Chapter 5
Junior
I wanted to take my time riding with Bria. It felt so good to have her in my arms, or at least sort of in my arms. It was the closest I was probably going to get at the moment, and I fully got why Dallas liked to go riding with Trinity all the time.
“So, what is so important that you need to get back to it?” I asked. She hadn’t said anything since we started.
“Employee reviews and schedules.” Her tone was clipped.
“You’re big on schedules, huh?” I remembered the color coding of her calendar.
“Schedules keep everything in line.”
“What about spontaneity?” I asked. “Sometimes you can’t control what’s going to happen.”
“I leave room for the unexpected.” She stiffened her back. “I just do it in a controlled manner.”
I shouldn’t have laughed, but the soft noise came out without any thought from me.
“You do realize that something really spontaneous can’t be controlled?
Life doesn’t work like that.” She didn’t reply.
“Like for instance. There are times when I’m riding and my horse might do something unexpected, or the ground might differ from the one we have at the ranch.
The music could cut out or any number of different things. I have to make adjustments on the fly.”
“But you’ve trained for those adjustments.” She countered. “You’ve thought of everything that could change or go wrong so that when they happen, you can adapt accordingly. I do the same.”
She did have a point, but there were still some moments we couldn’t predict.
“Alright then, what happens if you can’t follow your schedule one day?” I pushed. “Like something happens to your phone or all the computers shut down on the ranch. Maybe Carl and Lucinda need you to do something different, or they need your help in the stables. What do you do then?”
“I have my week printed out so I always have a backup.” She shared. “And if the computers go down, then there is always paperwork that needs to be done.”
Wow, she really was tied to her plans. “What about the stables?”
She actually laughed. It was the first time I was hearing it and the sound worked its way into my heart. Her head leaned back right on my shoulder. I tightened my hold slightly imagining a different scenario where her head was resting against me.
“I’m the last person Carl or Lucinda would want helping in the stables or the barn.” She shook her head. “I might work on a ranch, but I’m not really an outdoors kind of girl.”
“Then why a ranch? Why not a corporate office?”
Her laughter stopped. “It’s all I know and the Davis’s have always been kind to me.”
“Carl mentioned that you and Lucinda were close.” I slowed the horse down as the building came into view.
“Lucinda is like a mother to me.” Bria’s voice was so light it felt as if a strong wind would drown it out.
“Do you and your mother not get along?”
“She died when I was one.”
Damn. “I’m so sorry.” I couldn’t imagine growing up without my mom.
“It’s alright.” She shrugged one shoulder. “I mean, it isn’t as if I knew her.”
“But she was still your mom,” I said softly.
“Yeah.”
I started to ask about her father, but I suddenly remembered that Carl had told me he died while Bria was in college.
“What about siblings?” I asked instead. “Are you guys close?”
“It’s just me.” Her head hung down.
Well, shit. That meant that other than Carl and Lucinda she was all alone. No wonder she was so close to them. They had to feel like second parents.
“That might not be a bad thing.” I tried to joke. “I have two younger brothers and a younger sister, and there are times I give my right arm to be an only child.”
“I doubt that.” She turned her head so that she could look back at me. “I read up on your family when Carl mentioned you were coming. Y’all seem very close.”
“We are, but that doesn’t mean they don’t drive me crazy. Especially when we were little. I swear I never had a moment to myself, and just when it seemed like I’d gotten used to the new kid, they’d announce they were having another one. It was exhausting.”
“Probably more so for your mother since she had to carry the baby and then give birth, but I’m sure it was hard on you too.” I looked down to she the side of her lip twitch. So, she has a sense of humor. I liked that.
“Fine, I’ll give you that, but being the oldest in my family means you have a certain level of responsibility for the kids behind you.” I explained. “I knew how to change a diaper before I knew how to ride, and that’s saying something.”
“Depends on when you learned how to ride.” She countered.
“About the same time I learned how to walk.” I joked. Truthfully, it was probably more learning to walk, then ride, and then change a diaper, but we didn’t need to get into the specifics.
The main lodge was right in front of us.
I was running out of time. Part of me wondered what she would do if I took off and headed for the back half of the property with her in tow just to prove my point about being spontaneous.
I had a feeling she’d either slap the shit out of me when I stopped or fire me on the spot.
