15. Della
DELLA
Ispent all of Monday morning in the nearest town forty-five minutes away, gathering everything I needed for my six-week stay: clothing, food, and toiletries.
It felt like I was shopping for college.
Plus, I stopped at the Painted Heart on the way back.
If I were going to be here for an extended period, I would need more painting supplies.
I’m also hoping that buying said additional supplies will help me actually start.
Even after I bought all that stuff last time, I couldn’t bring myself to do anything but stare at the blank canvas while memories looped in my brain.
When I return to the ranch, I put on some appropriate clothes and meet Hazel and Molly at the barn in the late afternoon. They introduce me to people, and begin to teach me what I’ll need to know over the course of my tenure here.
Everything seems simple enough. I’m certainly not a stranger to working hard, but it’s my first time doing anything like this.
Of course, I’m paying attention, but my mind is wondering if my newest employer is going to show face while I’m out here.
I’m a bit surprised he didn’t text me or come back over based on how we were flirting last night.
Though I guess why would he? I’m just thinking too highly of myself.
And especially now that he’s my boss. But it doesn’t stop the hope that I’ll see him again.
After the verbal instructions and introductions, we tackle some stalls.
“What do you think?” Hazel asks me as we finish the first few.
“It’s not exactly rocket science,” I laugh and rest on my pitchfork. “I think I’ll be okay. And if not, I can do anything for six weeks.”
Is it gross? Yes. I never thought I’d be doing something like shoveling horse shit, but there’s a lot I didn’t think I was capable of.
Plus, although I am not versed in ranches, barns, or horses, this is not the worst. The company is great, too.
Though Molly and Hazel are my favorite people I’ve met, they won’t be with me indefinitely.
Luckily, I can see myself being friends with a handful of other people I’ve met today, too.
They both laugh back. “I mean, for what it’s worth, you look comfortable,” she says.
“Must be my new clothes. I certainly look the part,” I say as I do a full spin. Thank God for the internet giving me a rundown of what I need.
The afternoon stretches on, and besides the stall mucking, I learn about the other things I’ll be doing: feeding and watering, sweeping, and keeping up an impeccable appearance.
Although this is the barn, Heart of Will is a luxury ranch.
Appearance matters, and this place needs to be pristine at all times. I know something about that mindset.
As I’m going through the tasks, I am in awe of how pretty it all is.
Beautiful horse after beautiful horse fill the stalls that still look brand new.
Hazel said that the ones in this barn are mostly personal horses of family or Heart of Will staff, and the other two barns house the horses used for the public.
I love seeing their colors and reading their names.
Towards the end of the row, I’m drawn to one that looks like melted caramel.
“Orion,” I whisper his name. He seems like he is questioning my arrival.
“Hi buddy,” I whisper. This horse is sizing me up the same way I am doing to him, before a commotion in the barn draws my attention away.
They are bringing a second wave of horses outside, and given the way an experienced worker is moving towards me, I assume Orion is going out too.
The man stops in front of the stall and gives me a warm smile.
“I’m Cody,” he drawls in an accent I can’t place. “Welcome to the barn. You new?”
“Hi Cody,” I return the smile. “I’m Della. Yeah, I’m here for six weeks as a barn hand.”
“Oof, how’d someone as pretty as you pull that job?”
His easy flirt makes my face blush. Though the ego boost doesn’t suck, he’s not the one I want flirting with me. “Aren’t you kind?” I say. “I’m just here for a little layover until my next stop.”
“Well, aren’t we lucky then?” he winks and slides Orion’s door open, heading in and smoothly slipping something over his head.
“Is he yours?” I ask.
“Nah, he’s Everest’s,” he replies as he walks the horse past me. First, I’m blown away by his flirty smile, then by the sheer size of the horse. I only come up to his shoulder.
“Hey Della, if you need anything, ask away. I know you said you’re here for a little layover, but this is a great place to be,” he says over his shoulder as he walks down the barn aisle. I smile to myself at how right I think he is, and grab stuff to clear the stall.
After two more hours, Molly, Hazel, and I are sitting outside the barn in the sun, and I peel off a layer, leaving me in my long sleeve.
“Have you ever had any jobs like this?” Molly asks as she sips her water.
“No. I did have a retail job at a fashion boutique, though. I’d rather scoop horse shit than do that again.”
“I’d choose shit shoveling, too,” Hazel says, as we all laugh freely. “Though we get a share of assholes here. Luckily, you won’t have to deal with them, Del.”
“How could people be assholes here?” I ask, looking around.
Since I stepped foot through that gate, I’ve been nothing but enchanted with everything.
But on the same note, I guess there are plenty of people in Chicago, surrounded by opulence, who are still assholes.
Example one: Tripp Worthington and his entire stupid family.
“Oh, they think they know everything. My primary focus is horses and guest experiences, but I also step in to help with the wedding stuff, and in both those roles, I deal with a special kind of crazy. Not excusable, but the wedding at least makes a little sense, you know? So many people have that day planned in their head long before an engagement, so there is a part of me that gets why people get upset when we can’t make something happen for them.
But the riding? I’m sorry, stranger, no, you don’t know more than I do.
Promise. Those horseback riding lessons you had at camp three decades ago don’t qualify you to know what you’re doing. ” Hazel rolls her eyes.
“Do you give lessons here?” I ask.
“Yeah, we offer everything from beginner to advanced trail rides with the experienced crowd. Have you ridden before, Della?
