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“Good.” He nods. “You deserve it.”
I deserve it? Is Fender feeling okay? Does he have a fever? Is this the same man who yelled at me several times for how much I work?
He also apologized.
I blow out a breath. Fine. I won’t attack him for being a hypocrite no matter how much fun it would be.
“And I can bring a friend!” Isla exclaims.
“I’m the friend, aren’t I?” Jett asks. “I’ll get my riding gear on.”
“He has riding gear?” I ask.
Fender frowns. “Don’t ask.”
Isla tugs on Fender’s jeans to get his attention. “You’re my friend. I want you to come with.”
“Me?” Fender asks.
“Don’t you want to come?” She thrusts out her bottom lip in a pout. She’s pulling out the big guns.
“I’d love to join you.”
Darn. There goes my chance of avoiding him for the day.
“We'll leave as soon as I return from the city hall with the car.” Since Winter Falls is anti-car due to their whole environmental thing, there are cars locals can borrow whenever they need to travel further than the town’s limits.
“Don’t bother. We can use Cash’s.”
“I’m ready,” Jett announces as he rushes toward us.
I bite my bottom lip. I only have tickets for three of us to do the trail ride. I guess I can use some of the money in my emergency fund to pay for him.
“Don’t worry. Tweedle Dum will pay for himself.”
I narrow my eyes on Fender. How did he know what I was thinking? He smiles in return. A real one with those dimples on display. I quickly look away. Those dimples are lethal.
“I guess we’re ready.”
Isla jumps in the air. “Yee-haw!”
I ruffle her hair. I will not be the type of mom to shoot her down when she’s having fun no matter how loud or silly she is. In other words, I will not be my mom.
The horse ranch where we’re doing the trail ride is a thirty-minute drive. It’s not a silent journey. Not when my daughter’s around. Jett and Isla sit in the backseat and she jabbers to him the entire way.
When we arrive, I expect Jett to rush out of the car to escape my little chatterbox. But he helps Isla out of the car with a smile on his face. My girl can charm anyone. Fender pushes Jett out of the way to grasp Isla’s hand – even the King of Grumps.
“Hi!” a woman greets. “I’m Tammy. And you must be Leia and Isla.” Her gaze catches on Fender and her eyes flare. “And who might these gentlemen be?”
My stomach cramps and my hands tighten into fists. Who does this hussy think she is? Hitting on Fender while he’s standing next to me holding my daughter’s hand.
Whoa. I sound jealous. Shit. I am jealous. I force my hands to relax. I refuse to be jealous with regard to Fender. He’s not mine to be jealous of.
“I’m Jett. I’m the experienced one of the bunch.” He waggles his eyes to make it clear he’s not referring to experience with a horse.
Tammy rakes her gaze over him. Her eyes widen and her mouth drops open. I’m surprised she doesn’t lick her lips.
“I have some experience with horses,” Fender adds.