“Here we are.” I pulled on the reins when we reached the front of the building and swung my leg down. I held up my arms to help her, and she surprised me by hopping down by herself.
“I thought you said you didn’t know anything about horses.” I looked for a place to tie up Iron Rocket.
“I said they wouldn’t want me helping in the stables. Riding is different.” Another thing I liked.
“I see. How about you come riding with me later tonight?” There wasn’t a spot to tie him up, so I just let his reins go. He was a good horse, and I knew he wouldn’t move.
“I have work to do.”
“All night?” I raised an eyebrow. “I’d ask about dinner, but you told me to stop asking you to eat.”
“What makes you think asking me about going for a ride is any better?” She faced me.
I shrugged. “You came to my class, and you can leave whenever you want.”
She blew out a long breath. “If I agree to this, will you stop asking me out completely?”
Saying yes was a risk, but I was hoping once I could show her I wasn’t whoever she thought I was, it wouldn’t matter. That she’d want to spend time more time with me. That maybe she might be the one to bring things up.
“Alright, but you have to be open to having a good time.” I told her. “No business talk. No schedules, or worries about employee relations, or anything else. Just two people who like each other having fun.”
“Fine.”
“Great. I’ll pick you up here at five.” My smile had to be taking up my entire face, and I didn’t care one bit.
“Six.” She corrected. “Thanks to your class I need to work late.”
“Six it is.”
I let a devilish smirk twist my lips. Before she could say another word, I leaned down and gave her a little peck on the lips.
“What the hell?” She jumped back. Her hand came up to cover her mouth. “Why did you do that?”
“Just being spontaneous, beautiful.” I replied. I jumped back up on my horse. “See you tonight.” I turned for the stables, already planning out the evening.
***
I went searching for Wes as soon as I got back to the stables, but he was busy. Thankfully, Wayne was available to help me out.
“I need another horse for the night.” It didn’t occur to me until I said it that maybe they didn’t take their horses out after a certain time.
Shit, I wished I’d brought my other horse with me.
Not that there would have been room, but at least I wouldn’t have to worry about upsetting this ranch’s system.
“Sure,” Wayne nodded. He didn’t seem to have a problem with it, but I’d run things past Wes or Carl just to double check.
“And I would really like her to be gentle.” I didn’t know how much experience Bria had in the saddle, but most riders could handle a horse that was used to trail riding.
“No problem.” He walked me over to one of the stalls where a gorgeous light gray mare stood. “Nebula should work just fine.”
“She’s a beauty.” I smiled. This was going to be good.
“And real gentle.” He nodded. “All the guests that ride her are pleased.”
“Perfect.” I replied. “Can you also show me where the saddles and everything are kept?” I didn’t know how late we would be, and I was going to have to put everything away when we got back.
“Of course.” He led me over to a side room that was filled with all their riding gear. “Did you need something specific?”
“No, just wanted to make sure I didn’t leave a mess or put something in the wrong spot.” I told him.
“Got ya.” He chuckled. “As long as you put your things in here, someone will make sure it’s in the right place.”
“Perfect.” I thanked him and made sure that the horse would be ready before six.
That job done, I went over to the Davis’s home. I wanted to see if Lucinda could make something for Bria and I to eat while we were out.
Normally I wasn’t a half bad cook. I was way better than my mom, who had a well-earned reputation around town, but I didn’t think there would be time to scope out a place and make dinner.
“I’d love to make you two something.” Lucinda clapped her hands together and ushered me right back to her kitchen. “I thought I saw a spark during breakfast, but Carl told me to leave it be. I’m glad I wasn’t wrong.”
“No, ma’am.” I nodded.
“You’ll have to be patient, you hear.” She put a pot filled with water on the stove and then brought out a cutting board. “She wouldn’t want me saying a word, but she’s been hurt. Life isn’t always easy, and sometimes it seems like the ones that don’t deserve it the most get the hardest draw.”
“What do you mean?”
“It isn’t mine to tell.” Lucinda chopped through some veggies. “I will tell you that if you mistreat that girl, both Carl and I will find you. And trust me, that big ol’ family won’t be able to protect you.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I wondered what she meant when she said that Bria had been hurt before.
Was it an ex-boyfriend who didn’t treat her right, or was it more?
Whatever the story was, I had no intention of doing anything wrong.
If tonight went right, I had a feeling it was going to be the start of something really special, and I couldn’t wait.