River's End (River's End Series, #1)(49)

“I could learn. I mean, if you’d take just a little time to show me, I could learn. I could learn to do whatever you needed done. Like cleaning the stalls.”

“I don’t think you could clean the stalls.”

She looked up at him. “Please, Jack. I need to do something, anything to help earn my keep here. I can learn to do that. I’m not totally stupid.”

“I meant because you’re scared of the horses.”

“Maybe if you could teach me how to handle them, I wouldn’t be so scared. Besides, it does get boring in the trailer; it would give me something to look forward to.”

He tapped a finger against the truck door as he frowned at her. “All right. Okay. I can probably find something for you to do. Come out to the barn this afternoon.”

She smiled. If he’d been anyone else, she would have thrown her arms around him in gratitude. But since it was Jack, she settled for just smiling.

He moved away from the truck and she took his place, scooting the seat forward. She nearly sighed in happiness as she shifted it into gear and headed out of the property, alone and with a new sense of complete freedom.

****

Jack glanced up when he heard her. Erin was standing against the barn doors, dressed in jeans, a sweatshirt and her once white sneakers, were now brown from walking around the ranch. He set down the pitchfork he’d been using to pitch fresh straw into one of his mares’ stall. She was due to give birth at any time. Erin looked terrified, as usual. Was it him? Or the horses? He was never sure. He only knew the girl Erin became with him was a far cry from the comfortable, flirting Erin that first attracted Joey.

Jack walked up to her. “You sure about this?”

“I looked forward to it all day.”

Her eyes were bright and her cheeks were flushed. Was she telling the truth? Could she really want to work in the barn?

He touched her shoes with the tip of his boot. “Tomorrow, stop in town and buy some boots. You need proper cowboy boots.”

“Oh. These are fine.”

“No, they’re not okay. Get decent boots.”

“Okay.”

Money. He forgot. She had none. “I’ll lend you some money. Consider it an investment for your work here.”

She nodded, her eyes grateful.

“How’d the truck do?”

“It was wonderful.”

“It’s not pretty, but it should run for you fine.”

“It’s wonderful.”

He nodded. Of course she was grateful for a little bit of control and freedom, and the ability to run to the store or wherever she chose. Being so far from civilization, she had to feel completely isolated and stuck.

He spent the day getting his chores and horse training finished before she got there. He was hers the rest of the day.

“I thought we’d start from the beginning. I’ll bring a horse out.”

She nodded eagerly. He quickly brought around Jenna, a ten-year-old mare, and tied her to a ring hung high on the barn wall. Erin stood off to the side, watching him intently. Her eyes moved from the horse, to him, and back to the horse.

“First rule, always let the horse know where you are. Gently put your hand along her body, and especially when you pass behind her. If she knows you are there, you won’t startle her, and there’s less chance you’ll get hurt.”

She nodded, her eyes intent on the horse’s butt as he passed behind it. He walked back and forth a few times.

“You want to try?”

She nodded and came forward, but suddenly seemed so terrified, she couldn’t even speak. “Actually, the very first thing, Erin, is to breathe. In and out, in and out. Don’t pass out.”

Her eyes shot up to his and she finally smiled at him. He noticed her chest rise and fall as she took in several deep breaths.

“Where do I start?” she finally asked.

He came nearer and pulled her hand from her side, putting it on the horse just behind the neck. The horse didn’t even twitch at the contact. But Erin did. He could feel the tension rising in her. She flinched, as if expecting the horse to buck or rear.

“Forget your terrible ride with Joey. This is how you should have been introduced to the horses. So we’ll start slowly, and work from there.”

“But what about the stalls?”

“You can’t do anything until you feel comfortable handling the horses. I’m going to teach you how to be, and how to ride. I can teach you, Erin, if you want to learn.”

She glanced at the horse, and then up at him. “I do. But that doesn’t get the work done.”

He sighed. “Erin, no offense, but you’re not that strong. You’re brother was a shitty asshole, but he had a strong back. I assigned him work he could handle. You’re not physically strong enough to do much of the work that needs to be done around here. And you’re also not experienced enough to handle the horses on your own. I have several people who come in here weekly and help me ride, train, and care for them. Before you can do that, you have a lot to learn.”

She frowned. “So my being here just makes more work for you? That’s not doing you any good. I wanted to help. To work off some of what I owe you.”

He shrugged. “I don’t mind.”

“What do you mean, ‘you don’t mind’?”