AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sunny
I owe our stall cleaners a truckload of gifts and appreciation. I had no idea it was this much work to muck up after horses. And I had help. It won’t be long before I lose Silas and I have to do the lot of it on my own. It makes my shoulders and back ache that much more.
“I checked the waters. They’re good for now, but I think we’ll clean them this week. The guys should be coming in pretty soon. We need to be ready to help get the horses untacked and fed when they do.” Silas nods for the corral. “Next up, let’s check the herd. Buddy likes to know they no one is injured or sick. He has me check them daily. Don’t worry. I can walk you through it.”
I start to correct his thinking but stop myself. It’s best to play dumb. “Sure, I love learning new things.”
“Great.” He nods for the main corral, but his phone buzzes. He answers it, setting it to his ear. “Hello?” A pause. “He did what?” Silas groans and starts to walk away. “Wait, speak louder I can’t hear you. You’re breaking up.” He turns back to face me, completely apologetic. Returning his attention to the call, he says, “Let me jog up the hill. I get better reception there.”
I watch him leave, no explanation, no direction. Behind me, a horse knickers. I guess I could get started without him. Unlatching the fence, I let myself in. The first horse to greet me stands at about sixteen hands by my approximation. Creamy palomino with the slightest dappling on her coat. Brushing my hand over her shoulder, it’s the closest I have felt to home in over a week. Dad has always said, “Every day that ends smelling like a horse is a good day.” And that’s how I was raised.
The palomino is easy to work with, letting me check her teeth, her legs, respiration rate and capillary refill. I’m not sure how thorough Silas is in his work, but by all means, the mare is healthy. I move on to a black gelding with a star on his forehead and two white stockings. The work feels more natural to me than mucking stalls. I glide through the herd, happy to introduce myself to the five horses that weren’t selected for work. I’m finishing with a sorrel mare when I hear the first strains of guitar. A second later, a voice joins in. I don’t know the song, but I could listen to his voice for hours. It doesn’t take long to figure out the musician is just outside the corral, leaning against a lone pine tree. I doubt he’s seen me. I worry he might quit if he does, and I don’t want that.
The melody continues as I move around the horse. With his eyes closed and focused on the song, I doubt he’d notice me anyway. His voice isn’t just a lovely sound, it’s an extension of his emotions. Every word seems to bleed from his veins as though he’s trying to bring the feeling into existence. He captivates me with the sound, holding me hostage to the music he plays. A lonesome mournful song, it speaks to my soul as though it knows my innermost secrets. I close my eyes, leaning on the corral fence, forgetting anything but his song. Even after the last vibrations from his guitar cease, I still feel them in my bones.
“You must be Sunny.” His deep voice catches me off guard. “I heard Rhett really stepped in it this time.”
My eyes snap open. Trance broken. The musician’s arrogant stare dares me to deny any of it, but it’s not like I can.
“And you are?”
His eyes narrow for a moment before he deems me worthy of his answer. “Carl. Buddy and Clara’s son.”
“Rhett’s brother?”
“That’s what they keep telling me.”
Any appeal I found in his music quickly fades with every word he speaks. “You don’t claim him.”
“He’s adopted.”
“And that’s his fault?” My quick tongue has been known to get the best of me.
“Well, I didn’t ask for him, that’s for sure.”
I want to ask why he’s got a chip on his shoulder about the whole thing, but it’s not my place. Just being on the ranch feels like a blessing. I don’t want to jeopardize it.
“I can see why he folded.” Carl smirks. “I might have taken Dad on too if I found you on the beach.”
I open my mouth to protest, but Carl motions to the south. “Looks like they’re coming back.”
Stashing his guitar behind the tree, he starts on a trail for the barn. Cursing Silas for leaving me alone, I make my way across the corral to meet the riders.
It’s not just from the south that they’re coming. Once I’m finished latching the corral gate, I note all three groups on their way back in, and Silas following at the tail end.
Carl meets his father’s horse, taking the reins and holding him steady while his father dismounts. I can’t hear the words spoken, but it’s easy to see the proud glow in his father’s eyes. Searching the crowd, I realize Rhett isn’t back yet.
“Jump in.” Silas nudges me with his elbow as he passes by to take hold of horses. “Don’t be shy.”
Like an idiot, I try to help Houston first, but of course I do it wrong. After dealing with his sharp rebuke, I leave him to take Buck’s horse.
“How was your day, Sunny?” He swings down and pops the cinch on his saddle. “Your ears burning much?”
He’s gone before I can get clarification. Ears burning? Does he mean they were talking about me? I search the crowd again, hoping I was wrong, but instead, I only find Buddy watching me with more scrutiny than I deserve.
“Hey, Sunny, can you take this?” Weston places his lead rope in my hands before walking away.
Still overwhelmed by the influx of riders and commotion, I tie Weston’s horse off on the rail and start removing tack. After replacing his saddle on his rack in the barn, I run my fingers over his gelding’s back, then down his shoulders. The horse tenses right when I expect him to. He’s sore. He needs a day off.
