12. Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Luke
I check my watch. The Open Day guests will be arriving soon. My team has been amazing. The stableyard is spotless - spick and span. I’m impressed by how everyone is on task. There’s a real sense of pride today. But I still have pre-event jitters. I walk around to calm myself. I’m a little nervous about having the townsfolk in my backyard, and I hope I’m not showing it.
Down at the gate, Amy is stationed in her high-viz jacket, sun hat, and shades, ready to direct visitors to the paddock we’ve roped off for parking. She waves, then smiles at me, and gives me a double thumbs up.
The new printed signage, tied along the fencing by the entrance, looks fantastic. Green Acres is clear and bold in white typeface, with the website and phone number printed under a photo of Deedee, majestically in full gallop. Maisy’s design, of course. She called to get an update on how things were going; to make sure I wasn’t messing things up. She’s smarter than I give her credit for.
The afternoon is relatively informal. I’ll make a short welcome speech in the barn. Then I’ll invite everyone to take a tour around the stableyard and tack room and ask any questions they may have. After that, there’s a training demonstration, where Ray will take Bernie, one of our yearlings, around the stable paddock on a lunge line. Ray’s calm and good with the young horses. Then I’ll ride out on Deedee and show the crowd what he can do. I’ve taught him some tricks. I hope he wants to work with me and doesn’t decide to display his famous attitude where he just stubbornly stands still. But I don’t think that there’ll be a problem today. He loves showing off. He knows he’s the star of the show. After the demo, I’ll invite everyone back to the barn for refreshments and we’ll do the prize draw.
I check my watch again. The weather has held out. It’s a little chilly but not raining. I can see visitors’ vehicles kick up dust as they slow to make the turn onto the ranch driveway. The parking lot paddock is filling up with rows of cars, vans, and trucks. I hear laughter and excited voices as families and groups of people follow the bright green arrows directing them through the stableyard and into the barn.
Amy radios to say the last carload is on their way. The main gate is closed. It’s showtime. I take a wireless mike and climb onto a hay bale. Noisy chatter automatically dies down in anticipation. The expectant crowd turns their attention toward me. Suddenly I’m self-conscious, and I almost forget what I’ve been practicing. Thankfully, Maisy printed out what I need to say in large, easy-to-read bullet points. I unfold the sheet of paper that I tucked into my shirt pocket and take a minute to look around at the faces in the crowd. I spot Lydia near the back. She smiles and raises her hand. The sight of her pretty face and her warm smile calms my nerves and encourages me to continue.
“Hello everyone and welcome to Green Acres. Thanks for taking the time to come to our Open Day. My name is Luke Maddox of Maddox Holdings, my family’s company. I’m Texan born and bred. Do we have any other Texans here?” I listen for a yay, but there’s silence, so I keep going. “We’ve prepared some activities that I hope you’ll enjoy, but mostly, this is an opportunity for us to get to know you, and for you to see what we’re working on out here, horse-wise. Our main business is breeding. Horses, that is.” Some people laugh. “But our new venture is horseback riding and trekking. We have a short program this afternoon. It’s on the registration page on the website…” I hold up my phone. “… and you’ll find it pinned up on the stable doors. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask our staff members, Amy, Ray, Georgia, and Saskia.” My staff members raise their hands as I say their names. “They’re all wearing the fashionable high-viz orange vests. So, I hope you have a good time here today. After the demos, we’ll meet back here for drinks and snacks, and we’ll find out the winner of our grand prize. I’ll hand the mike to Georgia, and she’ll tell you about the horses we have here on the ranch and why the American Quarter Horse is the best breed in the world.”
Georgia hops on the hay bale beside me and takes the microphone. She’s like a game show host, the way she works the crowd, unlike me who is not at all comfortable in the spotlight. As the visitors show their appreciation for Georgia’s informative and entertaining insights, Ray leaves to get organized in the training paddock.
“If there are no further questions, then please follow me to the training demonstration,” Georgia says with a big smile. She hops down from the hay bale and leads the crowd, Pied Piper-like, outside.
