Chapter Seven #2
Ethan checked the cinch one more time, put his foot in the stirrup, and swung up. Copper shifted beneath him, alert and ready. He walked her around the perimeter once, feeling her out, letting her settle into him.
She was good. He’d always known it but here in the saddle he felt it more clearly. Light in the bridle, responsive, coiled up and waiting.
He set her up at the start, took a breath, and gave her the signal.
She launched.
Ethan hadn’t run a pattern in years, but his body took over the way it did with things learned young. He took the first barrel clean, felt Copper dig in and drive to the second, took it tight, then the third, and brought her home hard down the alley.
He pulled her up and sat there for a second, his blood running faster than it had in a while, then he walked her back to where Carl stood at the rail. He hadn’t noticed the second figure beside him until he got closer.
Naomi.
She was leaning on the top rail next to Carl, still in her jeans and T-shirt from her ride, her arms folded, watching him with an expression he couldn’t quite read from the saddle.
He pulled Copper up in front of them.
“That was impressive,” Carl said. “What are you asking?”
Ethan glanced at Naomi. She raised an eyebrow just slightly, a small smile at the corner of her mouth.
He looked back at Carl. “Thirty thousand.”
Carl’s expression didn’t change. “That’s a serious number.”
“She’s a serious horse.” Ethan dismounted and ran a hand down Copper’s neck.
“She’s placed in the top three at every sanctioned event she’s entered in the last six months.
Two firsts, three seconds. Her times are in the top percentile for her age class.
” He looked at Carl. “You’re not just buying a trained barrel racer. You’re buying a proven champion.”
Carl was quiet for a moment, his eyes on the mare.
“Who’s been riding her?”
“One of my trainers. Serena McKay.” Ethan handed the reins to Rowdy who’d appeared at his elbow. “She’s been with Copper since the beginning.”
Carl pushed off the rail, walked to the mare, and ran his hands along her legs, checking her feet, looking at her teeth. Copper stood perfectly still and let him.
“Twenty-eight,” Carl said without looking up.
“Twenty-nine five and she’s yours.”
Carl straightened and looked at him for a long moment.
“Done.” He extended his hand.
Ethan shook it.
He glanced over at Naomi. She was still leaning on the rail, arms folded, that small smile still there.
“Not bad,” she said quietly as he walked past her.
“Thank you,” he said, just as quietly.
Carl pulled out his phone, and they exchanged details for the wire transfer, then the older man shook Ethan’s hand one more time and nodded at Naomi.
“Ma’am.” He climbed back in his truck and pulled out of the yard.
Ethan watched him go, then turned around.
Naomi was staring at him.
He looked at her. “What?”
“I had no idea.” She shook her head slowly. “I mean I knew you used to race but watching you out there—” She stopped. “Ethan, you were incredible. The way you moved with her, the turns, the speed.” She tilted her head. “Why did you ever stop?”
“I told you. College.”
“You could have gone back to it.”
The ranch needed me.” He shrugged, but her steady gaze made it hard to sound casual. “It was a long time ago.”
“It didn’t look like a long time ago out there.” She pushed off the rail and walked toward him, stopping close. “You were born to do that.”
He looked down at her. “I was born to do this too.”
She held his gaze for a moment, then nodded slowly like she understood exactly what he meant.
“Yes,” she said. “You were.”
“I have to meet Seth and Cole for breakfast.” He glanced at his watch. “I’ll see you when I get back. Do you want to get together this evening?”
She smiled. “I’d like that. Come up when you’re ready.”
“Alright.” He touched the brim of his hat and turned toward the house.
“Ethan.”
He looked back.
“Tell your brothers I said hello.” Her eyes were dancing.
He shook his head. “Absolutely not.”
She laughed as he walked away and he kept his expression straight until he was around the corner of the barn. Then he smiled.
He pulled onto the road, let his mind wander and it kept coming back to her.
He enjoyed her company more than he’d enjoyed anyone’s in a long time, and last night had only made it worse. Or better. He wasn’t sure which. The thought of not having her around felt strange that he hadn’t expected, like something had already shifted without his permission.
But he wasn’t going to push. That wasn’t who he was.
He just wasn’t sure what she wanted beyond what they already had, and he wasn’t willing to assume. She’d been hurt before. She’d come here for a fresh start and the last thing he wanted was to be another thing that complicated her life.
He turned into town and told himself to stop thinking about it until he had reason to think about it.
He pulled into the diner parking lot.
Cole’s and Seth’s trucks were already there.
He was going to need coffee before they started in on him.
He pushed through the diner door and nodded at the few people who called out to him as he made his way to the counter. Cole was on the end stool, Seth beside him. Ethan dropped onto the stool on Cole’s other side.
Connie appeared with the coffee pot and smiled as she filled a cup and set it in front of him.
“Morning, Ethan.”
“Morning, Connie.”
She moved off down the counter. He wrapped his hands around the mug and took a sip.
His brothers said nothing. He could feel it coming.