot of fun with women, but commitment isn’t part of his vocabulary.
“I’m not holding my breath to find something like Fletcher and Eden have,” I tell my little brother honestly. He gives me a look of disbelief and I shrug one shoulder like I’m not fucking wishing for the same damn thing most days. “You and I both know they have something special. Time, distance, and a lot of heartbreak didn’t stop them from loving each other and coming back together when the time was right for them. They’ll be together forever now.”
“You can have it too,” he tries to sound encouraging, but I swear he’s gagging a little bit at the same time.
“It’s cool, Hux,” I chuckle, “we don’t have to talk about our feelings.”
Hux smiles, but it drops quickly, and something shifts in my brother. The look he gives me is so serious and so out of place when it comes to the baby of the family. “You know,” he takes a deep breath, “I’m here if you ever want to talk about your feelings.”
My eyebrows go up in surprise, but I know he’s sincere. Still, I can’t help but ask, “Why?”
“I don’t know, man,” he sounds unsure as he rubs the back of his neck. “You came back, you know, different,” he starts and I still. “I just want you to know I’m always willing to listen, even though I can’t relate to what you went through overseas. You’ve healed a lot since you got back, but you’re not the same guy who left Wintervale.”
“Of course I’m not the same guy,” I snap but Huxley doesn’t flinch. I take a deep breath and try to get my heart to stop racing. Talking about what happened over there isn’t going to help me and it sure as fuck isn’t going to help my brother. I try and soften my voice, but I’m not sure if I succeed, “I was just a kid when I left here and, yes, I saw some shit. I thought I knew what I was signing up for, but going through it takes something from you.”
He nods slowly, his eyes, the dark brown eyes all the Burns kids got from our father, are filled with concern. “I can’t even imagine.” He studies me for a moment before pressing on. “You never talk about it.”
“Because no one else needs that shit in their head,” I rasp and turn toward Thunder, hoping my brother will drop it.
“Neither do you,” he murmurs. “But if you’ll let us, we can help you carry the burden.”
I swallow hard trying to dislodge the lump in my throat. I’ve shoved so much of that shit into the dark recesses of my mind. It’s better that way.
Fuck, I know how lucky I am because of the support I have. Not everyone is so fortunate when they leave the service. That doesn’t mean I’ll be sharing my demons with my little brother. They’re mine and mine alone.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I try and assuage my brother, but from the look he’s giving me he’s not buying my bullshit. He shouldn’t. With one more pat on Thunder, I step away and take a look around the horse barn. “I’m going to head to the house and make sure everything is ready for tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” Hux sounds confused as hell.
I groan and run a hand over my face while shaking my head. That’s more like my brother—clueless. “Remember, Delaney Reeves and her brother are getting in tomorrow. She’s the equine therapy consultant I hired to help me get the program off the ground.”
His mouth forms a perfect ‘o’ while he nods slowly. He’s heard me talking about this who knows how many times, but he still looks surprised as hell. I flip him off as I head to the house.
The least I can do is make sure Delaney’s stay here is comfortable. I want this endeavor to be a success. Not only do I need it to feel like I’ve finally found my place at Limitless, but I think the horses need this as well. They’ll thrive with different stimulation and social interactions.
And maybe I will too.