Carissa hung up and turned off the phone before putting it on her nightstand in case he called back. Then she finished unpacking and crawled into bed. She was asleep in minutes.
Chapter Six
Carissa’s eyes flew open the next morning. She looked around frantically for a minute at the unfamiliar surroundings. As her memory of the journey to the Easy R gradually built in her mind, her heart slowed and her breathing evened out. She reached up and wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead as she sat up, noticing the disarray of her sheets and blanket. While the nightmares weren’t a new thing, they had been much more frequent in the last few months. Carissa and Clare had guessed that it was because of the approaching fifteenth anniversary of Audrey’s death and the fact that her dad would be up for parole this summer. She didn’t really worry about that. She wasn’t anticipating that he’d make parole. He hadn’t made the last two.
She didn’t often remember the details of the nightmares, but perhaps that was because she immediately pushed them from her mind upon awakening. It was exhausting to relive such awful things each night.
After her heart rate and breathing had returned to normal and she was completely aware of where she was and why, she pulled back the twisted sheet and sat on the edge of the bed, wiggling her toes. Her blue T-shirt had risen above her stomach and she could see the hieroglyphics tattooed at the top of her bare leg, as she was wearing only a pair of light pink panties with the shirt. She absentmindedly rubbed the tattoo and stood, stretching her arms over her head, blocking out the rest of the disintegrating dream.
Her shirt fell back to her hips and she leaned over to touch her toes. As she stood back up, she glanced at the clock: 5:00. She hoped she had given herself enough time for a quick jog and shower before breakfast. She knew breakfasts were usually very early on ranches and farms. She hurriedly threw on her running clothing, stretching her arms, sides, and legs as she dressed. Not the best way to get ready for a run, but if she wanted to get started right out here, she needed to multitask.
Outside, the sun had barely risen, but people were already moving around. She could hear water running and dishes clanging at the dining hall, which was just a few feet from the bunkhouses. She did a quick stretch again and headed out toward the long driveway. She had briefly mapped out a short route as she had driven up to the house and in her ride to the trail with Trey. She smiled briefly and felt a slight flutter in her stomach at the memory before she started walking to warm up.
***
After a hot breakfast, a strong cup of coffee, and a quick shower, Carissa paced the floor in her bunkroom, her tennis shoes squeaking on the wood. Her hands were on her hips, a stressful look on her face. Here it was, the moment of truth, she worried. “Be reasonable, Carissa. It’s just an animal. A domesticated animal.” She paced some more then sighed, flopping on the bed, her head in her hands.
She walked out to the corral ready to face her fears.
To her surprise, she found that there was a crowd waiting, hopefully not there to watch her ride. She felt the sensation of butterflies in her stomach but walked to the gate with her head held high. The guys only glanced her way for a moment, acknowledging her with a nod or a “ma’am.” It wasn’t her they had come to see, thankfully. It was Trey Montgomery who was whispering in the horse’s ear, stroking its face lovingly. He slung the saddle on the beautiful back and walked back to his face, stroking and talking. He adjusted the straps on the horse’s saddle, walked back to the horse, loving on him, even hugging him slightly before patting his neck. It was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.
Trey walked to the saddle and before the horse knew what was happening, he was in it. The black horse reared up once and Trey held on, laughing and talking to the horse. He grabbed the reins, pulling back gently despite the animal’s antics. The black horse, whom she heard someone call “Camaro” lunged a few times and ran around the corral. She saw Trey’s determined jaw clench; he pulled back a little more, getting more control over the animal. He used his thighs to guide Camaro into a steadier pace. In just a few minutes, the animal walked at a normal pace with Trey on his back, sitting straight and solid. The crowd cheered as he slid down the horse’s back. He didn’t just walk away as the obvious victor. He went back to the horse, talking to him softly—about what, she had no idea.
Trey removed his hat and leaned his sweaty head against the horse’s. He patted him a few more times and led him to one of the guys. Carissa noticed his satisfied look but it wasn’t self-satisfaction, not like Devon at all. To her, it appeared as if his satisfaction came from how well the animal performed. He looked back a few times at the horse and walked toward the gate. He didn’t even look winded.
