Page 22 of Run, Run Rudolph
I forced my hands to flatten at my sides when all they wanted to do was curl into fists. His tone was too tight, too falsely gentle, and it bothered me. It made me feel as though he was trying to soothe the unhinged, or that same bothersome young girl who’d asked him to save an injured mouse.
Although, he’d actually been really good about that when my eleven-year-old self had shown up at his house with a tiny mouse in a pink shoebox. He’d nursed it back to health for me. What nineteen-year-old man did that? No wonder I’d crushed on him so hard, and then taken his attention the wrong way. Even though he was clearly too old for me.
He’d done a good job of taking my worries seriously, and making me feel seen and important.
“Maybe you can see him,” I said flippantly. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“Yeah, I don’t.” My confidence and sassiness faltered. If Rudolph’s ability to let Haden see him failed, then what? “Also, please note that your name calling is not funny,” I grumbled, leading him to the stall where Rudolph was napping, and hopefully sobering up. “You’re not as cute as you think you are.”
“So I’ve been told.” He stroked Dolly’s long nose on his way past, earning an affectionate huff from the old mare.
“And you haven’t bothered to correct that fatal flaw, huh?” I asked. “Figure you’ll find someone who loves you just the way you are?”
Behind me, Haden said smoothly, his tone light with amusement. “My self-confidence comes from media indoctrination. I believe I’m perfect just the way I am.”
“That’s the message for women. Not men. Men still need work.”
“My mistake.” He was right behind me now, and the gentle warmth of his deep voice chased away my earlier chill.
“Thank you for recognizing your room for growth,” I told Haden, testing how far he’d let me take the teasing.
“I’m an evolved man. Or at least trying to be.”
I gave him a second glance. We hadn’t allowed banter or teasing between us in a really long time. Not since before Kade had told me I was annoying his older brother with my endless animal questions.
Maybe Haden didn’t mind me as a person, but had simply wished I’d leave him alone.
That didn’t feel quite right, though. None of it did. I think that was why when Kade had told me how his brother really felt, it hurt so much. I normally did a decent job of reading people. And I hadn’t gotten the vibe off of Haden that he wanted me to leave him alone when I was younger. I could still remember reshoeing his dad’s Clydesdale, the two of us shoulder-to-shoulder while working on the massive beast’s front foot. He’d been patiently showing me everything he’d learned at vet school, and his years with horses. I was new to horses, and infatuated with them, and he taught me how to be confident and calm around them. That had involved me talking to the animal while touching its flank, and running my hand all the way down to its hoof.
Apparently, Haden had only meant I should speak to the beast before touching it, but I’d taken it to the extreme, giving a full diatribe of my day while we worked. Haden’s mouth had quirked in amusement when we’d finished, explaining I didn’t need to talk the entire time. I’d felt a flash of immaturity and childishness in the shadow of his solid, sophisticated maturity. And yet, I hadn’t felt judged by him, just a bit silly for taking his tip to excess.
We’d gone to work on the next horse, with him letting me take the lead. Kade had come into the barn and, when we’d virtually ignored him, he’d later sat me down to tell me the truth. Haden was tired of me following him around the farm asking questions, but felt obligated because I was practically family.
He also told me his older brother frequently led women on, and one of his best tricks was acting interested, and doing that attention-giving thing of his.
I’d fallen for it, clearly. But to make it worse, I was dating Kade, and had been mortified that he’d thought I was flirting with his older brother.
After that, I’d noted the flirty glances that followed the eldest Powell brother around town, and the way he had time and a smile for everyone.
That day was the last time Haden ever offered to show me anything about horses, reinforcing the idea that I’d been a bother.
Now in my barn, I held my breath, very aware that Haden might not believe in anything magical, such as Rudolph, and may see nothing but an empty stall. If so, I’d have to find myself a new vet for Dolly and my cat, Boots.
I led Haden into the stall, crossing my fingers, hoping Rudolph would be like Hugo the elf, and allow this kind human to see him.
Chapter 7
~ Haden ~
There was something not quite right about what I saw in the stall, and it wasn’t just the way Tamara was behaving. The first tip-off that things were odd, of course, were her voicemails about bringing an injured animal home. The second was the fact that she was talking to an empty barn, as if someone else was there. Third was the teasing. She hadn’t teased me in eons, as she only teased the people she liked. I did not make that list.
In other words, something was up.
But even more odd than any of that was the animal she’d called me about.
“This is a woodland caribou,” I stated, my voice flat as I took in her car’s victim.
