Page 12 of Knox
Ian pointed at me. “Eat. You have two deliveries today if I’m not mistaken.”
I tucked into my food, and when Mom joined us, she hugged Sylvie before kissing my cheek.
It was strange that it took Uncle Ian showing up for Mom to accept me. Kept that to myself, though. It would hurt her feelings, and I didn’t want to do that.
Left me with questions, though, like the ones I had last night over Knox.
Sylvie said she had clean-up when I set my empty plate in the sink, and Ian followed me to the garage after I grabbed my boots and put them on.
The last bay held a golf cart, and we took that to the barn.
“Uncle, I have a question,” I said when I was sure we were alone.
“Okay.”
“What was Lacey’s problem yesterday?”
Ian laughed before stopping on the rise overlooking the barn. “I think I was the first person to tell her no, and then Knox told her no again. She didn’t leave the barn with anyone last night. Gonna have to fix that when Finn and I have our barn party. How are you?”
“So, Knox asked me for a ride yesterday. Sylvie was worried about supper, so I had her order pizza from my phone while he was in the back seat.”
“You bought his food, too,” Ian nodded.
“I did, yeah. His sister ended up with Jasper, and he asked me for a ride?” I shook my head. “When I dropped him off last night, he kissed me when his dad came out and stood on the porch. Don’t know what that was about. Was he saving himself or me?”
“Now, that’s interesting. You aren’t upset about Jasper, then.”
I frowned. “Dunno how to feel about it, really. Did he use me as a place to stay? I just want to know why, really. I miss him, but at the same time, he basically cheated on me, or used me or somethin’.”
“I think I changed things when I made you my heir, Josh. I’m sorry. The Macs had a plan, and I blew it up.”
I nodded. “It’s okay. I want someone who wants me back, you know? But if I wasn’t good enough for Marcus-”
“Well, those plans were set in motion before I came home, now. I claimed you as my heir, and that raised your status from the toy Ethan and Anni fought over to family.” He rubbed the topof my head. “You are family, Josh. No matter what happens or who you choose to be with.”
One truck with a trailer attached headed towards the barn from the road, and Ian took off in that direction again.
Andy MacHinden climbed out, and when Ian stopped the golf cart, Andy hugged me. “Happy birthday, Josh. I brought you a new horse to train. Roman is a two-year-old Quarterhorse from Atlanta. He’s quick, and should transition well from Western to English.”
He stepped back, and led me around to the trailer, letting the tailgate down. Ian handed me an apple and motioned for me to go ahead.
"Me? You want me to train him?" I whispered. Okay, dealing with Stryder was one thing. Ian's horse had a personality, and well, he was Ian's. I didn't know what to do with Roman.
"You." Andy winked. "I've seen you working with the others."
I took a deep breath and put a hand on the horse’s flank. "Okay. Here goes nothin'."
Ian laughed and shook his head. "You can do this, Josh. Have a little faith in yourself."
I nodded once, licked my top lip, and began to talk like Ian did when he wanted to coax a horse out of the trailer. “Hey, Roman. I’m Josh. Got an apple for ya, and a nice stall with some oats and hay. I’ve never ridden with a Western saddle. Heard they like to barrel race? Have you done that?”
I reached his head, and he scented me, touching his forehead to mine. I reached for the lead and kept talking as I backed him out.
“You’re my first horse, so I hope I make a good human,” I said as we cleared the trailer.
Roman took the apple from my hand, and I looked around, finding Cappy, who motioned me to Roman’s new stall.
Hellfire lifted his head from farther down, but that was the extent of his huff over Roman.
