Read Online The Cowboy's Girl Next Door: A BWWM Cowboy Romance by Monica Castle - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Monica Castle
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chuckled. “Part of city life, I suppose.” She turned to Jess, determined to make a peace offering. “Tell Jasper I’d be glad to help him with a training schedule for your herd. When I worked at Silver Stallion in Georgia, I did a lot of that sort of thing.”
Jess raised his eyebrows at her disclosure. Silver Stallion was the best equestrian center in the Southeast. She was full of surprises. “You show horses?”
Claire laughed. “No. I mean, I started to, when I was younger, but it was too expensive and not really my thing. I loved working with the horses and the riders, though, and I admire the amount of commitment and attention to detail it takes.” She took a drink of the tea. “After my first show, it just didn’t seem right for me.”
She could feel Jess’s eyes fixed on her, intent and searching. She dropped her head, suddenly finding the fruit salad extremely interesting. “So, this berry picking event. What do you charge?”
Jess shook his head. “Nothing. Free and open to the public.”
Claire head snapped up at the admission. “Why would you lose out on that revenue stream? I’ve heard the orchard is pretty extensive.”
“Oh, it is,” Jess replied. “But my mother insisted that we never charge the locals, and they are always welcome to come by on Saturdays to pick whatever they want from the orchards. The berry picking just signals the start of the season. They never seem to get even half of the crop, though, so we hire laborers to harvest the remaining berries, apples, and figs during the summer so that we can sell them at the Jackson farmer’s market.” He took another helping of the fruit. “Let me know when you want to see it, and we can ride over there. Strawberries are ripe for the picking right now.”
Pauline stood and brushed breadcrumbs from her jeans. “Time to get back to the girls. I have them in the west pasture today. You should come out and see them later; they’re having a ball with the pond out there.”
“I’ll be sure to do that. I’d like to take Thalia out later, too. Think she’s up to it today?”
“Definitely!” Pauline nodded. “If you ask me, they’re itching for some exploring, and, truth be told, some company. They’re used to being around a lot more horses.”
“Thanks, Pauline. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Claire waited until the girl had disappeared into the stable, then sighed, her fingers picking at a loose thread on the blanket. She needed to get moving on growing her herd, even if it was just a couple of working horses at a time.
“Pauline’s a good manager, and she knows her horses,” Jess said, “If she thinks your girls need some company…”
“Don’t you tell me my business!” Claire snapped. She immediately regretted her words and her tone, however. Jess looked crushed, like she’d slapped away the hand he’d only extended to help. She swallowed hard. “I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve that.”
Jess pursed his lips and nodded. “Apology accepted.” He made ready to leave. “You know,” he said as he carefully folded the napkin inside the paper plate, “I can’t change what happened, and I want to make things right. We’re neighbors now, and I’d really like it if we can get over this thing that’s happened and try to be friendly.”
He stood and Claire watched him walk over to dispose of the trash. His back was straight, and she immediately understood how proud he was, and she wondered why he’d been so quick to accept a public punishment designed to take away some of that pride. She was lost in that thought when he returned to the blanket.
“I’m gonna finish up your fence and head back home. Tomorrow the crew will arrive to start tearing down the barn. Thanks for the lunch.”
With that, he was gone, and Claire stared at the old quilt, thinking about how its colors and shapes, unique on their own, blended to form a cohesive whole.
Jess raised his eyebrows at her disclosure. Silver Stallion was the best equestrian center in the Southeast. She was full of surprises. “You show horses?”
Claire laughed. “No. I mean, I started to, when I was younger, but it was too expensive and not really my thing. I loved working with the horses and the riders, though, and I admire the amount of commitment and attention to detail it takes.” She took a drink of the tea. “After my first show, it just didn’t seem right for me.”
She could feel Jess’s eyes fixed on her, intent and searching. She dropped her head, suddenly finding the fruit salad extremely interesting. “So, this berry picking event. What do you charge?”
Jess shook his head. “Nothing. Free and open to the public.”
Claire head snapped up at the admission. “Why would you lose out on that revenue stream? I’ve heard the orchard is pretty extensive.”
“Oh, it is,” Jess replied. “But my mother insisted that we never charge the locals, and they are always welcome to come by on Saturdays to pick whatever they want from the orchards. The berry picking just signals the start of the season. They never seem to get even half of the crop, though, so we hire laborers to harvest the remaining berries, apples, and figs during the summer so that we can sell them at the Jackson farmer’s market.” He took another helping of the fruit. “Let me know when you want to see it, and we can ride over there. Strawberries are ripe for the picking right now.”
Pauline stood and brushed breadcrumbs from her jeans. “Time to get back to the girls. I have them in the west pasture today. You should come out and see them later; they’re having a ball with the pond out there.”
“I’ll be sure to do that. I’d like to take Thalia out later, too. Think she’s up to it today?”
“Definitely!” Pauline nodded. “If you ask me, they’re itching for some exploring, and, truth be told, some company. They’re used to being around a lot more horses.”
“Thanks, Pauline. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Claire waited until the girl had disappeared into the stable, then sighed, her fingers picking at a loose thread on the blanket. She needed to get moving on growing her herd, even if it was just a couple of working horses at a time.
“Pauline’s a good manager, and she knows her horses,” Jess said, “If she thinks your girls need some company…”
“Don’t you tell me my business!” Claire snapped. She immediately regretted her words and her tone, however. Jess looked crushed, like she’d slapped away the hand he’d only extended to help. She swallowed hard. “I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve that.”
Jess pursed his lips and nodded. “Apology accepted.” He made ready to leave. “You know,” he said as he carefully folded the napkin inside the paper plate, “I can’t change what happened, and I want to make things right. We’re neighbors now, and I’d really like it if we can get over this thing that’s happened and try to be friendly.”
He stood and Claire watched him walk over to dispose of the trash. His back was straight, and she immediately understood how proud he was, and she wondered why he’d been so quick to accept a public punishment designed to take away some of that pride. She was lost in that thought when he returned to the blanket.
“I’m gonna finish up your fence and head back home. Tomorrow the crew will arrive to start tearing down the barn. Thanks for the lunch.”
With that, he was gone, and Claire stared at the old quilt, thinking about how its colors and shapes, unique on their own, blended to form a cohesive whole.
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