Chapter Nine #3
“I get it, but unfortunately, that’s life, right?
You make mistakes, you get hurt, and you grow.
” Carly glanced toward Oscar to make sure that Nieve was being good for him.
Oscar was leaning against the wall opposite the horse’s stall.
He was talking to the white stallion, but it was low enough that neither she nor Jesse could hear what he was saying.
Jesse rubbed at his forehead again. “You’re right. I need to let him grow up and loosen the reins a little bit.”
She shook her head. “You know what? I don’t know what I’m talking about. He’s your son. You need to do what’s best for him.”
“No, I’ve been overly protective of Oscar. It’s not helping him to have me hover over him like a worried hen.”
She started to open her mouth to apologize when she noticed the streak of grime on his forehead. “Um,” Carly started with a smile, “you have some dirt or something on your forehead.”
“What?” Jesse looked down at his hands. They were filthy from moving the board. “Crap.”
“There’s a sink in my tack room if you want to wash your hands,” Carly told him.
“Yeah, thanks.” He looked over at Oscar, and Carly lifted a brow. He noticed the look and said, “I know, I know…give him space.”
Carly let out a small laugh. She watched Jesse disappear inside the room she’d indicated. She was relieved that he wasn’t upset that she stuck her nose into his business. Carly had never been good at keeping her opinions to herself, especially when she saw something that didn’t sit right with her.
She glanced into the barn again and saw Oscar now running his hand down Nieve’s forehead. The giant horse nuzzled his nose against the boy’s chest. Carly’s eyebrows raised at the interaction. While Nieve was typically good around people he didn’t know, he didn’t exactly cuddle with anyone but her.
“You’re really good with him,” Carly said as she approached Oscar and the horse.
Oscar turned his face away quickly and rubbed at his cheeks. When he turned to face her, Carly could tell he’d been crying and was doing his best to hide it from her.
“You know,” she said as she reached out to pat Nieve, “I don’t like to spoil him with too many sweets, but he does love the occasional sugar cube.”
She reached into her pocket and pulled a couple out before handing them to Oscar. The teen placed them in his palm and held them out to the horse, who took them gently.
The corner of Oscar’s mouth ticked up. “It tickles.”
“He likes you. He doesn’t usually warm up to people like that,” she said. She hid her smile when the boy brightened a little. “We can talk more about you helping out once the program is up and running, as long as your dad agrees.”
Oscar’s shoulders instantly dropped. “Dad will never say yes. He thinks I’m a toddler. He treats me like one. It’s bad enough that people at school treat me like I’m a freak. It’d be really nice if I wasn’t treated that way at home too.”
Carly wasn’t sure what to say to that. “You know, I was a few years younger than you when I entered my first race.”
Oscar peeked at her in interest. “I would have thought someone with your record started much younger in life.”
She shook her head. “Nope. My parents brought me into their home as a foster kid when I was about eight.” When Oscar looked at her funny, she explained, “I was adopted two years later. It took me awhile to trust them. Once I finally gave them a chance, they put me on a horse. It had been my first time ever on one.”
“And you were immediately great, right?” Oscar asked, a tad sarcastic.
Carly laughed. “The horse took off, and I fell, screaming, to the ground. My dad rushed to me to make sure I was okay. He told me if I needed a break from trying to learn how to ride a horse, I could take one. The general rule is if you fall off a horse, you’re supposed to get right back on. My mom and dad—”
Oscar rocked on his feet. “Your mom was a three-time All-Around World Champion, right?”
“That’s right,” Carly said. “Even though it went against the rules, she said she was fine with me walking away from the stable that day. Because no matter what it is, you’ll do everything in your power to make sure your kids are safe.”
Oscar stilled for a second. He finally left out a huff. “I see what you’re saying.”
“Oscar,” Jesse said from a distance. Carly looked behind her to see him leaning against the entryway of the barn. “We should get home.”
Oscar nodded. “See you later, Carly. Thanks for letting me spend time with Nieve.”
“You’re welcome,” she replied.
Oscar brushed by Jesse, who stared at her. His lip ticked upward, and he mouthed, Thank you.
Carly smiled in return. She walked the Abernathy men to their truck.
Before Jesse hopped in, he said, “We’re good for tonight?”
“Yes, I’d like that.”
Jesse gave her a look that tugged at her heart. He tapped the rim of his hat and said, “Ms. Hawkins.”
She nodded in response. “Mr. Abernathy.”
As he started up the vehicle, he poked his head out the open window. “Wear something that you can move in.”
Before she could get a chance to ask what he meant, he waved goodbye, and the men left.