“It’s possible.” Ken reached for her head, but she pulled away again. “Maybe she spent too long in a field by herself. We won’t know, until we try. The vet’s seen to her. She’s healthy, just underweight.”
“Let me get some tack and we can see how she does,” Matty said, handing me the lead before rushing toward the barn.
I stared at the horse standing in front of me, calculating my next move. This horse wasn’t as scary as I thought two minutes ago. I’d freaked out for no reason. There was no need for a saddle. Either she’d let me ride her, or she wouldn’t. I wasn’t afraid. I’d ridden bulls last summer for the local junior rodeo. They’d had at least five hundred more pounds on this pathetic horse.
“Here, let me,” I said.
Before Ken could object, I grabbed onto the base of her mane and pulled myself onto her back. For a moment, the mare stood absolutely still. I repositioned myself and patted her side, letting her know I wasn’t a threat. With a click of my tongue, I urged her forward.
“Careful, son,” Ken said in a low voice.
I smirked at his tone. This was easy. The mare just needed someone confident enough to lead her. Matty appeared in the open doorway of the barn, a saddle, blanket, and reins piled in his arms. He stopped and stared when he saw me already on the horse.
“Guess she’s not as green as you thought, eh, Matt?” I pressed the heels of my boots gently into the mare’s sides, urging her once again to move forward.
The stubborn horse refused to move. Her muscles bunched up tight beneath my seat, as if she were flexing every ounce of her scrawny body. Maybe it had been too long since she’d been ridden. She’d forgotten her commands.
At that moment, a police cruiser pulled into the driveway. My stomach dropped into my feet as I trailed its journey up the long limestone gravel drive to the ranch. Every curse word I’d ever learned entered my mind, like missiles zooming through the dark. I would’ve liked to have spat each of them out, but with Ken standing right next to me, there was no way I could get away with that.
This wasn’t a good sign. I could think of only one reason why they were here.
While I stressed over that reason, the mare must’ve sensed my distraction. Horses had a strange way of knowing those kinds of things. The muscles in her back relaxed. With a warning shake of her head, she plowed forward and then kicked out with her back legs. The momentum of the short ride hurled me over her head and straight into the dirt.
For the second time in less than twenty-four hours, I found myself looking up at the sky and gasping for breath. Dimly, I was aware of two car doors slamming shut and then the shuffle of feet as someone came nearer. Pressing a hand to my stomach, I blinked hard and tried not to panic.
“Is he okay?” a familiar, soft voice asked.
“Yeah, he’s just got the wind knocked out of him,” I heard Ken reply with a deep chuckle. “That’s what he gets for being so cocky. Should’ve waited for the gear, cowboy.”
I bit down hard on my tongue, willing my cheeks not to burn red as blood rushed to my face. Lesson learned. No more bareback riding strange mares fresh on the ranch. That should’ve been one of their golden rules. If the devil had fur and four legs, it would’ve been that dang horse. She was lucky she didn’t kill me.
After what seemed like forever, fresh air finally flooded my lungs and I could breathe again. Sitting up, I rubbed the back of my arm across my forehead and looked at the audience behind me.
Ken stood holding the lead to the nervously dancing mare. He must’ve grabbed her before she could dart off. I shot her a glare, promising myself that I’d never get on her back again. But then my gaze slid past her and that’s when my stomach clenched. Cassidy Redmond stood not far behind Ken, still wearing the same outfit from school earlier today. Her eyes flashed with amusement and her pink lips tilted upward in a slightly mocking grin. The last rays from the setting sun behind her fell on her hair, giving her a strangely angelic glow.
“Pretty horse,” she said, her smile growing bigger.
I tore my eyes away from her and then found the last newcomer to the ranch. Sheriff Redmond, out of uniform, but still looking as stiff and proper as an on-duty cop, stood next to his daughter with one large hand resting on her shoulder. His expression was hard to read as he looked down at me, but I could see the calculations being performed behind his blank stare. He already had me figured. He probably kept a copy of my rap sheet in his desk, with every line memorized. That was all I was to most people—a bunch of mistakes printed in bold black ink. No whiteout could fix that.
