Page 30 of Long Hard Fall

“I’ll be nice and introduce you as Hannah,” Cash said. “This is Abbi. She’d never ridden a horse before today.”

Sissy smiled widely despite her red-rimmed eyes and crossed to stroke Mandrell’s head. “My brother is the best one to teach you. He has a way with horses that he doesn’t have with people.”

“I can handle people,” he mumbled.

She rolled her eyes toward them. “Yeah, but you actually like horses.”

Abbi laughed. “I don’t think I’m ready for any riding competitions, but it was fun.”

He almost asked Sissy if she was okay, but with Abbi around, she probably wouldn’t speak openly. And Abbi didn’t need to deal with any more of his family’s shit.

“I’m going to join the navy,” Sissy announced abruptly.

Cash blinked at her in shock. “What brought that on?” She had no idea what she was getting into.

“Some asshole at school said I wouldn’t get into nursing school with my grades. So fuck it, I can be a medic or something. Same thing, right?”

“No, it isn’t, and you should know that before you join. And who was the asshole?”

Sissy huffed. “My college adviser. What does he know?” She squared her shoulders, her standard mutinous look on her face. “It’d give me experience and would look good on a nursing application.”

“So would being a CNA, right?”

Sissy glanced away. “I got fired,” she said under her breath.

Abbi watched their exchange silently. He wished the horses weren’t between them, because he itched to hold her hand.

“The military might be good for you then,” he said.

Sissy’s surprised expression landed on him. “Seriously. You’re okay with it?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? It’s a huge change, don’t doubt that. But you’ll get to experience a lot in a controlled environment. I just want you to make sure you know what you want, what’s offered, and what benefits you’ll get. Ask a lot of questions and take some time to decide.”

His sister’s demeanor lightened as his words got through to her. It’d be a miracle if she listened, but if her decision could just be a little less impulsive, he would consider it a success.

He took the lead from Abbi and led the horses back to the pasture. “How long are you staying?” he called to Sissy.

Abbi waited next to his sister, looking as comfortable as could be with her hands clenched in front of her and her gaze darting around. He liked it as much as he liked the first time he’d seen her standing in the barn’s doorway.

“I…quit the semester.”

Cash cringed. That was such a Sissy move.

“I have a meeting with the recruiter tomorrow.”

“I’ll go with.” He could at least make sure she signed on the dotted line with confidence.

“Just don’t tell Mom or Dad. I’ll do it—later.”

For once, he agreed with her. “Go fire up the grill. We’ll talk over supper. Okay with you, Abbi?”

He’d call the hospital and check on Frankie while he grilled. Sissy wasn’t in any shape to be alone and he didn’t want to take Abbi back to town so soon—or at all tonight. Leaving her with Sissy was just poor hospitality on his part. And who knew what trouble Sissy would cook up while he was gone. Hell, what would she do while he was there?

Abbi and Sissy laughed in the kitchen. They’d gotten so loud, he’d had a hard time hearing Frankie. She was doing better but didn’t know when she’d get released. Knowing she was in good hands took some weight off his shoulders as he finished supper. He stopped before he went inside, the plate of steaks steaming in his hand.

Sissy was giggling as she and Abbi chopped tomatoes and cucumbers for a salad. Abbi waved around the knife, telling some story he couldn’t hear.

The doubts he’d had his entire life about his chances for a family diminished with the sight. Why couldn’t he make a girl happy? He wasn’t Dad. He wasn’t geared toward cheating. At least, he didn’t think he was. He hadn’t been in a relationship long enough to try. Except for some dating in high school with copious amounts of warnings to treat her right and don’t break her heart from Mom, he’d given up trying.

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