Page 26 of The Maverick’s Legacy

“Oh, I don’t want to impose.”

“You live right near us,” Jesse said. “It wouldn’t be a problem.”

Which was how Carly found herself pulling into her driveway a short time later with Jesse and Oscar following in their truck after a quick stop to the bakery. They pulled up to the barn, and Carly got out of her car.

“Where do you want this?” Jesse said as he nodded toward the wooden board sticking out of the cab of his truck.

“Against the barn is fine,” she told him. She walked over to help them, but Jesse shooed her away.

“We’ve got this,” he told her.

“My macho man,” she joked. She was more than capable of helping with the heavy lumber, even if there was a tiny part of her that liked seeing Jesse’s arms strain inside his shirt as he and Oscar lifted the board and brought it to where she stood. They placed it where she requested.

Oscar was still upset with his dad, given the way he was coldly looking at him.

He turned to her and said, “Can I see your horse?”

“Oscar…” Jesse said.

“I can’t even look at a horse now?” Oscar retorted.

“You can look at him,” Carly replied. “Just be careful. Nieve can be a bit temperamental when he’s in a mood.”

Oscar brushed by his father without another word. Jesse watched him go before rubbing his forehead. “Is he okay with your horse if Nieve doesn’t do well around people?”

“I didn’t say that Nieve wasn’t good with people. He’s used to being around large crowds and little kids running up to him. That said, he’s one of the biggest divas in the world, which is why I said he’s temperamental.”

“Sorry,” Jesse muttered. He looked lost for a moment. “Like I told you the other day, my wife was always better at dealing with Oscar than me. I seem to tick him off all the time.”

Carly bit her lip before saying, “Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to give him some space.”

Jesse stiffened at that. “He needs someone to look out for him.”

“And you can do that, but…he’s a teenager. He’s clearly trying to figure out his own way. It’s hard to do that when someone is constantly looking out for you and not letting you make your own choices.”

A muscle in Jesse’s jaw ticked. “I don’t want him to get hurt.”

“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.