follow racing just like any sport, and some of the guys take advantage, but itâs never been my thing.â
âSo you donât date?â
âNot in season, not really,â he said, and she considered that, leaving the subject alone for a while. She hadnât intended to turn her questions into a fishing expedition about his love life.
So he wasnât saying he didnât see women, he just didnât see them while he was driving. She guessed that made sense. She never assumed he was a saint.
âHow about you?â he asked.
âWhat?â
âYou date much?â
âNow and then, nothing serious. Iâve been so busy with the business since Mom and Dad left. It takes up all of my time, really.â
âLucky for me,â he said, almost under his breath, and Abby blinked and shot him a look, unsure she had actually heard that. She decided not to ask for clarification, and they stopped talking for a while, making their way back up the far end of the trail, and across the fields to the barns.
âIâll get the door,â she said, dismounting easily and making her way over to pull the doors open.
It was darker by the time they returned, and in the soft, golden light that spilled out of the barn, he lookedeven more handsome, she thought. He smiled, but there was something tight about it. He didnât dismount, and Abby wondered what the problem was.
âAre you okay?â she asked, unsure what to make of his sudden silence. Beau shifted and snorted, dancing under Reece, eager to be brushed and fed now that heâd worked off some energy.
âYeah, Iâm fine,â Reece almost growled between clenched teeth, and in the next second, he swung his leg over to the ground. Abby was horrified to see that as he landed, his leg gave way and his other foot never quite made it out of the stirrup, making Beau jump sideways nervously.
âReece, oh, no,â she breathed, steadying Beau and making her way over to help him up so that he could get his foot out of the stirrup to regain his balance.
âAre you okay?â she said, looking down and stepping carefully. There was no ice.
Reece was on his feet now, his expression reflecting stifled pain, and he walked forward, taking Beauâs reins as he limped into the barn without a word.
Abby frowned, following. âReece? Are you okay?â
He paused, his posture stiff. âIâm fine, Abby. My leg just fell asleep.â
âOh. I thought it might be the injury from your accident,â she said, knowing that now she was fishing. He knew it, too.
He rested his forehead on his hand, where it lay on Beauâs back, as if he was looking for patience, or a way to escape.
Finally, he straightened and looked at her again. âItis. Itâs not serious. I kept my leg in the same position for too long and it went numb. No big deal.â
âIt could have been a big deal if you couldnât get back up or if Beau had taken off in a panic or trampled you,â she said. âDoes this happen often?â
âI donât need the third degree, Abby. I just should have been more careful dismounting. Can we leave it? Okay?â
âIâm concerned,â she said, refusing to feel guilty. If that had happened when he was alone, he could have been badly hurt.
âI know,â he said, sounding tired. âBut itâs fine.â
She didnât think so, but she bit back any more comments. The easy mood theyâd had all evening was now replaced with tension, and she nodded, grabbing a brush and getting Buttercup set for the night.
Reece didnât say anything more, and he was still limping, if a little less severely, as he put Beau away and left, walking back to the house without another word. She would have offered to drive him, since she had to take her car back anyway, but somehow she didnât think that would help.
Obviously falling from the horse hadnât
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