Breaking Fences (The Breaking Series) (14 page)

“—spoil what we have. So, I’m begging you. Stay away from him. Discourage him. Make him believe you truly don’t want anything with him.”

“But I don’t.”

“Then make him see that.”

“Why would I do anything for you?”

“If he believes you, if he stops this obsession with you, I’ll do my best to put an end to the rumors spreading around campus.”

How insolent. “The ones you started?”

She waved her hand. “That’s beside the point. The fact is, I can make them go away.”

“How?”

“I have influence and people believe me quite easily. I can quickly start a new rumor of how wonderful and kind you are, and how everything before that was a misunderstanding.”

I wasn’t sure I believed her. “What if I can’t convince him to stay away from me?”

She offered me an evil grin. “Then I’ll start a new rumor, much worse than before.”

“Wow, Audrey, you’re so nice.”

“Test me.”

I shook my head. “You’re crazy.” I walked around her.

I knew I could take this to the college dean, claiming harassment, but that would be like a child running to hide behind her mother’s skirt. That would be viewed as a weakness, as me being weak, and I didn’t want that. If she weren’t expelled, she would use it against me.

No, I wouldn’t denounce her. Not yet.

“Stay away from him!” she yelled at my back. “I’m warning you!”

Without turning around, I flipped her off and kept marching away.

***

“Here he comes,” Phoebe whispered.

I had told her about Audrey’s warning during our first class this morning. What I wanted was to send Audrey to hell, but I was trying to make a life here. I wanted to stay here and make friends. I couldn’t declare war and let Audrey turn everyone against me. Besides, I wasn’t interested in Jonah. I might have thought he was cute the first week, but now I thought he was cute and conceited. And I hated conceited guys.

I kept on staring at my notebook, afraid that any eye contact would encourage him. Apparently, he didn’t need to be encouraged.

Jonah flopped down in the seat beside mine, and leaned toward me with his charming smile. “Hi, Brazilian girl.”

“I have a name,” I retorted, my tone not too kind.

“I know, but calling you Brazilian girl is more fun.”

Well, better than when Audrey called me Brazilian slut.

Thankfully, the professor arrived and I had an excuse to ignore the guy beside me. Not that he didn’t try catching my attention during class, with smiles, whispering, and even notes.

Meu Deus
, I felt like I was in high school.

When the professor dismissed us, I rushed out with Phoebe, but Jonah followed close behind. Once outside the classroom, he stepped in my way, making me halt.

“I talked to Audrey and she seemed okay about us going out.”

I shook my head. “I’m sure you misinterpreted her.”

“No, I’m positive. She said nothing and, when she’s mad, she always throws a fit. This time, she didn’t.”

“Jonah, I don’t—”

“There’s a new Italian restaurant fifteen minutes from campus. I was thinking we could try it out tomorrow night, and consider a movie later. Wait, you like Italian food, right?”

“Jonah, this isn’t a good idea.”

His smile faded from his face. “Why not?”

“I … I’m not into you. I’m not interested in you like that. You shouldn’t waste your energy on me. I’m sorry.”

He looked at me as if I had punched him in the stomach. “Brazilian girl, the first girl on Earth to say no to me.” He shook his head. “I won’t take no for an answer.”

Wow, and Audrey said he wasn’t conceited.

“Sorry, but no. I’m not going out with you.”

“All right. You can say no now, but I like a challenge. It will be my mission to have you say yes to me before the Halloween Ball next month.” His smile came back. “See you later, Brazilian girl.” He winked before walking away.

I stared at Phoebe. “Um, I guess convincing him to back off didn’t work.”

She laughed. “You’re so screwed.”

***

I was half-expecting Audrey to come marching with her pointy finger at my face any minute after Jonah told me he wouldn’t take no that easily. Or she didn’t hear about it, or she was having a long freak-out by herself, because by the next evening, I hadn’t seen her on campus.

After my last afternoon class on Wednesday, I went to my room. Molly was there, getting ready for some Greek events that involve all the houses. I didn’t pay attention to those anymore.

Without as much as a simple hi and bye, or even looking in my direction, she finished getting ready and left. I thought I would relax after she was gone, but the air was still thick inside our tiny room.

I missed sitting on my parents’ porch and walking around the estate, inhaling the fresh air and feeling free. The only place I could go here to feel a similar sensation was the ranch, but it was already too late for that.

On Friday, I weighed the good and the bad of going back to the ranch. In the end, I decided to go because one, I was in need of being someplace where I felt like me, and two, who cared if Garrett had been after me, thinking I was the slut Audrey made me look like? Plus, it was a Friday night. I knew for a fact that The Bat had a mixer with the ATN, and that guaranteed a boy-less night.

I arrived at the ranch a little before six.

Tom was brushing Autumn’s coat. “Where’s my goodies?” he asked in a teasing tone.

“Only for breakfast.”

At the sound of my voice, Midnight stuck his head out of his stall, his ears high.

Tom chuckled. “I swear, this horse is in love.”

I smiled and scratched Midnight’s chin, earning a nicker. “Hi, big boy.” I wish I could take him for a ride, but I didn’t want to cross any lines. Delilah was his owner, and if she wanted me away from him, well, I wouldn’t stay away from him that much, but I wouldn’t push my luck and ride him either. I turned to Tom. “Can I take Pepper out for a quick ride?”

He glanced at the clock on the wall. “The last riding group of the day is at five thirty.” That was in fifteen minutes. “If you help me put the horses away after the class, you can take Pepper out for a while.”

I smiled. “Deal.”

As Pepper and I set out on our path, I felt the weight of everything melting away. Here, Audrey and her lies couldn’t touch me. Here, I could be me.

