20. Giddy Up
Giddy Up
Reid
I pulled the office door closed, wincing at the high-pitched squeal that erupted from the indoor arena. It wasn’t quite the sound of a child being murdered, but close enough that I checked twice.
“How many of those little gremlins are out there now?” Enzo collapsed into the rolling chair behind his desk, massaging his temples.
“Five.” I leaned against the doorframe, watching through the small window in the door as Quinn directed traffic at the craft table.
Kellan sprawled on the loveseat, legs dangling over the arm. “They were all so excited to see the glitter too.”
Enzo groaned. “We’re going to be finding that shit in the horses’ hooves for months.”
I grabbed three waters from the mini fridge, tossing one to each of them as we fell into a comfortable silence. The quiet between us lately felt like we were all thinking the same thing but waiting for someone else to say it first.
Kellan finally cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably on the loveseat. The leather squeaked beneath him as he repositioned. “So... we should probably talk about Quinn.”
“What about her?” Enzo’s expression remained neutral, but a muscle in his cheek jumped. We all hated talking about feelings, but he was the worst offender.
Kellan waved a hand between us, like he was trying to trace whatever invisible thread we were all pretending not to see. “The fact that we’ve all slept with her, for starters.”
I shifted my weight against the doorframe, feeling the wood dig into my shoulder blade. Part of me had been waiting for someone to finally name the thing we’d all been tiptoeing around.
I took a long drink while I collected my thoughts. Through the window, I saw Quinn laughing with one of the kids, completely unaware of our conversation. A quiet pang of longing settled behind my ribs as I watched her.
“Are you okay with that? You made a move first.” Even though we’d both been with her at the same time, the possibility was there that Kellan wasn’t, in fact, okay with it. He had the tendency to go along with things to keep the peace.
Kellan frowned, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah, I think so. Sometimes I do wonder if she’s comparing us or something. It would be hard not to, right?”
“Like keeping score on a report card?” I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Excellent in enthusiasm, needs improvement in duration? Little checkboxes for creativity and technique?”
Enzo snorted water through his nose. “Fuck you,” he spluttered, wiping his face with his sleeve. “Although if we’re being graded, I deserve extra credit for size.”
Kellan threw the cap from his bottle at him, hitting Enzo square in the forehead. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.” There was an edge to his voice now, a rare flash of the vulnerability he usually buried under layers of charm and deflection.
I crossed my arms, considering. “It’s Quinn we’re talking about. Does she strike you as the type to keep score?”
“No, but she’s leaving soon. What happens when she goes back to her regular life?” Kellan’s question hung in the air, making the room feel smaller.
I’d been avoiding thinking about it, focusing instead on each day as it came. I traced the condensation on my water bottle with my thumb. Some things were meant to be temporary, but knowing that didn’t make them any easier to let go of when the time came.
Enzo spun slowly in his chair, his head resting against the headrest as he stared at the ceiling. “I think what Kellan is really trying to say is, what if she decides to stay and she only wants one of us?”
That possibility felt like a stone in my gut. Now that I’d finally let my guard down with Quinn and let myself want something, the idea that she might choose one of us over the others made it suddenly harder to breathe.
Not that I’d blame her. What did I have to offer? A knack for understanding creatures that couldn’t talk back. Had I been foolish to think someone like her would see anything lasting in someone like me?
“Then we respect her choice.” The words tasted bitter on my tongue, but I meant them. “Whatever happens, we can’t let it damage what we have here, but I also won’t get in the way of one of you finding happiness.”
“But what if she doesn’t choose?” Kellan’s voice was so hopeful that it made me pay closer attention.
Enzo stopped spinning, his chair making a small squeak against the wooden floor as he planted his feet. “Is that even possible long-term?” His voice carried equal parts hope and skepticism, like he was afraid to consider the possibility but couldn’t stop himself.
“I don’t know, but I’m not ready to decide it’s impossible before we’ve even tried.
” Outside of the occasional moment where I watched the two of them with someone, we’d never seriously considered being with a woman like this.
