Page 104 of Burning Skies
Or a hundred-and-fifty-year feud between our families.
39
BEAU
Giant teeth pullon my t-shirt, and I shrug off Apollo. “Come on. You’re not making this easy for me.” Rhett’s horse snorts and nibbles my neck. “Cut it out.”
Jace hangs his arms over the stall. “Bet you wish that was Honey instead.”
“I wish someone else would learn how to do this.” I give him a pointed look.
“Can’t be me. I’m on the road too much. I thought we had the farrier scheduled to come out this week.”
“We did, but he cancelled.” While I can re-shoe horses in a pinch, we have a farrier we’ve worked with for years. Until he suddenly bailed. Vernon McAllister strikes again.
When I’m done, I walk the horse out to Rhett, who’s reading something on his phone and cursing up a storm. “What’s wrong?”
“I was afraid you were gonna ask.” He tilts the screen to me. “Hope y’all aren’t trying to keep this a secret any longer.”
It’s the gossip column of the local newspaper, theWild Heart Gazette. The headline reads, “Is the McAllister-Walker Feud Over?”
A reliable source reported that she saw Beau Walker and Honey McAllister canoodling at the high school this week after someone lit a stink bomb. Does this mean Wild Heart’s hottest firefighter is off the market? Hopefully, no one will get shot like the last time a Walker and McAllister got together.
“Are you serious? How do people have time to care about this crap?” I rub the back of my neck. “It has to be that woman Trish. She was eyeballing us yesterday in Honey’s office.” I motion behind me. “Is it okay if I go call Honey? I want to make sure she’s okay with this.”
“Sure thing. We can do the last horse tomorrow if you have the time.”
“I’ll make time. I need to head two towns over to grab some supplies, but that shouldn’t take that long.”
He shakes his head. “’Cause Vernon cancelled our order. Have you ever met a pettier man?”
I grab my jacket off a peg. “Hopefully, this is as bad as it gets.” I say goodbye to my brothers and call Honey as I walk to my cabin. It’s after five, so she’s probably home.
She answers on the second ring. “Was just thinking about you.”
“I like hearing that. How was your day?”
“Everyone is sick. I’ve been popping zinc and drinking echinacea tea all day to stave off the cooties.”
“Are you still at school?”
“I just got home. Would you like to come over? I could make us some dinner.”
I’d rather she take it easy and get some rest. “Why don’t you relax. I’ll pick us up a pizza. Or would you prefer some soup? I can get whatever you want.” Because I’d like to see her in person to show her the article in case she gets upset.
“Soup sounds great. Thank you.”
“I’m on my way.” I’ll have a quick dinner with Honey before I go grab those supplies.
I’m headed into town when a brand-new Ford F-450 Platinum truck cuts me off and slams on the brakes. “What the fuck, asshole?” I barely miss rear-ending him.
When the dickhead gets out, it makes sense.
Vernon McAllister looks like he wants to tear the limbs off my body. Everything in me screams to get out and meet him man to man, but that won’t end well.
I lower my window, and as the fucker gets close, I put my hands on the steering wheel and stare straight ahead so I’m not tempted to do something stupid.
“Just wanted to get a close-up look at the man who stole my daughter.”
