Page 117 of The Lucky Heart (Jamison Valley 3)
“Elliot?” I called into the barn.
“What?” he snapped, not bothering to look at me.
This guy was never going to give me a chance, was he? Not that I was surprised by his greeting. After the drama between us at the branding, I doubted Elliot and I would ever get along.
“Silas is sick today so he asked me to tell you that he’d take the blocks up to the mountain when he’s feeling better.”
“Figures,” he muttered, tossing a big brush onto one of the work benches. “Leaves me to do the work alone.”
“He’s really sick.” I was pissed that he’d act this way. Silas was not the type of man to fake an illness to get out of work, and his father, of all people, should know that.
“Ever since you showed up, all he’s been is distracted. Now he’s sick. It’s the end of May, and we’re weeks behind. I can’t afford to wait until he’s better, which means I’ll be making a two-man trip myself today.”
“Silas said you were behind because of the rain,” I argued. Elliot was placing unfair blame and I wasn’t going to let him do that to Silas.
“Whatever,” he muttered. “We’re still behind.”
I pushed out a long breath, dreading what was about to come out of my mouth. “Is it something I could help with?” I had no desire to spend my day with Elliot but it might make Silas’s life easier and give him an extra day to recuperate.
Elliot stared at me for a minute until he started laughing. “You couldn’t do it if you tried.”
Ass. Now I’d do it just to spite him. I’d prove to him that I did belong here and a day of hard work wasn’t going to scare me away. “I guess we’ll see about that. I’ll take Silas’s place.”
His laughter stopped as he sneered. “Stay home. You’re in over your head, city girl.”
My hands fisted on my hips. “Like I said, I guess we’ll see.”
Elliot’s evil grin had me questioning my rash decision but I was too stubborn to give in.
“We’re delivering those.” He pointed to a stack of pink rectangular salt blocks. “The only way to get to the mountain pastures is on horseback.”
I nodded. “Okay. I’ll saddle up Lulu.”
“Lulu’s out in the pasture. You’re on Courage.” His sneer spread and I swallowed hard. Silas and I had been spending a few mornings each week riding but I was still a little uncomfortable around his horse. Courage was just so damn big and intimidating.
But my stubborn streak won out and I walked to the saddles, preparing the one I always used on Lulu.
“Oh, and you can’t use that saddle,” Elliot said. “It’s too small. You have to use Silas’s.”
“Fine,” I clipped and went to Silas’s saddle instead.
While Elliot saddled his horse, I combed Courage and tried to bury my fears. “Courage,” I whispered. “You’re scary, bud. Please be nice to me today. Please?”
It took me five tries to get Silas’s heavy saddle on Courage’s back. The thing weighed at least twice as much as mine and Courage was a good deal taller than Lulu. Frustrated and almost in tears, I’d heaved and given the saddle one last swing with all my might and a loud grunt. Miraculously, I’d managed to get it up high enough to push it the rest of the way onto Courage’s back.
“Thanks,” I told Courage. He hadn’t budged since my earlier confession.
When the saddle was strapped on, I turned around, ready to lead Courage out. Elliot was standing in the middle of the barn with a smug grin aimed my way. That bastard had seen my whole saddle fiasco, but rather than offer me a hand, he’d just watched me struggle.
Don’t let him win. Don’t let him win. Hold that tongue.
“Ready?” I asked with a fake smile.
“Are you?”
Grrr. Was there any manure around? At this point, I’d grab it with my bare hands just for the chance to throw it in his face.
After loading up the trailer with the horses, two mules and the salt blocks, we set off toward the mountains, driving in uncomfortable silence. As Elliot scowled, I stared out my window, wondering what I had gotten myself into. I had a feeling that the saddle incident was just the beginning.