Now that it was a possibility, and we were all open to it, we had to give it a chance.
“So what are you suggesting?” Enzo leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Besides the obvious.”
“I told her we should go on a date. All four of us.”
Kellan sat up straight like the thought had never occurred to him. “Like, together? At the same time?”
I rolled my eyes. “That’s generally what ‘all four of us’ means.”
Enzo looked skeptical. “What did she say?”
“She seemed surprised but not opposed to the idea.” I shrugged, trying to appear more casual than I felt. Taking her out as a group was a declaration. We weren’t just fooling around anymore. We were in this.
Kellan pulled out his phone. “Then let’s get to planning.”
Thirty minutes later, we had a solid plan for a group date that we hoped Quinn would enjoy when there was a knock on the office door.
“Busted.” Kellan jumped to his feet as Quinn opened the door.
“Hey, guys. Do you have a minute? The kids are done with their stick horses, and they would love for you to see them.” She smiled at the three of us before turning back to the chaos.
I stood, stretching my arms overhead. I was feeling much better now that we’d talked and agreed on our first date activities.
We stepped into the indoor arena and straight into glittery chaos. What had been a relatively controlled craft situation had evolved into full pandemonium. Five children galloped around on their newly decorated stick horses, leaving trails of loose glitter in their wake.
Walter darted between the kids, barking excitedly at the commotion. He was going to get himself stepped on or become a tripping hazard. I whistled sharply, and he veered toward me, tongue lolling and coat covered in at least three different colors of glitter.
“You’re having a little too much fun, aren’t you, buddy?” I picked him up and brushed at his fur, sending pink sparkles onto my shirt.
Quinn had made it back into the center of the arena, her hair escaping from her ponytail in wild tendrils, laughing as one of the boys did an exaggerated jump over an imaginary fence. “Higher, Liam!” She clapped as he leaped, his face screwed up in concentration.
A little girl galloped past Quinn with surprising speed for someone with such short legs. Quinn caught my eye and grinned, and something inside my chest did a strange flip. I blamed it on the excessive sparkle in the air.
“Cowboys!” Quinn called out, waving us over. “Come show these kids how it’s done!”
Kellan immediately jogged toward her, ever the showman. Walter wriggled in my arms as if he didn’t want to miss the excitement either. The dog’s enthusiasm was infectious, even as I brushed pink glitter from my shirt with my free hand.
“Who wants to see the real cowboys do some tricks?” Quinn’s voice carried across the arena.
A chorus of excited yells erupted from the kids, who started jumping up and down, causing a shower of glitter to rain from their horses.
Enzo hung back beside me. “I’m not getting on a stick horse.”
Quinn beckoned us over with an exaggerated wave. “Cowboys, these fine equestrians want a demonstration!”
Enzo’s face transformed into a mask of horror. “She wouldn’t.”
“She absolutely would.” I was oddly okay with my fate.
Kellan had already accepted a stick horse from one of the kids, and he pranced in place, earning squeals of delight.
“I can’t believe this is happening.” Enzo trudged forward like a man walking to his execution.
I put Walter down and followed, smirking as Quinn handed Enzo a stick horse that had purple ribbons and feathers all over it. His expression was a priceless mixture of resignation and disbelief.
She handed me a horse, her eyes bright with amusement. “Ready to see what these cowboys can do?”
The kids formed a semicircle around us, their eyes wide with anticipation. Enzo closed his eyes briefly, as if saying a silent prayer for death to take him quickly.
“Mr. Reid goes first!” A little boy pointed at me with the enthusiasm only a five-year-old could muster.
Five pairs of expectant eyes stared up at me. Behind them, Quinn’s eyes sparkled with mischief. I’d faced down angry bulls with less trepidation than I felt in this moment.
I started a slow trot around the arena, rising and lowering with each step to mimic a real rider’s rhythm. The kids immediately erupted in giggles.
“Faster!” one of the little girls yelled.
