Seventeen-year-old Chloe Matthews is done with guys, done with her ex, and done with the cowboys of the Grand Teton Mountains. She refuses to get hurt again.
All that matters now are the horses. Every horse Chloe helps is another piece of herself pu...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Alfalfa leaves rained down on my arms as I lifted the flake over the fence and dropped it into Penny's feed bin. My heart did a backflip when Jack walked up behind me. How did I know it was Jack without looking? Because I was a disgrace. I could tell the rhythm of Jack's footsteps from his dad's, and even from Cash's. Butterflies hit in my stomach at the thought of the way he'd looked at me the night before. I needed to gain some control
"Morning," he said.
"Hey." I watched Penny pace in front of her barn because I couldn't look at him.
"You disappeared last night."
"Kitchen duty." I put the hose in Penny's water trough.
"You liked it when I sang to you last night." He rested his forearms on the fence. "I saw it."
I 'accidentally' sprayed some water in his direction. "Hasn't anybody ever told you no?"
He stared at the sky and scratched the scruff on his chin. "Not that I recall."
"Sorry to burst your bubble, but not every girl wants you."
His gaze held mine. "You do."
"No. I don't." My hands began to tremble, showing that I couldn't handle anything like Jack.
He stepped toward me. "You're going to admit it, sooner or later."
"That's not going to happen." New resolve bloomed in my chest. It couldn't happen. I dug into my pocket for the money Gabi gave me and jabbed it at him. "Here. From Gabi for the feed. She'll pay for boarding when she gets paid next week."
"There's no board." Jack waved his hand. "Pasture hasn't been used in years."
"And why, exactly," Mr. Hunter said from behind us. "is it being used now?"
Jack and I jumped and spun around. Mr. Hunter, high up on his Appy, clomped up to us.
Penny let out a war cry and charged.
Mr. Hunter and his Appy were too close.
"Dad!" Jack grabbed the Appy's bridle and pulled him away, just as Penny's head lunged over the fence. The Appy reared but Mr. Hunter held on like a bronc rider.
"What the hell is that?" Mr. Hunter said as he worked to calm his horse.
"She was being sent to the slaughterhouse," I said. "I, I should've told you."
"Dad." Jack stepped in front of me. "I let Chloe bring her here. I just forgot to mention it."
Mr. Hunter's face darkened. "Forgot to mention it?" Penny rushed the fence again. "Just what do you think you're going to do with that?"
"She just needs time," I said. "She'll get better."
Mr. Hunter jumped off his horse and pointed at Penny. "That horse will kill you. Do you understand?"
