Rough Ride by A.S. Green

Author:A.S. Green
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-05-23T12:15:05+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Tess

When we get back to camp, I don’t have time for a shower like I planned. I only have time to get a dry set of clothes before the campers show up in small groups for their orientation with the horses.

I spend the afternoon watching in admiration as Luke gets the kids laughing and comfortable with animals that are so much bigger than they are. The campers don’t do much real riding—just fun “exercises” in the saddle to help them find their balance; they turn around sidesaddle with their hands in the air, then backward, then to the other side, then front again.

Luke shows them how to get on and off from the proper side, how to hold the reins, and how to coax a horse forward with a cluck of the tongue, or a gentle kick of the heel. By the end, the kids are riding their horses in a lazy circle around the edge of the paddock, the youngest of them yelling, “Yee haw!” and acting like they’re actual cowboys out on a cattle drive.

There’s really little for me to do but say encouraging words then help Luke return all the horses to their stalls at the end of the day.

Through it all, we don’t talk much. We certainly say nothing about last night or this morning. As Luke puts the last horse away for the day, I wipe my hands on a towel and toss it toward the dirty laundry basket. That’s when Luke lets out an exasperated sigh, and I turn to face him.

“Max knows.” He leans his back against the stall door and crosses his arms.

“Max knows?” I lean against the opposite stall and mirror Luke’s posture. “You mean about us?”

The corners of his eyes tighten as if the memory is painful. “Not all the details. But he knows I’m into you.”

I let out a sigh of relief and drop my arms to my sides. “I wasn’t sure if you still were. Into me, that is. Or if it was a one-off. Or... I suppose a two-off now. Well... I guess that’s it then.”

“What’s it?” he asks like he’s not tracking our conversation.

I draw my eyebrows together in confusion. “Luke, I understand how much these horses mean to you. I’m not going to be the one to jeopardize that.”

He shakes his head and drags his hand over his mouth and chin. “That’s not what I was saying.”

He wasn’t? Interesting. But still. I was serious when I said I wasn’t going to be the one to ruin things for him. I like him. A lot. I think he likes me, too. But if this has to end, I’d rather get it over with, as painful as that may be.

“Well, that’s what I’m saying, Luke.” I think I sound firm enough that he’ll let this go. “Do I want more? Absolutely. But some things are more important.” I push off the stall and walk toward the tack room to—I don’t know—do something to get some space and shore up my resolve.

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