I shook his hand, and we made basic introductions before he asked, “Thoroughbreds, right?”
“Yep.”
“I’d love to come out and see them some time, not that I have any experience. Although, if you asked this one . . .” He stuck out an elbow and jabbed her. She smiled at him, and just like that, I hated the guy. “I shouldn’t be allowed on the back of a horse again.”
“Not much of a horse rider?” I asked.
“I didn’t say he couldn’t ride. I said he shouldn’t be allowed to ride,” Holland offered. “He got busted for riding while drunk when we were teenagers.”
I was confused. “A cop pulled you over on your horse?”
“Welcome to small-town living. We used to have bonfires under the Snowhill bridge. Truthfully, though, I blame getting caught on Holland.”
“Sure, blame me, I didn’t force you to get drunk and then get on your horse, you could have walked home. I told you that I would bring her. But nooo, you had to get your ass up there and ride.”
“Yeah, and I would have been fine if you”—he pointed to Holland—“hadn’t held onto the reins and stood on the street screaming at the top of your lungs that you didn’t care if I got killed but you weren’t going to let me risk the horse’s life.”
Holland was laughing hysterically. “That was how the deputy found us—me holding on to the reins and screaming and Everett, who was trying to stay up but was too shit faced to sit straight.”
Everett rolled his eyes. “Don’t forget the best part. The deputy asks if she’s Holland Kelly, she says, ‘Yes, sir,’ and he orders me to let her handle the horse. So, she gets on and rides off, leaving me there to deal with my own stupidity.”
“What did the deputy do?” I asked.
“He called my parents because he figured I’d have a worse time of it if he handed me over to them than going to jail. Considering I got my ass beat, was grounded for the entire summer, and then got stuck doing all the shit chores, I can’t imagine juvenile hall being much different.”
“I’m surprised none of you kids got bitten by snakes or gators. That’s murky lake water around there,” Mr. Brown cut in for the first time.
“Oh, we used to do some stupid things as well when we were kids.” Mr. Kirby laughed over some memory. “Anyway, what brings you two here?” I loved how he changed the subject.
“We actually came to talk with you all, I wanted to see who else was here.” Holland stood and scanned the room. “Give me one second.”
She moved to a table on the other side of the bar and spoke to them as she gestured toward us. Once they all started to grab their drinks and stand, I turned back to Everett.
“Has anyone told you what’s been going on?” I asked him.
“They were just filling me in. I’ve gotta say, something doesn’t sound right. The proposed properties aren’t even in a straight line or connected.”
“Holbrook says that’s because some areas they can use are already owned by the county or have accessed roads,” I explained.
“For what? Pylons? I can’t imagine some of those areas being large enough to construct the infrastructure needed for this type of road or the exits and on-ramps.”
I nodded. “My thoughts exactly.”
“What are pylons?” Holland asked.
“They’re those huge concrete support beams that the road is built on,” Everett explained.
Six more men joined us and then Holland returned to her seat next to me. “Thank you for giving us a few minutes of your evening. We’ll make this quick, but I’m assuming that no one sitting around this table is interested in selling their property, correct?”
All of the men nodded, some even looking downright hostile that we would have to ask.
“Good.” I nodded.
“I went and spoke with Miss Nancy at the museum and she gave me an entire list of places of historic importance. I’m just waiting to hear back from the National Parks Services to see what they can help us with,” Holland stated before turning to me.
“I’ve spoken with my attorney, and he is looking into the validity of what they are proposing. We need to figure out why he’s lying to all of us about who is selling and who isn’t, though. It could be a tactic just to get us all to sell, but something tells me there is more to it.”
“How do you propose we do that?” Mr. Brown asked.
“Well, I’ve got the name of a private investigator that is supposed to be able to dig up info on anything on anyone because let’s face it there’s something fishy about Holbrook. A property developer bidding on a road construction project just doesn’t seem to fit.”
