Waking up to my alarm clock is harder than I anticipated. After a long night calming Luke when he woke up from a nightmare, I don’t think I slept for more than an hour. Two if I’m lucky. Now I have to get up, tend to the horses, and figure out how the hell I’m getting to Henderson’s for my shift at nine.

I don’t want to go, I want to stay in bed and sleep all day, but I have to. With any luck, mom is still sleeping away her drunk, and I won’t have to see her until she stumbles her way out of the house after Luke leaves for the bus at 7:30.

Pushing the blankets off, it takes a lot of effort on my part to actually sit up. I don’t bother looking at my knee, the sight only makes the pressure pound and pulse in tune with my heartbeat. Slipping into a pair of white shorts, I throw on another flannel shirt and pull on my tan cowgirl boots.

Limping into the kitchen, I get the carafe ready for coffee, before heading out to the barn. Knowing full well my own horse, Windbreaker, won’t be happy I wasn’t in to see her last night. She’s the most beautiful white and tan–that almost looks pink–Arabian mare. I’ve had her since I was a little girl.

She’s the one thing that is solely mine. My mother once tried to sell her, but when I turned twelve, all the paperwork was reverted to my name because of the way Luke’s dad had set things up. He was a decent man at one time. Cared about me even, but mom has always been a basket case, and that’s what likely ran him off, not her pregnancy.

Windbreaker had been a bribe of sorts because I wanted nothing to do with him at first. I’d been timid and scared because I thought he was just like her. I thought he would hit me too. It took a while for Randy to show his true colors, but they came after almost a year of him being kind to me.

I hold a lot of resentment towards him that I simply can’t let go of. He left us–Luke and I–to this woman who has no respect or care for either of us. Last night proved she was capable of anything and I’m sincerely terrified of what she could eventually do.

Entering the barn that’s in far better shape than the house, I’m greeted by the neighing of three horses. The sun is barely in the sky, so only trickles of light filter through the wood slats and openings, highlighting the beauty of each animal.

There’s Spot, a speckled mare, at the very end. She’s such a lovely character. She likes to prance and preen for you. Showing off her beauty for all to see. With accuracy too, her owner has won many medals for Spots elegance and grace.

Next is Tropic, an almost calico colored gelding. He’s not nearly as outgoing as his name might imply. It’s the fourth time he’s been here, and he’s only started warming up to me on his last visit.

Windbreaker, my gorgeous girl stands tall and sure in the first stall as I come closer. Her inquisitive gaze follows me to the feed bin as I prepare her food. She clucks her tongue, and stomps her feet, drawing my attention each time. Which is exactly what she wants.

Getting them all fed and watered, I make sure their stalls aren’t too dirty and I know I’m going to have to wait until after work to clean them up. Spots owner will be here this evening, so I know I have to wash her before going to work.

Limping into the storage room, I grab the first aid kit and pull out an ace bandage for my knee. Knowing full well I’m going to need the extra stability it will hopefully give me for the day. I know I need to see a doctor, but without insurance, it’s an expense I’m not willing to pay.

“Alright missy prissy, let’s get you cleaned up before you go home tonight.” I open her stall, and she immediately dances out and straight into the corral. I let her showcase for a few minutes before turning on the hose and clucking my tongue.

Being the smart and obedient girl that she is, Spot comes right over to me. Thoroughly enjoying the spray of the water. I enjoy watching her try to catch the water in her mouth as I move around her body.

Once she’s as clean as I’m going to get her, I lead her back to the barn and grab a heavy towel–to wipe away the excess water–and her grooming brush. She loves a good brush down, and I’m sure to take extra care to make up for missing her last night.

After putting her away for the day, I stop at the treat bin on my way out and grab an apple for each of them. Spot plays coy at first, Tropic gobbles his down, and Windbreaker rubs her nose along my arm affectionately before eating the morsel.

“Ady! I’m out!” Luke calls as I leave the barn. I wave him off as he runs to the end of the driveway just as the bus rolls to a stop.

I hesitate to go back into the house. I don’t want to chance running into my mother today. Not after a relaxing morning with the horses. I gain such peace and perspective when I work with animals. I feel like I can relate to them better than people. They understand emotion far better too.

When I’m with the animals, I don’t have to think about all the horrible things in my life. I don’t have to worry about how my mother will be when she’s home. I don’t have to worry about Luke and the trouble he’s been getting in at school.

I don’t have to think about sexy cowboys coming to the rescue when I feel like my world is crumbling around me.

Whoa.

Hold the phone. Where’d that thought come from?

But I know.

Boy, do I ever know.

* * *

Blaine and I are in town for the morning for an appointment with a potential mare’s owner wanting to breed with one of my best stallions–Jet–and that’s when I see her. Just a quick glimpse as she walks into the feed store. I can see she was still limping, and her knee’s been wrapped, so I’m hopeful she went to the doctor like I told her to.

“What’s that about?” Blaine asks as I crane my neck to see more of her.

“Huh?” I try to play it dumb because I don’t need his shit.

“The pretty little filly. I saw her.” His grin is sly, and I want to knock him out of the truck for even looking at her.

“Nothing,” I grumble as he stops the truck in front of Madre’s Diner. An establishment that’s been here for longer than either of us have been. It’s the place everyone gravitates to for almost everything. Meetings included.

As we enter the diner, the smell of grease and hay hits us dead on. No matter where you end up in this town you’ll always be smelling hay. But it’s the grease from the grill that has my stomach howling for some of Faith’s–Madre’s granddaughter, I don’t think anyone knows her real name–famous eggs benedict and rye French toast.

“Sit where you like boys!” Faith calls from the counter as she serves a couple of other customers. Faith’s gotta be close to twenty-three now, with long red-brown hair. She’s perpetually in short daisy dukes’ and tops that she ties around her waist in the back.

