Page 34 of Jocelyn
“Oh no.” Molly lifted her head from Ben’s shoulder as I approached. “I know that look. Our girl is on a mission.”
I sank into the vacant spot beside her. “Anyone want to go halfsies on a horse with me?”
“A horse?” Amanda recoiled as if I’d suggested splitting the World Series trophy in half. “When that hunky cowboy sauntered over and asked for a private word, I thought the word would be romance not horse.”
The phantom warmth from Malachi’s jacket enveloped me once again. A shiver of awareness had glided along my spine as the back of his fingers brushed my bare shoulder when he insisted on being a gentleman and offering me his jacket. An outdoorsy scent of fresh-cut grass and sage had clung to the sheepskin lining and distracted me as I fought to remain attentive to what he’d wanted to talk to me about.
I blinked those memories back to the corner of my mind. I’d take them back out and examine them later, but I couldn’t let the unexpected surge of awareness I’d felt in his arms distract me from saving Domino.
“I’m serious. They’re going to sell the horse I’ve been partnered with and…and I can’t let him go.”
My friends’ thoughts were written clearly on their faces.
You’ve only been here a few days. You couldn’t have become that attached already.
Jocelyn Dormus owning a horse? She’s going to need another closet.
Have you lost your mind?
Betsy’s smirk left no uncertainty as to her opinion on the matter.
“Are you suggesting we…” Drew jumped in but then paused, his mouth pursed as he searched for the right word. “Timeshare a horse?”
I snapped my fingers. “Timeshare. You’re brilliant.”
“Someone finally recognizes my genius.” His gaze swung to Nicole.
Betsy rolled her eyes. “Timeshares are for vacations. If you don’t have the lump sum to purchase a horse, you could always lease one.”
“Isn’t leasing for cars?” Ben asked.
“Sure.” Betsy waved a hand. “But the same principal can be applied to a horse.”
I chewed on my lip, thinking. If I took over the loan payments as a lease, then Domino could stay at the Double B, Nate could keep his horse, and I could come and visit him whenever the city became too suffocating. Five thousand dollars was out of my reach, but maybe I could scrounge enough for the monthly payments.
Molly reached over and squeezed my hand. “Timeshare or lease or whatever, if this horse means this much to you, you know you can count on me.”
A chorus ofme toomurmured around the circle. I blinked back the emotion crowding my eyes and gave them all a smile of thanks.
Drew looked down at his watch. “It’s getting late. We should probably start the drive back, Ben, don’t you think?”
Molly wrapped her arms around Ben’s middle, the press of her face on his chest pushing her glasses off the center of her nose. Ben chuckled and pulled Molly up with him. “Let me say goodnight to my girl, and I’ll meet you at the car.”
Drew nodded and pulled out a set of keys from his pocket. “Good night, everyone.”
“Good night, Mr. Drew.” Sierra’s voice could be heard above everyone else’s.
Was it my imagination, or had Drew’s face softened at the child’s soprano? I peeked at Nicole, but she seemed to have suddenly found the flames of the fire mesmerizing.
Molly emerged from the darkness a few minutes later, her hair mussed and lips a thoroughly-been-kissed shade of pink. Amanda woof whistled, and I elbowed her in the side.
She grinned at me. “That girl’s just spent seven minutes in heaven. Nothing I do is going to bring her down off that cloud.”
Nicole shot a look at Amanda before tipping her head toward Sierra.
“What’s seven minutes in heaven?” Sierra asked, her face scrunched.
Nicole widened her eyes at Amanda, and Amanda had the good sense to at least appear chagrined.
