Mustang Dreams (COMPLETED)

Chapter Seventeen

      "Clay got his way again last night. This is the sixth day in a row that he has kept me out late enough that by the time we got back to the ranch, I was too tired or it was too late to work with Casper." Misty told her sister on the phone. She chuckled as she thought about her goofball boyfriend; she knew that Clay cared which is why he was so protective, but she also had to do her own thing sometimes, including working with the wild horse.  

      "He's just doin' that because he cares for you, honey. I think it's sweet." Lindsey replied, a smile in her voice. "I wish I had a guy like Clay; he sounds seriously amazing. I cannot wait until I'm back in town so I can meet him." 

     "He really is amazing." Misty said in a dreamy voice. "But stop tryin' to distract me. You're using my boyfriend's charm against me. I'm trying to be mad at him for not letting me work with my horse, but you keep reminding me of how great of a guy he is." 

      "You're right. Sorry, peach. Do you think Clay is purposely tryin' to stop you from workin' with the horse, or does he just want to spend time with you and y'all end up hanging out the whole day and then there's no time for you to work?" Lindsey asked. Misty could hear horses neighing on her end of the phone, telling Misty her sister was at work. 

        "I think it's both, but for some reason, he really does not want me workin' with Casper. The other day, he said that he would much rather him be the one workin' with Casper because he was worried I would get hurt again." Misty explained. Looking to her right, she checked her clock for the time. She would have to wrap up this phone call pretty soon so she could start her daily chores outside. 

      "Misty, do you think that Clay might feel guilty for some reason? Like maybe he blames himself for your accident?" Lindsey inquired.

      Misty thought about it for a few seconds before responding. "You know what? I never thought about that before." She walked over to look out her bedroom window. Down below she saw a couple of the ranch hands tying their fully tacked horses to the hitching post right outside the barn, waiting for orders from Misty's dad. Scanning the cowboy hats below, Misty smiled when she made eye contact with Clay, giving him a wave before he was beckoned back into the barn by one of the hands. Turning from her window, Misty paid attention to her phone call again. "But why would he blame himself for it? It was my fault. I was distracted because of what had happened with me and Jace before hand and so I wasn't paying attention to Casper. It was not Clay's fault at all." Thinking about it more, it would really explain why Clay was acting how he was. "Do you really believe he thinks it is his fault?"

      "From what you've told me, yes. I do think that he feels guilty somehow for you getting hurt." Lindsey paused, then ended with, "Hey, peaches, sorry,   but I gotta go. My lessons are about to start. I recommend you talk to Clay. Just ask him what's up. Love you, peach." Misty's sister said, hanging up her phone.

      With a sigh, Misty pulled her phone from her ear, tucking it into the back pocket of her Wranglers before grabbing her hat off of the horseshoe hook by her door. After fancying her hat on her head, Misty trotted down the stairs, making her way to the mud room to slip on her boots before making her way outside.

       Walking towards the main barn, Misty smiled when she saw Clay begin to saunter over to her, the same smile mirrored on his lips. Before Misty was twenty feet from her boyfriend, a cowboy cut in front of her, blocking her path to Clay. Looking who made her stop in her tracks, Misty glared as she asked, "Jace, what do you want?" Cocking her hip, Misty folded her arms over her chest as she gave her once-best-friend sass.

      "I was hopin' we could ride the fences together so we could talk." Jace said in a kind voice, slipping his thumbs into his jeans pockets as if this was a casual conversation exchanged between two friends.