“I’m the eight-year-old camp lesson crowd.” At that, we cackle so loudly that it brings over ranch man Cody.
“You guys are having a good time,” he says, sitting next to Molly and kissing her cheek. The motion has me recoiling. This is the man who seemed like he was coming onto me in the barn. What the hell?
“Are we ever,” she replies. “Della, this is Cody.”
He tips his hat to me and smiles the same smile. The warm one that now feels smarmy. “We met in the barn; she was looking at Orion.”
“Ooh, Everest’s heart horse,” Hazel claps her hands together. “Come riding with us, Cody.”
Cody stands up, “I can’t right now, I’m on the clock,” he touches Hazel’s shoulder. “Boss’ll kill me.”
She gives him a huge smile before leaning into his hand. “Yeah, I guess she will. Get to it, then.”
He walks away, and the three of us watch him. He knows it too, because he shakes his ass while the two catcall him. I’ve read about a throuple in some books… are they…
“That fucking man,” Hazel says.
“Jesus Christ,” Molly replies. “I’d do it again, too.”
“Without question,” Hazel replies.
My eyes dart between the two of them. “Okay, I’m just being nosy as hell right now. But what?!” I ask.
The two of them start laughing. “Oh my gosh,” Molly gets out. “I forgot that you aren’t in on this. Cody’s a contract cowboy. He has been coming here every April since we were eighteen, and he does final prep for high season: fence mending, turning out horses, any odd job.”
“Are you guys… together?” I ask.
“We wish,” Hazel replies. “Although Molly got the chance to hook up with him before he accepted he didn’t like women. I’m forever jealous of that. Hell, I’d still ride that knowing he didn’t want me. That man is the platonic ideal.”
My hand flies to my mouth as I try to stifle my laughter. “I thought he was coming onto me in the barn, and then I saw him kiss Molly. I was about to make a scene! Then I saw how he touched your shoulder, and I thought that… I don’t know.”
Tears are streaming down each of our cheeks as we cackle. “You thought we were all together?! Oh my God! We’re close, not that close!”
When we get it together, Molly checks her watch. “Hazie, we have to get that trail ride in.”
“Yeah we do.” Hazel stands. “Want to come, Della?”
“No thanks. Remember, I’m eight-year-old camp crew. I’ll slow you down.”
“Actually, it would be helpful to have an extra person. Horses are super intelligent, but even my best ones need conditioning with all types of riders. You’ll be on a horse that’s been out several times already, and we’re not going far. It’ll be perfect.”
“Are you sure?” I look beyond them to the barn. “I don’t want to complicate things.”
“Come on, it’ll be great,” Molly pushes.
“Okay, fine, but I’m starting at square one, guys.” It’s my last defense.
“It’ll be good practice for me too; getting in the groove for other novice riders,” Hazel dismisses my concern.
“Who do you want me to grab? Dusty, Sterling, and Storm?” Molly asks, standing.
“Yeah, I’ll grab Storm and Sterling if you get Dusty,” Hazel replies. “Let’s go, Della.”
I stand to follow, and we go into the second barn to grab the horses while Molly goes into the first. I love the horses' names: Sterling is gray, while Storm is a black beauty. Hazel gets them ready to ride as she explains to me what she’s doing, and it’s obvious she’s done this a million times before.
When we meet Molly, she’s already atop Dusty waiting.
“You’ll ride Storm,” she tells me. This is another enormous horse, and I’m not sure how I’m supposed to mount this thing by myself.
Thankfully, Hazel brings her over to the steps I vaguely remember from camp.
After she talks me through it, I step onto the block, take a few breaths, and fling myself over.
It isn’t the most graceful of mounts, but I stick it.
Gripping the knob on the front of the saddle, I lean down and pat the neck of my horse, the mane tickling my chin. I’m on top of the whole wide world.
“Impressive, Tatroe,” the voice I’ve been waiting for all day cuts through the air. The smile erupts on my face before my head whips around, and Jaxon is indeed walking towards us.
Cowboy porn.
There’s no other way to describe him. There’s just not.
He has jeans on that cling to every muscle, and some kind of shirt that stretches tight over his broad chest. My eyes trace his body quickly, but I’m sure if I look long enough, I could see his abs through it.
In fun news, he’s also wearing a cowboy hat.
That little shag of his is just peeking out from the bottom, and I know people back home pay lots of money to get hair that looks like that.
I’ve seen dozens of people in them today, but Jaxon in one is just…
the man is made to wear a cowboy hat. He gets to us, pets the horse I’m sitting on, and turns to his sister. “Where are you going?”
“We’re just going to do a quick loop on trail four. Storm’s been out enough, but I want Dusty to get some more reps in.”
“Wait for me,” he says before turning and running to the barn.
“Don’t get your horse, get one that needs work!” she shouts after him. I don’t miss the way Hazel and Molly exchange a smirk, like they know something I don’t.
“What?” I say.
“Oh, nothing,” Hazel replies.
But Molly gives it up immediately. “This brings the total number of times Jax has come out to work the horses this year to,”—she checks her watch—“one.” They laugh, but I can’t help but feel butterflies. Maybe I’m not making things up in my head about our chemistry.
He comes out with the biggest horse I’ve ever seen; bigger than Orion, and hops on without the mounting block that I used. It’s so smooth and practiced that my mind reverts to the first thing that crossed my mind when I saw him, and it stands.
Cowboy porn.