She was gone now, and I was certain it was because she had to get to work, so I didn’t worry myself about that at the moment. All I wanted to do was lay there and remember in vivid detail everything that had happened the night before. Relishing in the sweet taste of her and the way she felt when she shuddered around me. I could feel the blood rushing to my dick, and I wished she was there, right that second, so that I could grab her and make her come over and over.
I reached out for my phone and swiped to unlock it. There was a message from Maddy already.
“Sorry to leave you so early this morning. Didn’t want to wake you because you looked like you needed the rest :) I’ll be on a few calls today, and then I’ll be in town for the fireworks tonight. Stop by if you want. I’ll see you later!”
I tossed the phone aside and groaned, closing my eyes. But closing my eyes and wishing didn’t bring her back. I knew she had things to take care of today and I didn’t want to be a distraction, but damn if I wasn’t going to think about fucking her every second of the day until I was back in her presence again.
I would have to keep myself busy all day until I could see her and I knew there were plenty of things around the ranch to keep me occupied. First thing on my list was calling the couple in Texas to see what they thought about Pineapple and her baby.
Drawing up the necessary energy, I got out of bed and padded barefoot to the shower, hoping the cool water would be enough to wake me and drive the images of Maddy’s naked, writhing body from my mind.
“What’s up?” Pete asked as I entered the office area of the main house. “Did I see an SUV parked at your place at the crack of dawn this morning?”
I smirked. “Thought she was gone by then.”
Pete chuckled. “Nope. You’re lucky Emma didn’t see. I don’t want to have answer questions about you having ladies over quite yet. But if you’re going to have one spend the night, it might as well be Maddy. So…is it some kind of thing between the two of you?”
I shrugged, truly uncertain. “I’d like it to be, but I don’t know where she is with things. And I’d like to talk to you more about her land situation, but I know now isn’t the time. Trying to keep myself busy and distracted today. I need to make a phone call to Texas and talk to them about Pineapple.”
“Good idea. I was about to head out so you can feel free to use my phone.”
Once my brother was gone I plopped down behind his desk and picked up the phone, looking through his database for the number of the couple who were planning to purchase the filly.
The conversation didn’t go quite the way I had hoped it would, but it was no big surprise to me. They had signed up to buy a filly and didn’t expect her to fall pregnant at such a young age.
“Terminate it,” the man said over the phone.
“I’m afraid that’s off the table for now. The sire is a valuable one, and we’ve had a number of good race horses out of him. He’s been slow to produce over the past couple of years, and we’re not sure how much he has left in him, so we’re not going to risk losing this one. The foal is ours, as is Pineapple at this point if you’re no longer interested in following through on the deal.”
I could hear the man grumbling on the other end of the line. “So you’re willing to risk the life of the filly in order to see if she might produce a good horse for you?”
“Don’t misunderstand me. I’ve had her checked out by a vet who thinks it is safe to go ahead with the pregnancy. I understand that there are risks, but Pineapple is going to be watched and checked regularly. Our vet is one of the best around, and I trust her judgement?”
“Her? You’ve got a woman up there doing this?”
I thought my eyes were going to roll out of my head. Old fashioned, sexist opposition to women vets amongst some of the older ranchers was still baffling to me.
“Yes, and if you’ve got a problem with it, you can take your business elsewhere. Who we have attending to our horses is our business, and I really don’t need you trying to put your oar in on this.”
There was more grumbling and hesitant agreement. “Fine, but if there’s a problem, then this is all on you.”
“I understand. Have a good day.”
I hung up the phone and muttered a curse under my breath. His sort was the worst to deal with and especially considering the filly was still ours; I thought he was a little ridiculous to start making demands about termination. If Maddy thought things were going to be fine with Pineapple, then I was happy to follow her advice and let the horse carry to term.
The day passed by slowly, but eventually, the clock ticked to five, and I was able to head out from the ranch and into town, passing by Madison’s father’s place on the way. I only saw one vehicle there so I didn’t bother stopping, not that I would have even if she had been parked there. Her father definitely didn’t want to see me, and I didn’t want to be the cause of any additional stress on the man. In all likelihood, he and my father would never make up which was a damn shame when I considered the sort of friends they had been all those years ago.
But was that really true? My father wasn’t the kind of man that many would want to be associated with, but I assumed it depended on the sort of person you were. If you wanted to get ahead and thought Sean Killarny could help then sure, it made sense. But I wasn’t sure that I would have anything to do with the man if he wasn’t my father, not after what had happened to Maddy’s dad.
I wished that there was a way I could turn things around. Things were out of my control for the most part, just like they had been when my father first made the rotten deal with George Graston. The man had lost his wife at the end of it all and still had to lease his land back from us for the use of it. I had a hard time understanding why my father wouldn’t have a change of heart after he lost his own wife, but I knew that it wasn’t as simple as all that. My father had a lot of pride and even if he had seen the light on something it could be very difficult to sway him into doing the right thing.