“Why don’t the four of us head inside for a cup of coffee?” Ken asked. He then handed the mare’s lead to Matty and nodded at the barn. “Get her situated in a stall with some barley and oats, why don’t you? Go easy. I don’t want her to overdo it. We’ll put a shine back into her coat in no time. Graham will see to her, starting tomorrow.”
Great. Just what I asked for. A murderous animal to babysit.
I sat in the dust, watching as Ken, Cassidy, and the sheriff turned toward the house. They got about twenty feet away before I realized I was included in the four Ken had mentioned. The realization made my stomach harden into a tight knot.
They knew. Cassidy had broken her promise just to get back at me.
I should’ve known I couldn’t trust her.
Chapter Seven
Graham
I dusted off my jeans and began to trudge after Ken, Sheriff Redmond, and Cassidy. At this point, there was no use in running or hiding. It was time to face my troubles like a man.
By the time I arrived at the apple-themed kitchen of the farmhouse, all three already sat around one end of the long rectangular honey-stained table where we usually took our meals. Ken’s wife, Mary, was juggling several coffee mugs as she hurried to serve everyone.
Mary was one of the few things about this ranch that I couldn’t complain about, even if I wanted to. Where Ken was harsh and tough, Mary was sensitive and soft. She was a large woman, with wide hips and a love of hugs that nearly cracked your ribs. Her brown hair was cut short, without a hint of gray, although she always joked that us boys were gonna turn her as gray as her husband. She smiled at me when I came in through the kitchen door and then pointed at the empty chair next to Ken.
“Have a seat, darling. What’ll it be? I’ve got milk or juice.”
“Just water,” I said, too distracted by the back of Sheriff Redmond’s head to look anywhere else.
It felt like my legs were moving through jelly as I approached the table. Sitting down, I clasped the top of my knees tightly and looked up to find Cassidy staring at me. Her blue eyes were as round as the rim of Mary’s coffee mugs. Two bright red dots appeared on her cheeks. She seemed to be trying to tell me something, but all I could do was grit my teeth against this feeling of betrayal.
“Thank you for coming, Sheriff,” Ken said as he took a sip from the coffee Mary put in front of him.
Sheriff Redmond thanked Mary for his cup but didn’t drink it. Instead, he placed his hands carefully on the tabletop and folded them together. “Of course. I figured we could come up with a constructive answer to this...”—his gaze flicked to mine and back—“...unique learning opportunity.”
I had no idea what the two of them were talking about. And right now, I didn’t care. All I could think about was getting away from there. Crossing my arms tightly over my chest, I sat down farther in my chair and refused to play into any of their games.
Ken slid his mug away and mirrored the Sheriff’s posture. “One of the things we teach here at the ranch is personal responsibility. Everyone messes up, but it’s what you do afterwards that truly counts. I’m sure Graham will be more than willing to step up to the plate. Won’t ya, son?”
My gaze darted up to Ken’s, dread spreading inside my chest. Yep. He knew. There was no denying it anymore. The way he was staring at me, his chin tucked, his frown deepening—there was judgment there. No way was I getting out of it this time.
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I was sunk.
“You told them,” I growled, redirecting my attention to Cassidy. Hurt and anger swirled inside my gut. A tiny voice inside my head told me it wasn’t fair to blame her, but I couldn’t help it. She was the one that lied. I guess she didn’t have anything more important to talk about after all. Seeing me get dragged was probably going to be the highlight of her week.
Cassidy drew her head back, as if I’d insulted her. “Don’t look at me. I don’t even know why I’m here.”
“Sure.” I smirked at her, even as the sense of betrayal cut deeper into my gut. I should’ve been better prepared for this. Everyone in my life was always trying to keep me down. Why would Cassidy be any different? “Keep lying.”
“The girl doesn’t know anything,” Ken interrupted, slapping his hand on the table and fixing me with a harsh stare.
