Breaking Down (The Breaking Series Book 4)

by Juliana Haygert

  “Good. Call me once you have the results, and let me know if I need to go out there.”

  “Yes, I’ll call right away. Thanks.” I put my phone away and sat back on the ground.

  Gabi stayed on her knees and hovered over her mare. “Pretty, pretty girl,” she whispered, running her hand over Branca’s shiny white coat.

  “Didn’t you buy her a few weeks ago?”

  “Sim.” She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Why?”

  I shrugged. “I haven’t had a horse, any pet actually, in many, many years. I guess I forgot how easy it is to get attached to them.” I scanned the length of the mare. I didn’t think she had grown to her full size yet, but her thighs were thick and strong and her mane looked soft and cared for. “She really is a beauty.”

  “She is. But she’s skittish. The seller warned me she got spooked by anything, but I thought, nah, I’ve seen horses get spooked at flapping flags and rolling soccer balls and even a plastic bag floating in the wind. I know how to deal with those. Ugh. I was careful with all of that, but a damn squirrel?” She fisted her hands.

  “That happens,” I assured her. “I once saw a horse who was scared of rabbits, and another who went crazy when the owner’s puppy got too close.”

  “If only I had been more careful.”

  I scooted closer to her. “There was nothing you could have done, Gabi. Stop putting this on your shoulders. Besides, we don’t really know how she is yet. She might just have a mild twist. With a little physical therapy, she should be brand new.”

  She turned those huge, worried blue eyes at me. “But what if it’s broken?”

  I inhaled a sharp breath. It was a possibility but one I didn’t want to consider yet. If it was broken, if the ligaments were ruptured, we would have to talk about surgery, or depending on the severity, putting the mare to sleep, and looking at how Gabi was emotional now, I didn’t want to be the one talking to her about that. Hopefully, I wouldn’t have to. Hopefully, Branca just needs some medicine to help her heal and a little rest.

  “Will you let me look at your injuries now?” She grunted, but sat back on the ground, putting her back right in front of me. From the rip in her shirt, I saw she was wearing a black tank top underneath. “Can you take the shirt off, please?” She looked back, an eyebrow cocked. An urge to roll my eyes hit me. “So I can look at the injury better without having to rip your shirt more.”

  “It’s already ruined.” She started shrugging off the shirt but winced, hissed, and stopped. “Merda.”

  “Hurts too much?”

  “A little.” By the way her nose was scrunched and her lips pressed into a thin line, I knew she was lying. “I hadn’t even noticed it until you pointed them out.”

  I pushed the shirt down her shoulders for her. “You were too worried about Branca to notice anything else.”

  She pulled the shirt to her lap and looked down at it. “So, how bad is it?”

  It didn’t look good. The area behind her shoulder was darkening, but thankfully, it looked like she had only bruised the muscle and besides feeling sore for a few days, it should be fine. Next, I slid my hand down to her elbow. The bleeding from the small scrapes had stopped, but I wanted to apply some antiseptic on it just to make sure all impurities and bacteria stayed out. Although, I didn’t have any with me right now. “You’ll survive,” was all I said.

  “Haha, very funny.”

  “Just apply some antiseptic on your elbow and take something for muscle pain when we get home. You’ll be fine.” I let go of her arm.

  She tried rolling her shoulder but hissed again. “Filho duma …”

  I had no idea what she had said, but it did sound like a curse. Or the beginning of one.

  I shot up at the sound of a truck approaching—Jimmy’s truck with the trailer attached to its bed. After a few maneuvers, Hannah turned the truck around and backed it until the trailer was close. If I hadn’t given Branca that sedative, she would be kicking and jerking right now. But as it had taken her over, she just blinked, really out of it.

  Another man was with them.

  “This is Paul, a riding instructor,” Hannah said. “He’s going to help us.”

  I quickly shook his hand. “Good.”

  With a lot of effort and grunting, the five of us were able to slip the stretcher under Branca, then pull her into the back of the trailer.

