“To strengthen the hoof wall,” Ella May called out before anyone had the chance to even raise a hand.
“Very good. Now a horse’s hoof health is very important to keep in mind throughout their entire lives,” Hank continued.
“Do you think fate is just on our side?” Waylon’s low voice cooed in my ear.
“Hush. I’m trying to pay attention,” I scoffed, taking a step farther away from the unwanted guest.
“What? Are you telling me my uncle explaining that a crack in a foot from jumping is a bad thing has you enthralled? Or that him telling the students how, due to domestication, horses’ hooves grow faster, often requiring trimming by a farrier every six to eight weeks is so riveting that you have to ignore me?”
“I am saying this is my class and I have to monitor it,” I snapped.
“Then agree to go on a date with me and I will shut up.” He cocked his head to the side.
“No. I’m not going to be hoodwinked into dating you because your persistence is annoying.”
“You haven’t seen anything yet. I can be very persistent when need be. Remember, sweetheart, I get what I want eventually.” Waylon’s tone was hushed as he got a little closer to me. “Play as hard to get as you want. I like the chase.”
“Annie?” Jess came over, saving me from the awfulness of Waylon. “Which horse is next?”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Well, all but Hunter need it. You pick and then send the students home so Mr. Handover can actually concentrate without a million questions being thrown at him.”
Once the students were gone, I retreated into my office to check my private riding lesson schedule for the weekend. I was pleased to see that only Cara and Jessup had appointments lined up for both days. Over the years, I’d started passing more and more clients their way. I didn’t need the money, and with them just starting out as a new, young couple, every penny counted.
“How does your weekend look?” I nearly jumped out of my skin when Waylon’s voice came from right next to my ear. Leaning over me, he pointed at the screen. “Looks like you have some time for riding lessons. Where do I sign up?”
“You do it online.” Cara’s voice washed over me as my eyes grew wide.
“Perfect, thank you.” Waylon smiled at Cara, taking one of my business cards off of my desk. “I’ll see you in the morning, Annabelle.”
“Was I not supposed to do that?” Cara slumped into the chair across from me after Waylon left the tiny office.
“It’s fine. Nothing I can’t handle. How’re you feeling?” I grabbed a bottle of water out of the minifridge under my desk and handed it to her.
“Tired, but so excited.”
“I bet. Jess is going to flip.”
“Jess is going to flip about what?” Jessup walked in, kissing his wife on the cheek.
“Me having a private lesson with the farrier’s nephew lined up for the morning,” I spit out quickly.
He gasped. “Is that code for something naughty? Why, Annabelle Daughtry, you surprise me.”
I threw some papers at Jessup. “Get your mind out of the gutter and make sure Mr. Handover doesn’t need any more help.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Chapter 6
S.O.S.
After Jessup and Cara left for the day, I paced around in the barn, staring at my phone. One new appointment notification was showing up on my lock screen, and I just couldn’t bring myself to open it. Once I did, it would be confirmed.
Should I just ignore it and blame it on a technology glitch?
Rattling off a text to the Happy Hour Club group chat, I started to mildly panic.
Annabelle: Emergency Happy Hour meeting TONIGHT!