Page 222 of Better When Shared
“I prefer ‘selectively cautious adventure professional,’” Makai corrected, but his free arm slipped around her waist, pulling her closer.
Skylar chose that moment to appear, coming from the direction of the Salish Sea Adventure Tours barn, cell phone in hand. She skidded to a stop at the sight of Butterscotch, her face lighting up with unexpected delight.
“Oh my god, my favorite little buddy!” she exclaimed, immediately moving to pet the pony with none of Makai’s hesitation. Butterscotch knickered and butted her with his head, and she giggled, scratching all along his neck. “Hello, you adorable little guy!”
“Since when are you into horses?” Makai asked, raising an eyebrow at his business partner.
“Everyone’s into horses, jackass. They’re cute as hell.” She reached into her back pocket and whipped out a carrot, and Butterscotch looked for all the world like he’d found his true love as he munched chunks of it out of her hand.
“You brought a carrot?” Makai asked, looking alarmed. “Like you were just carrying one just in case?”
“We live on a horse property now, Makai,” Skylar said. “Hamish told me the other day which horses were allowed treats. Now I’m always prepared! They will become my minions!”
Makai swallowed hard. “I mean, it’s not fully a horse property.” He glanced towards me, and I shrugged.
“The things you do for the people you love, right?” Skylar asked.
The crunch of tires on gravel turned all our heads toward the driveway, where a familiar Prius was pulling up. Hui’s meticulously maintained vehicle came to a precise stop, and the elderly woman emerged with surprising agility, her red-framed glasses catching the winter sunlight. She waved enthusiastically before turning back to the car.
“Come, come!” she called, gesturing impatiently. “No time to be shy!”
Two young men emerged hesitantly from the backseat, both looking slightly dazed, as if they’d been transported to an alien landscape. Both looked terrified and a bit like they didn’t get much sun.
Hui bustled forward, ushering the terrified guys to follow her. “I got talking to Skylar’s gamer best friends on the internet. They told me they never met her in person. So I brought them!”
Makai bumped me with his shoulder, meeting my eyes. “Holy shit, Hui is a pranking genius.”
Hui continued. “They only play games and text. Not healthy! Young people need face-to-face connection! How else would you build love!”
The blood drained from Skylar’s face so rapidly I thought she might faint. Her mouth opened and closed silently, her wide eyes fixed on the approaching trio.
“What—how did you—” she sputtered, her usual composure completely shattered.
“Oh, it was no big deal. You left your computer open, so I introduced myself,” Hui explained proudly. “And I told them they should come out and see you. It’s a good surprise, yes? They are both in love with you, so they will woo you, and you’ll pick one.”
“What?” Skylar choked.
Makai began to laugh, the sound starting as a suppressed chuckle before evolving into full-bodied guffaws that bent him double. Skylar shot him a look that could have melted steel.
“Your sexting buddies?” Makai wheezed between laughs. “Hui started talking to your sexting buddies?”
“Shut up,” Skylar hissed.
Imogen widened her eyes at me, then nodded towards the stable. “Maybe we’d better take Butterscotch into his stall and give Skylar a moment to talk to her grandmother alone. Time for phase two?” She winked at me, then turned, leading Butterscotch back inside. I grabbed Makai’s hand, and tried to drag him after her.
“But I want to stay and watch the drama unfold!” he protested.
“Come on, it’s time for phase two of your lesson in horseback riding,” I said, coaxing him forward. His eyes widened.
“What’s phase two?”
”The stables.”
He shook his hands, eyes widening in panicked. “The horse house? No fucking way.”
“The horses are all safety ensconced in stalls.” I leaned a little closer so Hui wouldn’t hear, nodding towards the barn. “And Imogen is naked in there. Gives you a little incentive to try going in.”
Makai only hesitated for a moment, then rushed forward, completely distracted by the thought of our girl nude and ready to play. “I hadn’t considered fucking in the stables,” he said thoughtfully.
There was no hesitation as he followed me inside, where Imogen was waiting, completely nude and artfully draped against a stall door, grinning at us.
“Fuck, I love that woman,” Makai whispered.
“Me too,” I agreed, feeling happier than I had in a long time.
