Chapter 3 #2
He sprints down and aims right for the first barrel. As soon as we round the second, I focus on my technique so he doesn’t shoulder, and thankfully, he rounds it perfectly.
“Yes, go go go!” My legs bobble against him, but my boots manage to stay secure in the stirrups. We twist around the third barrel, slightly wider than I’d like but still in a good position to race home.
“Hustle, hustle!”
As soon as Landen calls time, I blow out a breath and pull on the reins to slow us down.
“Whew, such a good boy.” I pat his neck.
When I turn us around toward Noah, she looks thrilled.
“Fifteen point nine five one,” Landen announces. “Not bad. Lost two microseconds on that third barrel.”
The way he says those words dampens my excitement.
“Yeah, we’ll work on that,” Noah says as I swing my leg off the saddle and jump down. “You rode nice and straight, though. Your breathing is gettin’ better. I can tell your workouts are payin’ off.”
Workout is a pretty loose word for jogging and doing jumping jacks every morning, but I’m not admitting that.
“You should try singin’.”
Landen’s words grab Noah’s and my attention. My brows furrow in confusion.
Once Ranger’s tied up, I step closer. “Did you say singing?”
“It’ll help you work on your breathwork while you run. You’ll build up your stamina faster,” he explains. “After a while, it’ll feel effortless when you’re racin’.”
“You sure know a lot about stamina and breathwork…” I cross my arms, then raise a brow. “Or is it breathplay?”
Landen winks, then licks his lips.
Gross.
“That’s not a bad idea.” Noah points at me, ignoring my comment to Landen. “Taylor Swift jogged for three and a half hours straight while singing to get ready for her tour. I bet it’d help with your nerves, too.”
“And the calmer you are, the better Ranger will follow your lead and commands,” Landen adds.
I blink in disbelief. “You want me to sing while jogging three miles?”
“Not like you have to be on key.” Noah chuckles. “Go as long as you can and each day aim for a little longer.”
“If it helps, I’ll run alongside you.” Landen smirks. “I’ll sing backup.”
No, thank you.
I narrow my eyes. “As temptin’ as that is to have you stalk me on my runs, I’d much rather go solo.”
“And if you need song ideas, her Reputation album will get you amped up.” Noah smirks before grabbing her clipboard to record my race time. She’s been keeping track of my progress and makes notes after each lesson.
When I glance at Landen, he’s already grinning at me, and I mimic a faux one in return. “Good idea. I connect with her song ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ and could sing it on repeat.”
Noah barks out a laugh. “Remind me to introduce you to my little cousin Mallory one of these days. She’s eleven and obsessed with her music. She even named her horse Taylor Alison Swift and has all her lyrics memorized.”
That makes me smile genuinely for the first time today. “She sounds like my kinda girl.”
“Magnolia and I have slumber parties with Mallory one weekend a month and blast her music while we bake goodies and do facials. You’ll have to join us sometime.”
“That sounds fun,” I say honestly, but it immediately brings me back to being Mallory’s age and having scary movie night sleepovers with my older cousin. I haven’t had one of those since she was taken away from me.
The happy memories with her are what helps me through the rough times when my mental health isn’t at its best.
“Why am I never invited?” Landen’s exaggerated gasp has me rolling my eyes.
“Because you’re neither a woman nor a Taylor Swift fan,” Noah informs him, then pats him on the shoulder. “I doubt it’d beat your nights out gettin’ your clothes stolen by unsatisfied ladies.”
Landen’s jaw drops as if he hadn’t expected his sister to call him out. She snickers as she walks away, leaving me alone with him again.
I stand in front of Landen and twist my arms behind my back. “Sulking. Your best look yet.”
He leans down, imitating my stance. “Gloating…is not yours.”
“Comical you think your opinion matters to me.”
Landen’s jaw clenches as he steps back. “Your attitude is gonna be a problem if you expect me to continue helpin’ you.”
“Correction, you have a problem with my attitude, and that is your problem, not mine. Also, I never asked for your help. Ranger and I would do just fine with Noah.”
For the first time since he walked into the training session an hour ago and ruined my day, he lifts his backward baseball cap and scrubs his fingers through his thick brown hair.
I gulp at the intense way he keeps his gaze on me while he does it. Then he adjusts it back on his head and closes the gap between us, leaning down into my personal space.
“I’ll see ya tomorrow mornin’ at seven. Bring your runnin’ shoes and have your singin’ voice ready.”
He walks off before I can tell him to his face he’s lost his damn mind, but if Landen Hollis thinks he can continue barging into my life after my not-so-subtle hints of my hatred for him, I’m not going to make it easy for him to be around me.
In fact, he’s going to wish we never met.