14. Ty
Chapter 14
Ty
T y had stripped for bed, not bothering with a shower or even brushing his teeth. It wasn’t raining; the night was still with only a faint breeze rustling through the treetops. It smelled nice, though, and for that he could be grateful.
He was about to turn off the light when he heard Hudson’s steps on the stairs. His steady pace told Ty nothing at all. Not that it mattered. Hudson wasn’t likely to care how the call had gone. Only that he had light enough to see by as he got ready for bed.
Ty clicked the light off, just to be mean. Then clicked it on again and crawled into bed with his back to Hudson as he came into the tent.
“How’d the call go?” asked Hudson.
Ty thought about it hard. What do you care ? But he kept silent.
“Ty?” asked Hudson, coming close. “Are you awake?”
“I’m awake,” said Ty, though he’d not meant to answer.
“Did it go bad?” Hudson asked.
“Bad,” said Ty, clamping his mouth shut after the single word.
“They say no?”
“No to ex-cons,” said Ty. He tried to shrug, like he didn’t really care, but it hurt too much to pretend, and it was nice that Hudson was interested. Seemed interested, even if only for the span of a few moments. “I asked her to ask Mr. Basford, he’s the owner, and she said she would, but I don’t think it’ll make much difference.”
“Sorry,” said Hudson. He began rifling around for his shower things. “I’m hitting the shower. Want to come with?”
“No.”
Ty’s skin was covered in horse dust and flecks of hay. Better to be comforted by familiar smells than to shower with Hudson and have only himself to blame as he dried himself off and did his best not to pine after Hudson in the next stall. He’d been foolish to imagine anything would happen between them, not even a simple friendship.
“You sure?”
“Sure.”
Ty fell asleep telling himself this was miles better than being in a chain gang. Miles better than being in prison. Miles better than Hudson ignoring him completely.
He could make other friends. Like that Cal guy. Or he could ask Royce for more information about bats. Anything. Make new friends. Pretend he didn’t have feelings for Hudson.
He had plenty to eat, a nice place to sleep, and interesting work. What the hell was he complaining about?
He fell asleep to memories of driving a herd of cattle along a riverbank, making sure they didn’t stop too often, making sure they had something to drink. How simple life had seemed then, out beneath that big blue sky. The smell of horse and cow. A swig of cool water from a canteen. The flicker of a campfire come sunset.
Sunday was a little strange, because after breakfast, there didn’t seem to be anything specific that they had to be doing. Hell, it was more than strange, because Ty could see men in the mess tent between meals doing nothing . Working crossword puzzles, playing cards.
Some went out to the lake and went canoeing and swimming. That looked like fun. He needed to get a little more steady before he personally started having fun, though.
Hudson looked like he felt the same, but he didn’t say anything to Ty about it and seemed to be keeping his distance. Ty ended up asking Zeke if he might saddle up one of the horses and go for a ride, and was surprised to find Zeke not only agreeing, but suggesting that he and Cal and Ty might all go together.
“I know a nice path that goes up into the canyon,” said Zeke. “We can’t gallop, but it’ll be nice, especially on a day like today.”
Ty felt a bit better about things once he started saddling up one of the horses, a sweet cream-colored mare who went by the name of Honey. She had big brown eyes and the longest black lashes. A silky coat that just begged to be petted. He was half in love with her from the very first moment, even before she nuzzled his palm and batted those lashes at him.
Zeke had discovered that she could take a hackamore, and was glad to have someone test her out.
“I figure someone with your experience can handle himself if things go awry,” said Zeke.
He rode a tall gray horse called Flint, and Cal was on a paint called Applejack. With Zeke leading the way, they guided their horses along the path through the woods, going past the mess tent.
Ty saw Hudson on the steps to the mess tent, watching them go by as they headed to the river, where a slender bridge crossed over the water. Then they followed a wide path beneath the river willows, which created a dappled shade that seemed to go on forever, and it was lovely.
Eventually, they used another bridge to cross to the other side of the river, Horse Creek Zeke called it, and then headed up the canyon.
The red-drubbed canyon walls rose high enough to block the sun, and he could only see the blue sky above. Narrowed in its passage, the river rushed briskly, creating a happy chattering sound as it went over the rocks.
