Chapter 9

“She’s a beauty, isn’t she? You looking at buying?”

In a sudden panic that he might lose the man’s attention, Bryson nodded. “Maybe. Hard to say.”

“Want to check her out?” The man stepped the horse completely out of the way of the ramp and waved Bryson over. “She’s still a yearling. Damn good with people, especially kids.”

Bryson lifted his hand, then paused. “May I?” He got a nod and immediately began to stroke the horse’s neck. It felt different then he’d expected. The shiny, chestnut-coloured hair was coarse and thin, like a greyhound’s. Similarly, he could feel every muscle in the tough sinew underneath that hair. “Strong.”

The man caught Bryson’s eye over the horse’s back and nodded. “She is. You here with your family?”

Bryson shook his head, then corrected himself. “Yes, I mean. I’m here with my parents.” He nodded his chin towards the other barn. “Dog show.”

“Didn’t bring the kids?”

Bryson laughed. “No kids.”