The Hollow Hills - 13. Chapter 13

Galen

Buck trotted slowly toward the small crossrail. I crouched in my jumping position. My hands rested on Buck’s neck and I stared straight ahead instead of at the jump, as per Josh’s instructions. Buck slowed even more as he approached the rails and stopped right in front of them, putting his head down. I lurched forward, but pushed myself upright and sat in the saddle. “Maybe Buck’s trying to tell me something. I’m not sure either one of us want to do this.”

“You need to maintain pressure with your legs to encourage him forward. Try it again. We don’t want him to get into the habit of refusing. Your position was good, so keep that up,” Josh said.

I looked at him skeptically, but turned Buck away from the jump and trotted a circle before heading for the middle of the crossrail.

“Keep squeezing with your legs, and hold onto his mane.”

Buck’s ears pricked forward and he increased the pace of his trot. He gathered himself right before the jump and made a little hop, bouncing me up in the saddle and roughly down on his back.

“That’s not too bad for a first attempt. Now that you know what to expect, it will get easier from here. Do it again. Same thing. Squeeze with your legs, and think about staying still. Let Buck do all the work. All you have do is guide him.”

I jumped the small obstacle again and this time managed to not bounce all over the place. I turned toward Josh with a grin. “This is fun!”

He smiled. “You’re a natural. Great job, Galen. Why don’t you jump it one more time, then we’ll call it a day.”

I nodded and trotted Buck toward the jump. I don’t think it was even a foot off the ground, but to me it felt like we were sailing.

“Nice! Well done, Galen.”

I walked Buck into the middle of the ring and stopped in front of Josh. “Thanks. I’m glad you talked me into this. It was fun.”

“Keep working on your jumping position and your transitions. Absolutely no jumping unless you’re in a lesson, though. I don’t want either of you getting hurt.”

“No worries there, Josh. There’s no way I’d jump on my own.”

“Good. Work on adjusting his stride, too. Lengthen and shorten when you’re trotting, and we’ll do some more work with ground poles and a little more jumping during your next lesson.”

“Sounds good.” I walked Buck in a circle around Josh, letting him cool down. Not that he was all that hot. I didn’t work him that hard. “Thanks for fitting me in today. I didn’t want Ethan to watch my first jumping lesson. Now I feel more confident about tomorrow.”

“He’s never watched you ride before? I would have thought you’d have brought him here before now.”

“I have. He met Buck the day after you guys gave him to me. You were out with Roger. He hasn’t seen me ride yet, though.”

Josh nodded. “Any requests for dinner tomorrow?”

“Whatever you make will be great, Josh. I don’t think you’re capable of making bad food.” I laughed.

He smiled. “Thanks. Are you staying for dinner tonight? I have a roast in the slow cooker. There’s plenty since it’s just Alannah and me.”

“That sounds really good, Josh, but I have plans with Ethan tonight. We’re going out to dinner and a movie.”

“Ok.” He paused, then looked up at me. “So things are going well with you and Ethan, huh?”

I smiled. “Yeah. He’s a real sweetheart. I’m so glad I gave him a chance.”

Josh looked at me quizzically. “What do you mean ‘gave him a chance’?”

“Well, he asked me out for like a month before I finally said yes.” I blushed. “I guess I was a bit too distracted to think about dating anyone.”

We stopped in front of the barn and I dismounted, landing lightly on my feet.

“I’m happy for you, Galen. I really am.”

“Thanks. I hear you had quite the weekend. Caroline filled me in,” I said, smirking. I ran the stirrups up on the saddle and loosened Buck’s girth before walking into the barn.

“Yeah. Roger spent the weekend. It was nice. It’s been a long time since he’s been able to do that.”

I glanced at Josh as I removed Buck’s bridle and put his halter on. He attached one cross tie while I attached the other. He looked genuinely happy, and that made me smile.

“That’s great.”

“I have another lesson right now, so I’ll see you tomorrow, ok?”

“Yeah, see you tomorrow.”

*****

Ethan moved the brush tentatively over Buck’s side. I put my hand over his and pressed firmly as I drew the bristles horizontally, following the pattern Buck’s hair made. “You need to put some pressure into it, then flick the dirt away from his skin. You’re not going to hurt him.”

“Ok. I’m just not used to being around an animal this big. Kyle is just slightly smaller.”

I laughed. Kyle was Ethan’s cat. “Yeah, just a little bit.”

We finished grooming Buck, and I saddled and bridled him before walking outside. I mounted Buck, then walked to the outdoor ring, where Josh was just finishing teaching a lesson. He walked over and opened the gate to let me in the ring.

“Josh, I’d like you meet Ethan. E, this is Josh.”

Ethan smiled and held his hand out. “Nice to finally meet you. Galen talks about his lessons all the time.”

Josh nodded and shook his hand briefly before letting go. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“All good, I hope.” Ethan laughed.

