LOL: Laugh Out Loud (After Oscar, #2)(42)
The few times that day I’d checked my phone, I’d been disappointed but not surprised to see a whole lotta nothing. Then Roman had set me up on his laptop to check my email, and it had been even worse. Two of the three sleigh ride companies had said they were adequately staffed for the season, and the third, which had been the closest to Stowe, hadn’t even responded. I was shit out of luck.
The thought caused my stomach to squeeze with anxiety. I felt a sharp spike of guilt. I’d spent the day lounging and gaming and sexing instead of submitting more resumes and beating the pavement looking for work. I knew I should be heading back to New York, but the idea of leaving Nugget behind was too painful.
The thought of leaving Roman behind hurt just as much.
It was a ridiculous concern. I knew that. I’d only known Roman a day. But it had felt longer than that. And I knew that once we returned to the city we’d go back to our own separate worlds. Leaving him would mean letting go of him forever. I wasn’t ready for that just yet.
I wanted to stay in our little hidden Vermont bubble just a little bit longer. At least for one more day.
When I approached the barn, I saw movement to the right in the closest fenced pasture. It was Nugget and she was rolling on her back in the snow like a giddy little kid, kicking up fluffy chunks of white as she stretched her legs. I leaned on the fence completely entranced. I’d never been able to watch her have fun like this. Every time she’d had her mandated trips out of the city, I hadn’t been able to go with her because of the money.
She stood up and shook herself off before sneezing and moving through the snow toward me. Her large frame was so familiar and comforting, I felt my throat tighten.
It became blazingly obvious in that moment that I couldn’t give her what she needed. What she deserved.
As I stood there waiting for her to reach me, I was overcome with the sudden realization I couldn’t keep her. The thought almost brought me to my knees.
“That your horse?” a voice called from behind me.
I steadied myself with a hand on the fence and turned to see an older teenage boy moving soiled straw out of the barn door to a pile near the edge of the trees. He let go of the cart he was pushing and came over to me with a friendly grin, pulling off a work glove to shake my hand.
“Kip Dawes. I’m the neighbor looking after your girl here.” He glanced around as if looking for someone. “I was expecting to meet Roman Burke, but that’s not you.”
“Not even close,” I admitted. “I’m Scotty Pinker. I’m Roman’s—” I froze. I had no idea how to finish that statement. I wasn’t his boyfriend. I didn’t even know if I qualified as a friend. But acquaintance felt too formal and distant. And lover was way too much information.
I heard Roman’s deep chuckle from behind me. “He’s Nugget’s owner.”
Heat spread across my face as I turned to greet him. “And this is Roman Burke, but you can call him Smart Ass.”
Kip kept the friendly smile and nodded, clearly not overly impressed with being in the presence of a famous movie star. I wondered if he was used to seeing celebrities in his fancy ski town. “Well, that’s a mighty fine draft horse you have there,” he said, nodding at Nugget. “If you’re ever looking to get rid of her, my dad would probably do just about anything to add her to our sleigh ride program.”
I stared at him, my heart leaping with excitement. This had to be the sleigh company I hadn’t heard back from. “I’m definitely not interested in selling her, but I’d love to hear more about the program. Does your dad happen to own Stowe Sleigh Rides?” This was too good to be true.
He nodded. “My dad and three of my brothers run it together. One of my dad’s original Clydesdales is getting ready to retire. He’s looking for a replacement. Oscar told him Nugget here was a Central Park carriage horse. That would be a boon, wouldn’t it?” His grin was contagious. “Tell the tourists they can get their sleigh ride with a famous carriage horse?”
“Are you hiring, by any chance?” I asked excitedly. “Like I said, I’m not looking to sell, but I am looking for work. I—” I stopped talking when I saw the answer on his face.
“No, sorry. There’s not even enough work for me to join them when I graduate.” He lifted a shoulder. “I was hoping my dad would be ready to retire and give me his spot when I got my degree, but I finish in May and he’s not budging. Equine jobs around here are slim pickings to be honest.”
My heart dropped. I tried to think of something to say to cover up my crushing disappointment. “Oh.”
“Yeah, I’ll have to move after I finish my equine science degree in a few months. Maybe find a hippotherapy program or teach riding lessons after school. Not sure I want to go to vet school, but we’ll see.”
I smiled at him, trying desperately not to be jealous of this kid who had the world at his feet. “That sounds amazing. I’m sure you’ll find something great with a degree like that.”
“As long as I can work with these beauties, I’ll be happy,” he said, reaching out to stroke Nugget’s long nose.
Roman shifted his weight until his shoulder was pressed against mine. I couldn’t feel his warmth through the layers of our coats, but I appreciated the solid presence of him while I still felt so unsteady. Maybe I’d been too hasty in saying I wasn’t interested in selling Nugget.