Joshua points over to a paddock on the left. “I was thinking I could build your mother a house over on the hill, anything she wants.”
I look at him. He really is pulling out all stops to make me try and move here. “Hmm,” I mutter.
“And Bridget could have a house down here too if she wants,” he carries on.
Oh god, he really is on a mission.
“Hmm,” I reply again, acting uninterested. I smile to myself. “What about Abbie? Can she have a house?” I ask as I raise my eyebrows in question. Let’s see how desperate he really is.
He narrows his eyes at me. “Abbie wouldn’t want to live here,” he snaps.
She so wouldn’t but this is fun. I smirk and he gets a hold of my game.
“No, Abbie is not living here.” He smirks. “And neither is Cameron so don’t ask me.”
“Oh,” I reply in a defeated voice as I smile. We continue driving along the dirt road through the huge paddocks.
“So this is all your land?” I ask as my eyes wander over the hills.
He nods as he drives nonchalantly. “Yes, but I don’t come all the way out here very often.”
For ten minutes we keep driving and I am in awe. This is a huge property. We drive over a hill and into a valley and Joshua stops the car as he sees something. His wrist is resting over the steering wheel as he narrows his eyes and runs his tongue over his top front teeth. My eyes flick to the paddock where his eyes are fixed. What’s he looking at? All I see are more horses.
“What is it?” I ask.
“Nothing,” he snaps and then does a three sixty turn and starts to speed back toward the stables. I hold on for dear life. What the hell is wrong with him?
“What are you doing? Why are you driving like a frigging maniac?” I ask as I am propelled up and down on my seat as we go over bumps at high speed. Christ almighty, I could die here. He pulls up at the stables’ offices and jumps out of the car furiously.
Huh? I jump out and run in after him.
He bangs the office door open. “Why are those fucking horses on the bottom paddock?” he yells as he points his hand toward the paddock we have just come from.
I screw up my face as I look between him and the two men in the office. What’s he talking about?
“Um…Joshua, calm down,” the older man replies.
“I will not calm down! Tell me why those fucking horses are on my land!”
Huh? What’s wrong with those horses? Have they got rabies or something? What’s going on here? This is confusing.
“Who approved this?” he screams.
My eyes flick to Joshua and the veins are practically popping from his forehead in anger. Jeez, settle petal.
“She has nowhere to put them,” the man replies.
“My fucking ass!” Joshua screams. “She has more than enough places to put her horses, she’s a fucking veterinarian.”
My face drops. Oh shit, those are Amelie’s horses.
“Get her on the phone,” Joshua sneers.
The two men look at each other uncomfortably and the older guy takes out his mobile phone and starts to scroll through his contacts. The younger man looks at me as Joshua storms out of the office. I fake a smile. Awkward. I stand still on the spot not sure where I am supposed to go.
The man dials a number and waits. “Hello, I have a furious Mr Stanton here.”
He listens. “Yes, he has seen them and he wants to speak to you.”
He listens and nods again and walks out onto the landing and hands the phone to Joshua.
“Where are you?” he screams.
He listens.
“You have one hour to get your horses off my land or I am putting them out on the road!” he yells and then he listens.
God, talk about an overreaction. I frown at him in question.
“I don’t want to hear your shit,” he yells.
My eyes flick nervously to the two men who are standing at the door listening. Yep… he’s losing it and this is getting embarrassing.
“I don’t give a fuck about your ten horses. I will go and shoot the bastards myself!” he screams.
My eyes widen.
“You have one hour!” he yells and hangs up.
He points angrily at the two men. “You do not help her and her fucking horses, do you hear me! You both work for me. Not her.”
“Joshua,” I whisper as I grab his hand to try and calm him down and he snatches it away angrily.
“Natasha. Not. Now!” he screams.
I start to feel my cheeks heat in embarrassment and my eyes drop to the ground.
He storms out and starts to walk at a brisk pace down to Jasper’s stable. I don’t really want to go with him after the way he has just screamed at me so I sit on the step of the office landing.
“Jason, organise a trailer for Amelie please,” the older man asks.
“She has nowhere to put them Alf, you know that.”
“Surely she can find somewhere.”
“Nobody is offering agistment locally, I have already been looking for her,” the younger man replies.
“Seriously not my problem. I’m not losing my job over this,” the older man replies.
My new ginger friend, the stray cat, comes up and rubs itself on my leg and I stroke it as I sit deep in thought. This is just bad timing for Joshua. He can’t handle not being in control at the moment. I’m just going to stay out of it. This is none of my business. It is ridiculous though, they are not hurting anyone on the bottom paddock.
“Would you like a coffee, love?” The older man smiles gently, realising that I have stayed with them rather than follow the Psycho Chicken on a raging rampage.
“Yes, please.” I smile thankfully. “White and one please.”
He makes it and brings it out. “We haven’t formally met, dear. My name is Alf. I am the stable manager and this is Jason, my leading hand.”
I smile. “Hello.” I shake both of their hands. “My name is Natasha.”
“We know who you are.” Alf smiles.