Mrs. Jones leaned forward. “Do you boys know why we don’t allow outsiders onto campus? Why we have high walls, impenetrable gates, and security everywhere?”
All four boys shook their heads.
“Because, gentlemen, Defiance Academy houses the future. Many kids don’t speak of their upbringings or their parents’ careers here, but when school is in session, we have children of diplomats, industry leaders, and other influential people. When they choose to send their kids here, we enter into an agreement that we will protect them. That doesn’t only mean from danger. We will keep the press away. Many of our students will go on to do amazing things in the world. You four will go on to do amazing things.”
“Ma’am,” Kenny started. “Do you really believe the president’s son poses a threat?”
“No, of course not. But the press constantly watching his every move do. The same goes for Beckett Anderson. Keeping the world’s eye off our students is a top priority. We cannot make exceptions. Our rules are the rules no matter who wants to enter the campus. You can apply for someone to have a day pass, but it is up to us to grant it.”
“We’re sorry.” Diego’s voice shook.
Mrs. Jones smiled. “Don’t worry, Mr. Jackson. You will have the chance to show you’re sorry. There are consequences for breaking the rules. Kenny, Will, you two will serve your punishment at the arena. Every winter break, our cleaning staff deep cleans both locker rooms.” She smiled, her eyes shining with glee. “Have fun.”
Will groaned, but Kenny stayed quiet as a disgusted look came over his face.
Mrs. Jones turned her gaze on Killian and Diego. “As for you two… You belong to Andrea tomorrow.”
Killian knew exactly what that meant. Mucking out stalls. As much as he loved horses, he’d always hated that part of working on a ranch. “Isn’t there any other punishment?”
“Someone has to do the job.” Mrs. Jones looked as if she was trying to contain a laugh. “Call it my early Christmas present to you.”
“Who is Andrea?” Diego looked from Killian to Mrs. Jones.
“You want to see what being a cowboy is like?” Killian rubbed his neck. “Well, this is your chance. Cleaning horse crap.”
“Wait…” Diego sat forward. “There are horses at Defiance Academy?”
Even after receiving their punishments, Kenny and Will laughed at that.
Killian wrapped an arm around Diego’s shoulders. “Have you been stuck inside that computer for the past few years?”
“No. I sit in front of it. You can’t climb into a computer, Killer.”
Killian grinned at Diego’s use of his nickname. Kenny and Will laughed, and even Mrs. Jones joined them.
It didn’t take long for Diego Jackson to wiggle his way into the affections of anyone around him. But Killian no longer thought of him as a puppy to train. Instead, there was something more.
And he couldn’t wait to see Diego come face to face with a horse. That would make the entire punishment worth it.
12
Diego
Diego tiptoed into his room, not wanting to wake Killian until the last possible moment. They had to be up extra early today for their punishment, and it was his fault they were in trouble.
“Did you forget what we’re doing today?” Killian turned, zipping up his jeans.
Diego’s jaw almost hit the floor. Killian was shirtless and wearing an honest-to-God cowboy hat.
“Um, what. No. What was the question?”
Killian grinned, making his dimple pop out. “We’re mucking out stalls.” He rummaged through the chest at the foot of his bed, looking for something. “You don’t shower before mucking out stalls. You’re just going to end up right back in the shower when we’re done.”
Diego tightened the belt of his bathrobe at his waist. “Is it such a dirty job?”
“You’re about to find out.” Killian stood up from his trunk, holding another hat in his hands. “Get dressed.” He set the hat on Diego’s head. It slumped down over his eyes, and Killian laughed. “It’ll do. I don’t get to wear my hats much anymore except when I spend time at the stables.”
“You’re looking forward to this?” Diego adjusted the hat on his head, unable to hide his smile. He definitely liked the hat.
“Well, I love horses, but I have a feeling today’s going to be interesting. Hurry up, Andrea won’t like it if we’re late.” Killian dropped his hat on the bed and shrugged an old T-shirt over his head.