  Gabi entered the trailer too. “I’m going with her.”

  I opened my mouth to protest, but the glare she shot me told me I shouldn’t argue. So, I closed the trailer’s door with a sigh and ran to my truck.

  At the stable, we all grunted again to put Branca in her stall.

  A new class started arriving at the same time as us, so as soon as they helped us with Branca, Paul and Jimmy guided the students to the arena outside.

  “I’ll be right back,” Hannah said, going to help them set up the class.

  Gabi still hovered over a half-sleeping Branca while I went to my truck and picked up the x-ray machine and other equipment.

  “Can you help me?” I asked, dropping the x-ray machine on the ground.

  “Of course,” Gabi said, snapping out of her daze. She turned to me all business-like. “What can I do?”

  “I’ll bring over the ultrasound machine too, and the laptop. We’ll hook up everything and—” I stopped. “I’ll show you once I have everything set up.”

  I went back to the truck and reached for the ultrasound machine in the back. Gabi appeared by my side and got the laptop. “Anything else?”

  “Those cables.” I jerked my chin toward a roll of cables on the other side of the truck bed.

  She swiped those up, and we went back to Branca’s stall. Gabi watched Branca while I connected the cables and turned on the laptop and the machines. I stood and handed her a flat panel.

  With a little knot between her brows, she took it. “What now?”

  “Now, you come here.” I knelt beside Branca’s hurt leg and tried to straighten it as much as I could without bothering her too much. The small dose of sedative wouldn’t last long and we had to work fast before she started panicking again. I lifted Branca’s leg. “Place the flat panel underneath.” She did and I lowered Branca’s leg over it. “Just make sure it stays in place and that Branca doesn’t move.”

  Next, I picked up the portable, but not too light x-ray machine and aligned with the flat panel. When the light blinked indicating it was straight, I pressed the button and the x-ray appeared on the laptop’s screen.

  I dropped the machine and turned to the laptop.

  “What does it show?” Gabi asked, still holding on to the flat panel.

  “Oh, sorry.” I scooted to her and helped her take the flat panel from underneath the mare.

  Then, we both looked at the screen.

  “Not that I’m an expert in reading x-rays, but I don’t see anything wrong.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with the bone, but see here.” I pointed to the ligaments disappearing behind the bone. “These don’t look right.”

  I picked up the ultrasound machine, which looked like a thick laptop with an attached mouse, and leaned over Branca. Careful, I slid the probe over the mare’s fetlock and cannon. The image appeared on the machine’s screen.

  “And …”

  “Here.” I pointed to the ligaments, appearing much clearer now. “They don’t look ruptured or cracked. But they are swollen.” I looked up at Gabi and her big, anxious eyes. “I have to show these images to Dr. Bohm before making a final diagnosis, but between us, it seems it was just a mild sprain. With the right care, she’ll be good as new in no time.”

  Gabi squealed and threw her arms around me. I barely had time to push my arm back before the two of us went barreling to the ground, but I caught her with my other arm. To my own surprise, I held her as tightly as she held me.

  “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she whispered near my ear over and over again.

  I chuckled, trying not to inh
ale her sweet scent and let it go to my head. “I didn’t do anything.”

  She shrugged, her shoulders brushing against mine. “You were here, enduring my heart attack.”

  I felt her heartbeat through her chest, and it wasn’t fast enough for a heart attack. Though, with her body practically on my lap and her legs tangled in mine, my own heart started speeding up.

  I pulled back and looked into her eyes. “It’s actually pretty cute seeing you caring for Branca so much in so little time.”

  Her smile faded away and those eyes became two blue, round marbles. Her gaze flicked to my lips and lingered there for a second too long.

  An urge, a desire rushed through me. I cupped her neck and leaned—

  “I brought coffee,” Hannah announced from somewhere in the stable.

  Gabi and I sprang apart. She stood and went to the stall door while I sent the images to Dr. Bohm, then picked up the equipment and placed it neatly into a corner.

  “Thanks,” Gabi said, taking a big mug from the tray Hannah was holding outside the stall.