Billy walked up and shook his hand. Obviously the young man held Trey in great esteem. It was like watching a kid who had just witnessed his favorite ball player hit a home run. Carissa couldn’t help but smile. “No way! You did that so quick. It takes me forever to break a horse. What are you saying to those animals? Some kind of magic word?” Billy teased but with real curiosity.
“Yep, that’s it.”
“Well, what is it, Trey?”
“Confidence, kid,” he said seriously and walked toward Carissa. “You ready to ride?”
“Yes.” Carissa almost instinctively added, “I think so,” but hearing Trey’s “magic word” inspired her to leave that off.
“We don’t need to do this in the corral. Let’s go the barn and get Sterling; she’ll be your horse when you visit us.”
“That’s a nice name.”
“She’s a nice horse. She’s rather petite like you, but strong. Sterling isn’t a runner and I’ve never known her to act badly. I think you’ll like her.”
She crossed her arms and walked beside him. “Impressive stuff back there. Do you do that every day? I can see how that might be dangerous.”
“Horses have to be broke. They aren’t born with saddles on their backs,” he joked, smiling down at her. He noticed that light sprinkling of freckles across her nose and found it another pretty feature. “I do that about once a month, sometimes more. Depends on when Uncle Robert brings in new horses. We need quite a few to move the cattle around.”
“I haven’t seen him much since I’ve been here. Is he off buying more?” Trey’s jaw popped as he thought of Uncle Robert in the recliner next to his heart medication.
“He’s around. I’m sure you’ll see him this evening. Alright, first things first, come meet Sterling.” Carissa followed the cowboy into the barn. It was large and roomy with ten horse stalls. Most of the animals were out except her horse. Sterling was indeed a smaller horse, a horse made for a lady. She had an orange-brown coat with a pale yellow mane and tail. Her big brown eyes watched them as they approached. Carissa’s heart pounded in her chest.
“Hey, Sterling, look who’s here. This is Carissa. Let’s get you some treats, ma’am, and you can feed her something. You give Sterling something sweet and she’ll love you forever.” He handed her a couple of sugar cubes and watched her expectantly.
What am I supposed to do with these? she wondered. Poke them in her mouth?
Trey could see her confusion. This young woman was truly a green horn. He took another sugar cube out of his pocket and put it in the palm of his hand so that Sterling could lick it up. She did in no time flat. “Good girl, Sterling.” He smiled at Carissa. “Now you try.”
She put the sugar cubes in the palm of her hand and let Sterling lick them up with her big tongue. She couldn’t help but make a face.
“Now tell her she’s good.”
“Good girl, Sterling.” She didn’t wait to be told; she followed Trey’s lead, patting the horse’s nose gently.
“Now I’m going to open the gate and let her out. See that blanket right there? That’s her blanket. Will you bring that over?”
“Sure.” Carissa walked to the stall and picked up the blanket. It was heavy and smelled like horse, naturally. Sterling didn’t rear up or seem upset
at the least about being led out.
“First things first. One thing every rider needs to know is how to put on a saddle. It can’t be too tight or you’ll cause the animal discomfort and it can’t be too loose or you’ll slide off. You want to be on the horse not the ground.” Trey hadn’t mean to be funny but Carissa laughed.
“That’s my goal. She seems like a nice animal.”
“She is—take a minute and get to know her. She won’t hurt you.” Carissa handed him the blanket and rubbed Sterling on the face.
“You are a pretty lady, Sterling. I am so happy to meet you. Have patience with me, okay?” She whispered to the horse, just like she saw Trey do. He noticed the horse listening, her big brown ears twitched a few times as she heard Carissa’s voice. Horses were smart animals, far more intelligent than people knew.
“Okay, Carissa. We always place the blanket on first, it keeps the animal from chafing especially during long rides. You’ll like the padding too.”