Diego dressed quickly in jeans, a T-shirt, and a few extra layers to stay warm. After putting on thick socks, boots, and his heaviest scarf, he was ready to go.
“You’re going to come out of half of those clothes before we even get started.”
“I don’t like cold.”
“Yeah, but we’re about to sweat our rear ends off. Besides, the barn is heated.”
Diego plopped his borrowed cowboy hat on and followed Killian out the door. “Do I look like a rancher?”
Killian laughed. He did that a lot. “Not quite, but the hat helps.” Killian flicked the brim of Diego’s hat, making it fall down over his eyes again.
“So, what exactly does ‘mucking out stalls; entail?”
“Andrea will show you the ropes.”
Diego followed Killian from the building and along a freshly shoveled pathway across the squad. Diego paused when he left the cleared walkway and stepped onto a path covered in freshly fallen snow.
“You coming?” Killian turned back with a frown.
“Is there a way to get there on a cleared path? I don’t like wet feet.”
Killian lifted his eyes to the sky like he was praying for patience. “You’re not going to get through this day with dry feet, so you might as well get on with it.” He turned back to the path and kept walking, but Diego noticed how his steps grew larger, like he was dragging his feet through the snow. The result left a somewhat clear path for him.
He dogged Killian’s footsteps, staying close behind his friend.
“What’s that awful smell?” Diego lifted his scarf to cover his face.
“Horses.”
“I didn’t realize they smelled so bad.”
“Killian.” A dark-haired girl lifted her hand to wave at their approach. “How did you manage to get yourself in trouble and sent to me for punishment?”
“I think Mrs. Jones knows my labor is best utilized here.”
“Well, I’ve got plenty of work for you two.” She turned to greet Diego.
Diego hopped through Killian’s footsteps to shake her hand.
“What’s he doing?” Andrea leaned toward Killian.
“Trying to keep his feet dry.”
“I’ve got some old rubber boots that should fit over your shoes. Step into my office.”
Diego followed her into the semi-warm stables, but he didn’t see an office anywhere. She rummaged through a storage closet and returned with a pair of the dirtiest boots he’d ever seen. He was beginning to see what Killian meant about needing a shower after this. He sat down on a bench along the wall and shoved his feet into the boots. If they kept his feet dry, he could deal with the dirt.
“You know what to do.” Andrea clapped Killian on the shoulder and turned to leave.
“Can you give Diego a lesson?”
Andrea glanced at Diego and smiled. “You’ve got this, Killer. Diego, just do what Killian does.”
“That’s not nearly enough instruction, Andrea!” Killian groaned at her retreating figure.
“I’m ready to muck.” Diego stood, prepared to do his share of the work.
“All right, pay attention, because I only want to do this once.” Killian grabbed a long-handled tool from the wall and handed it to him.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a pitchfork, man, haven’t you ever seen a movie?”
“I usually just watch anime or documentaries.” Diego shrugged and took the pitchfork.
Killian opened a gate and gestured for Diego to follow him
inside the stall.
He took one look at the huge gray horse and backed up against the gate.
“Why’s it in here?”
“His name is Blue Boy, and he’s about the gentlest horse in this barn. We’ll take him out to the paddock while we clean his stall.”
“He’s looking at me.” Diego swallowed. He’d never stood so close to a horse before. He didn’t realize they were so big. This monster could trample him and not even notice.
“You’re a stranger, and he wants to smell you.” Killian ran his hands over the horse’s smooth mane.
“Smell me? Why’s he want to smell me?” The horse turned his great head toward Diego, his nostrils flaring. The sound of his neighing nearly sent Diego back to the principal’s office looking for a better detention.
“That’s how he gets to know you.” Killian led the horse a few steps closer to Diego. “Just let him smell your hand, and then he’ll probably fall in love with you. He loves everyone, don’t you, you big baby.” Killian stroked the white star-shaped patch between the horse’s eyes.