“You think he’s after something else, like what?” Everett asked.
“I’m not sure exactly.” The men started grumbling. “But that’s what I’m hoping to find out. Until I do, I think we all need to avoid the man. And, for god’s sake, whatever you do don’t agree to anything or sign anything.”
“What about that councilman? Is he in on it, too?” Holland asked. I sucked in my cheeks to fight back my smile, as I watched Holland bounce in her chair. She couldn’t decide whether she wanted to get up and go after someone or stay here and obviously be part of the plan to ruin Johnson Holbrook.
“Just be careful, if Johnson Holbrook can hire the councilman then that means Shane Stuart is just as dirty,” Mr. Brown said as he pulled out his keys from his pocket.
“Can you do us a favor?” I waited until the men nodded. “Will you get the word around to those who aren’t here, let them know what we’re doing? These guys aren’t above lying to get people to believe them, so none of you should believe a word they say because there is no way I’m selling.”
“I’m not selling either,” Holland added as if the thought of doing otherwise was preposterous.
“If you all need anything, let me know,” Everett added. “My dad has connections.”
“Does he have any friends in Tallahassee? Particularly on the Transportation Commission?”
“Not sure, but I’ll see if I can find out. If he does, do you want me to see what he can learn about this proposed expansion?”
“Please.”
“Will do. If I hear anything, I’ll give you a call.” He looked over at Holland. “Can you text me Reid’s number?”
“Sure.”
Everett stood. “I’d better get out of here before Carly sends out the search party.”
“Tell her I said hey,” Holland offered. “Oh, and tell her to let us know what y’all still need for the baby.”
“Nothing, absolutely nothing. Between my mother and hers, they’ve bought everything you could think to buy for a baby. I’m going to laugh if it turns out to be a girl and all of their tractors, dump trucks, and other stuff has to be sent back. It will teach them.”
“That’s cruel,” Holland chided.
“It’s the truth. Goodnight, y’all.”
I stood and shook his hand, suddenly liking the man much more. I told myself that him being married and having a baby due had nothing to do with it, but who was I kidding?
“We’ll talk to everyone, don’t worry,” Mr. Brown assured us.
“Thanks.”
The men slid their chairs back and some left and others moved back to where they were before Holland had dragged them over.
I held out one hand to Holland, but she didn’t take it as she stood. “Want to get a drink?”
“Sure, a beer if you don’t mind.” She smiled and batted her damn eyelashes.
I ordered two as we slid onto vacant stools at the bar.
“Why are you smirking?”
“I’m not.” I totally was.
“Yeah, you are. You look like Sylvester right after he caught Tweetie bird.”
“I don’t know, maybe it has something to do with the fact that you’ve driven me crazy for the past two years, and then suddenly, I discover that I like having you around.”
“Awww, well, don’t I just feel like Old MacDonald.”
“With a screw you here, and screw you there, here a screw, there a screw, everywhere a screw, screw.”
“Mark my words one of these days . . .”
“One of these days, what?” Holland popped her hands on her hips.
“Nothing, oh, nothing.” I waved her off. Okay, I wasn’t sure what I was going to say either, I just knew that I loved aggravating the woman. While we sat there and drank, the band started, and people got up and danced. I took a swig and smiled as Holland tapped her toes, her feet softly moving with the rhythm of the song. “Want to dance?”
The song had just changed to “Everybody’s Got Somebody But Me” by Hunter Hayes.
“This is a two-step, do you know how?” she asked, doubt clinging to every word.
“You’ll have to find out.” I held one hand out, hoping that she’d take hold, and when she did, I wanted to take a bow. Slowly but surely, I was learning how Holland Kelly operated.
With one hand around the back of her waist, I held her up against my side, as my other hand held hers in front of us. We moved in typical fashion around the dance floor—quick, quick, slow, slow.
“I can’t believe that you know the two-step.”