When I made it to town, I found Maddy’s car parked in front of the office, and I parked just behind her, strolling into the open office to find Lorna behind the desk.
“Hey Lorna,” I said with a smile. I tried to see if she had any idea of what had happened between Maddy and I. The two of them were best friends and I knew they talked, I didn’t know how much they shared though. The smile on Lorna’s face made me think that she knew a little bit more than what was discussed in polite company.
“Hey, mister. How are you?”
“Fine,” I said. “Just looking for Maddy. Are you all done for the day?”
She nodded. “I was about to head out. Maddy went upstairs to change, and I think she’ll be down soon. She was planning on going over to the square for the cookout and then the fireworks I think. I’ll be down at the roadhouse later if you all would like to join us.”
“Maybe we will,” I said, but privately hoped that we could just head back to Maddy’s place.
As soon as Lorna had stepped out, Maddy came walking down the stairs and smiled as soon as she saw me.
“Fancy seeing you here,” she said with a grin as she came over and gave me a peck on the cheek.
I gave her a quick squeeze. “Want to head over to the square and see what’s happening?”
“I’d rather go upstairs and make something happen,” I turned on my heels and steered her back toward the door.
Maddy let out a laugh. “Okay, I shouldn’t have said that. I promised some people I’d be at the Fourth of July celebration tonight, so that’ll have to wait until later.”
“You are a tease,” I said as she took me by the hand and led me toward the part of town where the festivities were taking place.
“So how was your day?” Maddy asked as we approached the center of downtown.
“Well, I made that call to the folks in Texas about Pineapple.”
“Uh oh. I don’t like the sound of that. What did they have to say?”
“They weren’t too happy at
the thought of their filly being pregnant. The guy wanted me to go ahead and terminate, but I told him that was off the table because of Nevada Rebel.”
Maddy looked at me, concern written all over her face. “Honestly, Alex, if it’s a problem then we can do it. It is standard procedure for young ones on some ranches. But in my experience, I don’t think it’s really necessary with Pineapple. She’s young, but she’s very healthy. I think she’ll be fine. I don’t want it to cause trouble for you though.”
I shook my head. “No, we’re not doing it. That guy thinks he can call the shots, but it’s not about him. We have to think about our horses as well, and any foal from Nevada Rebel would draw twice the price of Pineapple. Not that I am saying her welfare doesn’t matter, but I trust your judgement on this. You know what you’re doing.”
“As long as you’re happy with the decision,” she said, and we walked toward the celebration that was already in progress.
Chapter 8
Madison
The smell of hot dogs and hamburgers on the grills across the park that spread around the square and off toward the lake in the center of town wafted all around, reminding me that I had failed to locate any lunch that day.
“Want something?” Alex asked.
I nodded, and we walked toward one of the stands where a church group was making and selling hamburgers. Alex bought us each one, and we carried them to a bench at the edge of the lake, taking a seat there and enjoying our dinner together.
“It’s sort of like old times, isn’t it?” He asked as he took a bite out of the hamburger.
I nodded as I reached to wipe some mustard from his face. “Exactly like old times.”
“I think you are prettier though.”
I shot him a look. “So I wasn’t pretty enough then?”
He put an arm around me and pulled me close. “You were fine as hell then, and you still are, but there’s something about the past ten years that has done a lot for you. I didn’t think it was possible.”
“You don’t look so bad yourself,” I said as I caught him staring at me. “You got a little fatter though.”
“Hey!” I laughed, and Alex reached over and gave me a slap on the ass. “You know I hate that!”
“You called me fat! I’ll have you know it is mostly muscle. I’ve done a lot of working out since you last saw me.”
“I noticed. You’re definitely not the scrawny boy I knew in high school.”
He shook his head dejectedly. “You are sure full of insults tonight.”
I grinned and scooted closer to him. It did feel like we had slipped into something like what we used to have. I wasn’t sure what to make of the feeling growing inside me. It was as if I had been transported back through time and we were picking up where we left off. But I knew it wasn’t that simple, and I had a feeling that Alex could pick up on that too.
“I was thinking about your dad’s place as I was driving into town.”
“Yeah?”
He nodded. “What it might take to get it back. I don’t know. Just a thought I was having. And I kind of wondered what he would think if he knew we were together.”
I tilted my head at him quizzically. “Are we together?”
“Do you want us to be?”
“I asked first.”
“Fair enough.” He was quiet for a moment, and I almost forgot that I was waiting for an answer. Turning to face the crowds around the lake I was lost in everything that was happening around us, wondering what our lives would have been like if we had never parted.