Diego relaxed his death grip on the gate and lifted a shaking hand toward the horse’s nose. It was smooth like velvet.
Blue Boy snorted, and Diego drew his hand back.
“He’s just messing with you.” Killian took Diego’s hand and placed it back on Blue’s nose. “Look at that, his eyes are rolling back in his head. He likes you.”
Diego let out a breath as his hand drifted over the soft gray hair. “He has pretty eyes.”
“I’ll let you in on a little secret, Diego.” Killian scratched Blue Boy behind the ears. “Horses are way better than people.” Killian made a noise with his tongue, and Blue Boy followed him from the stall, through the barn, and into the small fenced yard beside the barn.
“Won’t he get cold in the snow?”
“Nah, he’s used to it.” Killian slapped the horse on his rump and returned to the stall. “Now for the crap.”
“The mucking?”
“No, I mean literal horse crap. You’re standing in it.”
“What?” Diego leaped back and felt like puking at the glob of horse poo stuck to his borrowed shoes. He shook his foot, and it went flying across the stall. “What is happening right now? Why does it smell so bad in here?”
“What did you think the muck part was about?”
“No clue, but why don’t they let the horse out when he has to go?” Diego turned wide eyes on Killian. “They just let him go in his room?”
Killian’s lips stretched thin, like he was trying not to laugh. “He’s not a dog, Diego. Horses are pretty simple creatures. They just go where they stand.”
“Oh my God, that’s disgusting.” Diego glanced around the stall, noticing piles and piles of…manure everywhere.
“That’s what the pitchfork is for.” Killian scooped up a mound and shook it free of the hay, dumping the refuse in the wheelbarrow Andrea provided. “You pick up the big noticeable stuff first.”
“It’s like scooping a giant litter box?”
“Exactly. You have a cat at home?”
“No. I had a friend in middle school who had a hairless sphinx cat. That thing was evil.”
“Once you finish with the big stuff, you sift through the straw and wood shavings like this.” Diego watched as Killian tossed the straw along the wall, noting his slight wince at the movement of his shoulder. More manure fell out, and Killian scooped it up, tossed it in the wheelbarrow, and moved on, shoving the hay aside as he worked.
“Wouldn’t it be easier to sweep the stall out and start over with fresh hay?”
“We do that sometimes, but we’d never get anything else done if we did that every time.”
“So, when all the poo is gone, what next?”
Killian shook his head. “Sprinkle some fresh hay around the stall, bring Blue back inside, give him some feed, and then move on to the next one.”
“How many need cleaned?” Diego stared down the long barn, eyeing the many stalls lining each side.
“All of them.”
“We’ll be here all day.” Diego’s shoulders slumped.
“It won’t be too bad once we get in a rhythm. I’ll lead the horses out and bring them back in, you work on the big piles, and I’ll come behind you to do the small stuff. Then you can spread out the fresh hay and I’ll feed them. We’ll get through all these stalls in no time.”
“I think I’m going to need work gloves.” Diego tucked his expensive gloves into his pockets and gripped his pitchfork with an anxious look.
Diego couldn’t remember ever feeling so dirty and sweaty in his life. He returned his pitchfork to the tool shed and kicked off the rubber boots he’d borrowed from Andrea. Mucking out stalls was officially off his bucket list, and he was pretty sure he didn’t like horses. The feeling seemed to be mutual.
But Killian, on the other hand, was right at home among the creatures that adored him. He knew every one of their names and their temperaments, and each one was happy to see him.
“Ready for a ride?” Killian came around to the front of the barn leading Blue and another horse he’d called Yara.
“You’re serious?” Diego’s eyes widened in alarm.
“Blue’s a beginner’s horse. He’ll take good care of you. He’s all saddled up for you and anxious to get some exercise.
“How do you even get up there?” Diego wasn’t sure about this at all.
“Come stand next to Blue, and hold the reins. I’ll show you.”
