Oh yes, standoffish gone.
“Can I have a ride sometime?” No asked and I looked at him to see he was barely containing an uncontainable Layla by her collar.
“You ride?” I asked back.
“Never,” he answered.
“You want lessons, I have two horses. Just come over and we’ll get you up on one.”
“Awesome,” he breathed.
I grinned.
“Rees too?” he asked.
“She wants it, my horses need exercise. You’d be doing me a favor.”
“Dig it!” he exclaimed.
I saw it then. His boyish exuberance. Fin stopped being like that at least a year ago.
“Get Layla in the house, No, will you?” Mike asked.
“Sure Dad,” No answered and looked at me as he led a still excited Layla to the door calling, “See you later, Dusty.”
“Later, honey.”
Then they were gone.
Mike moved off the deck toward me.
Then he was at me and I knew we probably didn’t have a lot of time because when he got there, he curled a hand warm on my neck and dipped his head but only for a peck on the lips. And I knew I got that because he didn’t want his kids to catch him giving me more but his eyes stated clearly he wanted to give it to me.
“Both my kids love animals. Rees just went from Mom hell to cloud nine,” he whispered, not, thankfully, moving his hand.
“Excellent,” I whispered back.
The light in his eyes that was residual humor died away but they warmed in a way that made the area around my heart warm too.
“Thank you, Angel.” He was still whispering but the words came from the heart.
“Anytime, honey.” I was still whispering too.
His hand gave me a squeeze and the backdoor opened. I lost his hand as Mike stepped aside, turned and I looked to Rees. She had an attractive, light pink corduroy jacket on, a beige fluffy scarf wrapped around her neck making her thick, gorgeous hair fluff out around it like it had been arranged for a photo shoot, matching mittens and a cute little purse with a short strap tucked under her shoulder.
“Ready?” I asked.
“Yeah,” she replied quietly.
Getting the hint Thursday night and that morning that PDA between us was something Mike wanted to introduce gradually to his kids, I reached out, grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. He squeezed back. I let go and mounted Moonshine.
Then I watched with no small amount of fascination as Mike lifted his fifteen year old daughter in his arms like she was four years old and deposited her on the horse behind me.
“See you later,” I called to Mike who was stepping back as I wheeled Moonshine around.
“Later, Dad!” Rees called, her voice louder and livelier than I’d ever heard from her.
“Later,” Mike called back and I walked Moonshine out.
Once we cleared the gate I twisted my head and said, “Hold on a little tighter, Rees. I’m gonna give Moonshine her head.”
She held on tighter and then she asked a question, engaging me for the first time, “Her name is Moonshine?”
“Yep,” I replied as we went from walk to canter.
“That’s cool,” she decreed.
“Thanks. My other horse is named Blaise.”
“Awesome,” she murmured as I took Moonshine from a walk to a gentle gallop.
I wasn’t surprised as we approached the house to see Fin exiting the backdoor with his kickass, farmer boy, sheepskin-lined jeans jacket on. He’d probably seen me ride over to Mike’s. He’d definitely seen the cargo I was carrying when we rode back.
I slowed when I got close to him and an idea popped into my head. And, as usual, I had it then I went with it.
I stopped by Fin who looked up at me and smiled a small smile then he looked at Rees.
“Hey, Rees,” he greeted.
“Hey, Fin,” she said quietly.
Seeing as my brother loved me, every year he brought his family to wherever I was at least once but often twice. This was usually Thanksgiving, Christmas or my birthday. Since I’d had horses as long as I could afford to have them, this meant Finley and Kirby had been on the back of them since they were little. And when they got bigger, they got lessons from Aunt Dusty. Both of them took to them, having natural seats.
Fin could totally take Moonshine and Rees out on a ride while I saw to preparing for a fifteen year old girl’s birthday party hours earlier than I’d planned.
Therefore, I asked, “Fin, honey, Moonshine needs her exercise and I gotta go in and get ready to take Rees out. It’ll be boring for her to hang out while I do my makeup and stuff. Can you do me a favor and take them for a ride?”
Fin’s face took on a look I tried not to let scare me considering, if Mike saw it, he’d grab his daughter and lock her in a basement somewhere or, possibly, shoot Fin dead immediately with his service weapon.
“Sure,” Fin replied casually.
Casual my ass.
I suppressed my grin and twisted to look at Clarisse who was gazing down at Fin like she wanted to pour chocolate sauce on him and eat him up.
Oh boy, definitely rethinking my decision.