Josh turned away and checked Buck’s girth. I tightened it a couple of holes before walking along the perimeter of the ring. It was a good lesson. I worked on lengthening and shortening Buck’s stride at the trot and canter. I also cantered in between two poles, trying to fit in the number of strides Josh told me to. At the end, I jumped the crossrail a few more times. It felt much smoother than the day before, now that I knew what to expect.

“Great job, Galen. You’re coming along nicely,” Josh said, patting Buck’s neck.

I grinned. “That’s because I have such a great teacher.”

He looked at me and smiled. “Well, you make it easy,” he said so softly that I almost didn’t hear. “I’m going to head up to the house to start dinner. Come on up when you’re done taking care of Buck.”

I nodded. “Ok. See you in a bit.” I dismounted and loosened Buck’s girth.

Ethan was quiet as we walked into the barn. I untacked Buck and led him into the wash rack, where I hosed the sweat from his body. The three of us walked outside to a nice patch of green grass, and Buck immediately started grazing as the warm sunshine dried his wet coat.

“So, what did you think?”

“You looked great, Galen. I’m really impressed.”

I bumped my shoulder against his. “Thanks.” I paused and looked at him, but he wouldn’t meet my gaze. “Is everything ok?”

He looked at me and smiled, but it looked fake to me. “Yeah, everything’s fine.”

“I’m so glad you’re here.” I moved to embrace him, but at the same time Buck decided to move to a tastier patch of grass, dragging me with him. “The grass is always greener…” I laughed.

Ethan smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Something was going on with him, but I had no idea what. He was quiet as Buck dried, despite my attempts at conversation. When he was mostly dry, I put him in his stall, and Ethan and I walked up to the farmhouse for dinner. I grabbed his hand and held it as we walked.

Josh was chopping vegetables when we entered the kitchen. I left Ethan sitting at the kitchen table while I headed to the bathroom and changed my clothes. When I returned, Josh was stirring something in a pot on the stove, and Ethan was looking at the table and playing with a napkin.

“Where’s Alannah?” I asked as I popped a cherry tomato in my mouth.

“She was teaching lessons at another barn. She just called and is on her way. Liam’s on his way, too. He just got off duty.”

“Perfect. What’s on the menu?”

“Meatloaf and mac and cheese.”

I grinned. “My favorites!”

Ethan raised an eyebrow.

“You’re in for a treat, E. Josh makes the best meatloaf and mac and cheese I’ve ever had.”

“Sounds great.”

“I made some appetizers, too. I figured you’d be pretty hungry after your lesson. They should be ready in a few minutes.”

“Did you make those bacon thingies that I like?”

“Of course.”

“Oh my God, E. Wait ‘til you try these. They’re amazing!”

“I bet.”

“Do you want to make the salad dressing, Galen? All the ingredients are already out. All you have to do is mix it.”

“Sure. The honey mustard one?”

“Yeah.”

“So how long have you lived here, Josh?” Ethan asked.

“About fifteen years.”

“I’ve always been fascinated with the history of this place. I’m glad to get a chance to see it firsthand.”

The timer dinged and Josh removed the hors d’oeuvres from the oven, setting the tray on a trivet on the counter. I added the final ingredient to the salad dressing, and shook the covered container vigorously before setting it down on the kitchen island. Josh poured our requested drinks, then put the hors d’oeuvres on a plate. We all headed into the living room to enjoy the appetizers while dinner cooked.

Liam and Alannah arrived shortly after each other and joined us in the living room. Ethan pointed to the far wall. “When was the addition added? That’s not part of the original house.”

“You have a good eye, lad. Josh added the downstairs bedroom shortly after he moved in,” Alannah said.

“It was just me in this huge house, so I figured I’d stick to the main floor and leave the upstairs alone.”

“He did a brilliant job. He designed it himself. Why don’t you give Ethan a tour, Josh?”

“Sure. Well, you’ve seen the kitchen. I had a guest bathroom added downstairs when I had my bedroom built.” He stood and we followed him into his bedroom, which was actually more like a suite. It was huge. He had a king-size bed in the middle of the room with a large wardrobe on one side and a dresser on the other. To the left of the bed, parallel to the living room, was an office with built-in bookshelves, a bay window overlooking the woods, and a tidy desk with a computer. He also had a large en-suite bathroom, complete with a claw-foot tub and stand-in shower large enough for three people. The style was classic, masculine, and fit the farmhouse perfectly. I sat on the bed as Josh explained his design to Ethan, who listened attentively. I was tempted to lay back and sink into the luxurious mattress. It was like sitting on a pillow; it was so comfortable.

“I’m impressed with your design, Josh. You should have been an architect,” Ethan said.

“Thanks. I almost went to school for architectural design. I decided to stick with cooking, though. Then I got the job at the magazine, and I was happy with that career.”

“Show him what you did with the stairs,” I said. It was one of the coolest features of the house.

We filed out of the bedroom and over to the stairs that were on the other side of the fireplace. Josh opened a door to reveal a closet containing multiple drawers and shelves built into the negative space underneath the staircase.

