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“Sure you did, and if we’re being honest, you and she have always had that thing.”
“The hell you say!” Fin got to his feet and glared at Joe. “There is no thing, we’re friends.”
Joe got slowly to his feet, hiding his smile.
“If you say so, bud, but you sure as hell are pretty defensive about it, if you ask me.”
“No one’s asking you,” Fin snarled, walking away to greet the ‘striking redhead.’ Joe kept pace with him. Buzz beat them both to greet Maggie.
“She’s got that look about her when she walks.”
“What look?” Fin asked.
“Don’t mess with me, world, I’m Maggie Winter.”
Fin snorted, but didn’t add anything.
“Hey, Maggs. How come you’re not at the shop?” Joe moved forward to kiss her cheek; Fin did the same. Maggie stiffened a bit.Interesting, Joe thought.
“Bill’s working this afternoon, and after Bailey called, I thought I’d join her.”
“They just headed out. I can help you saddle up Sandy, and you can head out?”
“Why do all your horses have female names except Arthur?” Fin asked.
“They’re women that Luke and Jack have had in their lives.”
“You have to be shitting me?”
Joe laughed at Fin. “No, it just kind of happened that way after the first few horses arrived with those names, so now we keep it going—unless of course they’re male horses, because that would be just plain wrong.”
“It would, and while this conversation is riveting, I need to get out on a horse and blow a few cobwebs out of my head,” Maggie said. “Plus your sexy brother is out there with my friend somewhere, and I need to chaperone them.”
Joe didn’t like the flash of jealousy he felt at Maggie’s words. A, because he wasn’t the jealous type, and B, he was never the jealous type with his brothers.
“He’s a quick worker, that boy,” Fin said.
“Bailey’s not like that,” Maggs snapped, before Joe could. “She’s not the type to get involved with anyone who doesn’t mean something to her.”
“I didn’t mean any offence, Maggie.”
She sighed. “I know, sorry, it’s been a long day.”
“You doing okay there, sweet cheeks?” Joe slung an arm around Maggie’s shoulders.
“Sure.”
“Bailey’s an old friend, right?” Fin asked.
Maggie nodded. “And it’s awesome that she’s back.”
“But?” Fin said as the three of them headed back to the stables.
“But nothing.”
“There was definitely a but in there, Maggie.”
“Stop hounding the woman,” Joe said, because he could feel the tension in Maggie, and while he wanted to hear more about Bailey, he didn’t want to do so if her friend was upset. “Seriously, what’s with you today? Thinking of auditioning as the next Oprah?”