  “Want some?” she offered me.

  I nodded and picked a mug too. “Thanks.”

  “So?” she asked, looking from me to Gabi and back to me.

  “I just emailed the images for Dr. Bohm to check, but I would say it’s just a mild sprain.”

  Hannah smiled wide at Gabi. “That’s wonderful news. We’ll get you the best equine physical therapist around, and she’ll be new in no time.”

  “Do you know many equine physical therapists?” Gabi asked.

  “Well, actually, no.” Hannah placed the tray over a bench. “But give me until tomorrow at noon. I’ll find out plenty.”

  “Actually.” I ran a hand over my hair. “Equine physical therapy isn’t a certified profession yet. Most people who work with that are vets or regular physical therapists who took a workshop on it and then learn on the job.”

  “Oh … that’s not really good news, is it?” Gabi said with a pout.

  “There’s more,” I said. “I didn’t finish vet school, yet, but I had the chance to take two of those workshops before I had to quit.”

  Gabi’s eyes widened. “You did? So … you can do it? Wait, no, you have work and stuff.”

  I shook my head. “I’ve been working less, so I think I can spare some of my free time for Branca.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Fuck, she sounded so hopeful, and even the light in her face, showing me how much she liked this idea, was too much for me.

  I smiled at her. “Yeah, I’m sure.”

  She squealed again, but this time, instead of throwing herself at me, she punched my shoulder lightly.

  “Ouch,” I said, faking a hurt pout, since I had barely felt it.

  “That’s great,” Hannah said, smiling at us. “You can come over anytime. If I’m not here, Jimmy or Paul are. If you need any of us. If you don’t, then feel free to walk in when you can.”

  “Thanks.” A whimper-like neigh came from the stall. I glanced at the stall as Branca tried to stretch her leg. “She’s almost back. I should wrap her fetlock with a temporary cast and give her something for pain before she’s fully normal again.”

  I walked into the stall while the two girls stayed outside in the stable hall, drinking coffee and talking more about Branca, and the accident, and the therapy. I did my best to ignore them and focus on my job, but when Gabi laughed or smiled wide and her beautiful eyes twinkled, it was hard to.

  Dr. Bohm called me while I wrapped Branca’s fetlock and gave her a shot for pain. She would need several of those for the next few days. As I thought, Dr. Bohn had looked at the images from the x-ray and the ultrasound and arrived at the same conclusion I had. Though, I didn't tell him I was volunteering to be Branca’s physical therapist, because honestly, besides those workshops, I hadn’t worked on this for the longest time. I had never used it in practice. I just hoped I didn’t mess Branca up.

  Well, I would never put Branca’s healing in danger. If I thought it wasn’t working or I had no idea what I was doing, I would admit it to Gabi and help her hire someone with more experience.

  But this new thing actually filled me with something I hadn’t felt in a long time: purpose. While in vet school, I had always wanted to know more about physical therapy, but that was one area that was lacking. Which only interested me more. Right now, I wanted to help Branca. I needed to. For her, and for myself.

  I finished up and left to the stall. Gabi and Hannah stood outside, watching as Branca returned to herself.

  “I’m all done here,” I said, picking up the x-ray machine from the ground. “I should go back to the clinic now.”

  Gabi grabbed the ultrasound machine. “I’ll walk you out.” Walking side by side, she glanced at me. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  She bit her lower lip. “I want to pay you for the therapy sessions,” she said as if she had been afraid of saying that at all.

  I almost tripped on my feet. “No way. I won’t accept that.”

  She sighed. “But this isn’t your main job. I’ll be taking more of your time.”

  “And this is what people in a relationship do for one another, isn’t it?” I dropped everything in my truck’s bed.

  She scrunched her nose. “But we’re not in a relationship and no one needs to know about the payment part. Please? It just feels right.”

  I glared at her. “It doesn’t feel right to me.” I finished attaching everything on the back so it wouldn’t move while I was driving.

  She sighed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you mad.”

