Substitute for Lawson

9

From that moment, Damian has been watching the girl for almost two months. Slyly. She seemed to him clearly not like that, well, more precisely, he preferred others, but curiosity prevailed. No, next to her he behaved with restraint and cold, curiosity manifested itself from a distance. He had never dealt with people like her before. Such girls for him were insipid and not mature or something. Behavior, even style in things. A fleeting passion demanded something fatal. And this plus to everything, was also timid. Really annoying. These eyes that so innocently examine him, the manner of speaking, turning the fingers of both hands alternately, even a manifestation of courage, it is so awkward, abrupt and unexpected. Leads to amazement. In general, an ordinary girl who, due to her shyness, could not attract the attention of men in just one split second. It had to be gradually unraveled or something, watched for a long time from afar, as if in the London National Gallery. You can watch, you can not touch.

Another working day was coming to an end. The workload these days was less, but the coming weekend is expecting something valuable and long-awaited.

- Anything planned this weekend? Lucas asked. As always, the two friends spent the end of the day together. Usually at work, but now we just drank tea in Mr. Kim's office.

- Nothing specific, but what? - he shrugged his shoulders, shoving whole biscuits into his mouth.

- Would you like to go to the horse farm out of town?

- What to watch as you have fun with your young family? Nope. - Damian hums a little bitterly, drinking half a cup of tea in one gulp. - I already feel like the third odd.

- So take someone with you? Oh, by the way, the father-in-law will be there too! Will you ride with him in the company? - Lucas winked, trying to play a trick on a friend.

- Yeah of course! - Damian involuntarily claps and leans back on the couch.

- Don't sulk, I say, take someone.

- Whom? - Damian is dissatisfied. That's when it comes to everyday things, the problem arises. It's not just about having s*x with a girl. This is already like a date or something.

“I don’t know, I think you should give a hint and everyone will get in line,” the CEO grins.

- And what will I do with them all day? Damian throws up his hands.

“I don’t know,” a friend laughs. - Flirt? How do you usually do it?

- It's not an option.

- Well, Alice was still thinking, whether not to invite her Emily with us, such a company will suit you? - suggested Kim.

- Mumbler? - Lowsen chuckled and, under the reproachful glance of his friend, thought. Why not. - Well, since there is no more alternative. Then let her. Although ... - he sighs long and throws his head back on the sofa. - Apparently, as you suggested at the beginning, Mr. Blount will be my company.

***

In principle, a horse ride, and even outside the city, is a great idea for the weekend. The weather on Saturday was wonderful, the sun was blinding brightly from the very morning. Having dug out a more or less normal suit in my wardrobe, that is to say, I had to pull out a helmet, boots and jeans that looked like they should have. Previously, out of boredom, they often went to this farm with Lucas, a walk in the fresh air brought their brains in order, but later this entertainment was forgotten, but with the appearance of a daughter, who recently decided that she was Princess Mulan, and that one, as they say there was a horse, the young father decided to teach that horse riding.

By agreement, Damian arrived at the farm closer to dinner. Having parked the car on the territory, in a specially designated place, he found a familiar car. Lucas was apparently already here. Climbing out of the car, Lowsen looked around and, with inspiration, closing his eyes, breathed in the pleasant fresh air. If you are thinking that the farm probably smells of dung, then it is definitely not in the front area. There were a couple of houses that the owners usually rented out for vacationers, a large estate of the owners themselves. They were an elderly couple who had been engaged in horses for a long time and not in the first generation already. The sun was shining too bright, Damian had even lost the habit of this, so squinting hard, put on dark glasses, which were usually lying around in the car unnecessarily, or to give an important look.

- Oh, Damian! - The hostess also appeared in the distance. The woman was carrying two buckets in her hands and in between times stopped beside the man.

- Hello Mrs. Green! - He smiled with all his mouth and immediately took away from the woman, as it turned out later, not so light buckets of food. - Where are you taking this?

- Oh, how where? In the stables!

- And the workers? Why are you carrying weights? Lowsen frowned, groaning carefully around the woman.

- Well, I myself want to, not to sit still all the time, - the woman laughed and the two of them moved into the depths of the huge courtyard.

- Did you happen to see my friend?

- Yes, he is already there in all new horses running around! The woman exclaimed fervently.

As it turned out, Lucas was in the same stable, hugging his pet. Love for animals could not be taken away from him, so the man lisped with a horse, almost kissed him and feed him wellliv.

- Hey! Damian laughed merrily. - I'll tell Alice everything that you are cheating on her with the horse!

- Oh, I've arrived already, - the general director looked up from his occupation.

