by K. C. Crowne
I smiled knowingly and asked, “You’re smitten, aren’t you?”
“I am, a bit. I’ve never felt this way about someone.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Would you move back here to be with him?”
“Oh hell no,” he assured me. “I’m not sure what we’d do, but there’s no way in hell I’d ever move back to this god forsaken place. Besides, we’re going to open our boutique in the city one day. I wouldn’t give up on that. Not even for a man.”
“Good,” I said. “But never say never. If things work out, what would you do?”
He thought that over for a moment. “I don’t know if Tyler would want to move to the city. But we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, I just want to see where it goes.”
“I understand,” I said, nodding. “I just want to see you happy, you know?”
“And I want to see you happy. We need to find you a man, Molly dear.”
I rolled my eyes and fell back onto the bed. “Why do you always bring this back to talking about me?”
Christopher fell back on the bed beside me. “Because as much as you like to pretend you don’t need a man, I know deep down you want one.”
I looked over at him and smiled. “Who says I’m not happy owning my own business and living with my best friend?”
“You don’t want to live with me forever, do you?”
“Sure, why not?”
He cackled. “Oh, I know you’d love to never have to pick up my dirty socks again, or to nag me about the dishes.”
“If not you, probably another man. I think men, gay or straight, all have some gene that makes them totally incapable of picking up their damn socks.”
“Maybe, maybe not. But in seriousness now, I know you want to find love. I know you, Molly McBean. I know you better than anyone else, and you want a family someday.”
“Someday, yes. It would be nice. But we’ll see what happens. We’re still young, we have a lot of time left to figure this out. Besides, it’s not like you and Tyler are getting married tomorrow.”
He raised his eyebrows and smiled. Things with Tyler had gone really well, I could see it in his face. He caught feelings for guys a lot, but never like this. Tyler had been his dream boy in high school, but he’d always thought he was straight. Neither of them was out back then, and they didn’t even hang in the same friend groups. But it was a small school, and everyone knew everyone else, so they would talk sometimes and kept in touch after graduation.
So maybe Tyler was the one for him, and if so, good for him.
But he was right. It would be nice if I could find someone too. I liked to act like I was okay being single, but I did want to settle down at some point.
I wanted a family and a career.
I wanted it all.
Silas
I was up before sunrise every morning, mucking the stables and taking care of the horses. I ran most of the day-to-day business operations of the ranch, but I tried not to spend too much time cooped up in my office. My father was the one who had run it before, but after he passed, I took over. I still preferred being with horses over staring at financial statements, but someone had to do it.
Breakfast was always at seven. We didn’t have to eat as a family, but when Christopher was in town, we usually did. At least Mom would be there, and I knew I should be too. She’d be expecting Christopher and me to show up, and she’d make a good breakfast - it would be rude not to eat.
Christopher had never been a morning person, and I wasn’t sure what time he’d come in the night before. So to be sure he was up, I knocked on his bedroom door.
No answer. Typical.
I knocked again.
Nothing.
“Christopher, breakfast time.” I turned the knob and opened the door, just like I had when he was living here. I briefly forgot that he wasn't alone, that his fake girlfriend was in there with him.
As soon as I opened the door, however, I remembered.
Molly was alone in Christopher’s bed, spread out and laying at an angle. She was mostly uncovered, the blankets kicked off the bed and piled on top of Christopher who was on the floor.
I stared for a long second. It was hard not to look at something so beautiful and peaceful. Her hair was spread out over the pillowcase, obscuring most of her face. She was wearing silky, pink pajamas. Her bottoms were more like underwear but covered enough so that it wasn’t obscene.
The top was raised up, showing off her stomach. Mostly flat, but still soft. Her breasts were covered, just barely, but without a bra so her nipples could be seen through the material. Her breasts were round and perky, perfect handfuls.
I began to feel guilty for staring at her while she was asleep, so I cleared my throat and looked away.
“Christopher, Molly. Time for breakfast.”
Molly shot up in the bed, her large eyes even wider than usual. She grabbed at the blanket, pulling it up over her body as if she were naked. Christopher sat up too and scowled at me.
“Mama G made breakfast. It’d be nice of you to join us.”
Without another word, I left the room. I felt terrible for savoring Molly’s body like that; it was wrong of me. She clearly didn’t want to be admired based on her reaction to me being in the room.
I hoped they’d come down for breakfast, but it was out of my hands now. I knew that if it was up to Christopher, he’d go right back to sleep. I used to have to nudge him out, but I reminded myself that he was an adult now.
My mother was setting the table when I came down.
“Do you think Christopher and Molly will be joining us?” she asked.
“I tried to wake them up, but who knows,” I answered, automatically heading to the kitchen to help.
She followed me. “If they do come down, can you please be on your best behavior? I know Molly isn’t really his girlfriend, but for some reason he feels the need to pretend, and I want them both to feel comfortable in my home.”
“I’ll try, Ma,” I muttered. “You know I don’t go out of my way to be an ass, right?” She frowned, and I knew what was coming. I corrected myself before she could do it for me. “Sorry, I mean, I don’t try to be a jerk. It’s just how I come off sometimes.”