“I figured it was wasted space and wanted to see what I could do with it.”

“Very impressive. I thought about doing something similar at my house, but I can’t because of the ductwork.”

“Thanks.”

Josh showed us the upstairs rooms, then we headed back to living room while Josh headed to the kitchen to finish dinner. Alannah and Ethan were engaged in a conversation about the history of the farm, so I headed into the kitchen to see if Josh needed any help.

“Can I give you a hand?”

“Shouldn’t you be with your boyfriend?”

I looked at him funny. “He’s talking to Alannah and Liam about the farm.”

“Well, in that case, why don’t you assemble the salads?”

“Ok.” We worked mainly in silence, although it wasn’t uncomfortable. It didn’t take me long to make the salads.

“Why don’t you get everyone seated? The soup’s ready, so I’ll dish it up and bring it out.”

I led everyone into the dining room and sat next to Ethan. I put my arm around his shoulders and drew him in for a quick kiss just as Josh arrived with the first two bowls of soup. “Having a good time, hun?”

He didn’t have a chance to answer, because Josh set one bowl of soup down in front of me, then set the other bowl in front of Ethan with such force it spilled all over his lap.

Ethan jumped up from the table, dabbing at his lap with his napkin.

“What the hell, Josh?” I demanded.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, then stalked back into the kitchen.

“I’ll go clean this up,” Ethan said, and walked into the living room toward the bathroom.

Alannah grabbed Ethan’s bowl of soup. “I’ll get him a refill.”

I put my hand on her arm, stopping her. “No. I’ll get it.”

She nodded and I strode into the kitchen, where Josh was facing the counter, both hands braced on the countertop.

“What the hell is your problem?” I threw the bowl into the sink with a loud clatter.

“Galen, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean –“

“Why are you acting like such an asshole? Ethan was so excited about coming here, you know.”

Josh was silent and wouldn’t look at me.

I grabbed a fresh bowl and filled it with soup. “You had your chance and made your choice, Josh. Don’t take it out on Ethan just because we’re happy and you’re miserable.” I brushed past him, not waiting for a response. I was furious at his behavior. Ethan sat down when I re-entered the dining room, and from the look he gave me, I was sure he had heard my words with Josh.

“Here you go.” I set the bowl down gently in front of my disconcerted boyfriend. I sat next to him and took his hand under the table, squeezing gently.

“Thanks.” He smiled half-heartedly.

To say that the rest of dinner was strained would be an understatement. Liam, Alannah, and I tried to make light conversation, but Ethan was very quiet and Josh responded in mainly one-word answers. I kept shooting Josh dirty looks. He avoided my gaze, so I think he knew I was still angry with him. I was so disappointed in how the evening went. I wanted Ethan to be a part of my world, but I could see that I had a lot of work to do to make that happen.

*****

Ethan was silent as I drove to his house. He looked out the window and moved his hand away when I tried to hold it.

“You’re awfully quiet. What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

“Now I know why you won’t let me make love to you,” he said so softly I almost didn’t hear him.

“What?”

“You lied to me.”

“Huh? I’ve never lied to you, Ethan. Where is this coming from?”

He looked at me, and the sad expression on his face nearly broke my heart. “You said Jamie was the only other guy you’ve dated.”

“He is.”

“You never told me you dated Josh.”

Now his behavior made sense. I made a mental note to have another chat with Josh the next time I saw him. “I’m not lying to you, Ethan. Josh and I have never dated.”

“But you’ve slept with him.”

I shook my head. “No. I’ve never slept with him.”

“But you wanted to.”

I sighed. “Yeah, I did want him when we first met.”

Ethan snorted. “Great. I knew this was too good to be true.”

“Hey, I said when we first met. We’re past that now. He has a boyfriend,” I said, then paused to grab Ethan’s hand. “And so do I.”

He tried pulling his hand away, but I gripped it tighter. “You’re telling me if he and his boyfriend split up and you were single, you wouldn’t go for him?”

“That’s a lot of ‘what if?’s.”

“So you would.”

I pulled Betsey over to the side of the road and stopped. I turned and placed both my hands alongside Ethan’s face. “Who I wanted a few months ago has nothing to do with who I want now.” I kissed him lightly on his lips. “And right now I want you.”

Ethan looked at me skeptically. “What about the future?”

“Who knows what the future will bring? I’m not going to promise to spend the rest of my life with you. It’s too early in our relationship for that. Let’s enjoy what we have right now, and worry about the future later.”

Ethan sighed. “Just don’t lie to me, ok? I can wait for the future, as long as you’re here with me.”

I nodded and kissed him. “I’m not going anywhere.”

He smiled. “Ok.”

I pulled Betsey back onto the road and drove to Ethan’s house. We spent the night making love. Ethan was almost desperate in his need to please me, and I found it a bit disconcerting. I caught him crying when he thought I was asleep, and I held him until he stopped. I was going to have to find a way to prove to him that I did want him in my life. I’d just have to think of how.