They paused to dismount so the horses could drink, and Ty saw Cal and Zeke exchange smiles. As to what those smiles meant, it wasn’t his business, so he didn’t ask. The two men were friends, of course they were.
Ty used to know how to make friends, so he knew how it went. It was hard to shake off what two years of prison had taught him: no friends. Anyone can betray you .
That didn’t seem to be the case in the valley except for Hudson, whose cold shoulder was making Ty feel like he was in a deep freeze.
After watering their horses, they mounted again and went another hour up the canyon. Which meant they had over an hour to get back to the valley by dinnertime, so for a little way, where the path along the river widened, they got to canter.
With the wind in his ears, as Honey moved beneath him, Ty’s body soaked up the mare’s energy, reminding him once again that life could be good.
By the time the ride ended, and they were in the paddock unsaddling and giving the horses a good rub down, he felt more like himself than he had in a long time.
“Good, eh?” asked Zeke.
“Yes,” said Ty. “Thank you.”
“Any time,” said Zeke. “Just ask. I’m always up for a ride myself, and so is Cal. We’ll ask a few of the others to join next time.”
Ty didn’t care how many other guys came along on a ride like that, just as long as he got to be in the saddle. It made him feel better to believe that everything was going to work out just fine.
He took a quick shower before dinner, and by the time he arrived at the mess tent, it was raining. It rained all during dinner, which meant it was movie night. Ty made himself stay and watch Caddyshack and Fight Club with the others.
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Hudson sitting along the end of a row, all stiff, like he really didn’t want to be there. He held himself tightly, ignoring the reactions of people around him. Said no to the bucket of popcorn being passed around. Acting like he was at a funeral rather than movie night.
Turning his attention to the projection screen, Ty did his best to convince himself he didn’t care how Hudson was managing. He’d seen glimpses of kindness from Hudson from the very start. Then coldness. Then the odd kindness.
Why would Hudson close himself off like that? Fear, probably. Well, Ty was afraid, too, but that wasn’t going to stop him.
After the movies were over, it was time to set the mess tent to rights.
“You’re a good rider, Cal,” said Ty as they helped put away the metal chairs.
“Zeke taught me everything I know,” said Cal. “But mostly I just fake it till I make it.”
Then Cal went over to Zeke on the other side of the mess tent, and the two of them left together. Like they were friends. Or maybe more than friends. Ty watched them go and told himself he was fine on his own. Just fine.
He supposed he would get used to having lazy Sundays in time, but it was good to get back to a regular routine on Monday. Hot shower in the morning. A good breakfast. Then work.
As Ty used the chainsaw, then gave Blaze a hand on the chipper, he did his best not to watch Hudson silently glower at everyone and everything. But watching Hudson attack each and every log he split like it was his worst enemy, violent and sweaty, his shirt unbuttoned, flying back from his chest with every swing, was hard to resist.
So, he focused on his own work. Using the chainsaw, he perfected his technique as he held it so the saw was properly balanced over the wood. Glanced over at Hudson, more than he should have, then focused his attention elsewhere again.
On Wednesday afternoon, Zeke scheduled a lesson for whoever wanted it. Ty signed up, though he didn’t need a lesson. It was always good to learn something new, especially from someone like Zeke. It would also give him a chance to ride again, and to ask Zeke’s permission to take Honey again.
He met the other fellows taking lessons, Gordy, Toby, and Wayne, and a guy named Galen came by to help saddle up and supervise.
To Ty’s surprise, Hudson joined them. He’d not been in the mess tent when Zeke had announced the lesson, yet here he was looking every inch a cowboy. Or maybe that was just the hat and boots.
He didn’t look like he wanted to be there, that was for sure. He fiddled with his gloves, tucking them in the waistband of his jeans, then pulling them out again. Putting them on, taking them off.
Finally, Cal walked a horse over to him, and it looked like he was talking Hudson into mounting. Hudson wasn’t shaking his head, but he wasn’t getting on either. Handing Honey’s reins to the nearest person to take her, Ty made his way over.
“Is there something I can help with?” he asked, though it was obvious that Cal was Zeke’s assistant and not him. Still, he could see that Cal was growing frustrated, and that Hudson’s hesitation was holding up the lesson.
“We’re fine,” said Cal. He looked between Hudson and Ty. “I think we’re fine, but maybe Hudson really doesn’t want a lesson today.”