Coming closer to his friend, Damian reached out to stroke the horse's neck, but he snorted and staggered back.

- Yes, what would ... - he clinked annoyedly.

- He still doesn't love you! Lucas laughed triumphantly, handing out a carrot to Rich.

- Does this horse even love anyone other than you? BUT? Lowsen frowns, crossing his arms over his chest.

Damian examined his friend carefully. If we compare the two of them now, then Lucas was an aristocrat, and Demin was his servant. The friend's suit was clearly new, and Lousen wouldn't be surprised if it was from Gucci. The deputy himself looked like an ordinary farmer: jeans, high boots, rubber boots and a shirt. And Lowsen himself got a kick out of the fact that he could look like that now.

- Well, also Mr. Green, - after a little thought, Lucas shrugs as he continues to feed the gluttonous stallion.

- And where are your ...

“Mistress Mia is picking up a suit,” Kim proudly says, knocking Lawsen out of his mind.

- A suit? How is your daddy? - He chuckles, patting him on the edge of his jacket. - Okay, - the deputy sighs and looking around. - I'll go to my baby. - Turning around, leaves in the opposite direction, looking for a paddock with a horse, which he usually rode.

- That's what women love you so much, huh? - After Lucas throws and, after seeing his carefree friend, decides to take the horse out of the manger.

While Damian was rolling his beloved horse outside the farm, Lucas stayed on the grounds, waiting for his wife and daughter to arrive. Walking around the paddock with Mr. Green, the man chose a horse for his daughter, because a little rider needs an obedient and loving child.

- Maybe this one ... - offers an elderly man stroking a curious young horse on the nose.

“Well, maybe…” Lucas shrugs. Concentration and idyll are interrupted by a sudden squeak.

- Dad! - A little girl squeaks loudly as she runs into the hangar with open arms. Taehyung has to distract himself, and that leaves a wide, gentle smile on his face. He squats down and also throws open his arms and catches his daughter in his arms.

- And here my future rider has arrived!

- Yeah! - Mia laughs, wrapping her arms around her father's neck. - Look what my mom bought a suit! - The girl is boasting.

- My princess looks great! - Dad admires the appearance of his daughter. - Where's mom?

- There! - shrugs off in the direction of the door and it seems she is no longer interested in anything except horses. - What horse am I going to ride?

- How do you like this one? Lucas suggests, pointing to the one they were standing next to. They come closer and, reaching out with a small hand, the girl strokes the horse on the nose.

“Here, give it to her,” Mr. Green suggests, holding out a carrot to the girl. The girl feeds the horse and squeaks with admiration, clapping her hands.

- Daddy, I fed her!

Having dealt with the horse, the young father and his daughter leave the hangar, followed by Mr. Green leading the horse. At the street arena, Alice is leaning on a wooden fence with her arms, and next to her is Emily, admiring no less than Mia herself. The girls watch the workers train someone or just run the horses and chat about something fun. At Alice's feet sits quietly the dog Caleb, who, due to his age and intelligence, was not going to mindlessly bark either at others or at animals. Placing his ass on the toes of his mistress's high boots, he seemed to show that she was under his reliable protection.

“Here we are,” drawled Lucas, approaching the girls and drawing their attention to himself.

- Well, have you chosen? - the girl kisses her husband on the cheek and takes her daughter from his hands.

- Yes, mom, look what! - she exclaims with admiration, pointing at a young cream-colored horse that has now entered the arena together with the owner of the farm.

- Is she calm? - Anxiously asked the girl, looking from the horse to her husband.

- Yes, quite, - he nods and walks right up to the fence. - Mr. Bluthne will not come?

- Dad? He said he was on his way ... - Alice sighs and purses her lips. - He said that he had a surprise for us ...

- Surprise? - Before the man has time to get an answer to his question, the voice of his former lawyer is heard from afar.

- Hey, youth!

All four of them turn their attention to Mr. Blount, and Alice, at the sight of her father, turns a little darker or even just becomes sadder. The man goes in their direction not alone, but by the hand with the woman. It seems this is the surprise.

- Grandpa! - today a little girl admires everything, so every now and then you can hear her loudly calling her relatives by name. He gets off his mother's arms and rushes to meet his grandfather to hug him and boast of his new suit.

Emily all this time stands near the arena and, in order not to get involved in family communication, looks at the horses alone. She likes them, but she never went.