Killian patiently walked him through the basics and helped him mount the horse. “Blue Boy will follow Yara. He has a little crush on her. All you need to do is hold the reins like I showed you and use your knees to tell him where you want to go.”
Diego nodded nervously. He was a little excited about his first horse ride and also a little nauseated too.
“We’ll take them for a trek through the forest and around the lake. Just holler if you need anything.” Killian’s Texas drawl was out in full force among the horses.
“Good boy, Blue.” Diego patted the horse’s head as he followed Killian’s horse away from the barn. “You know, you’re not so bad. You’re the only one that didn’t try to bite me today.”
Blue snorted and whickered.
“He likes to talk,” Killian said.
As they made their way slowly through the trees and deeper into the forest, Diego relaxed. He didn’t even know the school grounds reached this far, but the pathway seemed to go on for miles.
“Do you do this often?” Diego leaned forward to avoid a low-hanging tree limb.
“Not as much as I’d like. I’m not in the equestrian program because of hockey, but Andrea doesn’t mind me hanging around the stables as long as I make myself useful.”
Diego shoved a second branch out of his way, pressing his knees into Blue’s sides to keep from sliding around the saddle. “Whoa, Blue, wait!” Diego tugged on the reins like Killian had showed him, but Blue broke into a gallop, streaking past Killian and Yara.
“Diego, hold the reins!” Killian shouted, but he’d dropped the reins when Blue bolted. Clinging to the saddle, Diego started to slip. With a loud snort, Blue reared back, and Diego flew off, landing in a snowdrift along the side of the trail.
“Diego?” Killian raced past him, trying to catch up with Blue Boy, but he was long gone.
Diego let out a groan. Something sharp poked his back, and cold snow seeped through his many layers.
“Diego?” Killian shouted nearby.
“Over here.” He struggled to sit up.
“Are you okay?” He knelt beside him, and worry etched his face.
“I don’t know.” He took Killian’s hand and winced as he pulled him back to his feet.
“Are you hurt?” Killian looked him over.
Spots of scarlet stained the snow. “My back. I think I landed on some rocks.”
Killian lifted the back of Diego’s coat to find the source of the blood. “It’s not too bad, but
you’ve got a few cuts. Let’s get you back home.”
“I’m not getting back on that horse.”
“He got spooked. I’m sorry, Diego.” Killian frowned. “I should have given you Meri. She’s a sweet little mare and not as skittish as Blue can be.”
“It’s okay.” Diego took a step back onto the trail. With snow up to his calf and his already bruised back, he wasn’t sure he could walk all the way back to the dorms.
“We’ll ride Yara back. I’ll text Andrea to meet us in the quad. She’ll be able to find Blue as well.”
“You want me to ride another horse?”
“We’re miles from the stables.” Killian pulled himself up into Yara’s saddle like he was born there. “I won’t let you fall again. Promise.” He held his hand out for Diego. “Just put your foot in the stirrup, and I’ll pull you up.”
Diego did as he said, his back igniting in pain as he settled in front of Killian.
“Easy now, Yara.” Killian’s breath was warm in his ear as his hands slid around Diego’s waist, holding him firmly in the saddle. “We’ll be home in no time.”
Diego sat stiffly in front of Killian, his hands drifting from the saddle horn to Yara’s mane, looking for something to hold on to.
“Put your hands on the horn and move with her. Don’t tense up. Lean against me, and try to relax. I promise, I won’t let you fall again.”
Diego nodded, his hat bumping the brim of Killian’s. “How about not teaching me anything new for a little while? At least until my back heals?”
“Deal.” Killian chuckled. “Maybe it’s your turn anyway.”
“My turn for what?” Diego gripped the saddle horn until his knuckles turned white.
“To teach me something new. Weren’t you just yelling at me the other day for never playing video games? Something about a Zelda?”
“I still can’t believe you haven’t played? Like ever?”
“Never. But it sounds like a nice safe pastime where no one can get hurt.”
“Unless I manage to fall off the couch.”
13
Dating Texas (Discovering Me #3) Page 10