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bad, hey?”
    Flynn gestured “no” with his hands and then opened his mouth to let it cool. “Just… hot!” He opened the side cupboard anyway and took out the rosemary he‟d bought in town earlier that week. “And it needs a little of this, but other than that, they‟re done.”
    “Let‟s eat then.”
    Dinner passed almost in silence. They were both hungry and tired, so they didn‟t talk about the day until they were out on the porch.
    “So will you need to go to the auction or will Hunter‟s money be enough for this year?” Flynn asked a little hesitantly. He didn‟t like bringing up the money side of things, because he was afraid that Gable would start talking about paying him so he could go on his way, and he didn‟t want that.
    “We still have a few horses that are ready to be sold, so we should go,” Gable answered, as usual not looking at Flynn but out at the distant fields. “Any extra money is always welcome. You never know 27

    Zahra Owens

    what might happen over the winter.” He paused for a moment, and Flynn was eager to hear certain things, like that it was more expensive for two people to live through the winter than just one, or even that Gable was going to get his foot fixed, but instead Gable fell silent again.
    “Have you ever considered breeding horses instead of just buying foals?” Flynn asked, trying to keep Gable talking. “Brenner would probably make a first-rate breeding stallion, and you have a few good mares in your herd already.”
    “It‟s a big risk,” Gable replied as if he‟d thought it out carefully already. “Things sometimes go wrong and it takes a number of years for the investment to pay off. Besides, it would mean building extra stables and I can barely maintain the ones I have.” Flynn wanted to shout at him that he was here to help and that he would stay if only Gable gave some indication that he would be welcome. Instead he tried to keep himself calm enough to be more subtle. “I grew up on a horse-breeding farm. I know how to handle it.
    We could start it as an experiment, with just one or two breeding mares.”
    Gable remained silent for what seemed like an eternity. He seemed to be thinking about what Flynn had said and Flynn didn‟t dare interrupt him now. He‟d said his piece, made it clear to Gable as best he could that he was interested in staying on longer than they‟d agreed.
    “The vet‟s bill would be astronomical, Flynn,” Gable eventually said, quietly.
    “But the revenue is a lot bigger too.”
    Gable nodded slightly and kept staring out at the meadows, which were growing darker as the sun set and a low mist started to form.
    Flynn got up from the porch step where he always sat at night.
    “Do you want a cup of coffee or something?” Gable got up as well. “Better not. I‟m just going to check on the stables and then I‟m turning in.”
    “I‟ll do the checks,” Flynn offered.

    28

    Clouds and Rain

    A rare smile broke on Gable‟s face. “Thanks,” he said quietly, and with a soft touch of his hand on Flynn‟s arm, he limped past Flynn into the house.
    Flynn shivered as he was left abandoned on the porch. He hadn‟t expected Gable to take him to bed tonight, but he wished he‟d had the nerve to kiss him again. Now the moment was gone and Gable‟s fleeting touch lingered on his arm, so he covered the spot with his hand in an attempt to keep the feeling there. It didn‟t last, so he sought solace where he had always found it: in the stables with the horses.
    Brenner and T.C. were lazily munching on the extra oats they‟d been given just before Flynn had gone inside for dinner, but they looked up as Flynn approached. “Hey, boys.” This was where Flynn felt at home, even though this wasn‟t his home. He patted the horses on their necks and scratched the base of their manes.
    “So what am I going to do about your master?” he asked them, as if they were going to answer him. “Do you think he wants me to stay?”