“I can watch her,” Blaine said. “You get back to Olli.”
“What’s with you and Olli?” Cayden asked before Spur could say he didn’t need to get back to Olli.
“Nothing’s with us,” Spur said, not quite sure if their relationship was secret or not. He assumed it wasn’t, but he also wasn’t sure if he should keep that it was fake under wraps.
It’s not fake, he told himself. His feelings for her were very, very real, and he’d kissed her before he’d left her standing in her kitchen. His foot on the bottom rung twitched, and a healthy shot of embarrassment filled him. He’d kissed her. What had he been thinking?
He’d blown fake right out of the water with that blasted kiss.
Olli hadn’t said anything to him though, and Spur had seen that glint of attraction in her eyes.
“You’re not a great liar either,” Blaine said. “Just so you know.”
Spur physically flinched, but he didn’t know what else to say. He didn’t want to lie to his brothers, all of whom could’ve passed for him on a semi-dark night. All the Chappell brothers stood over six feet tall, all wore cowboy hats and boots and jeans. They all had the scent of horses clinging to them all the time, and they all woke with the sun and worked until they couldn’t stand for another moment.
He loved his brothers powerfully, but he didn’t owe them any explanations.
“Are you dating her?” Trey asked, his eyes still out on the track, waiting for Glory to round the right bend.
“Can you guys not hound me about this?” Spur asked, keeping his gaze beyond the conversation too. “She’s just a friend I was helping out.”
“I just think it’s noteworthy,” Trey said, his voice pitching up. “If you’re dating Olivia Hudson, that’s all.”
“Why would that be noteworthy?” Spur asked.
“Uh, hello?” Blaine said. “How about because you haven’t dated in forever, and just last week you said you were, and I quote, ‘never going to get married again’.”
Spur had said that, and a sting of humiliation added to the embarrassment still swirling through him.
“Things change,” Cayden said. “Spur does like to help his neighbors and friends out.”
“Exactly,” Spur said. “So leave me alone.”
“When are you going to see her again?” Trey asked.
“Tonight,” Spur said without thinking.
Silence descended upon them, and Spur pressed his eyes closed when he realized what he’d just admitted to.
Thankfully, Blaine’s phone rang, and he said, “Oh, it’s Tam. I have to take this.” He stepped away, his voice cheerful and bright when he said hello to his friend. Spur couldn’t help thinking that Blaine and Tam were best friends and yet no one was accusing him of dating the woman.
Glory came around the bend, and Kara eased her into a trot.
“She looks good,” Trey said, standing up on the bottom rung now. “No hitches, no twitching movement, nothing.”
Spur had to agree, and he hoped and prayed that her stumble that morning had just been a fluke. “Let’s have Leroy watch her anyway,” Spur said as Blaine rejoined them and Glory rounded the left bend again. “Okay, Blaine? I want her monitored for the next five days, round the clock.”
“Around the clock?” Blaine shook his head, his expression falling. “You’re killing me, Spur.”
“Get Tam to come sit with her,” Spur said. “She loves doing that.” He smiled at Blaine and started to walk away. “I have to get back to work. Keep me informed if anything comes up.”
“Have fun with Olli tonight,” Cayden called, and the three of them twittered behind him.
Spur just kept walking, because he wanted to have fun with Olli that night. As an added measure, he threw up a prayer that they would have fun that night. And maybe he could kiss her again, this time closer to her mouth.
* * *
Spur loopedthe tie around his neck and then took it off again. Three times, he’d done that, and he still couldn’t decide if he should wear it or not.