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“I’m making progress!”
“That’s good, but you’re not going to be making any more progress until Debra gets back. What if Starlight bucks you off and you really hurt yourself? There isn’t anyone around to help you. And find your damn helmet!”
I knew that I was angrier than usual. I was amped up after tasting Jillian again, and I had no outlet. Ben was supposed to be doing the employee schedule, but he wasn’t in his office. More annoyed than ever, I stormed over to Silva’s stable to give Jillian a piece of my mind and found her with Ben and Debra.
In some sort of damn therapy session.
“I keep telling him that I don’t give a damn about his age!” Debra yelled. “He’s just using that as an excuse because he’s stubborn and bullheaded.”
“Debra,” Jillian interrupted calmly. “We talked about name calling and how it doesn’t solve anything. Ben has legitimate fears about your age difference, and you need to hear him out instead of dismissing him.”
My normally rock-solid ranch manager shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “I wouldn’t call it a fear, exactly. It’s a fact.”
“It’s fifteen freaking years. It’s not like you’re walking around on a cane,” Debra grumbled.
“Yes, but Ben is uncomfortable about those years, and as long as that’s the case, he won’t be comfortable with you two in a relationship.”
I couldn’t take any more. Walking up to them, I glared at all three. “You’ve got to be kidding me. My horse trainer isn’t training any horses, and my ranch manager isn’t managing my ranch, and the woman who knows absolutely nothing about successful relationships and listening to people’s needs is counseling them!”
Ben jumped to his feet. “I was just checking on Silva’s progress, and I got ambushed. I’m pretty sure that they planned it. Sorry, boss.”
I glared at him, and he quickly left the stable. Debra got up as well and rolled her eyes. “Kim’s been making plenty of progress with Starlight. I felt comfortable letting her work on her own for fifteen minutes.”
“He bucked her off, Debra.” Her eyes widened, and I gritted my teeth. “If she can’t control him, then she doesn’t need to be alone with him.”
“Oh, god. Is she okay?”
“She’s fine. Just go and make sure she doesn’t do anything else stupid, or I’ll make sure she isn’t around another horse for a month,” I growled. Lowering her eyes, Debra hurried away. I finally set my sights on Jillian. “Is this why you’re finally showing an interest in Silva? To set up an ambush for Ben?”
I expected her to yell. I wanted it, in fact. I was spoiling for a fight, but she calmly grabbed a carrot from her stash and held it out to the horse. He walked up to us, but he didn’t take the carrot.
“You’re scaring him,” she said quietly. “If you want him to eat, you need to leave us alone. I got him to take a bite of an apple earlier.”
“Don’t act like you care about him! My employees are not your clients, and you need to leave them alone!”
“Your employees are still people, Brendan. You should care about their happiness.”
“What do you know about happiness? You’ve closed yourself off and become this ice princess,” I snarled. She visibly flinched, and I knew that I was hurting her, but I didn’t stop. I didn’t want her temper to be the only thing that pierced through this wall she’d built around her.
I wanted to see Jillian again. My Jillian.
“If you’re so concerned about your work, then maybe you should go back to it,” she said in a clipped tone. She turned away from me, and I walked around her until she faced me again.
“Why did you agree to do this?”
“Because you wouldn’t give me a divorce otherwise, remember?” Taking a deep breath, she stepped around me and walked over to Darling’s stall. Reaching in, she stroked the horse’s muzzle with shaky hands. I could tell that she was upset. She wouldn’t be touching a horse unless she was trying to avoid me.
I pressed on. “Admit it. You wanted to be near me again. You’re here telling other people that they need to admit their feelings, and you can’t even admit your own. You want me.”
She whirled around. “You want to talk about needing something? You need me. Unless you want me to march up to Harry Blackwell right now and tell him your whole plan, I suggest you leave me alone.”
“Resorting to blackmail, Jillian? That’s not very professional of you, is it?”
“Who blackmailed who first? If you want to pick a fight, you can find someone else,” she said sharply as she backed away from me and grabbed her bag. “I’m not going to stand here and let you harass me like this.”
“I’m not harassing you. I’m just trying to get you to talk to me. To open up!”
