all roads lead to you

by Probst, Jennifer

  “Thank you, I think I will.” This time, he was prepared and faster—snatching his bag up before she could protest. He headed toward the stairs, shooting Kyle a sympathetic look, man to man, but damned if his mood hadn’t improved in just the few moments of being here.

  Aidan walked down the hall, his muscles finally relaxing, when the voice inside him rose up and whispered slyly in his ear.

  Something is coming. You better be ready.

  He gritted his teeth and wished to hell he’d never listened to the voice when he was a young boy. Yes, it had helped forge a career he loved. But it had also ripped his life away, leaving him to pick up all the pieces and wonder if they could even be put back together.

  Pissed off, he entered his room and answered the voice.

  Fuck you. I’m done.

  After that, it was quiet.

  Chapter Two

  Harper strode into the barn, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand before realizing she’d only managed to spread the mud to her face. Ugh, what a morning. She was dirty, sweaty, and a bit pissy—the perfect trifecta.

  She dropped the saddle and bridle on the cluttered table and made her way down the stalls, her boots crushing stray debris and clutter that had no business in her barn. Ridiculous. The place was a mess, and she’d specifically told Owen his main job was to keep her barn clean. Drawing in a deep breath for patience, she suddenly stilled as the smell hit her a few seconds after her boot settled into a pile of mush.

  She’d just stepped in horseshit.

  As if sensing her bad mood, a few of the horses whinnied, sticking out their noses for a stroke or a loose tongue for a carrot.

  “Sorry, guys,” she said with a sigh. “Not sure I’ll be able to ride today. We’re still shorthanded, and our new helper is more interested in his phone than cleaning up the stalls.”

  She hopped outside and dragged her boot across the grass. She noted a loose latch on the outside gate, the messy spill of weeds encroaching on her paved lot, and a thousand other tasks she’d never be able to get to in twenty-four hours. After a few more swipes and a mental note to wash her boot off with the hose, she perused the whiteboard posted with horseback-riding appointments and checked the voice mail messages that had piled up in the past few hours.

  Her heart beat faster as she listened to a potential buyer for Little Foot, a tame little filly perfect for the buyer’s son. The rescue needed a family of regular riders to flourish, not a revolving door of bed-and-breakfast guests and workouts from the employees. Unfortunately, by the time she got to the thirteenth message, the buyer had backed out of the deal because Harper hadn’t called her back, so she’d gone and bought another horse from a different farm.

  Fuck.

  She rotated her neck to work out the knots and began to scream her favorite word in her head. Normally, she had no problem yelling obscenities but tried not to lose her temper around the animals. They were too skittish and had dealt with enough crap in their short lifetimes. They didn’t need their only source of stability to lose it in an old-fashioned temper tantrum.

  She dragged in a breath, opened her mouth wide, and quietly shouted the word to the rafters. “Fuck!”

  “Uh-oh. Bad day, huh?” Her brother, Ethan, stood before her. Damn, he was always able to sneak up on her with a stealthy grace that had served him well in the military. He had ginger hair like their sister, Ophelia, and seemed to be jealous Harper had escaped the Irish curse. Only Harper knew how hard she’d wished for glorious red locks instead of her boring dark-brown ones.

  She rubbed her forehead, ignoring his knowing grin. Ethan was able to peg her mood in seconds, as if he were highly sensitized to subtle shifts of energy. He had the same talent with horses. Another reason the family had dubbed him “the horse whisperer” early on. “I want to fire Owen. He didn’t check the messages, so I lost a horse deal. He never cleans the barn properly, and he’s attached to his phone.” Her finger jabbed in the air, pointing out the large pile of poop. “Plus, I stepped in shit.”

  Ethan quirked a brow. “He’s nineteen years old—they’re all attached to their phones. Besides, I can’t send back Judge Bennett’s own grandson.”

  She groaned. “We should have never taken on a kid who gets so drunk he vandalizes his own dorm instead of his rival’s.”

  “You know the judge likes to give us a challenge. We took Chloe on last year, and look how she blossomed,” he said, affection warming his voice.

