Page 159 of Nothing Special X: The Last Stand

Fox studied him for a beat. “You forgive him?”

Syn guided Nimbus through a turn before answering. “Yeah. I think I have.”

Fox stayed quiet.

Syn looked toward Furi again, only this time Fox didn’t bark at him for it.

A couple of little girls played with Furi’s braids while he helped a scared little boy hold out a handful of feed to a donkey. He spoke to him gently, smiling when the donkey took the food and the child lit up as if he’d just tamed a dragon.

Syn tightened his hold on the reins.

“I’m not willing to let him go,” he said. “And I can’t torture him forever either.”

Fox tilted his head. “That’s a hard place to stand.”

“Yeah.”

“There’s still two more videos coming.” Fox leaned against the fence post. “What are you gonna do?”

Syn took another slow breath and let Nimbus walk. “Not watch ’em.”

Fox made a thoughtful sound. “Think that’ll work?”

“It’ll have to.” Syn tried to stay relaxed in the saddle. “I’m not gonna watch it and allow fuel to be thrown onto a fire we just put out.”

“Makes sense,” Fox said.

Syn swallowed, not wanting to say the next part, but he needed to get it out. “The hardest part’s not the damn videos.”

“What is?”

Syn’s gaze went toward the petting area again.

Rid had drifted near the fence under the pretense of checking a latch, his eyes wandering toward Furi, who didn’t seem to notice. Or he did and chose not to pay attention to it. He was busy letting a baby goat chew the end of his braid while Amelia laughed, trying to pry it away.

“Reactions like Rid’s,” Syn said quietly. “And he’s tame compared to what’s out there. Men and women will recognize him. They’ll remember things. Say things. Want things.”

Fox’s expression sobered.

Syn turned away before the ugly edge of jealousy could embarrass him. “I don’t want to punish him because other men don’t know how to keep their eyes to themselves. But it still fuckin‘ infuriates me.”

“Of course it does,” Fox said. “Because you’re you.”

Syn scoffed. “I thought cowboys gave the most insightful advice. That’s all you gotta say?”

“I thought it was insightful.”

“You shouldn’t’ve quit your day job,” Syn smirked.

He guided Nimbus to a stop near the fence. Fox rested one hand on the horse’s neck, looking past Syn toward the petting area.

“Others may have eyes for him,” Fox said, voice steady, “but Furi only and always has only had eyes for you.”

Syn glanced over his shoulder. Furi was staring right at him, even with half the petting area gathered around him. Kids tugging for his attention, adults and staff pretending not to watch, animals crowding his knees, but Furi’s gaze cut through all of it and stayed on Syn as if he was the only thing worth seeing.

The lesson finished with Syn managing two full turns, one decent halt, and a walk around the pen without Fox threatening to blind him again.

Nimbus seemed unimpressed with him, but he accepted the praise anyway, lowering his head after he’d dismounted and accepting the rubs on his neck.