Bard White himself was a force to be reckoned with, as he’d started in horse husbandry with his daddy at Lone Star, and he’d complete his farrier training at an elite academy in Tennessee before coming home to run the family business.
The old man had aged quickly, and he simply couldn’t keep up anymore. His daughter, Angel, had started taking on more administrative roles, but she herself wasn’t a farrier. She had one brother who’d suffered a fall several years ago and had recovered as much as possible. He wasn’t quite right in the head, and he walked with a cane on good days and two crutches on others.
Henry had helped the man into the saddle more than once last summer, and he liked Trevor a whole lot. He could still ride like no one’s business, and he trained cutting horses with the best of them. Somehow, his brain could still do that, but there was no way Trevor could handle the complicated schedules of two dozen farriers, the financial strain of the stable, the billing, or anything like that.
Angel White did that, and Henry wasn’t surprised at all to find the gorgeous blonde standing inside the classroom, at the long counter that ran across the front of the huge room. Henry joined the throngs of cowboyhopefuls, wishing there was some way of getting this job other than having good fortune.
He’d been praying for it, and he’d even gone so far as to ask his family to pray for him to get an apprenticeship at Lone Star too. If he did, it wouldn’t be a summer-only position like last year. It would be at least a year, with the option to discuss further training once he officially graduated from his program.
“Howdy, Angel,” he said, tipping his hat at the woman as he approached. She was exactly his type on the surface, but she’d bitten off the top of a volcano as a baby, because she could spew some serious fire when provoked.
Not that Henry had provoked her last summer. Or ever.
She simply ran a tight ship at Lone Star, and her expectations were so high, he could blast off to the moon and not reach them.
“Henry, hey.” She actually gave him a smile this afternoon, and Henry’s heart did a backflip. He needed to rein himself in, because Angel had a boyfriend she’d been seeing for at least six months.
He’d learned of the man last October, after his summer internship had ended, and as February had just dawned, and given the way Angel had squealed in the grocery store when Henry had seen her with her boyfriend, he was estimating the six months. Could’ve been five or even seven. But not longerthan that.
She didn’t wear a diamond ring, and Henry found himself wondering what it would take to lasso her, pull her closer, and get her to wear his diamond.
Such thoughts startled Henry. He’d not given much thought to dating for marriage. He dated for fun. To have a social life. To get out of the dorm room at night, away from the other cowboys, to find relief from his own thoughts.
But now that he was almost done, his thoughts had started to shift. The last few women he’d been out with he’d found insipid, and the loud laughter and quick fun he’d so enjoyed in the past had dulled considerably.
He hadn’t imposed another female fast on himself; he simply hadn’t found anyone interesting to go out with.
But Angel….
He ducked his head and headed up the steps to a row with a couple of his friends. Jake would be done with his program in a few months too, and Henry knew he wanted an apprenticeship with Lone Star too. Everyone in the room did. Cedric wouldn’t be done for another year, and he was here for the internship announcements.
“Take your seats, please,” a man announced, and anyone who hadn’t found a place quickly did so. The chatter and conversation died, and Henry couldn’t help watching Angel. She seemed tense and on-edge too, but he wasn’t sure why.
Her place in life was secure. It was his—and everyone else’s in this room—who’d thrown their life into the air the way jugglers tossed up balls, and they were all praying they’d get caught on the way down.
“Welcome to our apprenticeship and internship assignment meeting,” the man said. “We have representatives from three facilities here this year.” He beamed down the row at them. “We have Davey Castle from Castleton Breeds.”
A tall man in an even taller cowboy hat stepped out from the other end of the counter. “He’s looking for four apprentices this year, and if you filled out the application packet completely, including the three essays, he considered you.”
Henry had done the whole packet, figuring it could only expand his opportunities. He didn’t want Castleton, though. He’d take it if he had to, but it was over in Lubbock, a town Henry didn’t particularly enjoy.
Smaller population, drier conditions, too far to go home and do his laundry on the weekends. Or just escape back to his momma’s comfort and good cooking when he needed to.
“We’ve got Angel White representing Lone Star,” the man continued. “She’s only doing internships this year, guys. I know that’s a?—”
“Wait,” someone called out. “I thought there were apprenticeships there too.”
Angel steadfastly kept her eyes on the man up front,one of their instructors, a man named Calvin. Henry’s heart beat faster and faster, trying to claw its way between his ribs. No apprenticeships at Lone Star? Why was he even here?
“Lone Star only has room for one full-time apprentice,” the man said raising the hand not holding the mic. “The Whites have selected that person and requested a meeting with them; they will not be announcing any apprenticeships at this meeting.”
Murmurs of dissent ran through the crowd, and Jake elbowed Henry. “Did you get notified? Was it you?”
Henry’s jaw tightened as he folded his arms, a lame attempt at keeping his simmering anger inside. He couldn’t even trust himself to speak, so he just shook his head.
“Me either.” Jake sighed. “Maybe they’ll take me as an intern again this year.”
Lone Star was known for doing that, and Henry decided to stay for that reason alone. No sense in marching out when his number could be pulled for the internship. It wasn’t what he needed to graduate, but it would be better than nothing.