  Chloe was a twenty-year-old assigned to the horse farm last summer by Judge Bennett for a vandalism crime she never committed. She’d worked the stables and ended up becoming close with the family, including Ethan’s fiancée, Mia. Now she visited regularly and had her own horse.

  Harper gave a long sigh. “Chloe was different. She’s smart. Not a dumbass.”

  Ethan chuckled, moving down the stall line to say hello to each of the horses. “He’s just a kid trying to figure stuff out. I’ll talk to him. Tell him no phone and to clean it all up.”

  She rolled her shoulders to shake off the lingering tension. “Thanks.”

  Her brother shot her a look. “You okay, Harp?”

  She hesitated, not because she was averse to talking to Ethan, but because she couldn’t seem to explain the real problem. The tension in her belly had only tightened over the week. The word to describe her state of mind was one she despised.

  Unsettled.

  She waved her hand in the air to dismiss his question and her odd thoughts. “Yeah, sorry, I got a lot on my mind. With John out for the next few weeks, there’s tons to do.” John was her full-time assistant and had been working the horse farm for years. He’d sprained his back and was under strict bed rest for a while. Thank God his wife loved to spoil him; Harper knew he was in good hands. “Seems like the work has been tripling, expenses are up, and good help is hard to find. There’s a horse auction next week, and I wanted to be able to save a couple, but there’s no room until I get some of our current stable sold.”

  The horse-rescue portion of the property was Harper’s heart and soul, but not as profitable as the inn. Her dreams of expansion were still far from reality, but she believed one day she’d get the money. Besides rescuing horses from various auctions, rehabilitating, then selling them, she took on boarding and horseback-riding lessons. But with her dependence on volunteers and John unavailable, there was too much work with too few hands on deck.

  “I know I’ve been spending a chunk of time away from the farm,” he said. “With Mia’s business trips, the bungalow remodeling, and the upcoming-wedding plans, I may not be pulling my weight. You shouldn’t be stressed out.”

  Harper rolled her eyes and shot him a disgusted look. “That’s just stupid. You have a partner now and you should be a team. And I’m not stressed out, I’m just indulging in some good old-fashioned whining. Don’t you remember how Mom used to tell us it was a healthy way to blow off steam?”

  Ethan grinned. “How could I forget? My problem is you’ve never been a whiner. If you weren’t so damn stubborn about new hires, I’d get someone in here to help.”

  “I’m not stubborn. I just insist on quality.”

  He snorted and braced his hands on his hips. “Seriously? You nixed the last few I wanted to hire and gave me ridiculous excuses.”

  “One had never owned an animal! How could she possibly help on a farm with no previous ownership experience?”

  “She had fish and parrots. Last time I checked, those were animals.”

  “And that weird guy with the unibrow?” she continued, as if he hadn’t spoken. “He didn’t like Flower. Everybody likes Flower.”

  Ethan gave a suffering sigh. “He only mentioned the mare seemed a bit high spirited and undisciplined. Which she is.”

  “He said it with an attitude, and I don’t want anyone here trying to break her spirit.”

  “I give up. Since I’m the only one left you do trust, I certainly don’t want to piss you off. But you’ll need a chunk of free
time if you want to begin training Phoenix for racing. It’s a big undertaking.”

  “You’ve never cared before about pissing me or Ophelia off,” she said with a smile. “Mia must be training you well.” He rolled his eyes and she laughed. “I’ve been wanting to work with a racehorse for a while. Been researching training methods and possible riders. I should have enough money to enter him in a few races and see how he does.” She’d deliberately been taking on more work and avoiding hiring another full-timer in order to pad her savings account for the investment.

  Ethan rubbed his head. “Phoenix has come a long way, but I’m still not sure how he’ll do on a track with other horses. He’s sensitive. It took me a long time to get him to take to a saddle. Those bastards did some real damage.”

