Haley swallows hard then unlocks the door. She lifts up the latch and hesitates before swinging the large door open. The large horse is leaning against the trailer wall, holding up his injured leg. Haley goes into the trailer and tries to get the horse to back out. He doesn’t move. She takes his head in both of her hands and kisses his fur.
“Come on out, big guy. I have a comfy stall for you to sleep in tonight.”
She’s so gentle, so patient, and so kind. After a few minutes of trying, the horse limps out of the trailer and is in the stall at the end, next to Phoenix. The other horses whinny and show more curiosity than I thought they could. I never realized how aware horses are of, well, everything. Haley pulls a horse blanket off a rack, shakes out the dust, and sets it in Aurelia’s stall.
“Go snuggle with my baby,” she says with a half smile. “Please?”
“Of course,” I say, and I’m compelled to kiss her. “Can I help you with anything before?”
She’s about to say no, but I flash her a look that says not to bullshit me. “You can fill a hay bag.”
“Hay bag?”
“Yeah.” She crosses the barn and goes into a room I think she’s called the tack room before. “This,” she says as she holds up a large canvas bag. “It makes it so the horses eat slowly. The new guy was starved, so his food intake has to be slowly introduced. He can have a bit of hay tonight and then a diet will be worked out with the vet tomorrow.”
“I can do that,” I say, taking the bag from her. “Then what do you do?”
“Clean the wounds the best I can. He’s got so many, and his fur is so ragged and long. I think he has Cushing’s, actually.”
“Cushing’s?”
“It’s a thyroid—never mind. It’s a disease that can be treated with medication, and it makes a horse not shed.”
“Oh,” I say, remembering what she said about special needs horses being tough to place. “I think he’s in good hands now.”
“Thanks,” she tells me, and she goes into the horse’s stall. That girl—Alexis, I think—is in there, ready to help Haley clean the wounds. I open the bag and start stuffing hay inside.
“Is that really Aiden Shepherd from the Batman movies?” Alexis asks Haley, her voice a loud whisper.
Haley flicks her eyes in my direction, smiling. “Yes,” she says proudly. “He is.” I know she’s not proud of my acting, proud in a way that was really bragging about being with me. She was proud of me, the real me, and it’s been years since anyone looked at me that way. I stuff more hay in the bag then tighten the strings.
Watching Haley tonight makes me want to say those three words I wanted to say after we had sex. I’ve never felt this way about anyone. I’ve had more girlfriends in the last few years than I’ve had in my whole life before being famous, and I never told anyone of them I loved them, because I never fell in love with any of them. Not even Kennedy and we were together for over half a year. I’ve only known Haley for a little over a month and I’ve already fallen for her. What. The. Fuck.
I pick up the bag and slowly walk over, my chest hurting. A chill goes through me, and I’m positive the fever is back.
“Is he your boyfriend?” Alexis asks as Haley opens a package of gauze.
“Uhh,” Haley starts and turns, not realizing I’m so close behind her. I set the hay bag down outside the stall and look into her eyes.
“Yes,” I say. “I am. As long as she doesn’t mind, that is.”
Haley smiles, and the dim light in her eyes brightens. “I don’t mind at all.”
“Wow,” Alexis says, and I see that dying fangirl hurt in her eyes. I’ve seen it many times before. “My friends are not going to believe this.”
“Uh, Alexis,” Haley says. “Can you not tell anyone Aiden helped us steal the horse, or punched that guy?”
“Why?” she asks, her eyes wide with confusion. “He saved you, which is so totally something Gavin would do in Shadowland.” She flashes her braces as she smiles. “It’s so romantic.”
I smile at her. “Can I bribe you with a picture and an autograph?”
Alexis’s mouth drops, and she stares at me for a few seconds before nodding and running her hands over her hair. She moves out of the horse stall with her phone in her hand. Haley straightens up and offers to take the photo. If I look how I feel, then she’s not going to be proud of this photo. I hate bad photos of myself, but I don’t really care. The sooner I get this over with, the better. I’m chilled and want to lie down with Haley in my arms.