“Put some fucking clothes on!” Blaine calls to her as we sit. He and I have been best friends since we got into a fight over a girl when we were eleven. And in the twenty years, I’ve known him, I’ve never seen him give anyone shit the way he does Faith. Not that she doesn’t give it right back to him. The girl is all sass and vinegar. Nothing goes past her for long. Including Blaine’s attitude.

“You ever going to put a ring on her finger?” I tease my friend. It’s no secret he’s half in love with her. Not to me anyway.

“You gonna tell me about your little filly?” He counters, and I hold my hands up in surrender. I have no desire to talk about Adilynn to anyone. Not yet anyway.

“Who’s this guy we’re meeting?” Blaine likes to know as much as possible beforehand. I like sizing a person up when I meet them. I get an unbiased opinion of them that way.

“Darrell Combs. Owns a ranch up in Montana, he’s looking to get into show horses and thinks Jet has the gene’s he wants.” I get the basic information, and I always make sure they’re legit people and not some scam artists. You never know who might try to steal a man’s horse.

The door jingles and I look up expectantly, seeing it’s Dan Collins, the town’s Doctor, I excuse myself quickly. I have to know if Adilynn went to see him.

“Hey Dan, how you doing?”

“Hey Brantley, heard Thunder gave Drew some shit while he was out there yesterday.” He laughs. It’s a running joke between the brothers about who has the more stubborn patients.

“A little bit. Listen, can you tell me if Adilynn James came to see you yesterday?”

He levels me with a knowing look. “You know I can’t give you that information.”

Fuck. “Fine. She works for Henderson. I was in there yesterday, and some bags of feed fell on her leg. Her knee was swollen, but she refused to let me take her to you.”

Nodding his head, he says, “See you around Brantley.” I’m almost a hundred percent certain he’s going to go see her.

“You’re full of surprises today,” Blaine comments as I approach our table just as a new jingle chimes from the door.

“Just seeing how Dan is, is all.”

“Mr. Marbury?” I hear from behind me.

Must be Darrell. Standing, I turn to shake the man’s hand, and I feel like I’m gut-punched, looking into the eyes of Pops, and my dead father.

Blaine fills the silence for me though. “I’m Blaine Woods, Brantley’s coworker.”

I’m still speechless. This man has to know who I am. I sure as hell know who he is. Only I expected this visit two years ago, and what’s with the fake last name? “Whatever you’re here for, we’re not interested,” I tell him, my voice shaking with anger as I walk out quietly. I’m not one for making a scene.

Blaine follows behind as I slam into his truck. My uncle Darrell standing where we left him, a look of bewilderment on his face.

“Is that?”

“Yup.”

“Fuck.”

“Basically.”

This is gonna kill Pops.

* * *

Stocking shelves is the least favorite part of my job. After the rough morning, I’ve already had, I’m damn miserable. I wasn’t able to avoid my mother and have a nice shiner for my efforts of trying to ask what she wanted for dinner.

I’m so tired my hair actually hurts. I can feel it protesting with every breeze and movement. All this bending, lifting, and shifting has made me turn my knee in some very painful ways, and I’m about ready to drop from the excruciation.

A tap on my shoulder has me jumping and once again losing my balance. Righting myself on the shelf, I carefully turn to whoever nearly gave me a heart attack.

“Can I help you?” I ask the smiling face of a handsome man. His hair is dark and cropped short to his head. He has a completely clean-shaven face that reminds me of the phrase baby-faced. His eyes are a deep chocolate that are as happy as his grin implies. He’s attractive…in a boy next door type of way.

Not like my cowboy rescuer from yesterday. Dammit! He needs to stop popping into my head already.

“Are you Adilynn James?”

Skeptical, my gaze narrows on him. “Yes.”

“Oh good. Brantley asked me about you. Seemed pretty worried and from what I’m seeing he has a right to be. Is this all from the fall yesterday?” His hand waves across my face, asking about the bruising and scratches from last night’s–and this mornings–fight.

“Oh,” I’m slightly stuck on the fact Brantley is worried about me. “No.”

“What happened?” His head tilts curiously.

“Nothing.” I can’t say more.

He studies me for a minute before saying, “I’m Doctor Collins, but please call me Dan. Mind if I look at your knee?” I know who he is, even if I haven’t seen him before.

“I’m working.” I point out stupidly.

“I can see that,” he smiles gently, “You’d be eligible for compensation if we sent in the paperwork right away.”

“I’m fine.” I insist. I just need to get through this damn day.

Pity shines brightly in his gaze as he holds my elbow to help steady my balance. “Miss James, I can clearly see you’re in severe pain, and you most certainly aren’t fine. If I wagered a guess, that shiner is from a fist.”

I have to look away at his accuracy.

“Right. Well, I can’t force you. I’m going to go to my office and get a few things to help you stabilize that knee, and something to help with the swelling and pain. Do you have allergies?” I shake my head no. “I’ll be back in a few hours.”

I don’t say goodbye. I don’t even look at him. I can’t. He’s a complete stranger to me and yet he saw everything. I know who the Collins men are–mostly from working with Drew through school. But they’re notorious for the bets on their clients, one being a vet and the other a doctor. I hear a lot of townspeople laughing about their antics.

I’m struggling as the day wears on. When three o’clock hits and he hasn’t come back, I head home. Knowing full well, I still have a full evening ahead of me when all I want to do is soak in a warm tub and sleep for three days straight.

Thankfully it’s the weekend, and Jessica is scheduled to work so I can have a couple of days off to rest and maybe take Windbreaker for a long ride. Luke has football training all weekend, so it’ll just be mom and I. I’m hoping she spends most of it blackout drunk because then she’s not harping on me. Hopefully, she’ll be passed out until Monday morning.