Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 77936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“Might as well.” I wasn’t too proud to take the meds, hoping they kept some of the swelling and stiffness at bay.
“You gonna be okay to ride in the morning?” Maverick asked after handing me the painkillers and his water bottle. “We could switch horses.”
“You and Firecracker don’t like each other. I’ll be fine.” I wiggled my foot to make a point only to grimace. Fuck. Terrible timing.
“Don’t be a hero.” Maverick was fully in caretaker mode, placing one of our backpacks under my ankle. The longer he was back, the more he sounded like his younger self, less Californian, more of his innate Western accent coming through. “I could manage Firecracker. Adzuki or riding in the wagon might be easier on you.”
“I’m not riding in the wagon.” As if. The shame of turning my ankle on a late-night trip to water a tree wouldn’t let me accept that fate. “Let’s try to sleep.”
I gave the order, but my body didn’t listen as sleep continued to elude me. I finally drifted off moments before the camp started waking up, rustling sounds filling the early morning air. Hell. People would be looking for a morning fire. Ankle be damned, I hobbled out of the tent and was greeted by Hannah and Willow.
“How’d you get hurt?” Willow demanded.
“Being old.” I patted her shoulder. “I’ll be fine, honey.”
“He twisted his ankle.” Maverick was, of course, right behind me. “Why don’t you two help me start the fire?”
“I can do it,” I protested as Maverick steered me into a nearby camp chair.
“You can supervise,” he said brightly. “Let people help, Colt.”
“Not one of my talents,” I grumbled. I was the person who took care of everyone and everything else. Being the one sitting on the sidelines was unfamiliar, and I didn’t like it.
“I know.” Maverick pressed on my shoulder as if to make me stay put. “Which is why I’m gonna do it anyway.”
What he was doing was wearing me down, loosening my resolve to not get involved with him again. I had no business letting him in. However, watching him and the girls make a decent fire made me appreciate his competence as an uncle.
Appreciation turned to gratitude when he brought me a plate of food and a cup of coffee. Being taken care of continued to make my neck prickle, but part of me liked it more than I had any right to, chest going warm and tight.
I’d missed little gestures like this. Damn Maverick for reminding me of so many needs I’d pushed down—companionship, sex, him. Mainly him.
Chapter 19
Maverick
In LA, people would pay thirty bucks a plate for the bacon, pancakes, and eggs the trail ride dished up. Further, unlike LA, there was nary a comment about calories or carbs as we cleaned up from breakfast.
“Are you really going to ride Firecracker?” Hannah asked, tone blatantly skeptical.
“Sure.” I kept my voice upbeat. I’d spent all of breakfast convincing Colt to trade with me, faking a confidence I certainly didn’t have where the large horse was concerned. However, I’d brave a lot of things to take care of Colt. “Colt’s hurt. Adzuki is lower to the ground and easier to handle.”
“Please don’t die.” Hannah let out a surprisingly dramatic wail.
“Hey.” I stooped so we were eye to eye. Perhaps she wasn’t as stoic as I’d assumed. She’d had an awful lot of change thrust at her this summer, not to mention the ongoing issues with Faith’s sporadic attempts at parenting. “I’m not going to die, okay? I’m going to be here for you. I promise.”
“Okay.” Hannah swallowed hard. When she was born, I celebrated the arrival of cute baby photos, but I hadn’t felt the weight of responsibility, not like this. I was going to be hard-pressed to let her return to Houston with Faith, especially if Faith didn’t get her drinking under control. I needed to be there for Hannah.
With those thoughts weighing me down, I approached Firecracker.
“Listen. I know you’re a badass.” I spoke to him in low tones as I saddled him, giving lots of soothing pats and touches. “Biggest horse in the barn. Stubborn. I get it. I’ve got an independent streak as well. But if you could cooperate with me for a few hours, I’d really appreciate it.”
Maybe it was silly to talk to a horse. I didn’t care. I needed all the assistance I could get. Last night’s kissing made me more determined to take care of Colt’s injury. Maybe I’d never be his forever, but I could damn sure try to be what he needed right now. I tried not to think about Dominic, the toxic cycle of our fighting and his cheating, and the inevitable divorce, but the truth was that I’d been busy with too many hotel-flipping projects and juggling the show. Dominic had cheated all on his own, but I couldn’t deny that I hadn’t been the best husband. I wasn’t quite ready for another long-term relationship, but Colt inspired a level of caretaking and concern I hadn’t had since the early days of my marriage.