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CHAPTERTWO
Emily
My face colorswith shame when I think of the big cowboy dude from yesterday. I'm never rude like that, but he caught me at a bad moment. I was still stewing over the most recent turn of events with my mother when he backed over me like a dump truck.
Truth be told, I was a bit dazed by his hazel eyes and lightly stubbled jawline—not to mention the way he towered over me, his black cowboy hat, and how he called me “little lady” in that lilting southern drawl. I could tell the man was ripped beneath his button-up shirt. It was all the poor fabric could do to contain those muscles.
I didn’t stick around after I hissed at him like a feral cat. At least he doesn’t know who I am.
Still, I'm irritated that my thoughts keep drifting back to him, and I have no idea why. He’s a stranger, so why does it matter if I was rude to him?
Sitting on the grass by the lake, I try to unwind and enjoy my vacation, yet I can't get the big, hulking stranger out of my mind.
I take in the majestic mountains and the colorful streaks of pink, purple, and amber in the sky. Closing my eyes, I focus on the meditative breathing I learned in yoga class.
Just as my shoulders relax and I start to center, a giggle causes my eyes to snap open. It's a forty-year-old giggle that immediately has all the tension returning to my body.
I look out over the water to see my mother and her ridiculous boy-toy paddle boarding.
I push down the growl that threatens to rumble from my throat. Everywhere I go today, they're there.
They were by the fire pit. They were at the in-ground pool. They were at the volleyball court. Jesus, I can't get away from them. I don’t think they’re purposefully following me around, but you’d think a resort this size would afford me some peace and quiet away from my mother and her latest fling.
But no, they're present from the moment I wake up, and if I go out to put some distance between us, they seem to find me. It’s making me sick—literally. I lost my appetite at lunch when I saw them finger-feeding each other.
I'm not a shitty daughter who doesn't want her mom to be happy, but I've been through this my entire life. My mom is all hot and heavy for a guy one week, and the next, she's moved on to another. That's why I no longer take the time to learn their names.
My mother goes through men like shoes. She wears them until she's ready for a new style, and then she discards them. It’s annoying, especially when her latest pair of shoes is her number one focus while she has them.
Mom has always put me on the back burner. I might as well have raised myself. I'm lucky I had the grades to go to college on a full scholarship because she certainly never put anything aside for my education. She was too busy flitting from man to man. My mom is the definition of “boy crazy.”
I hear a loud squeal, and I know it's my mother. Sure enough, a loud splash follows, and I look up to see that her latest fling has dumped her into the water. Her tank top is completely soaked and clinging to her breasts, and it’s obvious she’s not wearing a bikini underneath.
“Oh, for Christ’s sake.” I stand with a huff. I don’t know where I'm going, but I need to get far away from my mother. I’m a little more than half her age but twice as mature.
By the time I stop walking, I'm in front of the main lodge. I push my way through the front door, scanning the lobby.Grabbing a disposable cup, I fill my glass with some cucumber water. I take a long sip, enjoying the cool and refreshing flavor when my eyes land on a smattering of business cards on the guest information desk.Scanning them idly, I see one that looks different from the rest. It has a picture of a horse on it. Horseback riding.
I pick it up and flick it between my fingers. I've never ridden a horse before, and it might help distract me from my mother and her boy-toy’s antics. My mother would never get on a horse, though she’d undoubtedly be a pro with the amount of practice she’s had riding things.
I snort at my internal joke.
Taking another sip of the water, I glance at the address. The stable isn't located here at the resort, but it's nearby, which ultimately cements my decision.
I down the rest of my water and pocket the card in my shorts.
Looks like I'm going to learn how to ride a horse.
Anything to get me off this resort and away from my mother's ridiculous giggles.
* * *
Cole
I head up to the office, where my last client of the day waits. My sister shot me a text a few minutes ago to let me know someone signed up for a riding lesson at the last minute.
The woman has never touched a horse, so she's a true beginner.
Completely green beginners are the clients I like to work with the most because I don't have to break them of any bad habits. I can teach her the proper way to approach, saddle, and ride a horse from the get-go.