“That’s better, but you still need to take responsibility for yourself. You could be less brash. Not everyone is used to it, and Molly doesn’t look like the type to have been around people like you.”
“I know, Ma.”
I grabbed the last of the food from the kitchen. My mother always made too much. She was used to cooking for the guests - one of her favorite things to do here at the ranch. Though due to her age and needing to slow down, we’d recently hired a chef to take care of most of the prep work. We were growing too big and my poor mother would spend all day in the kitchen otherwise. Not that she ever complained.
Now she just cooked for us, but sometimes it still felt like she was cooking for a hotel full of guests.
We had bacon, sausage, eggs, toast, and biscuits and gravy. Oh, and fruit on the side as well as yogurt and granola. Molly would have her choice of food. No one went hungry in this house.
When I came out of the kitchen, I was surprised to see Christopher and Molly at the table, waiting. Christopher looked half asleep still, wearing plaid pajama pants and a grey long-sleeved shirt. Molly, on the other hand, was thankfully wearing something other than what she’d slept in. Her hair was pulled back into a messy bun, but her outfit was put together. She’d put on jeans and a blouse, but next to Christopher’s pajamas, she looked dressed up.
“Mornin’,” I said, placing the last of the food on the table.
“Good morning,” Molly said to me, sitting up straight as a board as if she was uncomfortable. I didn’t like seeing her that way. Mama G was right, I needed to be nicer.
“Sorry about walking in on ya this morning, I wasn’t thinkin’. I had to wake Christopher up like that when he was younger, and old habits die hard, I guess.”
“It’s fine
,” she said, propping her chin in her hand.
I took my seat just as Wyatt passed by the dining room. “Sorry, got an appointment early this morning. A mare giving birth over at the Hudson property and they need my help.”
“It’s fine, go on,” our mother said, waving Wyatt off. She was used to her boys coming and going at breakfast and lunch. It was only dinner that she liked to have us all together, if possible. “Travis is training someone, and Chance is—well, I don’t know where Chance is this morning. He left early. Emily and Logan went out of town for a convention; some event planning show in Vegas. So it looks like it’s just the four of us this morning.”
“Great,” Christopher said under his breath. Molly nudged him, reminding him that everyone could hear his tone.
I ignored it and bit into my toast, which I’d dipped into the yolks of my eggs. “So, Molly, you ever ridden a horse before?”
She looked at me, studying my face as if checking to see if I meant that as another insult. I couldn’t blame her after the way I’d acted yesterday. But I meant it. I was trying to make conversation, but it was hard to know what to talk about with a city girl like her.
“Uh, no. Actually, I haven’t,” she admitted. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to try, but there aren’t many horses in Manhattan, obviously.” She chuckled, making her own joke, and it was the cutest thing I’d ever heard.
“Oh yeah? If you’d like, you two can go for a ride later.”
“Dad, you know I don’t like riding,” Christopher said. “I have no idea what I’m doing. Horses hate me for some reason.”
“Nah, they don’t hate ya, son. They can just sense your discomfort. You just have to know how to work with them.”
“Well, I have no idea what I’m doing, so I doubt Molly and I will be going for a ride anytime soon.”
I saw the look of disappointment on Molly’s face and it pulled at my heartstrings. The poor girl had always wanted to ride a horse. Here was her chance, and Christopher wasn’t even going to try.
“I can help the y’all,” I offered.
“I’d rather you not,” my son snapped, glaring at me.
I tried not the let the sting of his words affect me. Maybe I hadn’t been the most emotionally available father, but I did love my son.
“Yeah, it’s fine. I’m sure I’ll get another chance at some point,” Molly said, her voice soft.
“If Christopher doesn’t mind, and you’re up for it, Molly, I can take ya. He can stay here and do whatever it is he does.”
Maybe it was a bit harsh, but the words came out before I had a chance to stop them. Christopher glared at me from across the table, like he wanted to take the fork in his hand and jab it right into me.
“Listen, the girl wants to ride a horse, we have horses. It seems like a waste that she came all this way and doesn’t get to live out a dream. I’m happy to take her out, that’s all I’m sayin’.”
“That’s up to Molly,” Christopher finally acquiesced.
I turned my attention to Molly. She opened her mouth, then shut it again. I could see that she was thinking it over. She looked at Christopher, as if trying to decide if he meant it - could she go or would he be mad at her?
I knew I could be a bit harsh at times, but my son was making me look like the damned devil. The poor girl just wanted to ride go for a ride. What was the big deal?
“Molly, seriously,” he said, his face softening as he looked at her. “If you want to go, it’s fine. My dad is probably the best horseback rider I know. You’d be safe with him.”
They were probably the kindest words my son had ever said about me. For a moment I wondered if that was actually my boy who’d said them.
Molly glanced at me and nodded after a second or two. “Alright, I think that sounds great. Thank you, Mr. Walker.”
“Silas,” I said, biting off a strip of bacon.
“Sorry, yes, Silas. I’d love to go horseback riding with you. Thank you.”
She smiled at me, and it was the sweetest, most genuine smile. Dammit, Christopher, where did you find her? She was as perfect as they came.