Alexis jumps around with excitement, chattering away about sending the picture to her friends to make them jealous. I laugh, run my hand through my hair, and go into Aurelia’s stall. Haley was right: this little girl is in need of attention. She rubs against me and prances, trying to get me to play. After a few minutes, she settles down again and lies down with her head in my lap. I fold the horse blanket over both of us, trying not to shiver.
I lean against the stall and close my eyes, listening to Haley, Alexis, and her mom, Judy, talk about the horses and go about taking care of them all. I’m almost asleep when they get ready to leave at least an hour later.
“Haley,” Judy says. They are near the barn door, but I can hear them just fine. “How are you doing, honey?”
“I’m fine,” Haley says right away. “Getting there,” she adds then sighs. “Some days are harder than others.”
Clothing rustles, and I assume Judy pulls her in for a hug. “Your mother was my best friend for over thirty years. I miss her too.”
A few seconds pass before Haley softly says, “I feel like she’s here, in the barn.”
“She is,” Judy says back, her voice tight with emotion. “She’s way too stubborn to leave this place.” They both laugh. “You know, if you need anything, we’re just a phone call away.”
“I know. And thank you.”
“I mean it, don’t hesitate to call. And whenever you’re ready, I got a teenager who loves to clean stalls.”
“I bet she misses it,” Haley says, and I wonder if Alexis used to come here and help with the horses.
“She does, but she’s in no rush to get back. You take your time, honey.”
“Actually,” Haley starts. “I could use the help. And Shakespeare really needs to be ridden.”
“She’ll love that. Just let us know when.”
“I’ll figure something out. Thanks, Judy.” They walk out of the barn. I open my eyes only to close them again. My head hurts so fucking bad from the light.
“How did you meet an actor?” Judy asks, getting my attention. I sit up.
“Through work, oddly enough,” Haley says.
“He seems to really care about you, coming out and staying in the barn when he’s sick.”
I imagine Haley’s modest smile. “I hope so because I really care about him.”
“I think your mother would approve of that one.”
“Maybe,” Haley says, and the doubt in her voice kills me. “Thanks for all your help, Judy.”
A car door shuts and then the engine starts. Gravel crunches under tires and Haley comes back into the barn.
“Aiden?” she says softly. “Are you awake?”
“I’m not sure,” I mumble. Aurelia’s door slides open and I can feel Haley’s energy as she draws near.
“Your cheeks are flushed,” she says as she presses her hand to my forehead. “Shit, Aiden, you’re burning up!”
“I feel like it,” I admit. “Even though I’m so cold.”
“I’m getting you inside,” she says, and she helps move Aurelia off me. She snuggles into the blanket. I let Haley pull me to my feet, and I sway a bit, feeling like I’m drunk but without the fun. “I’m so sorry, Aiden. I shouldn’t have made you come.”
“You didn’t make me,” I say, putting my arm around her.
“Okay, I’m sorry I didn’t force you to stay here and rest.”
I laugh and kiss the side of her head. We walk through the yard and into the hou
se. I sit at the kitchen table while Haley gets a thermometer.
“One hundred and two!” she exclaims when it beeps. “Aiden, you’re really sick.”
I nod. “I was feeling okay, then it hit me all at once.”
She gives me two pills and a glass of water. “We never ate dinner, either. Gah, I feel so awful!”
I pop the pills in my mouth and take a long drink of water. “Don’t, Haley.”
“I do. What do you want for dinner? I can make soup. And by make, I mean heat up something from a can.” She smiles and stands behind me, putting her hands on my shoulders. She massages my muscles, which are stiff from being hunched over. “Or I can cook something. It’s up to you.”
“Soup is fine,” I say, tipping my head back a bit. “Do you have tea?”
“Uh, maybe. You drink tea?”
“I am British.”
“Oh, right.” She pushes her hands forward, running them down my chest, and bends over, kissing my neck. It’s amazing how badly I want her all over again, despite feeling like complete and total shit.
I fold my arms on the table and lay my head down while Haley moves around the kitchen. She drapes a blanket over my shoulders before we eat. It’s been a while since anyone has taken care of me like this. I forgot how nice it is.