Some folks in the crowd stop me to shake my hand and introduce themselves. I should be paying more attention, but I’m distracted by Lydia. She’s happily talking with a knot of people. I’m drawn to her and make my way over to where she is.
“Howdy. It’s nice to see some familiar faces,” I say making a point of addressing the group and not just Lydia. “Thanks for coming all the way out here today.”
“Well, thank you, Mr Maddox…,” says Sheena beaming.
“Luke,” I interrupt. “No need for formalities. Besides, Mr Maddox is my dad.”
“Luke.” Sheena smiles, then says, “Trekking and horseback rides will be a huge draw card to the area. I’ve added the flyers to the Welcome folders in each room. Some people say that there’s very little to do in Oak River, but I believe we have a lot to offer visitors.”
“I think so too,” says Molly. “I love to showcase our community at the library. We have a wonderful library, Luke. You must call in sometime soon to set up your membership.”
“I will. Thank you. I like to read.”
“Yes well, we have an extensive selection of titles. And if you have a request for something specific, I can track it down for you.” Molly smiles warmly. “We often borrow books from the central library in Richmond.”
“If you like hiking, we have a wonderful national park close by," says Lydia. "In fact, one of the gates is just at the top of this road. And Dylan, the guitarist in Star Rangers, is a trail guide and runs camping trips.”
“That’s right. He does,” says Molly brightly. “Their last gig was so, so good, wasn’t it? I love that they added the Bon Jovi song.”
The mention of ‘Always’ sends a jolt sparking through me. I can almost feel the touch of Lydia in my arms again as we slow-danced to the love song. I avoid her gaze, fearful that my expression will betray my emotions.
“And let’s not forget about the Annual Spring Fair. I think I’ve already told Luke about it,” says Sheena snapping me out of my reverie. “That’s what Oak River is most famous for. Everyone wants to see the War of Independence battle re-enactment. It’s so exciting. I see it every year and it always gives me goosebumps. You know, the Historical Society is always advertising for new members. Could you see yourself as a rebel, Luke. Or would you wave the British colors and be a baddie for the day?”
“I think I’d have to be a rebel.” I sneak a quick glance at Lydia who holds my gaze for a moment.
“Oh yes,” says Sheena brightly. “I can just imagine you riding at the head of the charge, bearing the flag of independence. How thrilling would that be?” I feel suddenly shy, but thankfully Sheena continues, redirecting the focus of the conversation away from me. “Lydia organizes the Floral Design Competition. You’d be forgiven for believing that the battle re-enactment would be the epitome of contest. But no. Until you witness it for yourself, you have no idea that flower arranging could be so competitive. Talk about knives out.”
I check the time. “Let’s go and watch Ray in action. He’s going to be training Bernie. He’s still a young horse and can be a little feisty.”
I lead the group out of the stableyard and up the track that leads to the paddock. The other visitors are evenly spread out along the fence to watch. Ray approaches Bernie calmly holding the halter loosely in his hands. He’s showing it to the colt, so the animal gets familiar with it. The young horse is timid and shies away, trotting to the other side of the fenced area. Slowly, Ray walks toward him. When the horse looks like it’s going to move. Ray stops until the colt is calm again. Then he walks steadily toward it again.
After a few minutes, the halter is on the horse’s head with the lead attached. The crowd applauds politely. Ray strokes Bernie’s neck. Then steps away leading the horse in a circle around the paddock.
“You can see how Ray is communicating with the animal. He’s building trust with everything he’s doing.”
Ray lets out more length of the lead and encourages the horse to walk in a circle around him. Then Ray taps his whip on the horse’s rump to get Bernie to trot. He’s flighty and rears up, but Ray is persistent and, in a while, the young horse settles into an easy stride and moves with rhythmic grace.
“It takes a few sessions in the paddock like this, to train a horse for riding, the way we do it. You need patience and skill. But I’ve witnessed gauchos in Argentina break in wild stallions in a day. It’s unbelievable how they do that.”
Ray is almost done with Bernie’s training session. I leave to get Deedee. He’s saddled up and waiting for me in his stable. I lead him out and enter the paddock through the side gate, avoiding the spectators whose attention is still on Ray and Bernie.