  Anger rushed through her. She’d rescued Phoenix when she visited a farm in Pennsylvania and knew immediately he needed help. He’d been tied to a tree, covered in filth, and obviously malnourished. His previous owner had purchased the Thoroughbred to make some money on the track, but when it didn’t work out, Phoenix had been left alone to suffer, then readied to be sold for slaughter. Harper had paid the same amount to the asshole, reported him to the authorities for animal abuse, and taken Phoenix home.

  The horse’s fiery spirit had saved him, and after multiple sessions with Ethan, he was finally able to accept a rider. He was wicked fast, with an epic temper. Harper knew the moment she laid eyes on him he was destined to run.

  “He’s a fighter.” Pride filled her. “He won’t let anyone break him, and that’s what he’ll bring to the track. I just need to get the right team.”

  “You know I’ll help with whatever I can. Phoenix deserves only the best.” Harper knew her brother loved the horse as much as she did. After Ethan had returned from active duty with a blown-out knee, his own journey toward healing essentially mixed with Phoenix’s as he taught him to trust again.

  She grinned. “Thanks. In the meantime, if you can yell at Owen for me, I’d appreciate it.”

  “Done. Unless you want me to let Hei Hei loose on him again?”

  Harper laughed, striding out of the barn. “Even I’m not that cruel, bro.”

  Her spirit lighter, she got back to work.

  Aidan looked up at the clear cerulean-blue sky and wondered how long he was going to survive.

  With a groan, he got up from the rocker on the wraparound porch and decided to head out to explore the grounds. His vacation was technically perfect. He was alone with his thoughts, with plenty of time to figure things out amid a picture-perfect setting. Yet one thing was ruining the rainbow.

  He was fucking bored.

  Deciding to take the rear footpath that led toward the stables, he began walking and wondered if he should cut out early. The inn was top notch, and he enjoyed the quaint town with its gourmet cafés, lunch places, and shops. The local college added a dash of color and kept things young. He’d stopped at Tantillo Farms for their famous apple-cider doughnuts. Scheduled a midafternoon hike at Mohonk Mountain House. He was going horseback riding tomorrow. Things were good.

  Except they weren’t.

  Frustration nipped at his nerves, and he lengthened his stride. He should’ve known it wouldn’t be simple for him. He’d been working since he was young, and the only time off had been at the local pubs or the occasional weekend with Rachael. Her name brought no sting, even after her betrayal. He almost wished it did sting. At least that would’ve proved why he’d stayed with the woman for almost a year. Instead, he mourned the loss of Kincaid’s Crown the most.

  The image of the horse he’d taken to the Irish Derby floated in his mind. A lucky gray. A massive beast with the heart of a warrior and stamina that kept him at the top of his game. It had been hard to win his affection, but once the horse softened, they’d bonded and become a winning team. He’d loved training him. Spending all his hours with horses was perhaps the only place and time he felt fully himself. He’d had everything he ever wanted.

  Until it was all ripped away.

  He wondered if the horse missed him.

  Raw pain tore through his body. Did it even matter? He vowed revenge on the son of a bitch who’d betrayed him, but leaving the horse he’d come to love had been his only choice. Kincaid’s Crown deserved to run his races, and the smartest move was to walk. Aidan had planned to start over. Rebuild his name and reputation on his own terms, this time, trusting no one but himself. Success brought wealth and power, and there were too many people who greedily craved more, until it didn’t matter who they destroyed.

  Even family.

  It was a brutal lesson he’d learned well.

  He’d truly believed this time, when success came, he’d protect himself, his reputation, and his fortune.

  But not anymore.

  The constant sting of failure threatened to crush him. He had nowhere else left to go. The money he’d put aside to travel and rebuild his career was almost gone. His belief in both himself and the future was no longer pure but stained with betrayal and a mocking knowledge that this time he’d lost.

  It was over.

  The woods enclosed him with soothing coolness and the scent of damp earth. Large, crooked trees crowded the dirt pathway and blocked the sting of sun and sky. The high-pitched chatter of birds and scramble of squirrels kept him company as he walked, and slowly he relaxed. He’d check out the barns and see how they treated their horses. He couldn’t believe the horrors he came across when it came to animal upkeep, especially at so-called “rescue farms.” Too many of them figured just taking in every damn stray was enough and ignored food, hygiene, and proper care. But Ophelia seemed to run a tight ship at the inn, so maybe he’d be pleasantly surprised.

