Cash told me they weren’t going to have a big wedding, but Abi wanted to keep to some traditions. She’d walk down the aisle after the wedding party. Meaning—
“Looks like I get to walk you down the aisle, Compton.”
“What the fuck did you get into?” I groaned as I scraped the brush through Rusty’s coat. Spring was officially in full swing at Hartwell Hills, and mud was everywhere. My normally chestnut colored horse was now a dark, deep brown, and his coat was hard and crusted. I scraped at the dry mud, his tail whipping back to hit me. “Don’t.” I looked at my horse, tempted to tug his mane.
He huffed and shook his head.
“I swear the fields are nothing but mud,” Abi called from the other stall, her voice carrying through the air between us. “Marshmallow is as black as Onyx.”
“Oh joy,” I grumbled, pulling a dry patch from Rusty, which earned me another loud whine. “Can’t wait to get to that stall.”
“Stetson will do his own damn horse. We have others to tend to. And I swear, these horses aren’t going back into the field until after it dries.”
“Abi,” I dropped the brush to my side and walked to the barrier, draping my arms to get a good look at her. “It’s spring on the ranch…it’s going to be wet for months.”
She was squatting next to the horse’s hind legs, putting just as much pressure on the comb as I was. She let out a long groanand stood. “How long do you think it will take the two of us to de-mud and bathe all of these horses?”
I inhaled, looking at my sister. The Nova Luna Stables housed thirty horses, and currently, we were at full capacity. The horses stayed for a few weeks to a few months; others had become permanent residents.
“If we both take fifteen…” I let out a puff of air through my lips. “We’ll be done by fall.”
Slumping her shoulders, she lifted her chin to the ceiling. “You’ll never get any announcing jobs if I keep you here brushing horses.”
I huffed a laugh, pushing myself back into Rusty’s stall. “Hawkins told me he saw my name in Reno, but they’re cutting it close.”
“Reno?” Abi parroted. “That would be a cool one to get your comeback. I’d come to that one.”
“Quinn’s on the board.”
Abi’s head popped over the wall separating the two stalls. “Really?”
“Yeah, I was looking at her schedule last night. She’s booked herself up until the Fourth of July.”
It was Abi’s turn to rest her arms on the wall, the brush dangling between her fingers as she looked at me. “And are you going to travel with her?”
I raised a brow and looked at my twin. “Worried I won’t be around to help here?” I joked.
Abi shook her head. “You know I’d rather you do what you love than working here, but Iamcurious now.” She dragged her voice a little as she spoke the last few words. Knowing her, she’s been wanting to talk about this. When it came to talking to me, it wasn’t like Abi to hold anything back, so my interest was definitely piqued.
“Curious about…” I stopped brushing Rusty and walked to the wall, coming up to her side.
“What’s happening between you two?” she asked, and before I could say anything in response, she kept going. “Last I knew, Quinn hated you—”
“She doesn’t hate me…anymore,” I emphasizedanymore,knowing full well that months ago she wanted nothing to do with me. But the feeling of sitting next to her on her hotel bed, and in her car, on her couch watching that stupid show—her arms around me after a win—all of those moments were too strong to say she still hated me. I was growing on her—even she would admit that.
“Okay, she’s not overly fond of you, but having you there helped, I can tell.” She met my gaze. “That first weekend, she would text Cash and complain, but we hardly heard from her this time around. We heard from you more about making sure we followed, so…I’m just curious as to what is going on inside your head.” Raising her arm, she used the end of the brush handle to tap on my forehead. “This is Quinn we're talking about, and last year…”
“She shot me down.”
“Multiple times.” She deadpanned. “And called you childish, and didn’t she say you were more starch than man?”
“I haven’t starched my Wranglers in months.”
“She was…” She swayed her head and shrugged her shoulders. “Wondering about you the other day. It just made me wonder what your intentions are with her.”
“You know, same as always. Flirt, tease, chase, eventually get her to see how amazing I am.” I flashed her a grin, which faded the moment I looked at my sister.
Abi dropped her arms and let her groan echo through the stable. “I’m being serious, Wyatt. I just want to know what your plans are when it comes to her. Quinn is becoming a friend; Ilike having her around. Quinn is—” She paused, taking a breath. “She’s funny, she’s smart, she doesn’t take anyone’s shit. I’ve never seen a girl that young as determined as her. I don’t want you to—”
