Page 11 of Never Left You

Leaning up against the trailer, I smiled. I loved Nova. I wouldn’t trade her in for the world. “She’s the one and only thing that has stuck by me. Of course it’s still her. I’ll be with her until the end.”

Lachlan raised his eyebrow at me. “You trained her. I wouldn’t think you would just get rid of her.” He took a deep breath as I passed him, Nova bobbing her head as we moved. Nova hated the trailer, and being shoved in between two geldings wasn’t her favorite thing in the world.

“Why is a barrel racer traveling with two horses?” Lachlan asked, pushing himself off the side of the trailer to step inside, heading straight for Hook first.

“Depending on how many runs she does, she switches horses,” I answered. “Smart of her, hell for training. I feel like I have to do double the work to get both horses where we want them.”

“How are you training Quinn with two horses plus other clients?”

I chuckled between my teeth, lowering my chin to look at my boots before talking. “I don’t have any other clients.”

“None?” Lachlan paused. “None at all?” His rough voice hit with slight concern.

“Quinn’s it. She almost made it to the NFR last year, and if she sticks to the PT schedule, she can make it this year.” I turned to look at him over my shoulder. “I’m proud of that girl.”

“She’s young, too.” Lachlan stated.

“Twenty-two.” I confirmed, giving him a curt nod. “Age has nothing to do with it.”

A scoff left his nose, sounding more like a horse than man. “So, who’s this?” he changed the subject, patting Hook’s neck.

“Hook. This is the guy that fell on her.”

“He didn’t get hurt did he?” Lachlan looked over at me, raising an eyebrow.

His mind probably went straight to where mine went when I saw the horse fall on her. Thankfully, Hook got up with no problem. The horse that fell on me had a different fate.

I pursed my lips, not really wanting to go down that path.

He hummed, obviously sensing I didn’t want to mention that night, and then jerked his head down the row of stables. “The three at the end are for you—right next to Luna.”

Luna…

“Haven’t heard that name in forever. How’s that old gal doin’?” I approached the stall carefully, jitters running through my stomach at the thought of seeing something that was close to Sylas.

He would take Luna, Lachlan would be on Onyx, myself on Nova, and we’d roam the areas surrounding our events before we hit the bars or beds. Time with my friends was all I wanted when I needed to wind down from a ride, and I missed those quiet moments. I didn’t have moments like that anymore. Life was loud and chaotic.

“She’s great.” Lachlan opened a stall and led Hook inside, unlatching his lead and scratching behind his ear before Hook left him to go straight for the water trough. “Abi takes her out every now and then, when she’s not busy around the ranch.”

I stiffened at the mention of Abi’s name, glancing around the stables before leading Nova into her own stall and undoing her lead. I blinked out of my stupor. “Glad the old gal gets out.”

“She’s not that old. She’s only twelve.” Lachlan chuckled. “Onyx is fifteen.”

“And still dealing with your ass half the time.”

“Ha. Ha.” Lachlan grumbled. “What’s the other horse’s name?” He locked the stall and turned his back to me, an eyebrow raised in question.

“Charming.” I answered, watching Lachlan as he stopped mid step and turned to look at me.

“Charming?” he repeated, raising a brow in question. Lachlan kept to the traditional horse names, pretty sure there was an Echo in their stables.

“Quinn likes fairy tales.”

He raised a single eyebrow before giving his head a shake, turning with a sigh and adjusting his hat. “First Kyla named a cow Josie, and now a horse named Charming…”

“It fits the horse,” I hollered towards him.

His head down, he lifted his arm to me to wave his hand, “I’m sure it does.”

---