Chapter Fifteen #2
“You’re not as much of a novice as you say you are,” he noted. “You might just be a natural rider.”
“I feel like a novice, though. But it is so much fun. I love Miss Molly here. Her color is so pretty…gray with a coal black mane and black on her legs. She is a beauty.”
“You look good on her. I’m sure Cassie wouldn’t mind you claiming her each time you might come to ride.”
Erin laughed, but then it faded. Had he said something wrong?
“Well, it is a bit of a drive from the city, but it’s a nice thought that I could come back and visit,” she responded. “Not all of us jet around in helicopters like some people I know.” She tossed a look in his direction, and the grin was back.
His smile dimmed a bit. “Speaking of helicopters…the boss called and our ride is busy so it will probably be another day or so before we get you home.”
There was silence and he looked at her when he could stand it no longer.
She wasn’t smiling, just had a thoughtful look on her face.
“I see. Well, then we’ll just have to enjoy today and let tomorrow take care of itself.
And since I might not get another helicopter ride, perhaps someone will give me a ride out here to see Miss Molly again. ”
“Maybe I might be disposed to give you a ride in my truck and show you the quickest way to get here.”
“Guess you might have to do that.”
They rode for a while on the dirt road and then he edged them across a meadow before they reached the tree line and began to climb a series of small hills.
A few minutes later, they came out of the trees into a clearing with green grasses waving in the gentle breeze.
“I didn’t realize that we were going upwards so far,” she commented, admiring the views and taking note as they rode toward a trio of taller trees. Rance reined in his horse, and she did the same next to him.
“Oh my, this is amazing,” she said, delight in her voice. “We came up so high that I didn’t notice. But you can see so far up here… Is that the town way down there?”
Rance nodded. “This is a bird’s-eye view of the whole of Destiny’s River…
from the springs where it begins—” and he pointed to his left “—over the town, the valley, and in the far distance, you can see Red Cliffs, our neighboring town and where Cassie’s ranch begins.
This is a pretty special place up here. I thought it would be a good spot for our picnic… You agree?”
She nodded. “I do indeed. And I hope I can stand when I climb down from Miss Molly.”
He dismounted first, his reins dropping to the ground. That concerned her.
“Shouldn’t you tie her to something?”
Rance grinned. “I forgot you’re a greenhorn. But these are ranch-trained horses, and they know they must not deviate from where their reins are dropped. It’s a great skill for a horse to be taught…just in case there are no fences or bushes around. Miss Molly is trained the same way.”
He stepped up and took the reins from her. “Let’s see how you dismount.”
She held on to the saddle horn and swung her right leg over the back and then when it touched the ground, she removed her foot from the stirrup, but it wasn’t as graceful as she’d hoped, and there she made a misstep but luckily Rance could catch her before she had an embarrassing fall.
He held her until her feet got reacquainted with terra firma once again. And he didn’t seem to be in a hurry to let go.
*
“I feel like this is one of those scenes from a romance movie,” she said, nervous but excited like some schoolgirl, “a damsel being helped off a horse into the arms of a handsome cowboy and there is romantic music playing and the moment is perfect for that onscreen kiss.”
“You’re the damsel and that makes me the tall, sexy, handsome cowboy, right?”
“Hmmm…that isn’t exactly what I said. I don’t believe I used those exact adjectives. And come to think of it…there isn’t any music. Maybe I hallucinated because I haven’t eaten in a while.”
“Well, there went that moment,” he said, shaking his head. “I’ll get the blanket and the food. You pick a spot.”
Erin smiled to herself as she stepped toward the trees.
Had she attempted to flirt? It had been a while, and she was out of practice.
But then, had she ever really been good at it?
She needed to stop overthinking and enjoy the beautiful day.
She always had been an overthinker according to her few friends.
But then that got her to the top of her law school class and the chances she had encountered on her climb up the ladder, which she was expected to take.
But no time for expectations today. It was about just being Erin.
And a cowboy who was indeed handsome and sexy and named Rance Parker.
She found the spot and looked at the view again…so peaceful and the world was a million miles away. Perfect.
“Good spot you chose,” he said, as he handed over the blanket for her to settle on the ground and then he knelt, and joined her as they emptied the saddlebags.
“Tillie certainly outdid herself. Did she think we were having a dinner party or a picnic for two?” Erin laughed. “But it’s all good.”
“Well, what we don’t have for our afternoon lunch, we can always have for dinner. That’s good planning.”
“True,” she agreed. “I love her fried chicken and the potato salad… It’s great. She gave me the recipe when I was helping during the flood. I intend to try making it as soon as I can.”
“Well, you are a pretty good cook on your own, so I volunteer to be a guinea pig anytime for your recipes.”
“I’ll keep that in mind that you did volunteer…no matter what the recipe.”
He stopped concentrating on the chicken leg for a moment. “Well, perhaps we should amend that to ‘within reason.’ I don’t eat exotic foods. Good, downhome Southern food is my style.”
“Mine, too. Fancy stuff has never been my favorite. Another surprise fact about me for your list.”