AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I nod but don’t have any plans on going inside yet. I was hoping to get a little closer and have another talk with Storm, but I’m not sure how that’s gonna work with the kid here. “Don’t’cha got anything to do besides sit here and bug me?”
She laughs. Who in the hell is this kid? “You don’t like kids?”
“I don’t know what to do with kids.”
“You don’t gotta do anything with me,” she says just as Storm starts making a fuss again, kicking up dirt and huffing.
I look up and see Sully making his way over. “Jesus Christ,” I groan. “What is this, a party?”
“Just wanted to see what the two of you are doin’,” Sully answers.
“Well, I was trying to get some alone time with Storm, but that doesn’t seem like it’s gonna happen.”
There’s a whole ranch for the two of them to do whatever the hell they want, yet they have to sit here with me?
“Why do you just sit in here with him?” Pixie asks. “It don’t feel like you’re doing much.”
“So he gets used to being around me…and knows I won’t hurt him and that I’m not going anywhere. It’s like a socializing thing. Every once in a while I get closer, talk to him.” I’ve been working with horses most of my life, and yet a few minutes with Pixie and she has me second-guessing myself.
“She’s giving you a hard time,” Sully says to me, then turns to the kid. “Go easy on him.”
“What’d I do?” She bats her eyelashes like she’s innocent when I think she’s anything but.
“She’s full of mischief, just like you.”
“I’m not full of nothing,” I argue, and the two of them start laughing. As annoying as it is, I have to bite the insides of my cheeks so I don’t do the same. I don’t want to think they’re cute or funny or whatever it is they’re going for, but I’m finding it harder than I should to keep my emotions shut down. Sometimes just looking at him makes me want to forget all the hardships between us.
“We’re gonna have a bonfire tonight.” Sully reaches over and flicks my leg. “You gonna hang out, or sit in the bunkhouse and sulk?”
“Probably sit in the bunkhouse and sulk,” I answer honestly. There’s no point pretending I’m something I’m not.
“I don’t remember you being this boring.”
“I’m not boring,” I argue.
“You just said you’d rather sulk than have a bonfire,” Pixie points out. She and Sully both snicker again. I’m not liking these two-on-one odds.
“No one asked you,” I grumble at her, just as I hear Sully’s momma yelling that dinner is done.
He turns to me. “You wanna go in and eat with us?”
I tense up. He used to always try to get me to eat with them when we were kids too. I tried my hardest to refuse, but sometimes they’d ask my momma, who would make me go. She said they were kind and we had to show them we appreciated it. I didn’t know how to sit in their house, at their table, and eat their food. “Nah, Big Jimmy cooked.”
“If there’s anything left by now,” Pixie says, and I swear, she’s like an adult in a kid’s body.
“If not, I’ll figure it out.” I don’t know how to handle all these people trying to take care of me. Makes my head spin and my skin feel too tight.
“Come on, kiddo. You can eat with us tonight,” Sully tells her, clearly knowing I’m not gonna change my mind. I’m surprised he gave up that easily, but now we’re just boss and employee, so I guess he realizes that’s a line he shouldn’t cross.
“Hope to see you tonight.” Sully tips his hat, the two of them walking away.
I wait until I can’t see them anymore before I stand. Storm is watching me, and if I’d been paying attention to him instead of Sully, I probably would have seen him watching them too. The frustrating man always gets inside my head.
I take a few steps closer to Storm, who immediately starts huffing at me.
“You don’t have to be afraid of me. I don’t like people much more than you do. We’ve got that in common, the two of us.” He settles down some but keeps his eyes on me. I’m aware of him the whole time. I don’t think he would hurt me, but you never know. “You probably think I’m just like that…trying to socialize you, the way they try to socialize me. I can’t believe Sully thinks I’d go have dinner with him and his family.”
I keep my voice soft and conversational, like Storm and I are a couple of buddies having a chat, as I take a few more steps closer.