I picked up my pace, adding a bit more bounce. Walter followed, clearly thinking this was some new game invented just for him.
“That’s it!” Quinn clapped in rhythm to the music that had started to play over the speaker. “Giddy up, cowboy!”
I shot her a look that promised payback, then broke into an exaggerated trot, rising and lowering with each step like some deranged rodeo ballerina. The kids went wild.
As I came to a stop in front of my new fan club, a little girl with a unicorn shirt tugged on Enzo’s arm. “Your turn, Mr. Purple Horse!”
Enzo looked like he might spontaneously combust from embarrassment. He took a deep breath, visibly steeled himself, and began the stiffest trot I’d ever witnessed. His face remained completely expressionless as he moved around the arena, the horse bobbing mechanically between his legs.
Kellan doubled over laughing. “Man, you look like you’ve got a stick up your—” My sharp elbow to his ribs cut him off mid-sentence.
Quinn covered her mouth, shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter. “Mr. Enzo, can you show us your gallop?”
The look Enzo shot her could have curdled milk. Nevertheless, he transitioned into what might generously be called a gallop, though it looked more like he was being electrocuted mid-hop. For a man who was good at dancing, he was not skilled with a stick.
“My turn!” Kellan twirled past Enzo on his horse in an elaborate flourish and launched into a full performance like he’d rehearsed this a dozen times already. His complete lack of self-consciousness was almost admirable. The kids followed his every move.
“Now for the grand finale,” Quinn announced. “Cowboys, line up for a jumping competition!”
Enzo’s head snapped up. “A what now?”
The children screamed their approval, jumping up and down as Quinn moved a small hurdle into the center.
Kellan immediately stepped forward. “I’ll go first!”
He backed up several paces, giving himself a runway. With dramatic flair, he charged the jump, leaped over it with impressive height, and landed with a victorious whoop.
Enzo muttered something that I was glad the children couldn’t hear as he lined up with the jump, took a deep breath, and executed a perfectly commendable hop over the obstacle.
The kids applauded politely, and I got the distinct impression they were underwhelmed.
I squared my shoulders. If I was going to be humiliated, I might as well commit fully. Taking several steps back, I charged the jump. At the last second, Walter darted directly into my path. I swerved to avoid trampling him and caught the edge of the hurdle with my foot.
I flailed and stumbled forward, miraculously staying on my feet. I raised my horse in triumph as the kids cheered.
Parents began arriving shortly after, collecting their glitter-covered offspring who chattered excitedly about the cowboy show. Each child left with their hobby horse, proud creations that would undoubtedly spread glitter to every corner of their homes.
As the last family departed, Quinn turned to us, her smile wide and unapologetic. “That was amazing! The kids had so much fun!”
Enzo brushed glitter from his shirt, a futile effort. “I hope you enjoyed yourself.”
“I did.” She bounced on her toes, completely missing the dangerous undertone in his voice.
Kellan, Enzo, and I exchanged looks.
Her smile faltered slightly, eyes darting between us. “What?”
“Quinn.” I approached her slowly, my voice purposely casual. “You know what happens when you embarrass three cowboys, right?”
She bit her lip, her eyes darting between us. “What?”
Kellan moved to her left while Enzo circled to her right. “They plan revenge.” I took another step closer.
Quinn backed up slowly, recognition dawning. “It was for the children!”
“And revenge shall be ours.” Enzo’s voice was low, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
Quinn’s eyes widened, her breath quickening as she glanced toward the exit. “I need to clean up this mess.”
“Yes, you do.” Kellan reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her cheek.
Her eyes widened. “What kind of revenge are we talking about?”
I leaned in, my lips brushing the shell of her ear. “The very sweetest kind… but it will have to wait.” I bent to retrieve an abandoned feather from the floor. “Don’t worry, we won’t forget.”
The three of us worked methodically around her as we helped her clean up, occasionally brushing against her as we passed. Quinn’s breathing quickened each time in anticipation.
By the time we finished, she was flushed, breathless, and practically vibrating. We let her walk away like that. For now.