“I’m from Kentucky, which is more Southern in custom than Florida. I’m more shocked that you do.”
“It’s more this area, we’re rednecks.” Holland grinned, not meaning the term in derogatory fashion. “We like pickup trucks, cowboy boots, and country music.”
As we danced, she occasionally looked over at me and smiled, which only made me want to lean down and kiss her again.
Chapter Ten
Holland
Reid pulled into his garage, and I was anxious to get out and go check on Hightower. “Can I go to the stables and check on Hightower?”
“Sure. Give me a second.” Reid walked over to a panel of lights and flipped a switch. Small lights that lined a brick walkway illuminated all the way to the stables.
“What else can you tell me about him?”
“Just about anything you want to know. He’s three and has been in a few races. About six months ago, he stopped performing.” Reid gave me tidbits of info as we walked down to the stables. “The owner sent him and another horse down to me for the winter. He’s training the new one to be the racer.”
“But he isn’t training Hightower?”
“Nope. Our instructions were to board him and nothing else.”
“Is the new horse skittish?”
“Nope, not one bit. That’s why Syd and I think that someone was using a whip to try to force Hightower against his will.”
“If you think Hightower was being abused, isn’t there anything that you can do?”
“Nope. He isn’t my horse. Animals are chattel, whether we want to admit it or not, and I can’t report the owner unless I have proof.”
“That’s not fair.” I wanted to shout at the injustice. Animals weren’t chattel, a coffee table was chattel, a car was chattel, but an animal was a living thing.
When we reached the stables, I grinned at the small bucket sitting by Hightower’s stall. I pulled a peppermint out and popped it into my mouth before picking up the bucket. Breathing through my mouth, I softly spoke to the horse.
“Where’s my man? I came back to see you. Would you like another carrot?” I reached into the bucket and pulled a carrot out, extending it by the tip. Hightower took a few minutes to bounce around his small confinement, lifting his front hooves off the ground and snuffling a bunch of times before he settled.
“Well, someone’s excited to see me.” He slowly inched over and took the carrot. This time, he didn’t retreat, though. “What a brave man, I promise I won’t hurt you, you can trust me.” I slowly slid my hand back. I didn’t want to give him anymore snacks for fear he’d associate me with only food. So, I stood there talking softly, Hightower’s big expressive eyes locked with mine. Occasionally, I would glance over to Reid, who had a strange look on his face. He wasn’t smiling, but he wasn’t frowning either.
After about thirty minutes, I decided that it was time to go. Hightower wasn’t moving any closer, so I would try again tomorrow if it was okay with Reid.
“Why don’t you come back to the house, we can have a drink and then I’ll drive you over to your house?”
“No need to drive, I can cut across the lawn.”
“Then I’ll walk you over to your apartment afterward.”
I nodded and followed Reid around the stables as he locked up and then back up to his house. “Want a beer, wine, or something else?”
“Wine or beer is fine.”
“I’ll grab it, why don’t you have a seat.”
I moved into the sunroom and went to move a sketchpad out of my way so I could sit. Curiosity got the better of me, and before I set the book aside, I opened it to a random page.
I stared at it—the long braided hair and the detailed fleur de lis pattern on the boots that resembled the pair I owned. The same boots I was wearing tonight. Flipping through the pages, I realized that they were all of me. In almost all of them, I was riding Khan, but some were of me simply sitting underneath a tree or walking to the stables.
I looked up when Reid cleared his throat. “Did you draw these?” He set the wine glasses down and reached to snag the sketchpad from me, but I moved it away from him. “No. Tell me, did you draw these?”
“Yes.”
“When? How?”
“I find it relaxing.” He had turned to look out the back wall of windows.
“That doesn’t answer my questions.”
“I see you out riding mornings, and that’s when I’m in here drawing.”
“But what about the other drawings when I’m not riding?”
“Happenstance, I guess. I usually just draw what I see.”