Looking closely at the area, the girl discovered in the distance a rear gate, through which horses usually rode out for walks around the neighborhood. Watching all this, the girl saw a rider on a white horse. Man with he was heading rapidly in their direction, and when he was already closer, Emily managed to recognize him as Lawrence's deputy. The man was so carried away by the trip that he did not look like himself. Fox herself did not understand, as soon as she managed to look at him and smile.

- Oh, here is our prince on a white horse! - the older man laughed loudly when Damian slowed down beside this whole company.

- This is not a horse, but a mare, - the deputy leans towards the animal and, scratching the scruff of the neck, deftly jumps to the ground, finally discovering a not quite and friendly atmosphere. Next to Richard Blount stood an unknown woman, about a little younger than himself.

- Clarice, meet ... - the judge begins, gently holding the woman by the waist. - This is my daughter! Alice ... meet me, this is my beloved ... Clarice ...

- It is very pleasant, - the woman smiles friendly and as a sign of greeting, holds out her hand to the girl.

- Me too. - she squeezes out of herself, and looking at the woman's palm with disbelief, she crosses her arms over her chest, never accepting the handshake.

Mr. Blount frowns at the stubborn daughter, because this is not polite, and Damian and Lucas, enlightened in Alice's relationship with their stepmothers, begin to get a little nervous about this whole situation, and decide to somehow defuse the situation.

“Nice,” Lucas breaks in first. - I'm Lucas, Alice's husband! - smiles with his trademark smile and, instead of his wife, shakes the woman's hand hanging in the air.

- Me too! - That blooms instantly.

“And I’m Damian, I’m a friend of Alice and her husband,” Chon introduces himself, grabbing the woman’s hand from his friend’s hands, and, like a true gentleman, kisses her wrist, which makes Clarice blush like a tomato. Seeing the silent Emily standing a little behind, Damian without ceremony grabs the girl by the elbow and pulls her closer to the company and introduces her as well. - And this is Alice's friend, her name is Emily!

“Nice,” nods Richard’s companion.

“Me too,” Fox says, and a faint smile appears on her face.

Feeling the tension of his wife, Lucas puts his arm around her shoulder and gently bent his fingers under his forearm to reassure her.

- Well, we'll go to the stable ... - Blount clears his throat and, pulling the woman behind him, leaves in the direction of the high hangars. - What horse do you want, dear?

Following them with her gaze, Alice exhaled heavily and looked down at her boots.

“Hush,” Lucas whispered softly, his lips touching her temple.

- Mother Mother! When are we going to ride a horse? - Mia, who was standing all this time, held her mother by the leg and when she heard that even her grandfather was already going to choose a horse, she began to be capricious with impatience. - maaamaa, papaaa!

- Come on, princess, - Damian picks up the child in his arms and, approaching the calmly standing horse, strokes it on the nose. - Do you like this?

- Yeah, - agrees little Kim and stretching after his uncle, he also strokes the mare. - What is her name?

“Luna,” Damian notices out of the corner of his eye as another person joins their company. Emily is seen to be bored alone, so she comes closer, watching the guy lisp with the little girl.

- Wow! Aunt Emily! Look how beautiful the moon is! - the child babbles enthusiastically.

- Beautiful ... - the girl wants to stroke the horse, but many times she abruptly withdraws her hand at the last moment. Damian finds this strange, and with an irritated click of his tongue, grabs her by the wrist and puts a woman's hand to the horse's neck, covers it on top.

- Well? And what? - looks gloomily at the secretary, who has suddenly burst into color. - So scary?

While the young father and the instructor were rolling little Mia in the arena, which every second screamed with admiration and urged her mother to look at her as best she could, she stood a little sadly at the fence, her elbows leaning against the railing.

Damian, having tied his horse to the fence, approached Alice, and leaning his shoulder against her, he stood in an identical pose with the girl. Looking ahead, both were silent, but when Lawrence caught sight of the amusing couple, he sighed and opened his mouth first.

- Do not be angry with him ...

- I'm not angry ... - Alice sighed sadly and once again made a cheerful face as Mia passed by.

- And then we all did not see ... Alice, you are no longer a little girl ... - starting his role as a psychotherapist, Damian frowns a little. - You already have a family, and your father is one ... You don't want him to be happy?

- I want, Damian ... I want him just happiness, not selfish women! - the girl flashes slightly, throwing a short glance at the man. - You see ...

- I understand ... - he agrees. The girl purses her lips.

- I want the woman next to him to love the person in him, not status and money.

- I perfectly understand this state.

Indeed, Damian just now faced this. Maybe he wants the girls to see him as a person, at least once?