Hell, maybe I could make a country girl out of her yet.
Molly
“This is Martha,” Silas said, giving a grey and white speckled horse a pat on the back. “She’s the gentlest, sweetest mare we have. Perfect for beginners, even if she’s a bit slow.”
I looked over at Silas’ horse - jet black with silky fur. He was easily twice the size of Martha, if not more. I knew nothing about horses, but there was a wildness to him that intrigued me.
“Are you riding him?” I asked in awe.
“Jagger? Nah, not for this walk. He’s too wild, too unpredictable,” Silas said. “Fine for when I ride alone, but I want to make sure Martha can keep up.”
Silas led Jagger back to the stables while I stayed with Martha. I wasn’t sure if I should touch her, or how. I patted her on the back much like Silas had done earlier, and when she didn’t seem to respond negatively to that, I stroked her fur.
“Beautiful girl,” I whispered to her.
I’d never been this close to a horse before and had never touched one. Her coat was mostly a light grey with what reminded me of white freckles dotting her body. Some spots were larger, and her chest was mostly white as well.
Silas returned with a brown horse. He was all brown, a chocolatey color except for a white line down his snout. He was still larger than Martha and maybe a little closer in size to Jagger, but the wildness I’d seen in Jagger’s eyes wasn’t in his.
He seemed much calmer, but just as beautiful.
“This is Traveler. He’s more experienced with riding in groups, for our trail rides. And in case it’s needed, he can carry two people easier than some of the other horses. He’s used to it.”
I cocked an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. Two people? Like I’d be riding with him? The very idea brought heat to my cheeks and blood flowing low in my body to places it shouldn’t be flowing.
I didn’t think it would be a very good idea. Not with my best friend’s dad.
“Alright, so a few tips,” Silas said, walking over to Martha. “We’ll have you mount from the left side. I’ll hold her steady. You gotta relax. A horse can sense your tension. You’ll put your foot here…” Silas motioned toward the stirrup. “And then propel your other leg over the top of the horse, holding onto the reins. You don’t want to push down too hard on her back, but you can place your hands on her back for balance. Ready?”
I stared at Martha, then at Silas. Was that really it? Was I really ready to hop on the back of a horse? I had some second thoughts, but I saw the look in Silas’ eyes - he was confident, and his confidence gave me a boost of my own.
“Don’t worry,” he said, sensing my nerves. “I’ve helped plenty of beginners. Most much younger than you. You can do this, Molly.”
I swallowed hard and nodded. If he believed in me, then I could do it.
He held Martha’s head in his big hands, stroking her muzzle and speaking to her in a soothing tone. I stopped and admired it for a moment, watching as this giant of a man - known for his bad attitude and lack of manners - doting upon the horse.
He was good with them, and it melted my heart. It was like I was seeing a side of him that he didn’t show off very often.
Silas caught me staring, and I knew I couldn’t delay for another second. I placed my foot in the stirrup as he told me to. Thankfully I’d taken dance and gymnastics classes when I was younger, so my balance was pretty good. I propelled my other leg over the horse and squealed as I found my balance.
I was sitting on a horse.
I held onto the saddle horn since it was there.
“You don’t wanna hold onto that too much,” Silas instructed, walking over to the side. “Balance your body on its own, don’t rely on the horn to save you from falling. Sit up straight, don’t lean forward. And relax. Move with the horse and you’ll be just fine.”
“Thank you,
” I said softly.
He winked at me and walked over to Traveler. I noticed he didn’t have a saddle.
“Do you need to get him ready?”
“No, if we need to ride double, it’s better to do it without a saddle,” he informed me. “Better on the horse that way.”
He was still talking about us riding double. The very thought of that warmed my insides. Behave yourself, Molly. This is Christopher’s dad we’re talking about.
Silas climbed on his horse like a pro, and I watched every movement. His ass in those jeans was still a sight to behold.
“Now we’re just going to walk, an easy little trail ride. Just squeeze gently with your legs - not too hard, and she’ll start movin’. Martha is a little lazy, so you may have to give her a few soft bumps to get her goin’.”
I did as he told me. Martha took a couple steps and it caught me off guard. I jolted slightly, spooking her into a little bounce
“Careful, hold onto the reigns gently, don’t pull back on ‘em or she’ll stop. Sit up tall,” he said, giving me instruction as Martha walked around the gated area. She moved slowly, so balance wasn’t an issue at all. “Look straight ahead between her ears, not at her.”
I listened to every word and did everything he told me.
“Good, good,” he said, and his praise brought a huge smile on my face. Knowing that Silas was impressed meant a lot.
“When she’s walking’, don’t keep squeezing’. Only when you need to get her goin’ - yeah, you got it. Look at you go.”
Martha was barely moving to be honest, but it still felt like we were galloping to me. It was magical. I couldn’t believe I was riding a horse!
Silas and Traveller came up beside us. Martha stopped and lowered her head, nibbling on some grass poking through the gate.
“Ready to try an easy trail?”
I nodded my head, smiIing as I sat atop a creature that could only be described as majestic. “Do you think I’m ready for it?”