“So, it could have been anything or anyone?” I asked.
“Yes.”
I flipped through the pad again, totally wanting to call bullshit but I could tell that he was uncomfortable, and for once, I didn’t want to give him a hard time. “They’re beautiful, but you really should focus on something that can show your talent better.” I gave him a wicked smile as I reached for the wine he’d brought me. Yes, I was totally fishing for compliments.
Reid let out a sigh of relief and moved to take a seat next to me. “I’ll take that into consideration. All I had chilled was Riesling, it’s what Ellie likes.”
“Is she going to be mad?”
“No, she has several bottles in there, but if she is, I’ll buy her more.”
We sat in silence, staring out at the night sky and enjoying the wine. “Do you do anything else besides sketch? Have any other hidden talents?”
Reid raised one eyebrow, and I felt my cheeks grow warm because he was clearly reading more into that question than I meant. “Nope, just drawing. How about you? Any special talents?”
“I can tie a cherry stem with my tongue.” Okay, that was lame, but there wasn’t much that was remarkable about the youngest Kelly sibling.
“That’s some mad tongue skills.”
“You have no idea.”
His attention drops to my lips, and I stood far too abruptly to avoid looking like a scared bunny and took two steps toward the door. “Thanks for the wine.” I turned, and he was right behind me. God, I wanted to kiss him, so . . . I did.
I brushed my fingertips over his cheek and tried not to get hypnotized by the sensation. Our eyes met, and the arousal I’d been denying this past week warmed me. There was something totally different from anything I’d seen before looking back at me from his dark blue eyes. It was still the same determination I’d seen as we planned our strategy but this time his eyelids were heavy, and his jaw was tensed, it sent heat between my legs, and I could hear myself panting.
My voice was all whispery when I said, “Thanks for tonight, I probably should head home.”
He drifted cl
oser. “I think that you should probably stay.” His voice was raspy like he, too, was fighting for control. Reid’s eyelids dropped, and his dark lashes brushed against his cheekbones. “God, Holland, I want you so fucking bad.” He wrapped one arm around me and pulled me flush against his body. I could feel just how badly he wanted me. He lowered his mouth to mine and kissed me slowly, as if he wasn’t in a hurry to devour every inch of me.
His hands slid to my hips, and he lifted me before pressing me back against the wall and urging my legs to wrap around him.
Holding tight, he moved a hand and gripped the back of my neck as he leaned in and kissed me. The only sound in the room were our breaths mixing like music, a song that I couldn’t seem to get enough of. I was holding onto his shoulders, and god, the man was solid. Tugging at his shirt, I forced myself to pull it up slowly when what I really wanted to do was rip it from his body. His mouth assaulted my neck. Holy hell, I forgot what I was doing as his tongue slid to my earlobe and sparks danced over my skin as his teeth nipped. I needed air—no, that wasn’t it, I needed release.
“Oh my god, Holland, I need to be inside you.”
“Take me to your secret lair.” I smiled and winked.
“Makes me sound like a monster,” he groaned as he slid a hand under my shirt and cupped my breast.
“Or a beast.”
“I’ll show you a beast.”
“Brag much?” But I had already felt him, I knew that he wasn’t bragging, but I couldn’t stop myself from aggravating him.
He turned and carried me, I hadn’t really had a chance to look at his home, and part of me wanted to do that but at the same time, I wanted him. I found the best of both worlds kissing his collarbone. Don’t judge, I know that I looked like a friggin’ vampire, but I could kiss and look over his shoulder as he carried me up the sprawling staircase. It was like something out of Gone With the Wind. I kissed as he passed several closed doors and then moved into what I figured was his bedroom. If it wasn’t his, someone was in for a shock.
His king-size bed was situated under a large half-moon shaped window, and he came to a stop next to it. He slowly let my legs down and held me close to him until he was sure that I was steady on my feet.
Steadfast (Iron Horse Book 3) Page 7