Page 31 of Hard To Fall
“I’m fine.”
“I know there’s more to it. Doc called us,” she says almost in a whisper, like even she’s afraid to say it out loud. “It’s okay to change direction now, say, to a beautiful blonde who makes you laugh.”
I scoff. “She annoys me.”
“She challenges you,” Levi says.
“She doesn’t treat you like you’re going to break,” Dad adds.
“And she doesn’t treat you like a hero,” Mom finishes, and I look at her, seeing that damn eyebrow still raised to the sky.
Levi smirks. “Also, she’s hot.”
“Shut up.”
“I’m just saying. Lucky you got her first. I think she likes me better.”
I swing at him half-heartedly, but still mutter, “She’s complicated.”
Mom smiles. “So are you.”
Dad nods. “Good match.”
I glare at all of them. “You’re all insane. Get back to work, I got shit to do.”
I head toward the stalls, and luckily, they leave me alone. Except for Levi, because, of course, he can’t let me be for ten minutes. This line of questioning, I wasn’t prepared for. And now my mind is swimming. I need space from my own damn thoughts.
“So,” he says casually, “is she staying?”
“To do her job? Yes.”
“Then what?”
“I don’t know. Gotta ask her.”
He grins. “You like her.”
I don’t answer, and like always, no answer is the answer. We reach the stalls and the horses shift, sensing our presence. The hay smells familiar, and it makes me realize how much I need constant. I bet Lily could bring constant.
If she was staying.
Levi leans on the rail. “Before we get into the deep emotional crap that I’m supposed to ask and support you with, you know, according to the brother's handbook, can we be guys for a minute?”
“Levi,” I breathe out.
He puts his hands up. “Come on, I've been dying for this conversation for like three years. Ever since that last buckle bunny you found when we were in competition, in San Antonio.”
I sigh, knowing he won’t let it drop. And if I’m being honest, I miss this part of our chats, too. “You get two minutes.”
He laughs. “Hope that’s not what you told her!” I shake my head and laugh, and he continues, “Tell me. How did it happen? Where were you? Was it good? I hope you made the Callahan name proud.”
He fires the questions, and I let myself go back to last night. “We got caught in the storm last night, so I drove her back to the B&B. By the way, you asshole, you didn’t tell me she didn’t have a car. Or that you’ve been driving her.”
He smirks. “I told you, one more day and she would have gone for me instead."
I roll my eyes, then let out a sigh. “I don’t know, man, it was different. She wouldn’t give up, kept pushing me with the comments, and I liked it. I like that we can spar together, she’sgot a brain, and she makes me laugh,” I hum to myself. “She pursued me, locked me in her room.”
His eyes go wide. “Get the fuck outta here! I knew she was a menace!”
