Chapter 5: Shannon
I got up late the next morning. No one was there to wake me up and I must have forgotten to turn the alarm on. Scrambling to get dressed, I just threw on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt with the ranch’s logo on it. It was what I wore most days so there was little to no thought put into it. My hair was thrown up in a knot on my head and I just barely had time to wipe off the mascara from my face that I had forgotten to wash off the night before.
When the first thing I seen was Joel though, I wished I had put something else on. I was still stinging from his rebuke the night before, but I was going to do my best to pretend like it never happened. It was a lapse in judgment, that is all it was. Or that is what I told myself anyways. It was more, but that is all it was going to be. He didn’t feel the same way that I did or if he did, something was holding him back.
I tried not to look him in the eyes when I passed, but he stopped me with a light grip on my arm. “We need to talk Shannon.”
“Let’s not, Joel. It was awkward enough last night. It never happened.”
His face changed like he didn’t like my answer. I was mortified to even be having the conversation. “That was not what I was talking about. I can’t pretend like that never happened, but good to know where you stand.”
I tried to say something, but it was impossible with the look that he gave me. I had already put my foot in my mouth, as well as running late and it wasn’t even noon.
“I was hoping to talk to you about training. My mother said something about Ray not letting you, but you were interested?”
The change of pace was mind blowing and I couldn’t keep up. “Oh well, you know how your dad is. He just thinks that males are the only ones that can. I can’t say that I agree with him of course, but I am happy to be here in whatever capacity that I am able to be.”
“So you don’t want to become a trainer?”
Was he serious? Of course I did. It was something that I had always wanted to do, but there was still so much to learn. “I do Joel. More than anything, but I will need some training first. I can still do my job now, but maybe you could let me work with one of the trainers too?” I was hopeful. Something I wasn’t often, but I really hoped that he would at least give me the chance.
“I was thinking more you stop doing your job that you do now and I will teach you everything I know. You will be on your own in a couple of months. I’ve seen the way you are around them, so I know it won’t take you long.”
“That would be perfect!” My face hurt from smiling too big and I hoped I didn’t look like an idiot.
“There is only one catch though.”
My heart sank. There was always a catch, a storm cloud in the sky. “Okay, what’s that?” I didn’t know what he was going to say and it seemed like he liked making me squirm, taking forever for him to answer me.
“You would have to move down to the bunkhouses on the new training grounds if you were to work with me. The more time spent around the horses we are training the better, so you would have to move a few miles away.”
My mind went to the set up and how there was only one bunkhouse over there. He must have known where my mind was going, because he was quick to add enough to dash my hopes of romance. “I know there is only one down there, but I am having another one built and there are two beds, private bathroom. It would be all business Shannon. I can promise you that.”
I sighed to myself. Of course it was only business with him. The one man that I was dying to touch me again, just wanted to keep it professional. It was the right thing to do, but it was also the last thing that I wanted to do. I wanted to push all of the propriety to the wind, toss out all of the reasons that we shouldn’t and just see what happened. But Joel was not that kind of guy, too uptight to just let things happen.
“Okay Joel. I have been dying to get a chance, so thank you.” I wanted to add that if he ever wanted to wake me up in the middle of the night with nothing on that would be okay too.
***
Joel had already hired someone to take over my job and he started the next day. It left me one last day of brushing the horses. I was going to miss them, not sure which ones would be going down to the new training grounds. I wasn’t sure about a lot of things, but I was sure that I was nervous to tell Amber. She was not going to be happy about it, I was sure of that much.
She wasn’t either. “What! What do you mean you are moving down there with my brother?”
“It’s not like that Amber, it’s just…”
“Not like what?”
I could see the vein popping out of her neck. Why was she so mad all of a sudden?
“He is going to teach me what he knows about horse training. Joel says after a couple of months, I will be on my own. Then I can move back up here. Please don’t be mad Amber. I haven’t even told dad yet and you are freaking me out.”
“I’m sorry, it’s just. Why?”
“You know I have always wanted to. Joel is going to let me. I have to. I will be back before summer is over and it’s not like we won’t see each other after work.”
She nodded, but was not satisfied with my suggestion. “You don’t know how he works. I will never see you.”
“Well you will have more time with Mack.”
Amber made a disgusted face. “We broke up. He was a jerk.”
I had only been telling her that for weeks now, but I digress. “So will you help me pack?”
“Sure, you know I will. But don’t let my brother run over the top of you. He has a tendency to do that sometimes.”
“I am sure it will be fine Amber. He seems nice enough.”
She was going to say something else, but she stopped herself. “Just take care of yourself Shannon. It is going to be weird without you here.”