Because of Fate (Book 1 of Because of Series)

Chapter 12- Margaret's POV

No one said a word after I had said that, and I couldn't help but feel relieved because I didn't mind the moment of silence that I was given. I bit back a tired sigh and moved a hand through my hair and across my face while I shook my head and pursed my lips in annoyance, earning a curious look from Blake before he turned his attention back to the way he was going, especially since he had two horses to lead.

"Are you ok back there, Mags?" he asked while he turned to look back at me before he looked forward again. "That was a worrisome sigh that you had let out."

I offered him a tight smile and slowly nodded in confirmation, fiddling with Gallant's lead rope. "I am," I confirmed before I cleared my throat and grew serious while I fiddled with my horse's lead rope some more. "I am wanting to take a nap after getting them settled in, but I know that I have to get stuff for everyone and make sure that they are settled in before I can even think about taking care of myself."

I also need to find out more of what I am supposed to be doing for the triplets, I mentally added while I pressed my lips into a thin line and bit the inside of it but not hard enough enough to bleed. I want to go ahead and earn my keep.

Blake slowly nodded and cleared his throat. "Bryson and I can take you to the feed store and then the grocery store after we get your horses settled in if you would like," Blake said and looked at me with a small smile on his face. "It wouldn't be any trouble at all."

Bryson didn't say a word and shot his brother an annoyed look. He narrowed his eyes and scowled, pressing his lips into a thin line, and I had a feeling that he didn't want to go and didn't like that Blake offered his services to help me while he had helped me out enough.

I bit back a small smile and shook my head, even though my heart grew warm and became filled with happiness. "Unfortunately not," I said before I cleared my throat and licked my lips. "I might take you solely on that offer if that is ok with you, but other than that, it will be fine if neither of you help. I am sure that I can manage on my own."

Blake looked at Bryson and then looked at me before he turned his attention back to the way we were going. "That's fine," he said and shrugged with a small grimace on his face, "but since you are going to be the "nanny" or something along those lines for the kids..." He trailed off and raised both eyebrows in unison while he looked at me before he looked forward again, especially since my horse snorted and bobbed his head.

"We can talk about that later," I said and shook my head, pressing my lips into a thin line before I cleared my throat and fiddled with Gallant's lead rope. "It doesn't matter to me either way."

"Then I will help you," Blake said and shrugged with a small grimace on his face. "I know the guys and the good spots, so I can make sure that you have a good deal for whatever it is that you need. I am sure that Admiral eats a lot, yes?' He glanced at me from the corner of his eye and raised an eyebrow in question.

I bit back a small laugh and nodded in confirmation. "Yes," I confirmed and looked at Admiral before I looked forward. "He eats a lot." I bit back a tired sigh and moved a hand through my hair and across my face, growing serious. "I am also going to have to find a vet, look at schools for the kids, and do other stuff as well..."

"The good thing is, we can help you with the school," Blake said. "Your kids will be going to the same school as the triplets. We can also help with the vet, farrier, doctors, and whatnot so you don't have to worry about that."

I breathed a small sigh of relief and slowly nodded, offering him a tight smile, even though he wasn't looking at me. "I would appreciate it. Thank you."

"Of course," Blake said and nodded in confirmation. "Can you think of anything else that you or your family need?" he asked and looked at me, raising an eyebrow in question before he looked forward again.

A therapist... I thought and bit the inside of my lip while I shrugged and grimaced. That was one condition of getting full custody of my brother. They suggested a therapist for both me and him...

"Mags?" Blake asked and raised an eyebrow in question.

I grabbed my lead rope tighter and cleared my throat while I shifted it from one hand to the other. "A therapist," I said, my voice barely above a whisper that I had no idea if they heard me or not. "It was the only way that I was able to get full custody of my brother so quickly and to take him out of the state."

"Why?" Bryson asked coldly. He set his jaw and narrowed his eyes, and his whole body seemed to grow tense. "What happened? Why do you need it?"

I shrugged and grimaced, pressing my lips into a thin line. "It is a long story and something that I do not want to get into at the moment, if that is ok..." I said before I cleared my throat and licked my lips. "I have given the short version, and I hope that is enough for now."

It's still too fresh...

Blake looked at me, and a look of worry flashed through his eyes while he looked at me. "Well, that's fine," he said and slowly nodded before he cleared his throat and licked his lips. "Anyway, we are almost at the pasture where you can keep the horses for the time being," he added. "There is a shelter that they can go in and out of if they want to, and there is a place for water and food."

I breathed a small sigh of relief and slowly nodded, grateful that they had enough space to roam around and a shelter to keep them warm and safe from the outside world if it gets bad. "That's good. Thank you, both."

"There is also a place where you can store your food and everything else that you need for them," Bryson said coldly. "Unfortunately, there is no ring for you to train your horses nearby though, so you are going to have to go closer to the house for that."

I pressed my lips into a thin line and shrugged, not too worried about that at all. "That's fine," I said before I cleared my throat and licked my lips. "Do you think that you can show me an arena that is close to where they will be located?" I asked and cocked my head to the side.

"We can," Brysom said and nodded, and I breathed a small sigh of relief while I slowly nodded with a small smile on my face, grateful.

"Are you wanting to try some competitions?" Blake asked and looked back at me, raising an eyebrow in question before he looked forward again. "There are a few of them that you might want to do, and I wouldn't mind seeing you do them."

I held back an eye roll and bit back a small smile, amused. "If time and money allows," I replied and shrugged while that smile turned into a grimace. "Hell, I haven't competed that much in four years anyway, so I am not missing much."

"But do you want to start competing again?" Blake asked and raised an eyebrow in question, and I bit back a small laugh while I slowly nodded in confirmation.

"Yes," I said before I cleared my throat and patted my horse's neck, and my horse whickered and nuzzled my side. I bit back a small smile and looked at Blake. "I mean, I would appreciate it if I could do it one more time, but I want to make sure that my brother and daughter have a chance to do them, too."

Blake nodded and pressed his lips into a thin line. "Well, we will help you with that as well if you would like, or at least I will help you with the competitions." He looked at his brother when his brother snorted and rolled his eyes before he looked at me with a small smile on his face. "I do hope that you would do some shows while you are here, though," he said. "I would like to watch you perform on one of your horses because I think you would still be amazing even if you were on a four year hiatus."

My cheeks instantly turned red, and I tucked my head closer to my chest while my heart grew warm and became filled with pride. "Maybe," I said, biting back a small smile and tucking my head closer to my chest. I cleared my throat and licked my lips, looking this way and that before I looked at him. "But for now, I think I want to focus on getting my brother and daughter settled in and everything else before I think about doing anything else with competitions."

"Of course," Blake said and nodded in agreement. "And I will help you in any way that I can." He bit back a small smile and tucked his head closer to his chest. "You have my word."