I pressed my lips tightly together, internally promising not to say another word. They wanted to see me blow up. To see me lose my cool. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction. I didn’t care. I didn’t care about anything. Not here at the ranch, anyway.
“The truth is that Officer Trip submitted a report on your activity last night,” Sheriff Redmond said, his blue gaze targeted on me. “And I called Ken this morning to see what we should do about it. Vandalism is a crime, Graham. One that could eventually earn you time behind bars, if you’re not careful.”
So that was why they were here? To take me in? I tried hard to push down the fear erupting inside of me. I’d done some bad things in my life, but nothing had earned me hard time, yet. The thought of being caged in a tiny ten-by-ten metal cell was almost making me sick. No freedom. No outdoors. No privacy. It was getting hard to breathe in this kitchen. All I could do was stare at Cassidy from across the table as her defensive glare began to soften into something that almost looked like pity.
I immediately wished she’d still go on hating me. Pity was so much worse.
“Dad, I don’t know if Officer Trip wrote it in his report, but Graham also saved me from getting hit by a car last night.” She turned to him and swallowed hard. “Shouldn’t that count for something?”
Something inside of me wrenched forward, like an invisible string had been tied to the bones inside of my chest. Was Cassidy defending me? In what world did a girl like that defend an Oakie? I would’ve fallen out of my chair, if Mary hadn’t shown up at my side at that very moment and slid a glass of ice water in front of me.
“Here, dear,” she whispered, patting me on the shoulder and taking the empty seat on the other side of me.
I reached out and lifted it toward my lips, unsure how my body was functioning at that moment when everything felt so upside down.
“It definitely speaks toward his character,” Sheriff Redmond answered to his daughter with a curt nod of his head. “And it’s part of the reason why Ken and I came up with an alternative solution. Something that we think will help Graham here get back on track with his life.”
“What solution?” I blurted out, breaking my own promise to stay silent.
I couldn’t just sit quiet anymore. They’d been talking about me behind my back. I deserved to know what grand plan they’d come up with.
“There are two parts,” Ken said, raising up his forefinger and middle finger. “The first, you will fix the damage you’ve done. Tomorrow, after school, you will repaint the gazebo at Memorial Park. Respect is a rule at the ranch and a big part of that is respecting other people’s property. I don’t believe this was the first time you’ve tagged something in town, but I sincerely hope it’s the last.”
I frowned, but didn’t open my mouth to argue or lie. So, Ken did know. I’d been a fool to think I’d gotten away with anything around him.
“And the other?” Mary asked.
“The other part will involve a little bit of volunteer service and homework rolled into one,” Sheriff Redmond answered. “I understand Graham has yet to choose a senior project topic.”
“That’s right.” Mary glanced over at me. “We’ve been discussing it with the boys at supper. He’s the last one to pick his project.”
The urge to roll my eyes was almost too much to resist. Everyone was so concerned about this senior project. But if I had my way, I’d be out of here way before the due date rolled around.
“Well, in that case, he can partner with Cassidy,” Sheriff Redmond said, gesturing toward her. “She needs someone to run the equipment for her interviews. And Graham needs a project. This works perfectly. And maybe he’ll learn a little something along the way.”
“What? No way!” Both Cassidy and I shouted at the same time, barely missing a beat.
Our protests were cut off by the swift slice of the Sheriff’s hand through the air. Alternating between the two of us, he fixed us each with a stare that could’ve made even the most hardened criminal shake in his boots.
“I expect everything about this project to be above deck,” he said firmly. “The only rule is that Cassidy is in charge and will report back on Graham’s efforts. I fully expect that he will give her his best. And that the two of you will work well together.”
The way he said it, there was no room for argument. The Sheriff’s word was law. Seeing the fight go out of Cassidy’s eyes was enough to confirm it. My own shoulders drooped, and I lowered my glare down to the table. Once again, I had absolutely no control over my life. I was a toy soldier, bent to their every command. Never had I regretted more the mistake that landed me here.
Every fiber in me wished I could turn back time and take it back.
