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“Eighteen.” Ally’s eyes didn’t leave mine, but I shook my head. I couldn’t afford that. The warbly voice of the auctioneer, the hum of the crowd, the shuffling and whinnies of the horses all continued. But it was all white noise. I reached out to Ally and cupped her face, brushing my thumbs over her cheeks.
Then everyone was quiet, and it broke the spell. I looked around at the man bidding, and my lip curled in a sneer. It was dickhead from the night before. Handsy bastard. “Nah, I’m out.” He smirked at me, knowing he’d succeeded in making us pay more for the horse than we should have.
“Fuckin’ oath. Wanker,” Ally spat out under her breath.
“Congratulations, miss,” the auctioneer announced. “See Jay for paper and payment details.”
“I don’t have all of it. I’ve only got eleven.”
“That’s okay.” Ally squeezed my arm. “Transfer it to us and we’ll pay the difference.”
“Here you guys are.” Scottie’s bounced between us. I cleared my throat and stepped back, seeing Ally roll her eyes and sigh.
“We got this one as well as Daisy on the other side of the lot.” She turned to Scottie and smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She didn’t have the same radiance she did when she’d saved me at the auction. I hated myself for upsetting her. But even though Scottie had encouraged me to go for it and make his sister happy, I had Sam to think about too. I couldn’t break his trust, especially not when I’d just made the most impulsive decision of my life.
“He’s striking.” Scottie climbed up on the fence to get a better look at him. “Looks like a good horse. Fit too. Well looked after. What did you pick him up for?”
“Eighteen.” Ally crossed her arms and stared at me. I wanted to shrink into myself under the weight of her gaze and then I realized the problem. I hadn’t transferred the cash to her yet.
“Let me fix you up—”
“Eighteen! What the hell? You know we’re not buying racehorses, right?”
“Let me fix you up with what I have. I’ll pay the rest back too. Take it directly out of my wages.”
“Craig—” Ally started.
“Ally, what the hell?”
“He’s for Sam,” I answered urgently, trying to diffuse Scottie’s anger. “Sam’s horse, Eadie, was the dam, I’m sure of it. I’ve never seen another horse like her. Until now. The logo’s the same too. It’s the same breeder.”
“Oh.” He stared at me for a moment before nodding, his gaze softening as he did. “That’s… I get it. I would have done the same. Whatever the difference is that you don’t have, don’t worry about it. We’ll chip it in.” I didn’t know how to thank him, but Scottie brushed it off.
The bloke with the paperwork waited patiently for us to get it all filled out and give us payment details. It looked like we’d be going back to the bank that afternoon to get all the money paid across. I completed Sam’s details, unable to stop my hands from shaking even with the smile I couldn’t quite seem to stop. Scottie leaned over my shoulder, collecting the slip with the bank details and the next minute, the horse was ours pending the transfer.
“What’s his name?” Ally looking at the papers I was holding.
“Spook.” I laughed. “I like it.”