After I eat, Haley gets me another cup of tea and ushers me upstairs into her room. Her bed, which is centered in between two windows and directly across from the door, is neatly made. She pulls the bedspread back then turns to me.
My head is pounding, each breath hurts, and I’m shivering. But I feel happy, completely happy. My arms go around her, and she hooks her fingers under the hem of my shirt. I lift my arms, letting her pull it off. She undoes my trousers next, slowly moving them down my legs. I step out of them and fall back into bed.
“Aren’t you getting in with me?” I ask her as she tucks me in.
She holds up her arms. Blood and dirt speckle her skin. “I need to shower. I think I have pus in my hair.”
“Attractive,” I say, and I close my eyes. Haley is going to take her clothes off and get wet in the shower. I want to go with her. I want to watch water stream down her naked body, feel her skin slippery beneath my hands. Getting out of bed, lifting her up, and pressing her against the shower wall while I fuck her isn’t something I can do right now. Fuck. I know I’m sick. Really fucking sick. “Hurry?”
“Of course.” She grabs clothes and leaves the room. Chrissy jumps up in bed next to me, turning around and lying on my feet. Chills plague me; I bring my legs up to my chest and pull the blanket over my head, shivering.
It feels like forever has passed before Haley joins me. She’s wearing a tank top and shorts, and her damp hair is pulled into a French braid. She turns off the lights and crawls into bed, thinking I’m asleep. She pulls the blanket back over both of us and puts her hand on my bicep.
“Goodnight, Aiden,” she whispers.
“Goodnight, Haley,” I whisper back.
Haley
Aiden is fast asleep when I get up at seven thirty the next morning. I meant to get up earlier to check on the new guy, but leaving Aiden was harder than I expected. He held me in his arms the whole night.
I quickly get dressed in jeans and a t-shirt and hurry to the barn. Shakespeare, Benny, Sundance, and Aurelia all whiny to me.
“I know, guys, I’m late,” I say, sweeping my eyes to the end of the barn. My heart skips a beat. Phoenix is standing in the back of her stall like normal, but I don’t see the gray gelding. I close my eyes and prepare myself. He was in bad shape, gone through hell and back. If he was gone, his suffering was gone too.
I walk down the barn aisle, pins and needles shooting down my spine. I stop outside the draft horse’s stall and force myself to look inside. He’s lying down, injured leg out to the side. For a split second, I don’t see his sides rise or fall, and I think he’s dead. I gasp, and it startles him enough to flick his ears. With a grunt, he lifts his head.
“Oh, thank God,” I say, and I let out a breath. “You scared me!”
I take another look at him then start feeding the other guys. I brush Benny and Sundance, give everyone feed, brush Shakespeare while he eats, then let Sundance and Benny out in the back pasture, and Shakespeare and Aurelia out in a smaller area. I watch closely, ready to run in if I need to. Shakespeare’s been through a few foals and colts before. He likes them, and he’s just a special horse, but you never know. After I’m sure they are fine together, I give Phoenix her medication, change her bandages, and take her outside. I let her graze for a bit while I pet her, then put her back in her stall, check on the new guy—again—and go inside.
Aiden’s phone is on the table, ringing when I go inside. I miss the call by the time I get to it and see that Claire, his assistant, has called twice already. I take the phone upstairs for him.
“Aiden?” I say softly and stand in the doorway of my room. He’s sprawled out in bed with the blankets pulled up over his face. I smile and turn away, not wanting to wake him up. He is sick and needs the sleep. Plus, he said he has a hard time sleeping, so waking him just seems unnecessary. The phone rings, and I scramble to silence it but end up answering instead.
It’s Claire again, and I can hear her saying Aiden’s name. I dash down the stairs before I answer.
“Hello?” I say into the phone.
“Who is this?” she rushes out. “How did you get this phone?”
“It’s Haley,” I say, reminding myself her anger is out of devotion to Aiden. “Aiden is sleeping and I didn’t want to wake him up.”
