Page 31 of Want You Back

“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.

Chapter19

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.

“Ow.” Colt limped around Adzuki, looking in no shape to ride, but he mounted with a pained groan before I could renew my bid for him to ride in the wagon, let others worry about how to get the extra horse back.

Determined to show I was capable, I swung up—wayup—into the saddle. So far, so good.

“You can have all the treats back at the ranch if you don’t throw me,” I promised softly.

“Looking good, cowboy.” Colt managed to joke despite the deep lines around his eyes and mouth. It didn’t matter how hard Firecracker was to handle. Colt would be the one hurting more at the end of the ride, and that perspective kept me from complaining even as Firecracker required far more from my hamstrings than the placid Adzuki had.

Halfway back to the trailhead, though, a surprising thing happened. I started to enjoy the ride. As a kid and teen, I’d always faced a string of critiques for my riding skills, but left to my own devices, it turned out I remembered far more than I’d realized, even with a difficult horse.Good job, Maverick.I heard the ghost of my mother’s voice, that rare approval for my cowboy skills. I knew better than to get cocky, but relaxing into the ride gave me fresh confidence, a continued high even as we ended the ride in the early afternoon.

“Should we help Willow and Colt tonight?” Hannah asked as she dismounted next to me. “I don’t think Willow can cook.”

“You have a good heart.” I’d already been musing over a similar plan. “Yes, we should help.”

“I don’t need help.” Colt was one of the last riders to arrive back at the parking lot and almost fell getting off Adzuki.

“Colt. You can barely drive. Thank God your truck looks like an automatic.” I steered him toward his truck, using the maneuver as an excuse to serve as his human crutch. “I already texted Kat. I’ll drop the horses off, then come over. Willow and Hannah can have the additional time together, and I’ll make sure you rest.”

“How do you intend to do that?” Colt was possibly more stubborn than Firecracker.

---