Page 56 of Catch Me, Cowboy
Shelby stepped behinda display of straw bales and adjusted the silk slip under the short dress she wore. The damned thing kept twisting and she was tempted to take it off, even though her borrowed dress was on the sheer side. The last minute prep for the Sunday pancake breakfast had taken so long that Shelby ended up raiding her friend’s closet for a dress and bright red cowboy boots for the street dance. Because, damn it, she was going to the street dance and she was going to enjoy it. She was going to meet Ty soon and give people something to talk about and then she was probably going to kiss him goodbye in a few days. Her stomach was still in a knot over the ride. She didn’t know if she could live like this—watching him ride with her heart in her throat… but maybe she could wait for him at home?
As if that would worry her less.
The one thing she wasn’t going to do was to stop him from doing what he loved.
She stepped out from behind the display and stopped short as she almost ran smack into a guy. Her gaze popped up and she found herself face to face with Paul Barlow.
“Hi,” she said in a bright voice, wincing as she realized it sounded a little too bright. Overcompensation was never a good thing.
“Blake told me about your call.” Paul did not sound bright. He sounded angry.
“That gelding doesn’t have the right temperament for someone like Blake.” Shelby did her best to sound both matter of fact and apologetic, figuring a guy like Paul didn’t want someone dictating the facts to him without acting sorry for reality.
He blinked at her. “You are supposed to fix that. You’re a horsetrainer. Right?”
Shelby pressed her lips together as she sought a way to explain so that he might actually understand. “Horses are like people. They have their own personalities and idiosyncrasies. Some are scarred by things that have happened to them in the past—”
“Horses are animals. Not emotional beings.”
“Not true.”
“You’re making excuses for failing.”
Shelby felt a flicker of anger, but did her best to suppress it. “I’m trying to tell you the truth about the situation—”
“Sounds like excuses to me.”
“Because you don’t know horses.”
Paul sneered. “I know enough not to endow them with human characteristics.”
Shelby pointed her finger directly at the center of Paul’s chest. “I’m not making excuses.Youbought a damaged horse because he was pretty andyoudidn’t know any better. He cannot betamedor fixed to the point that he’s safe for Blake to ride, no matter how badly she wants to ride him.He’s not safe!”
Paul gave her a withering look and was about to cut her down another notch when Shelby felt a movement behind her.
“You’d be well advised to listen,” Ty said as he came to stand beside her. “She knows what she’s talking about.”
Paul let out a dismissive snort. “We’ll find a real trainer, capable of handling Evarado. Blake will be riding him by the spring.”
“You’re a fucking idiot,” Ty offered mildly. Color bloomed across Paul’s handsome face, but before he could say anything in response, Ty added, “and in my experience, fucking idiots shouldn’t own horses. That’s a recipe for disaster.”
Paul drew himself up. “You’re out of line.”
“And you’re trying to put your girlfriend on a horse that could hurt her because you’re too vain to listen to a view that’s different than your own. The horse is dangerous and you’re a fool if you don’t listen to the truth.”
He put his hand on Shelby’s elbow and she agreed. This conversation was over. As it was, they were lucky to be on the peripheries of the blocked off street area where other than a few curious glances, they were for the most part being ignored.
“I’ll be home Sunday afternoon. Come after six o’clock and I’ll have a prorated bill ready.”
“If you think that I’m going to pay—”
“Shelby has a lawyer in the family.” Somehow Shelby kept from gaping at Ty. “Pay what you owe.”
Paul exhaled loudly, then pushed past them. Ty watched him go, then turned back to Shelby.
“Nice lie.”
“Easier in the long run. Besides, your great-uncle was a lawyer.”
