32. Chapter 32
Chapter 32
Colt
I head to the paddock with Blake, Brooks, and Callie. Whitney agreed to stay at the house with Millie and Brynn. I am watching from my position on the bleachers we still have set up from when the kindergarten classes were here. The horses look great. Brooks is examining them thoroughly while Blake and Callie chat with the owner.
I sit and contemplate how my life would be different if I hadn't taken the hard road I have traveled. I wonder if I could have stopped Callie from marrying that asshole and saved her from all the pain and heartache.
Could I have been there for her more and prevented the relationship she found herself trying to escape? Could I have made a different life for myself other than ranching? I love my job, but it's hard fucking work. Somedays I feel overwhelmed thinking about what could have been.
I know you aren't supposed to dwell on the past, but it is damn hard not to sometimes. I shake my head and relieve myself of the harsh memories floating around my mind. I don't want to think about my dad and all the toxic things I had to deal with.
I don't have time to have a pity party, I stand from the bleachers as I see the ranch hands coming in from the field. They are heading to the barn to put their horses up for the night. I start to walk over to the main barn. Most of the guys already have their horses placed in the stall and have pitched them some feed and made sure they have plenty of water.
I love that this facility is top-notch, and the horses get everything they need. I go down to Honey's stall and give her a treat. She is probably thinking I abandoned her today, or she is thanking her lucky stars that she didn't have to be out in the heat all day.
"Good girl," I coo. "You love those treats, don't you?" She snuggles my hand and allows me to love on her a little more.
"If you give me treats and call me a good girl, I'll let you snuggle me, too." I turn to find Brynn's eyebrows wiggle up and down. At least she has a smile on her face and some of her sass back.
Honey whinnies, and Brynn steps up to her and rubs a palm down her neck. Honey leans into her touch like she has missed her all these years. Brynn's eyes fill with tears as Honey nuzzles her. "I can't believe she is still here. "
I nod and give her the time she needs with her horse. I watch as all the hard edges of Brynn soften as she whispers to her horse. I can't make out what she is saying, but it looks like Honey is listening to her. Her big eyes are focused on Brynn, as if she is her favorite person in the world.
Watching the bond these two have even after all these years is amazing. Yet another reason horses are my favorite. I go down the line and check on the other horses that weren't out in the fields working today. All of them seem happy to have stayed in the barn out of the sun. I know some were out early to graze, but they all are fed and have water in their buckets.
Blake starts to walk a horse in, she is a beautiful chestnut brown with a white patch on her hindquarter and socks on her feet. He is just walking the horse through to see how it reacts to the barn. The new horses will be staying in the smaller barn until we can be sure they are healthy enough to be put with the others.
The horse is calm and doesn't even seem to care about the other horses. Callie follows into the barn with another, and the horses all start to make noise. Some don't seem happy to see the newcomer. It is fascinating to me how horses act when they meet others. Kinda like people, there are some you just can't stand .
Callie finishes her walk through and meets Blake back at the entrance to the large barn. "We are gonna go put the horses up for the night. See you guys at dinner."
I send up a hand in a wave and acknowledgement as Brynn continues to talk quietly to Honey. "Do you think she understands me?"
"Horses are intuitive and very smart. I think she can pick up on the feelings you are trying to convey."
"I would sneak out of my room almost every night and come out to the barn and talk with her. No matter the weather, I would sit on her stall floor and chat away. She never seemed to get tired of me. There were plenty of times dad would find me curled on the hay the next morning. He would always joke about trying to keep such a nice house for me and I'd rather be sleeping in a dirty old barn."
"Sounds like something he would say," I chuckle.
"He always teased me that he could convert a stall into a bedroom." A watery laugh falls from her lips, "I have a lot of regrets about staying away, but one that hurts the most is knowing Honey probably thought I didn't love her anymore."
"I think she knows. You are back now, and she didn't shy away from you." I gulp, knowing she won't be here for much longer. The thought of her leaving makes my chest hurt.
"I can't believe no one was able to ride her until you. How did that come about, anyway? "
"George was showing me around the property and when we got to the paddock, she was one of the few grazing. He told me I could pick any horse, and when I braced myself on the paddock, she whinnied at me. I turned to look into her big brown eyes, and I instantly fell in love. Your dad was shocked. He said everyone avoids getting too close to her because she would always huff out a breath and try to bite them."
"Out of all the cowboys here, you picked him?" Brynn says, thumbing in my direction. "Maybe she has gone senile," she giggles as I tickle her side with my fingers.
"Enough. She knows a good man when she sees one," I wink.
"Is that what you are? A good man?"
"I strive to be. Don't know if I succeed, but I try."
"They say horses and kids are excellent judges of character. I guess since Honey and Millie seem to like you…" she trails off.
"You seem to like me," I whisper in her ear and watch as the small hairs on her arms rise.
"I like your dick. There is a difference."
"Whatever you say, Firecracker."