She grinned. “Thanks. In the meantime, if you can yell at Owen for me, I’d appreciate it.”
“Done. Unless you want me to let Hei Hei loose on him again?”
Harper laughed, striding out of the barn. “Even I’m not that cruel, bro.”
Her spirit lighter, she got back to work.
Aidan looked up at the clear cerulean-blue sky and wondered how long he was going to survive.
With a groan, he got up from the rocker on the wraparound porch and decided to head out to explore the grounds. His vacation was technically perfect. He was alone with his thoughts, with plenty of time to figure things out amid a picture-perfect setting. Yet one thing was ruining the rainbow.
He was fucking bored.
Deciding to take the rear footpath that led toward the stables, he began walking and wondered if he should cut out early. The inn was top notch, and he enjoyed the quaint town with its gourmet cafés, lunch places, and shops. The local college added a dash of color and kept things young. He’d stopped at Tantillo Farms for their famous apple-cider doughnuts. Scheduled a midafternoon hike at Mohonk Mountain House. He was going horseback riding tomorrow. Things were good.
Except they weren’t.
Frustration nipped at his nerves, and he lengthened his stride. He should’ve known it wouldn’t be simple for him. He’d been working since he was young, and the only time off had been at the local pubs or the occasional weekend with Rachael. Her name brought no sting, even after her betrayal. He almost wished it did sting. At least that would’ve proved why he’d stayed with the woman for almost a year. Instead, he mourned the loss of Kincaid’s Crown the most.
The image of the horse he’d taken to the Irish Derby floated in his mind. A lucky gray. A massive beast with the heart of a warrior and stamina that kept him at the top of his game. It had been hard to win his affection, but once the horse softened, they’d bonded and become a winning team. He’d loved training him. Spending all his hours with horses was perhaps the only place and time he felt fully himself. He’d had everything he ever wanted.
Until it was all ripped away.
He wondered if the horse missed him.
Raw pain tore through his body. Did it even matter? He vowed revenge on the son of a bitch who’d betrayed him, but leaving the horse he’d come to love had been his only choice. Kincaid’s Crown deserved to run his races, and the smartest move was to walk. Aidan had planned to start over. Rebuild his name and reputation on his own terms, this time, trusting no one but himself. Success brought wealth and power, and there were too many people who greedily craved more, until it didn’t matter who they destroyed.
Even family.
It was a brutal lesson he’d learned well.
He’d truly believed this time, when success came, he’d protect himself, his reputation, and his fortune.
But not anymore.
The constant sting of failure threatened to crush him. He had nowhere else left to go. The money he’d put aside to travel and rebuild his career was almost gone. His belief in both himself and the future was no longer pure but stained with betrayal and a mocking knowledge that this time he’d lost.
It was over.
The woods enclosed him with soothing coolness and the scent of damp earth. Large, crooked trees crowded the dirt pathway and blocked the sting of sun and sky. The high-pitched chatter of birds and scramble of squirrels kept him company as he walked, and slowly he relaxed. He’d check out the barns and see how they treated their horses. He couldn’t believe the horrors he came across when it came to animal upkeep, especially at so-called “rescue farms.” Too many of them figured just taking in every damn stray was enough and ignored food, hygiene, and proper care. But Ophelia seemed to run a tight ship at the inn, so maybe he’d be pleasantly surprised.
The path led to a thick wall of brush, but he fought through the tight space and stepped out into the pasture. The mountains overwhelmed the skyline, allowing only a few fluffy clouds and nothing else. The large red barns, neat white fences, and shocking green hills reminded him of home. Horses roamed in the fenced areas, and some lounged in paddocks, lazily munching on hay as they sunbathed. Chickens ran free, seeming to actually play with two dogs—a black Lab and a mixed brown-and-white terrier—in a strange game of tag.
He poked around and spotted a trail of riders heading down the hill. Ophelia had said her brother, Ethan, was handling the horseback riding. Might as well investigate while he waited for his return.
Starting at the first stall, he peeked his head in, finding most of the horses in seemingly good spirits. Some stuck their noses out, while others lashed at him with searching tongues looking for a treat. He spotted none of the usual signs of abuse or neglect. Thank God. He didn’t have it in him today to try to right another wrong.
He took his time exploring, making mental notes. Definitely not a professional barn for racing or breeding. Most of the horses seemed to be a mishmash of ages and types, so it must be strictly a rescue-and-boarding place, with the side benefit for guests of the inn to do some light riding.
He headed out into the second barn. A few stragglers filled up the stalls in the front, and the loft was full of various supplies. He found a bag of carrots and grabbed a few, fed some of the mares, then went to check out the last barn.
It was small, with the front stalls empty. He walked toward the rear, then jerked to a stop.
His gaze fell on a horse staring back at him with fire in his eyes. Pitch black, he blended half into the shadows, the only color a bright streak of white zigzagging across his face like a beauty mark. Ears pinned back, the horse’s gaze narrowed, and he blew a hard breath out of his nose, as if irritated with being faced with a stranger.
Aidan moved closer. God, the Thoroughbred was beautiful. Not overly bulky, but with a muscled leanness that hinted at good breeding. What was he doing back here isolated from the others? Were they hiding him? Boarding him for someone specific? Or was he too much trouble so they decided to lock him away?
“Hey, capalleen. You hungry? How about a carrot?” he murmured, offering the treat through the rails.
The horse stared back, not blinking, his body shuddering with an intensity that Aidan had never seen before. He made no move to take the carrot, even when Aidan pushed it farther out.
“Stubborn, huh? Think I poisoned it or something? Or do you need to be wooed first?” It was rare when a horse didn’t immediately take to him. This one had shadows in his dark eyes and a powerful force that made Aidan curious. Offering a smile, he fell into a stream of Irish in order to woo him. The horse shook, turned around, and gave Aidan his ass.
Then let out a big fart.
Aidan chuckled. Well, damn. Talk about being dismissed. This was a challenge he had to take on.
He deftly unlocked the gate, stepped forward, and closed it behind him.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
He spun toward the voice, his gaze narrowing on the woman in front of him. His fingers guiltily dropped from the lock. “Sorry. I’m a guest from the inn,” he said. “Just checking out your horses.”
Pure irritation bristled from her figure. He studied her with interest, noting her staggering height—about six foot one—and the blazing sea-green flame of her gaze, filled with a suspicion that reminded him of the horse who’d just dissed him. Everything about her screamed simplicity, from her short dark bob and makeup-free face to her plain blue T-shirt, jeans, and work boots.