I Didn't Want to Get Married

Part 4

I made an effort to walk in as leisurely a fashion as possible to Father's stable, running through a mental list of his stallions rapidly in my head. Danzig, Doyle, Jerry Only, and Michale Graves were the only four that I wasn't breeding this season. Danzig was notoriously unpredictable, and a cantankerous old man, he was absolutely off the list. Michale was too hard for a woman to control. I would steer (Y/N) away from him. Hopefully she wouldn't see Michale, she'd probably go ga-ga over his splendid mane. Ugh! That left Doyle or-

"Andrew?" I looked down at (Y/N). Had she been talking? She was lovely, but completely bizarre! Speaking to me as though she were a man that knew me well? She must be out of her mind!

"Hrm? I'm sorry, I was preoccupied-" I wasn't sure how to politely ask what I had missed, if anything...

"-When you lapse into silence while leading me around like a puppy it makes me feel like a jewelry bangle or some other object. I prefer conversation, unless your thoughts were profound and need be private." I sucked in a little breath.

This girl had balls bigger than mine! "No, I apologize. I was considering my father's stallions. There are four that are not being bred, and I was pondering which would be most appropriate."

(Y/N) tilted her head. "Well, which one do you think would like to go out for a ride the most, Andrew?" She said that like it was the most obvious thing in the world. I knew the answer to that, but said nothing, just shrugged, preferring she be charmed by Michale's mane to that. Anything but that!

Quickly I decided to try and steer her towards Jerry. He was very gentle for a stallion. Unfortunately, to get to Jerry, we had to walk past Danzig. Hopefully, (Y/N) wasn't terribly eagle-eyed, and wouldn't take notice of him.

We entered my father's stable and a flood of happy memories briefly filled me at the familiar sight... Only to have the moment ruined by the sound of Danzig kicking at his stall walls, quickly followed by the sound of him cribbing. I stopped walking, gritting my teeth.

I hated cribbing! Danzig ONLY did it when I was in the stable! I was convinced that he taught other horses to do it! Why did Danzig do it when I was around? I heard the noise again, and scowled, wavering on whether or not to yell at the old stallion. I knew it would do no good, and I didn't want to draw (Y/N)'s attention to him.

I felt her squeeze my arm. "What is it, is it the cribber? Stall vices irritate you?"

I looked down at her, surprised enough that (Y/N) should know what cribbing and the vices of horses were that I had momentarily lost my irritation. "Yes. It's my father's old warhorse, Danzig. He only cribs around me, and it drives me to madness, I don't know why he does it!"

She shook her head. "It's obvious to me, Andrew. You're the pampered, only son of the family, and if Danzig is retired, he's probably extremely bored and jealous of the attention you receive. I suggest either you or your father spend more time with him. May I see him?"

Fuck! But (Y/N)'s eyes were so big and soft... I figured just letting her glance at the wicked beast wouldn't do too much harm, from a distance. Doyle's stall was nearby, after all, hopefully I could divert her. "Uh, I suppose, but he's very unpredictable-"

"-Excellent! I'll need a hoof pick, a comb, a brush, a halter and lead, and depending on how that goes, perhaps tack for later-"

"-But!-"

She continued on in a tone that shocked me. "-Will you please just shut your mouth and tell me where to get those things? Clearly the old stallion wants some attention! The worst thing that could possibly happen is that I am killed. In that event, you have my full permission to say that I ran into the stall against your urging. The advantage of that would be that you are spared the trouble of turning down my parents and yet another prospective bride, yes?"