Page 30 of The Only Seconds that Matter
“I don’t mind.Seriously.”
“If you don’t mind, then I don’t either.”Johnny’s lips tweaked up once he caught Victor’s gaze.“I’m gonna be crankier when I’m fully sober.”
Victor stood, and both dogs swarmed around his legs.“I think I can handle it.”
Johnny pushed himself to his feet and followed Victor into the house, leaving the crickets behind.
CHAPTER 9
Victor was sitting in his barn office trying to figure out the slew of this month’s receipts when his phone bleated from its resting place on the old plaid couch against the opposite wall.Victor shoved himself out of his peeling vinyl chair and went to retrieve it.Upon seeing the name on the screen, he accepted the call.
“Victor!What’s up, buddy?”came a familiar smoky alto voice on the other line.
Victor smiled as he sank onto the couch.“Hey, Skyler.Just doing accounting stuff.”
“Ew.I’m glad I could interrupt.”
“Did you just call to chat or do you want something?”
Skyler laughed.“What makes you think I always want something when I call you?”
“You’re the practical sort.No cozy meandering conversations allowed.”
“Well, it turns out I do want something, but it’s a good something.In August I’m going to be delivering a horse to Kentucky, so I thought I’d crash at your place for a few days to give the horse a break but also to spend time with you, since we haven’t hung out since you left California.”
“Why are you delivering a horse to Kentucky?”
“I mostly agreed so I’d have an excuse to come see you.”
Victor’s chest clenched a moment at Skyler’s admission.It was nice to be missed.He and Skyler had grown up two miles away from each other for most of their lives, and it felt weird to be half a country apart nowadays.Considering she was an eventing rider, they existed in very different competitive circles but they’d always done the fun stuff together, like overnight trail rides and sleepovers in the hay loft of Victor’s parents’ barn.He’d used to take dressage lessons from her mother, and because of him, Skyler knew how to rope a cow from the back of a warmblood.
“I’d be happy to have you if you visit,” Victor told her.
“Would there be space to squeeze a big ass ornery mare for three nights?”
“Sure, but where will the horse go?”
Skyler laughed.“Very funny, idiot.Seriously though, I don’t want to impose myself.”
“There’s plenty of room, trust me.It’d be no problem.I’ll clear out a stall.”There was a short pause before Victor joked, “Welp, if that’s all you’re calling about—”
“You’re such an ass!Tell me about what the hell is going on with you.I feel like you’ve left the planet, for all you call me.”
“Just been busy, that’s all.I’m running a pretty big barn.”
“Is that it?Work?”
“This is the horse business.Life is work and work is life.”
“How are the boys out in Oklahoma?They cute?”
“Should I schedule you a date with one?I can probably arrange that.”
“Not for me, idiot.Foryou.”
“If Grindr is correct there are exactly five bicurious men within thirty miles of me and none of them possess a head.Or a talent for conversation beyond asking me if I can blow them.”
“You were the one who chose to move out there,” Skyler said.
