Page 78 of Beautiful Disaster

“When are you due to receive your filly?” Julien asks.

“The mare is set to give birth in January, but I’ll have to wait until the foal is weaned from its mother.”

“I can reserve a space for you if you want to try your hand at Sugar-Sweet Ranch.” Julien pours himself another glass of wine. “We’re still really new at it, but we’ve wrapped up training for Mr. Olsen over at Pioneer Pony Ranch, if you need a reference. He’s very happy with the results. Of course, I can’t take credit. Jim Hayes, our trainer, has been worth every dime so far.”

“Are you training any others?”

“Mrs. Banfield, who owns Daisy Dream Ranch, will hand over her new stud come spring. Stallions are harder to train, but Jim will get him under control. You can find his resume on our website.”

Mason nods and finishes off his wine. I instantly pour him another glass. “I’ve seen your site. It’s attractive and well done. Jim seems well qualified to handle my girl.”

“Okay, enough business. It’s a holiday. Let’s chill,” I say, standing and taking our wineglasses. “Come on. Let me show you my place.”

Chapter 22

Mason

Jinx’s excitement to show me his place spreads through me as he tugs my hand up the stairs on the outside of the stables while trying not to spill our drinks. The building itself is beautiful, nestled between tall trees and evergreens. It’s more wooded here than at my place, creating this beautiful oasis. I can see all the young men thriving here.

The main house is really nice, too. The biggest cabin I’ve ever seen in my life. The inside of the house is furnished with basic furniture. It’s not designed or decorated. It looks like how a bunch of young men would live, although I’d only seen the kitchen, dining room, and living room.

I’m curious as to how Jinx lives.

“We think this is where the people who worked here lived before us because my apartment is fully renovated,” he says, huffing up the steps, gusts of steam coming from his mouth. “As soon as I saw it, I wanted it. Everyone else lives in the house, but I wanted more privacy. I’ve never had a space of my own before, even though I get lonely a lot.”

He opens the unlocked door, steps inside, and I follow behind him.

“I like that the stairs are on the outside. As much as I love horses, I don’t want my place smelling like them,” he rambles on excitedly.

“Where does your staff stay? Your horse trainer?” I ask.

He shrugs and removes his shoes, leaving them by the door, so I do the same. “They have places of their own. Jim isn’t far. He’s got a little house a few miles away. Our vet works with other ranches, so he’s not always here.”

Jinx helps me out of my coat and hangs it up on one of the hooks along the wall. He takes the glasses of wine and sets them on the kitchen table.

I shove my hands into my jeans and look around his place while he gets his wood-burning stove going. “There’s central air and shit here, but I like the stove. It really warms up the place. I wish I had a fireplace, though.”

I smile at his rambling and walk through his space. He’s definitely been nervous for most of the evening.

His place is one huge open floor plan without a private bedroom. It’s spacious and covered in rich woods from the walls to the pointed ceiling. Thick beams of reclaimed wood span across, giving it that old-world vibe.

His apartment is much more decorated than the house, with a strong rustic-yet-modern vibe. He has some tasteful paintings hanging on the walls, curtains on the windows, and some standing shelves with books and decorations, though most of the books look unread. I stand in front of the shelves and reach for a book about religion in society. “Did you read this?”

Jinx takes the book from my hand and returns it to its home. “Yeah, I love sociology. I take as many classes as I can. When I started learning, it was really hard. I read a lot of novels and shit to help. I still don’t understand it all, but I’m getting there, taking my time in school. Why rush, you know?”

He threads our fingers together and drags me toward the kitchen. “I don’t cook much, but look…” He smooths a hand over the polished stone counter. “Pretty, right?” Before I can answer, he yanks me to the center of the room. “Look at these rugs! Aren’t they amazing? We found a bunch of really old Persian rugs tucked away in a storage room in the barn. Julien had them cleaned, and I got to keep a couple. They weren’t in the best shape and were a bit worn, but they’re still pretty. Who would leave such nice things behind?”

I pull him into a hug and kiss the top of his head, smiling at his excitement. He’s fucking adorable. “I love your place, Jinx. It’s very nice.”

“Thanks, I like it too.” He pulls back and drags me toward the corner where he sleeps. “Look at this.” Jinx points at an antique wardrobe. “This was left here, too. It’s really old, like from the early 1900s or something. It was banged up and falling apart, but Julien let me keep it, so I had it all restored.”

“It’s gorgeous, Precious.”

He smiles up at me and shrugs. “Sorry, I usually don’t get excited about stuff. It’s just…”

When he looks down, I lift his chin to get him to look at me. “I feel your excitement. I’m happy for you. You’ve never had nice things or a safe space. It’s more than shelter for you.”

His blue eyes go wide, and he nods, looking younger than he should. It starts to pull doubts from me, but I shove it away. I’ve made him mine, so there’s no turning back now, and I don’t want to. This is also a side of Jinx I haven’t really seen. The joy that spills from him is addictive. He needs more of it in his life. Hell, I do, too. I don’t quite feel like I deserve him after what I did to Jude, but I didn’t realize how lonely I’d been until Jinx stumbled into my life. Or I stumbled into him. He loves to make sure everyone knows that.