***

After a couple of hours, the whole big company relaxed, decided that everyone could ride together, see the surroundings, and it seemed that the idea was good, if not for one thing:

- I can not! - begged Emily as she and Alice walked along the long hangar. Alice intended to choose a calm and friendly horse for her friend, and the girl, vrode and sat for an hour in the saddle with the instructions of the coach, frightened to trembling knees when Lucas offered a free walk. - What if I fall? What if I can't stop the horse? It's me! This is likely ...

- But we'll be near! - the girl insisted and, stopping at one of the corrals, pointed out to her friend a horse named Thunder. - This horse is very calm! He has never kicked with newbies!

- I ... - the girl froze. The black horse looked at her, and she looked at him. “No…” she bit her lip at the end. - Alice, I'll stay here, okay?

“Please prepare him,” without listening to the secretary, Kim called the groom who was nearby.

When the horse was ready, the girl could not be persuaded to sit in the saddle. Neither the groom, nor Alice, and even Mr. Blount, who has extensive experience in horse riding, could not agree with the stubborn one. Panic fear of driving did not leave her in any way.

- Let you ride, and I'll stay here ... look at the horses, feed them ... help Mr. and Mrs. Green? - clasping her palms in supplication, the girl moaned.

Damian, who had previously walked the entire perimeter of the farm out of boredom, became even more angry. Before that, he heard this coward whining, and now when he was tired of it, he had to get off the animal and go to figure it out himself.

“So so,” the man barks, putting his hands to his hips. Both girls stare at him, and Emily seems to stop breathing. When Damian's face took on such an expression, it seemed she could not disobey. He comes close to the girl, and making a maneuver unexpected for everyone, easily lifts her into his arms. The girl who screamed, already thinks that he will forcibly put her on a black horse, but he goes to his horse. All the same easily lifts her above him and seating Emily in the saddle in a woman's position, lightly slaps his palm on her calf. - Come on, cross your leg, can you do that? - you can't disobey in any way, such a tone, just automatically makes you obey. She obediently throws her leg over and grabs the saddle with her hands, fearing that she will fall over. Damian steps his foot on the bandwagon and climbs in behind Emily. - Since you are afraid to go alone, then we will go like this. - he cuts off, taking the reins in his hands as usual.

There is a deep silence in the air. Lucas, who had skated Mia before, tried to pretend to be serious and just not laugh, Richard and especially Clarice were touched by this funny picture, and Alice could not come to her senses and understand what had happened.

- Well, since everything has been decided, then let's go? - Lucas interjects and seems to be addressing Alice, who is frozen at someone else's horse.

“Yes, go ahead,” Richard agrees. - Alice, wake up!

The girl returns to the spotted horse, and deftly climbing up, looks at everyone.

- I'm ready.

- Aunt Emily! Mia breaks in, giggling. - Dad said that only princesses ride like this! You and I are two princesses, Aunt Emily!

The words of the child embarrass her even more, and the rest ... they are having fun, bursting out with loud laughter, everyone appreciated the delicate situation in which Damian drove the secretary. Yes, and he himself grins and cannot help smiling when he hears the girl breathing frowningly and noisily.

Split in pairs, the company moved in a small cortege, in front of which was an adult couple, who had completely forgotten that they were not on a secluded date. Clarice and Richard whispered, laughed and eventually left somewhere further, leaving the young family and their friends alone. The Kim family enjoyed the slow walk, laughing at the questions of the curious daughter.

Damian and Emily rode in silence. The calmly walking horse no longer frightened the girl, but to feel the close contact between her and the man sitting behind, drove her crazy. With her back, Fox felt the contact of her back with the strong chest of her boss, felt his pleasant scent of perfume that pursued her everywhere, even at home. From time to time she stared at his hands, which so strangely beckoned to touch them. He himself behaved calmly, even disappeared into his thoughts and could not (or still could) suspect how the cowardly girl was now tense.

“Ah…” the girl suddenly spoke up, squeezing out a single sound. Damian, stuck in his thoughts, blinked in confusion and stared at the girl in surprise.

- M?

- Isn't it hard for her? Emily clears her throat.

- In terms of? - the man did not understand, frowning slightly.

- Well, we are riding it together ... It must be hard for her ...

“No,” he grins, curling the corner of his mouth. - It's not hard ...

***

The walk continued until late in the evening, and there was the generator of ideas for the Kim family, who suddenly had the idea to rent one of those houses that the owners of the farm rented out for a day. The disgruntled housekeeper, along with an unfinished family dinner, had to go out of town and finish everything in a kitchen unfamiliar to her. Alice, Emily and even Clarice, who tried to help her, received more reproaches and two young girls were completely expelled from the kitchen.