“I’ve missed you,” he said simply, after a few moments. “I’ve missed you every single day. I’m not going to make up some bullshit and say that I never stopped thinking about you or that there was no one else. That would be a lie. There have been other people, but as far as I’m concerned none of them were of any consequence. Of course, I slept with other women and even dated a few of them over the years.” He looked at me seriously now. “This is going to sound corny, but none of them ever really held a candle to you.”
I swallowed hard and looked back out at the lake. It was a lot to confront all at once. I wanted to be honest with Alex and tell him how I felt, but all of it made me feel so vulnerable. The thing that kept rushing back to my mind was how I felt in those first few weeks and months without him. It had been the worst kind of heartbreak, something I never wanted to go through again. I knew he had the power to make me feel that way and the thought of subjecting myself to it again was more than I could bear. Not when my father was this ill. Not when I didn’t know where things were going to be in six months time.
“I’d like it to be something, but you know…it’s been a long time. We’re different people. I wish we could pick up and start again right from where we left off, but I’m not sure if that’s healthy or even possible. I think we’ve got to acknowledge that we’re different than we were before.”
Alex nodded. “Okay then. I would like to get to know the woman you’ve become if you’re open to that.”
I smiled at him. “I could work with that.”
“Tell me about college. How did you decide on being a vet?”
I told him about the English courses I had taken my first year and how much I had enjoyed them, but that I decided I wanted to do something to make more money, leaving out any talk of my father and the debts he had. I told him about my experiences living in the dorms and then moving out to live in a house with friends. Parties and dating and all the things that went along with college life. The beginning of vet school that saw me off to another town entirely.
“Lucy and I briefly lived together again, but without our mom around to referee us it was a little difficult. You remember how much we used to fight? It turns out it wasn’t much different when we were fighting over who needed to do the dishes or some laundry or anything else involved in managing a household.”
Alex chuckled. “I do remember a few skirmishes here and there.”
I rolled my eyes. “So anyway, I got an internship and finished up all my requirements. I had been practicing at an office in Louisville for a little while, but I wasn’t getting the equine experience that I really wanted. When I heard about things opening up back here, I thought it would be a good move to make.”
Simple enough. It explained me coming back here without having to get into all the details about my dad’s health. It just wasn’t something I wanted to involve Alex in at the moment. I didn’t know what was going to become of us and inviting him into that part of my life seemed like a step too far.
We settled in for the fireworks and watched the display there with the rest of the town before heading down to the roadhouse to catch up with Lorna and her latest boyfriend, Billy, a guy we had gone to school with but was a few years older than us.
“I’ve got to be honest with you, I don’t spend much time around this place,” Alex said as we made our way in. “The element it attracts seems to be a little bit shady, and I’m not really into that.”
“Would you rather we leave?” I asked.
He shook his head. “No, I’ll keep a sharp eye though. There’s always someone trying to start a fight around here, and I don’t want to get you in the middle of anything.”
The place was your stereotypical roadhouse bar with all the personalities you’d imagine it to be filled with. He was right, it wasn’t my type of place either, but it was nice to be out for a change and amongst the living.
We took a seat in the corner but within view of the door. Lorna came over and joined us, beers in hand, giving us each one.
“Billy is at the bar. I don’t know what that’s all about. He had a bet with someone over something ridiculous, and I think he’s arguing with him about some money owed or something.” She rolled her eyes and waved a hand in the air. “I never know with him.”
“Why are you with him?” Alex said out of the blue and over the din of the bar.
Lorna shot me a look and then looked back at Alex. “You’re awful ballsy to be
asking a question like that.”
Alex frowned and shook his head. “That guy is no good, Lorna. You knew it when we were in school, and he hasn’t changed a bit. I mean, he might have gotten worse, and I think he’s developed a drinking problem, but he’s certainly no better than he was.”
“You might want to keep your man in check, Maddy.”
I could tell by her language that she had already had a few. Now I was just waiting for Billy to come over and continue whatever he had started at the bar. I was already regretting deciding to come here.
It didn’t take long to kick off.
“Hey, asshole!” Billy shouted with a laugh as he came to join us at the table. “I don’t ever see you around here anymore.” He looked over at me. “Guess you caught a little tail though. That’s all right, I understand. You’re done chasing that pussy now that you found some. I feel ya.”
Billy smacked Lorna on the ass and grabbed her firmly.
“Billy now’s probably not the time,” Lorna said, starting to push him away a little.
“What the hell do you mean? You’re always ready for it.”
He pulled my friend over by the belt loop on her jeans and tried to force his pickled tongue down her throat.
Alex was on his feet before I knew what had happened.
“Billy, I don’t think Lorna wants you to touch her. You need to respect what she says, or we’ll take it outside.”
Alex (Killarny Brothers Book 2) Page 7