  The path led to a thick wall of brush, but he fought through the tight space and stepped out into the pasture. The mountains overwhelmed the skyline, allowing only a few fluffy clouds and nothing else. The large red barns, neat white fences, and shocking green hills reminded him of home. Horses roamed in the fenced areas, and some lounged in paddocks, lazily munching on hay as they sunbathed. Chickens ran free, seeming to actually play with two dogs—a black Lab and a mixed brown-and-white terrier—in a strange game of tag.

  He poked around and spotted a trail of riders heading down the hill. Ophelia had said her brother, Ethan, was handling the horseback riding. Might as well investigate while he waited for his return.

  Starting at the first stall, he peeked his head in, finding most of the horses in seemingly good spirits. Some stuck their noses out, while others lashed at him with searching tongues looking for a treat. He spotted none of the usual signs of abuse or neglect. Thank God. He didn’t have it in him today to try to right another wrong.

  He took his time exploring, making mental notes. Definitely not a professional barn for racing or breeding. Most of the horses seemed to be a mishmash of ages and types, so it must be strictly a rescue-and-boarding place, with the side benefit for guests of the inn to do some light riding.

  He headed out into the second barn. A few stragglers filled up the stalls in the front, and the loft was full of various supplies. He found a bag of carrots and grabbed a few, fed some of the mares, then went to check out the last barn.

  It was small, with the front stalls empty. He walked toward the rear, then jerked to a stop.

  His gaze fell on a horse staring back at him with fire in his eyes. Pitch black, he blended half into the shadows, the only color a bright streak of white zigzagging across his face like a beauty mark. Ears pinned back, the horse’s gaze narrowed, and he blew a hard breath out of his nose, as if irritated with being faced with a stranger.

  Aidan moved closer. God, the Thoroughbred was beautiful. Not overly bulky, but with a muscled leanness that hinted at good breeding. What was he doing back here isolated from the others? Were they hiding him? Boarding him for someone specific? Or was he too much trouble so they decided to lock him away?

  “Hey, capalleen. You hungry? How about a carrot?” he murmured, offeri
ng the treat through the rails.

  The horse stared back, not blinking, his body shuddering with an intensity that Aidan had never seen before. He made no move to take the carrot, even when Aidan pushed it farther out.

  “Stubborn, huh? Think I poisoned it or something? Or do you need to be wooed first?” It was rare when a horse didn’t immediately take to him. This one had shadows in his dark eyes and a powerful force that made Aidan curious. Offering a smile, he fell into a stream of Irish in order to woo him. The horse shook, turned around, and gave Aidan his ass.

  Then let out a big fart.

  Aidan chuckled. Well, damn. Talk about being dismissed. This was a challenge he had to take on.

  He deftly unlocked the gate, stepped forward, and closed it behind him.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  He spun toward the voice, his gaze narrowing on the woman in front of him. His fingers guiltily dropped from the lock. “Sorry. I’m a guest from the inn,” he said. “Just checking out your horses.”

  Pure irritation bristled from her figure. He studied her with interest, noting her staggering height—about six foot one—and the blazing sea-green flame of her gaze, filled with a suspicion that reminded him of the horse who’d just dissed him. Everything about her screamed simplicity, from her short dark bob and makeup-free face to her plain blue T-shirt, jeans, and work boots.

  But Aidan had spent his whole life peering beneath the surface to figure out people and animals, to unearth the real stuff. And he bet there was a bucketful of secrets buried deep within the woman before him. They were entwined in her whiskey-smooth voice. Trapped in those mineral eyes. Hinted at with the defensive stance of her lean body. He wondered how long it would take for a man to get close to her. He wondered how many men had tried and failed.

  Her arms crossed in front of her chest. “I’m sorry, but guests aren’t allowed free access to the barns. I can make you an appointment for a horseback ride, though. Follow me.”