Southern Secrets (Southern #7) - Natasha Madison Page 0,44

to him. He takes me in his arms and kisses my head. "How are you feeling?"

"All better," I say. "I can go to work tomorrow." Looking to see Christopher and Reed coming out of the barn.

"Hey, you two," I say, walking over to them. "How was last night?"

"Jam-packed," Reed says. "Asher broke up two fights."

I look at him. "Asher?" I question him. "He was there?”

"He’s been there the whole time," Reed says. "I like him better than you."

"Screw you." I push his shoulder.

"Did you guys ride?" I ask, and he nods his head.

"We got here early today because Mr. Billy asked us to come and help Asher move some things around the barn."

My head moves to the barn doors as I see the man in question come out of the barn doors. He uses his hand to wipe his forehead. He got home past four o’clock last night and then was out the door before seven this morning. His blue jeans are dirty as fuck, his white T-shirt also dirty but molded to him. He looks up as he walks over and sees me. "Hey." He motions with his head as he walks right past me, going straight to my grandfather. My grandfather smiles at him, and I want to yell out.

Why the fuck are you everywhere I turn?

"Are we going to race?" Christopher asks me, and I turn back to him and nod my head. "Asher saddled your horse before you got here."

"Motherfucker," I mumble under my breath as I walk into the barn and see that my girl is ready to be ridden. My horse looks at me, and I walk over to her. "Why did you allow a stranger to put your saddle on?" I ask her. "Traitor." Grabbing her reins, I walk out of the barn with her to the enclosed fence.

Getting up on her, I look over and see my grandfather standing with my grandmother. His arm is around her as they talk to Asher, who stands there with his legs apart and his arms over his chest. Looking all hot and shit. "What were the fights about last night?" I ask Reed as he joins me.

"One of them thought Asher was trying to get with his girlfriend," Reed says, and my head turns to him.

"Was he?" I ask.

"Not a chance in hell," Christopher says, coming next to us. "He was the one stepping away from her." He shakes his head. "Then there were two blondes who fought over him." He laughs. "I haven’t heard squealing like that since two cats got caught in a tree."

I look over at him as he laughs at his own joke. Reed throws his head back and laughs. "Okay, what are we doing?" I ask them.

"Around one time," Reed says. "Best of three."

"You got it," I say, kicking my horse and trotting over to the line.

I get into place, and I look over to see that my grandfather and Asher are watching. I Ignore it all as I wait for someone to say go. I push my horse and win; it comes down to the third round. Reed and I are head to head, but my horse loves to win, and I take him with a second. I raise my hands over my head.

"Winner winner chicken dinner." I clap my hands as I get off my horse and walk her back into the barn.

"You got lucky," Reed says, getting off his horse and walking beside me. We put the horses back into the stalls, and I walk over to grab her some water.

"There you are," Chelsea says, coming into the barn. "I’ve been looking for you."

"There are literally two places I can be." I laugh and walk back to the stall with the bowl of water. "Here or the kitchen."

"Since when do you ever go in the kitchen?" She folds her arms over her chest. Growing up, she would be in the kitchen with Grandma while I would be dressed just like my grandfather following him around.

"I sometimes go in there," I say, turning to her.

"Name one time?" she asks, and I smile at her.

"When I need to get food." I laugh at my own joke. "Speaking of food," I say, walking out of the stall and locking the door behind me. "Is it ready?"

"Just about," she says as we walk back out of the barn toward the barbecue. "Asher is helping Grandpa with the grill." I groan, and Chelsea laughs and looks over at me. "What is with