“Oh, Haley the journalist?”
“Yeah, that’s me.”
“Good.” She lets out a breath. “How is he? Does he need anything?”
I smile, thinking about Aiden up in my bed, wearing nothing but boxers. “He’s okay, still has a fever and still coughing, but okay. And, uh, he probably needs clothes, a toothbrush, and whatever medicine he’s supposed to be taking.”
“I’ll bring it over as soon as I can. Do you need anything?”
“Uh,” I start, totally shocked she’s asking me. Did looking after Aiden’s love interests come with the job? “No, but thank you. I’m good. I have everything I need.”
“All right. Tell Aiden I’ll be there soon.”
“I will. Bye.”
I set his phone down and make breakfast. While the cinnamon rolls are cooking, I get a cup of coffee and go through yesterday’s mail. Ugh. I have another hospital bill. I toss it on the counter, shaking my head. I’ll deal with it later.
I sip my coffee, watching Aurelia run around, her spindly legs moving as fast as they can. I don’t want to think about all that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours, even though most of that is good.
I want things to work between us, and after everything, I feel guilty doubting Aiden. But how can this work? Not only does he live far away, but he lives in another world, where the reality is lavish parties and paychecks so big they could buy a house.
The timer on the oven goes off, and I get up to take the rolls out. I set one on a plate for Aiden and stick it back in the oven to keep it warm. Just thinking about him makes me smile. What the hell, right? He makes me happy. I should enjoy it while it lasts because it will be over before I know it.
* * *
I’m in the barn with Dr. Wells and two vet techs when Claire arrives. We’ve been debriding the many, many wounds on the new guy after we did the same to Phoenix. Dr. Wells doesn’t come out and say it, but I can tell by the little lines of worry around her eyes that she expected Phoenix to heal faster than she is.
The new horse is a trooper. Unlike Phoenix, he has a drive to live. He looks at me with hope in his eyes. He’s in bad shape—it took nearly an hour to get the rest of the barbed wire out of his leg. Skin had grown over some of it and had to be clipped and sliced away. Luckily there wasn’t too much muscle damage, and Dr. Wells didn’t think the infection got into the bone. She took vials of blood to take back wi
th her and test, which would tell us more.
He is badly infected, of course, and is on antibiotics. Dr. Wells gave him a bag of fluids via IV to rehydrate him, and we worked out a diet plan. I have to call the farrier and make sure doing another horse’s hooves was okay. The one who had come out a few times since Mom passed did it as a pity favor. It is hard finding someone as good as Mom, and it’s hard finding someone who’s willing and able to take on a horse with years of neglected hoof care.
I’m holding the gelding’s head, calmly talking to him, when Shakespeare whinnies a hello to someone. I hear the car pulling into the driveway seconds later. I tell Dr. Wells I’ll be right back and hurry out of the barn to get Claire before she rings the doorbell and wakes up Aiden.
She gets out of the car and looks around, pulling her shoulder-length red hair out from under the strap of her giant purse. She opens the door behind her and grabs a black leather duffle bag.
“Hi,” I say, and she startles. “Claire, right?”
“Yeah,” she says, running her eyes over me and raising an eyebrow. I cast my eyes downward and realize I’m speckled with blood from taking care of the gelding’s wounds. Her lips tighten into a smile. “And you’re Haley.”
“Yep, that’s me.”
“Where is Aiden?”
“He’s upstairs, still sleeping. Well, I assume so. I’ve been in the barn for a while. You can come in and see him if you want,” I say because Claire is looking at me like I’m a super-fan who has Aiden tied up in my bed against his will. “Just let me get the dog so she doesn’t bark and wake him up.”
She nods and follows me in. I open the door and grab Chrissy’s collar. “She’s very friendly,” I say as I step inside. Claire comes in, holding out her hand to Chrissy.
“Aww, I had a border collie when I was a kid,” she says, and the air between us changes instantly. “She looks just like her.” She sets the bag and her purse down and gets on her knees to pet Chrissy. “You’re making me homesick, sweetheart.” Chrissy licks her face.
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