Damian, who was entrusted with lighting the fireplace in the living room, sat alone in front of the fire, and, staring at it, went into his thoughts out of habit. A busy day exhausted him, a little more and he will fall asleep right here, lying on the floor on a sheep's schoolhooray, but he really rested today. From the metropolis, work, costumes, papers. It's better here than sitting in an apartment or going somewhere to have fun, at the end of which to get acquainted with another doll.

Emily made her way into the living room. The girl needed something to occupy herself. Examining the rooms of a traditional stone house that looked like a medieval one and conveyed all the flavor, she reached the living room, not expecting to see Damian there, Amy shuddered slightly, but when she saw a large shelf with books that were probably set for decoration, she began to examine them while taking out one by one. Stretched out on a sheep's skin, he put his hands under his head and stared at the secretary. Simple and at the same time not ordinary. What's wrong with it? And even if you put on makeup and put on a tight outfit, it will still be wrong.

Feeling the gaze, the girl spoke:

“They kicked me out of the kitchen,” she explains apologetically.

“Mmm…” Damian grins, grinning his teeth. - You were useless there too?

- Mister Lowsen ... - the girl grumbles offendedly, slightly frowning. At first, the book that attracted her became not interesting, or rather ... she could not concentrate on it. Sitting down in an old chair, she leafed through her page after page, but the bewildered girl did not even delve into it.

- By the way ... - the man smiles and laying on his side, for convenience puts his elbow under his head. - Enough to poke me. Irritating.

- What doesn't annoy you? - Fox grimaces, leafing through the book even faster and already on the second circle it seems.

- Then I'll tell you, but for now ... let's talk about it. Outside of work and if we are in a common company, since it happened ... do not force me out. Feeling like I'm an old tree stump. - clinks he glares at her.

- And what should I call you? - stares at the boss with courage, clapping a book.

- He said not to poke it out. I have a name.

- Damian? Is that what I mean to you ... that is, to call you?

- Exactly. - he hums with satisfaction and, in order to interrupt direct contact, returns to his original position - on his back. How strange.

After a delicious dinner, the whole company of seven people settled in this very living room, drinking hot tea and a variety of games. Alice melted a little, observing the woman, she thought that hasty conclusions should not be drawn and now the main thing is that her father is happy. The youngest Kim, having brought in the master's cat after the horse ride, squeezed the whole evening, which made the poor animal endured with the last bit of strength. The old dog, who passed all the responsibility onto the cat, quietly slept by the fireplace, warming one or the other side. It was already dark outside for a long time, and everyone seemed to be going to spend the night in the house, but someone called Clarice. The worried woman could not stay and Richard accordingly, too, accompanying his lady both left. Next, little Mia wanted to sleep, and she had to put her first Lucas, and then Alice, because her daughter demanded her mother.

The three of us left in the living room, the conversation was already tied up more between men. Emily sat in a chair, stroking a tortured cat and leafing through a book. The cat suddenly woke up and jumped off his hands and ran into the hall, calling for Fox.

- Where are you going? - she found the animal at the front door. I had to release it. Without throwing anything over herself, she went out onto the wooden porch and, finding an unusual silence, froze. In the city, even the windows were not saved. In the apartment there was always the buzz of the city, but here the silence cut the ears. Breathing in the cool air, she wrapped her arms around herself and closed her eyes. After standing this way for a while, she flinched at the sudden touch, which made her turn around. Oddly enough, she didn’t even hear the front door slam, or Damian sneak in so quietly. The man hung his jacket over her shoulders and stood beside her.

- Why did you get up undressed? - He stared ahead and narrowed his eyes slightly into the darkness.

“It's just…” he shrugs, feeling a pleasant warmth. - Thank you…

The man was silent.

- Why did you leave? - she dared to name it informally. It was inconvenient, but better than getting a frown.

“Lucas went to check on Alice,” he explains with a small chuckle.

- Mmm ... - nods for a second, trailing off. “They are a lovely couple, and Mia is ... an angel.

- I agree. - Leans against the railing, supporting his cheek with one hand. - I envy him. - and why did it carry him to revelations?

- Why?

- I used to laugh at him. I thought that he was depriving himself of pleasures by starting a family ... - there is a pause. - And now I envy. I myself would not mind messing around with children like that and love one girl.

- And what is stopping you? Amy can't believe her ears. It is strange to her that he is now sharing all this, although he is not even drunk to cross any boundaries. No one has ever been so frank with her, especially a man, such a man.

- The search for a girl bothers me. - Damian grins, throwing a short glance at the secretary.