“Is that a fact?” he asked. “Which horse would you bid on if you were I?”
She eyed him for a moment and Gabe did his best to look as if he cared about horses. Then she pulled the catalog out of her back pocket and started turning pages.
“Any of the Dunning Ranch horses are good. They have excellent foundation stock.” She flipped a few more pages and pointed at a solid brown, rather boring-looking horse. “I know this gelding. He’s quiet and competent.”
Gabe nodded, trying not to notice just how good Danica Brody smelled as she continued to thumb through the catalog. Something spicy with a hint of floral. A nice change from the pungent smells that permeated the barn.
She looked up at him then. “Are you new to the area? Or did you drive in just for the sale?”
“New to the area,” Gabe answered truthfully. “I’m at the Staley place.”
“The castle?” Danica said on a laugh. “Then we’re neighbors. You drive through my property to get to yours.”
Gabe smiled back. “Imagine that. I’m Gabe Matthews.”
“Dani,” she said. “Did you buy it? The Staley place?”
“Something else I should steer clear of?”
“No. It’s just that it’s been empty for so long...even after it finally sold a few years ago, no one moved in and I heard a rumor it might be for sale again soon.”
“Is it haunted or something?” he asked with an amused smile.
“I don’t know what the deal is, but we—my sisters and I—didn’t really mind when no one moved in. Less traffic across our place. More peace and quiet.”
“I’m temporary,” he said. “Leasing. I’m on a forced vacation and staying there for the time being.”
“Forced vacation, huh?” The loudspeaker blared and Danica glanced over at the stands. “If they’re clearing the arena, then I’d better get my seat.” She patted the metal fence. “Good luck if you decide to bid.” She almost sounded as if she meant it, but she couldn’t stop herself from giving the mare one last long look.
“Same to you,” Gabe said.
* * *
SO WHY HAD that Gabe guy been hanging around Lacy’s pen for such a long time? Mac had seen him there and he’d still been there when she arrived. And if he was on vacation, then why buy a horse?
Perhaps it was a prolonged vacation, and maybe, like Mac, he had a penchant for flashy horses. But he didn’t look like a horse guy, even if he had been wearing cowboy boots. His new jeans, gray crewneck sweater and well worn leather bomber jacket had shouted urbanite.
Maybe he rode English.
Dani took her seat as the first horse came into the arena and when the auctioneer started his spiel, she glanced around the sea of cowboy hats to see if she could spot Gabe. She was just beginning to think she had nothing to worry about when she caught sight of him sitting a few rows down from her and to the left, a number in his hand.
Great.
If he, or anyone, bid against her today, it was only because of Lacy’s color and conformation. No one would be riding the mare today, showing off her moves, because no one knew if or when she was going to explode. Thanks to Len Olsen, Lacy was a gorgeous, untrustworthy animal and Danica needed to get her back. She owed her.
“Hey, gorgeous.” Mac scooted in beside her and Danica slid sideways to give him room. “I see Lacy’s up fourth.”
“Yes. At least it’ll be over quickly.” She shot a look over at Gabe, saw his number paddle shoot into the air and felt a wash of relief as he continued to bid on the palomino now spinning effortlessly on his haunches in the sale pen.
“Here to bring me luck?” Dani asked Mac.
“Why else?” But he seemed to be searching the crowd.
Dani brought her attention back to the bidding action. Gabe bid several times, then when the action got too rich, put his number back on his thigh and kept it there. Now Dani had an idea of his limit, which was unfortunately well above her own.
She closed her eyes and let out a sigh. Mac’s big hand landed on the back of her neck, massaging for a moment, making her head move side to side. “It’ll be okay,” he said as he settled his hand back on his thigh.
But it wasn’t okay. Instead of starting slowly, the bidding on Lacy took off immediately. Dani had planned to wait until the bidding slowed—not that she’d really expected it to take off—and then jump in toward the end. Instead, she sat dazed as the sale price kept rising and rising. Someone really wanted Lacy and it wasn’t her new neighbor, who’d sat without moving. Dani swallowed as disappointment washed over her—she told herself that the mare would be going to a good home if someone was willing to pay that much for her. She glanced over at Gabe, saw him move his paddle, then thrust her own number high in the air. The spotter pointed at her and her competition, who sat somewhere behind her bid again. Her gut twisted.
Too rich. She just couldn’t justify it. She and her sisters had just sunk a lot of money into much-needed fence repair, greatly diminishing her store of available cash. The auctioneer pointed at her questioningly as the bid stalled out. She shook her head, feeling close to tears, which was ridiculous because she didn’t cry.
“Going...going...”
Mac grabbed Dani’s hand and lifted it up high. Her startled gaze jerked up to his face, but he just smiled at her.
“I’m already over budget,” she said, pulling her hand out of his.
“I’ll loan you the rest.”
The auctioneer asked for fifty dollars more. Fifty dollars more. Now twenty-five. He pointed over Dani’s head at her competition, a questioning look on his face. No bid, but Dani still held her breath as he intoned, “G-o-ing....g-o-ing...”
Her heart was pounding. She wanted to win, but if Mac tried to force her hand up again, she was going to have to wrestle him for control or file for bankruptcy.
“Gone!”
Mac wrapped an arm around her and squeezed. “You’re welcome,” he murmured.
“I hope you take payments,” Dani said as she got to her feet.
“And I don’t even charge interest.”
Dani fought a smile as they walked together to the sale office to settle the deal. Lacy J was hers once again.
* * *
FOR ONE ROTTEN MOMENT, Gabe had thought he was going to have to buy the horse. Buy it, “realize” it was too much for him and sell it at a loss to Danica Brody. She’d obviously wanted the mare badly, but had only allowed herself to go to a certain point in the bidding—at least until her friend had intervened. He lingered in his seat until he saw Danica come out of the sale office, tucking her checkbook into her jacket pocket, then followed her to the exit, where he intercepted her. Something flashed in her eyes when she saw him—recognition? Guilt? Satisfaction?
“I thought you said buying this horse is buying trouble—or was that only if I bought her,” he said.
“Oh, no,” she said easily. “I’m buying trouble, too. But the thing is, I know what I’m getting into.”
“And you think I don’t?”
“I truly doubt you know this mare like I do. We kind of grew up together.”
“And then someone ruined her?”
“Something