I closed my eyes and inhaled, enjoying the smell of fall coming from the trees and bushes. The sun was setting, disappearing behind the hill and giving everything a faint orange tint. It was so pretty here, almost as pretty as home.

Times like this one, I wondered why I bothered. Why I bothered going to school and, in this situation, enduring Audrey and Jonah. Why didn’t I go home and ride all day? Or help at my parents’ stable? Or Hannah’s? I could do that for the rest of my life and focus on being happy.

But I knew why I was doing it. I was doing it for me. For my ego, for my pride. I needed to be someone other than the rich girl who lives in the shadow of her family. I loved horses—what would be better than to care for them on a level outside of tacking, grooming, and riding?

I was doing the right thing, even if it didn’t feel like it sometimes.

The ride ended too fast, but it did wonders for my soul. I felt lighter and stronger at the same time.

Tom was in the arena, taking the tack off the horses from the last riding group.

“Be right there,” I told him. I jumped off Pepper, pulled the reins over her head, and guided her back to the stable.

I was opening her stall when Garrett jumped down the stairs. I couldn’t help but stare and take him in. He looked ready to go out. Neat jeans, a black button-down shirt with folded sleeves, his usual boots, but no hat. His hair was purposefully messy, and his face was shaved clean. Shame. I would miss his five o’clock shadow.

I shook my head. What the hell was I thinking?

“Hey,” he said. “Didn’t expect to see you tonight.”

“Yeah, I just needed to get out for a bit.”
And I thought you wouldn’t be here
.

I closed Pepper’s stall and brought her a bucket of water, then left for the arena. I busied myself taking off the horses saddles while Tom hosed them down.

“There you are,” Tom said to an approaching Garrett. “Get in here and help out.”

Garrett groaned. “I’ve gotta go.”

“The party won’t go anywhere,” Tom said.

“But I’ll smell like horse manure.”

Tom grinned. “Some girls like that.”

“Yeah, right.” Garrett joined us in the arena. “Twenty minutes. Then I’m out.”

“Yes, lover boy,” Tom teased.

Garrett rolled his eyes. He picked a saddle from the fence and took it inside.

I tilted my head. “Tom, does he have a girlfriend?”

He raised his eyebrows at me. “Why do you ask?”

My cheeks warmed. “Well, you just called him lover boy, so I assumed …”

Tom chuckled. “If he has a girlfriend, I don’t know about it. The last time I saw him with a girl was … two years ago? He had a girlfriend back then.”

“What happened?”

“She finished school and left. He stayed.”

“Oh.”

“But don’t worry. It’s rare to see him all fancied up, so I just call him lover boy to mess with him.”

The warmth in my cheeks turned into burning. “I’m not worried.”

“Right,” Tom whispered, eyeing the stable from the corner of his eyes.

I followed his gaze. Garrett was back. He picked up another saddle and took it inside. If the customers cleaned up after themselves, Garrett wouldn’t be here with a huge frown.

“You know, Tom,” I started. “My brother’s girlfriend owns a ranch in Santa Barbara, and she makes the riders put on and take off the tack from their horses. Otherwise, she won’t let them ride. You should demand that from riders too.”

“That’s an interesting idea,” Tom said.

“Isn’t it? I mean, they get to know a bit more about horses and their equipment, and they will probably connect with the horses. Besides, it would shorten your to-do list.”

“I vote yes,” Garrett said, taking one of the cooled horses’ reins.

I chuckled. “Of course you would vote yes.” Garrett led the horse inside, and I turned to Tom again. “You just gotta ask them to be here ten minutes before their scheduled time.”

“I’ll consider it,” Tom said as he started hosing off the last horse. “Mind if I ask, how do you know so much about horses?”

“My family owns a horse farm in Brazil, and my brothers have played polo since they could walk.”

“That’s why you moved to the United States?”

I nodded. “To California. My brothers and my cousin have a big contract there.”

“And you moved all the way to Colorado?”

“To go to school.”

“Aren’t there any schools in California?”

I almost laughed.
Meu Deus
, the curiosity of this man! “What’s with the twenty questions?”

He shrugged. “A pretty girl with a sexy accent driving a fancy car, rocking the cowgirl look, and who isn’t afraid of getting her hands dirty? I’m curious.” He looked over his shoulder, and I followed his gaze. Garrett was still around and he seemed to be paying attention to every word. “I’m not the only one,” he whispered. This time, I snorted. Yeah, right. “So, are you going to tell me? Why didn’t you go to school in California?”

I glanced to the side. Garrett paid attention to the horses. “I guess I wanted to get away from my family. My brothers’ career is everything, and I was just supposed to follow them around.”

He nodded. “You wanted to live your own life.”

“Yes.”

“Sounds like a good reason.” He turned the hose off. “But is it worth it? Family is everything.”

I agreed with him, but my relationship with my family was becoming strained because of all I had to give up to come to the U.S. That part, I decided to keep inside.

We took the rest of the tack and the horses inside.

“I’m off,” Garrett said.

“Bye,” Tom said, sounding uninterested.

“You remember I have tomorrow off, right, old man?”

That made me curious. Garrett had a day off. Why? What was he going to do?

What the hell was I thinking? Of course, he could have a day off. He should have a day off; everyone should.

Tom grabbed a few empty buckets. “Yeah, yeah, I remember.”

“Okay, good.” Garrett’s eyes met mine. “Good night.”

“Have fun,” I said. I felt guilty for wishing he didn’t really have fun.

He nodded and walked out.

Tom filled buckets with grain. When he had two filled, I picked them up and put them inside the horses’ stalls.

“Do you plan on coming tomorrow?” he asked.