Page 34 of Here With Me

“My clipboard’s on my rig if you wanna mark which order I have to go in, and then I won’t bother you again till I need ya.”

I avoid looking at her face when I dismiss her, but by the way she scuffs her boots on the ground, she’s not any happier with me than she was before.

“It’s okay. I won’t hurt ya,” I tell Buttercup when he stomps his back foot, almost as if he’s mocking Noah’s actions. I resist the urge to laugh while dragging my hand down his leg to check his hoof.

“Before I forget to tell you, Shelby and Taylor Alison Swift’s stalls are next to each other, and they don’t like being apart too long. So you’ll wanna let them say goodbye and give them a couple minutes together before you switch them out.”

I snap my head up, wondering if she’s fucking with me. “Excuse me?”

“Yeah, I know dependency can be bad, but they’ve been next to each other for two years. Taylor Alison Swift is Mallory’s horse—my little cousin—so she’s not goin’ anywhere since Mallory lives here. Shelby’s been here for a few years and is a full-time boarder since their owner lives in the city. We let them stay together since neither will be leavin’.”

Standing, I meet her eyes. “You have a horse namedTaylor Alison Swift?”

She blows out a deep breath. “Yes. We call her Miss Swift if ya must know.”

“So you’re aSwiftie?”

“We’re not doin’ this...” She points at me, then motions between us. “Business talk only.”

“Said who?” I grab my toolbox kit and wheel it to Buttercup’s front leg.

“Me. You’re a ranch employee, and I’m a professional horse trainer on said family’s ranch. The only reason we’d need to talk is to discuss the horses.”

I get into position, then situate Buttercup’s hoof between my legs and squeeze my thighs to keep it in place. He nudges my head and nips at me, pulling a chunk of hair before Noah notices and scolds him.

“Guess ya weren’t lyin’.” I laugh, grabbing my buffer and hammer to raise the clenches.

“Nope.” She stands next to me, then hands me my shoe pullers once I’m done.

“Thanks,” I say, changing out the tools and then going around the shoe until I can effortlessly pry it off. “I take it his owner is a female?”

“Yes.” She hands me my hoof knife.

I bite back my laughter as she keeps Buttercup calm while handing me tools as if she’s memorized every step of my process. As I remove the excess dirt and scrape away the dead sole, she rubs his head and, eventually, hands me my loop knife.

“You sing to all your horses?” I taunt when I catch her humming a Taylor Swift song.

“You gonna tease me about the one thing that’s keepin’ this horse from kickin’ you? Pretty bold, Mr. Underwood.”

“Mr. Underwood?” I scoff, shedding the frog until it’s a nice V-shape. “Does that mean I should call you Miss Hollis?”

She lowers her gaze and glares while handing me my rasp.

“I’d prefer ya didn’t.”

I double-check for any flakey sole and inspect for defects or infections before I smooth and flatten the entire bottom. Then I flip the rasp over and run it over the hoof again.

“You hand Mr. Ryan all of his tools or am I just special?”

“Don’t get excited. I’m only helpin’ to make sure you’re doin’ it right.”

“Oh, now you’re supervisin’ me?” I ask, using my hoof knife again to scrape more of the sole until it feels waxy.

“These horses are very important to me and the ranch, so yes, I wanna make sure you’re qualified before lettin’ you run wild with them,” she states, handing me my nippers.

“You think your dad would hire me if I wasn’t?” I ask, trimming around the hoof wall and making sure the toe isn’t too thick.

“He was desperate. He woulda hired anyone.”