  “I’m not mad, I’m just … frustrated.”

  “Sorry,” she mumbled again. Then, she glanced over my shoulder and her eyes widened. “Droga. Hannah is spying on us.”

  I stiffened. “Why?”

  Gabi shrugged. “I don’t know. But …” Red spread over her cheeks. “We can’t part without being like real fiancés.”

  I sucked in a sharp breath. “You mean with a kiss?”

  She nodded. “Sim, but from this angle, I’m sure you can just kiss my cheek and she would never—”

  I shut her up by cupping her face with my hand and pressing my lips to hers.

  Damn it. Most of the time she was okay, great even, but sometimes I just wanted her to shut up. And, nothing better than to do what we should be doing. For pretense only, of course.

  Enjoying this pretense too much, I stepped into her personal space, brushing my body on hers. Gabi gasped—her mouth parted and I couldn’t stop myself. I snaked my tongue inside her mouth and deepened the kiss.

  Her hands clutched my shoulders, her nails biting my skin through my shirt, and then her lips moved with mine—the same rhythm and, if I wasn’t mistaken, the same hunger.

  The few times we had kissed, the few times we had touched or moved into each other, I was always stunned by how good it felt. By how right it was.

  But no, this wasn’t right.

  Schooling my expression to a neutral one—and not the scowl that wanted to burst through—I stepped away. “Bye.”

  “Tchau,” Gabi whispered, her dazed eyes on me.

  The scowl faded and one corner of my lips curled up as I hopped into my truck and drove away. It was good to know I could render her that dazed.

  Now if I could only control myself, then she wouldn’t have to be dazed, and things would flow smoothly.

  43

  Gabi

  A week passed since Branca’s accident and I spent most of my spare time with her—meaning, all of my time, since I had nothing to do. I even declined the invitation to join the guys for more practices because I wanted to make sure Branca was all right.

  Tyler had come to see her twice since then. His therapy was slow going for my taste, but truth be told, I would think anything was slow going at this point. All I wanted was for Branca to be healed as soon as possible.

  I was walking Branca around the arena, slowly so as not to irrit
ate her fetlock, when I got a call from Brittany asking me to meet her at the club.

  That made me super wary, but curious too.

  “Were you able to set up a meeting with Mr. Helms for me?” was the first thing I asked her.

  “No, but I think I’ll be able to help you somehow,” she told me.

  Without hesitating, I took Branca back to her stall, made sure she had everything she needed, and drove to the club.

  There were only a few members around, but save for the ones who were playing tennis or polo, everyone was impeccably dressed—the men in dress slacks and shirts, and the women in dresses and high heels. I was sure I would be kicked out of the club for wearing such casual clothes. Bom, if I was kicked out, then the guys had to be too, because they all didn’t dress as they should, as the club rules stated.

  And that was why I didn’t worry. They wouldn’t kick the guys out, and they wouldn’t kick me out.

  Brittany was waiting for me at one of the outside tables of the main dining room.

  “Ms. Fernandes, it’s so good to see you.” She stood and shook my hand. Again, I noticed her clothes. Black slacks, a blouse, fancy pumps, and makeup on her face. All business-like.

  “It’s good to see you too,” I said, trying to sound pleasant.

  “Please, sit down.” She gestured to the chair across the table. We both sat down and I felt like jumping in my own chair. “I’m sure you’re curious why I called you here.”

  “You’re right,” I said.

  A waiter walked by our table and Brittany called him. “Can you bring me a cup of coffee, please?”

  “Of course, Ms. Morrow.” He glanced at me. “Can I bring you anything, Ms. Fernandes?”

  I had no idea of this guy’s name, but he seemed to know who I was. “Hm, just some water, please.”

  He nodded and disappeared into the building.

  “Sorry about that,” Brittany said, dragging it on. “I’m moved by coffee. This will be my fourth cup today.” And it was only ten in the morning.

  “Americans do drink a lot of coffee,” I added, trying to sound interested in whatever nonsense she was talking.