It was one thing for Hudson to be cold and standoffish with him, but Cal didn’t deserve that. He was just doing his job.
“Are you going to get on or not?” asked Ty, looking up at Hudson.
Hudson’s eyes narrowed at him as if he was astonished Ty was talking directly to him.
“Gabe said it was important for me to be here,” said Hudson, chewing the inside of his lip. “Part of being well-rounded, he said.”
“Then get on that horse and quit bringing everybody down,” said Ty. Perhaps he spoke louder than he meant to, because everybody in the ring was looking at the two of them. But it was good to let some of his anger out and focus a bit of it on the most confusing man he’d ever met.
“Yes, sir ,” said Hudson with a snap.
He put his left boot in the stirrup and rose up, swinging his leg over. As he settled in the saddle, Cal reached up to help him with the reins, arranging them in Hudson’s left hand. Hudson stared straight ahead, like Ty wasn’t even there.
It felt a little hopeless then. They could keep ignoring each other or snap at each other, but why? It wasn’t like Ty had done anything to Hudson, yet still Hudson was going around like he had a pole up his ass and it was somehow Ty’s fault.
Riding a horse was one of the best things there was, and if Hudson would just allow himself to relax for one damn minute, he might get some joy out of it.
Ty marched back to where Honey was waiting for him. She had a bridle on and didn’t seem to like it as much as the hackamore, but it was important for the horses to be well-rounded, too. Her new owners might prefer a regular bridle to a hackamore, so they needed to find out how well she did.
Ty was gentle with the reins as he mounted up and took his place in line behind Hudson.
Hudson was riding a sturdy bay that seemed designed for his long legs. He looked good in the saddle, too, like a real cowboy rather than the greenhorn he was. But if Ty were to tell him that, Hudson would get pissed, and he’d get more cold shoulder than ever.
“Don’t crowd at that end of the paddock,” said Zeke, calling out.
Ty looked up and pulled back on Honey’s reins. She flicked her ears and jerked her head, telling Ty in no uncertain terms that she did not like the bit, not at all.
“Ease up, Ty,” said Zeke.
Which was when Honey took the bit in her teeth and started racing around the paddock. She’d been fine with a hackamore on an open trail, but now, in the confines of the ring, she was an unhappy mare and not shy in expressing that.
Ty leaned forward and tried talking to her, tried turning her. He focused on keeping his body relaxed so she would know it was okay to calm down.
He’d never been a bronc rider, never wanted to be. Only now, Honey was bucking, and the horizon and top of the paddock were lifting and falling. Pulling on the reins did no good, and she wasn’t stopping.
The other riders were guiding their horses out of the way so Honey had room to maneuver. Only she stopped suddenly and threw Ty right over her head.
Everything was a blur as he landed in the soft dirt just as Honey stepped over him. She didn’t mean to hurt him, he knew that, but if she bucked again, she might step on him.
He curled his arms around his head and held his breath. In another second, her sharp hooves were going to cut him. He tasted dirt in his mouth.
“Ty,” he heard. “ Ty .”
Was that Hudson calling for him? Impossible.
One of Honey’s hooves kicked his arm, and then he was being pulled across the dirt, out of the way, until his body was alongside the edge of the paddock.
“Stay where you are, Ty,” said Zeke’s voice. “Don’t move him, Hudson. Don’t let him move.”
“Ty, can you hear me?”
That was Hudson’s voice, strangely urgent, currents of fear lacing through every word. Ty looked up, squinting, tasting blood in his mouth.
“Did she get you?” asked Hudson, hovering close. “Did she get you in the head?”
“Hudson?” Ty spat out the blood and now he tasted dirt. “Is she okay? She didn’t mean it, but she didn’t like the bit?—”
“She’s fine,” said Cal’s voice. “Zeke’s got her.”
Everything hurt and Ty felt as though he was sinking into a pool, where his body was heavy, and he couldn’t breathe.
“Ty.”
Someone’s hands were clasped around his head.
“Don’t move him, Hudson,” said Zeke’s voice. “Let him move on his own.”
Ty tried to focus. If he stayed still with Hudson’s hands touching him, he’d be okay. As long as he had that, he’d be okay. At the same time, Hudson’s sudden concern, the closeness, was overwhelming and confusing.
Ty didn’t know what to think or feel, so he floated on his shallow ocean of pain and concentrated on Hudson’s touch.