I’d never forgive myself for what I did. Not as long as I lived.
“I think that’s settled, then.” Mary beamed at everyone around the table, as if half of us weren’t slumped in our chairs, wishing we could be anywhere else. “Who wants brownies?”
Both Ken and the Sheriff nodded eagerly, the tone of the meeting immediately lightening. They’d gotten what they came here for. Job done.
As Mary shot to her feet to grab plates, I lifted my gaze and found Cassidy staring at me again. Her eyes were narrowed, her lips pursed in thought, and a severe little line appeared between her eyebrows. She didn’t look all too happy with what just went down.
I couldn’t be certain, but I was pretty sure she blamed me for what just happened.
And I’d never admit it to her face, but I was doing the same thing.
If one thing was for sure, when it came to being an Oakie, Cassidy Redmond was soon going to regret the day she met me.
Chapter Eight
Cassidy
I didn’t ask for any of this.
I didn’t ask for my cameraman to break his leg. Or everyone in town to be too scared of the Cooks to help me with my project. But most of all, I didn’t ask for Graham McGrady to be my new partner.
I thought seeing Graham do his time after school the next day for defacing my mother’s gazebo would make me feel better. Wrong! Standing across the street and covertly watching him paint was only making me feel more frustrated. What had Dad been thinking? I loved him to death and I knew he tried his hardest, especially since he had to fill the role of two parents now. But Graham McGrady? Seriously? I would’ve rather taken Hannah, with her technological difficulties, than him. But once Dad made up his mind, there was no arguing with him. So here I was, shifting my weight from foot to foot, as I tried to build up the strength to approach Graham to talk about the project.
Our project.
There was no more putting it off. With a last deep inhale, I marched across the street and right up to the gazebo. Graham had a paintbrush in hand, his brow furrowed as he focused on covering up his unique artwork. His blue flannel shirt was rolled up to his elbows, showing off the muscular shape of his forearms. Tiny white droplets of paint spattered his shirt and a few had made their way onto his worn jeans. A white pair of headphones hung from his ears, the beat of some song playing loud enough that even I could hear it from where I stood.
With a loud clearing of m
y throat, I waited for him to acknowledge me. When that didn’t happen, I edged the can of his paint over with the toe of my sneakers and waited for him to reach down for a refill. He did two seconds later, and instead of getting the paint can, reached down and dipped his brush into the grass.
“What the—?” He looked down to see the paint can missing. His confusion only lasted long enough for his gaze to sweep up to meet mine and his eyes to narrow. “Oh. It’s you.”
Not exactly the kind of greeting I was hoping for, but at least he was talking to me.
“I thought we could get started on the project. I brought my notes to bring you up-to-date.”
Without waiting for a reply, I sat in the grass next to him, taking my notebook out of my backpack and spreading it open on my lap. All of my interview questions were prepared in there. My production notes. My plans for how to get the videos in front of people. Every single detail that I’d been stressing about for the past month meticulously scribbled in different color-coded ink.
“I don’t suppose this is a paying job?” Graham asked dryly, retrieving the paint can and dipping his brush generously into the white paint. He tucked the headphones in his pocket, the distant throbbing of music ceasing for the moment.
“No, but you might just graduate because of it,” I answered, arching my eyebrows and smiling sweetly back at him.
He grunted a reply as he plopped his brush on the gazebo, his expression souring.
“So, we’re doing a series of interviews for the people who live on Cherry Street between the 300 and 400 blocks,” I started, ignoring his lack of enthusiasm. “Hank used to be my cameraman, but that’s your new role. We got one interview done already. There are four others to film, edit, and release. The goal is to shine some light on this eminent domain project the city council is voting to pass next month. Most of the town doesn’t even realize what’s going on. I’m hoping, if we let the people speak in their own words about the trauma of losing their homes and their businesses, we can get some movement going.”
Cowboy Crush : A Small Town, Enemies-to-Lovers YA Romance (Sweet Oak Teen Ranch Book 1) Page 5