Carissa helped him put the blanket in place. Trey walked over to the saddle and lifted it up. The worn leather was proof that it wasn’t new. “Whose saddle is this?”
“It’s one of Nancy’s. She sometimes rides Sterling. I think it will be a good fit for you.” He carefully placed the saddle on the horse’s back. “This particular saddle has two straps. One here and one here. In cases where you have to put the saddle on by yourself, just lead the horse next to a boulder or something to step on. I can’t see you tossing a fifty-pound saddle over your head.”
“I can’t either. That’s a good tip, thank you.”
He smiled at her. “We will practice that more later but right now I want to get you out for a ride. See how I’m adjusting the straps. Since this is Sterling’s saddle and it’s been used regularly, you don’t have to guess about where to adjust it. The holes have some wear around them. See?”
“Yes, I see that.”
“Okay, I’m going to walk around and pass you the straps.” Trey passed the straps under the animal and Carissa secured them. Trey checked the fit and she went back to talk to Sterling a little more.
“Almost ready for our first ride together, Sterling. I hope you have some patience with me.” Trey patiently watched them interact. He was impressed with her willingness to learn and her care for Sterling.
“I’m sure you get the basic idea of a saddle but just a reminder, these are your stirrups. They help you into the saddle and they help you guide the animal during the ride. Let’s get you up into the saddle and then I’ll tell you more.”
She rubbed her hands on her jeans and with a determined look, grasped the horn of the saddle. She eased her foot into the stirrup and hopped a few times but wasn’t able to get up. Sterling shifted uncertainly; Trey grasped the horse’s reins. “Pull, then hop, Carissa.”
“Pull, then hop,” she repeated. She tried it once more, then twice, and she got it. A wide-eyed Carissa sat atop the horse like she’d just won a ruthless game of “King of the Mountain.” He couldn’t help but smile. He handed her the horse’s reins and said, “Here, hold these. Let me check those stirrups. The arch of the foot needs to rest in the center of the stirrup. Riding a horse is a bit different than those quads we rode. You’ve got accelerators here at the reins and here at the stirrups. She’s listening to directions in both places. You got it?”
“I think so.” She looked a bit paler now, he noted.
“I’m going to lead you out now. Hold the reins loosely.”
“Okay.” She sounded even less certain now.
“You’re doing great, Carissa.” She smiled, her face flushed from his compliment.
Together they strolled out into the bright afternoon. Carissa felt a bit dizzy being so high up off the ground but Sterling felt solid beneath her. She did seem like a sturdy animal. Trey walked back to the saddle and reached out to Sterling. “You look good up there.”
Carissa wondered what it would be like to kiss a cowboy, this cowboy. She felt her face redden at the thought and forced herself to focus on her task. “Thanks, Trey. I’m ready to take a ride, if you’d like.”
“You’re almost ready. No jumping the shark, Fonz.”
“Sadly, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I trust you.” Did she trust him? Did it matter? He didn’t seem interested in her anyway, especially since she had blurted out that she was dating Devon.
Oh well, let’s do this then, she thought with some determination.
Chapter Seven
After she made a few laps around a nearby pen and learned to dismount, Carissa stood next to Trey in the stable. He was crouched down checking Sterling’s leg and hoof. As she was dismounting, she had accidentally kicked Sterling in the leg. It wasn’t a hard kick and Trey wasn’t very concerned, but he wanted her to learn to pay attention to all potential injuries to herself and the horses. An injured horse could cause some serious trouble with an inexperienced rider.
“See now,” he said while inspecting Sterling’s ankle, “you want to especially make sure a horse’s ankles and hooves are taken care of. It might be a good idea for you to look up on the Internet the anatomy of a horse. See how the hoof supports the leg?”
Carissa leaned in, and Trey felt electricity fill the small gap between them. He hitched his breath when he felt her breath along his neck. He caught a whiff of lavender from her hair.
“Uh huh,” said Carissa, squinting. “Such a majestic animal, isn’t it?”
“Yep, that’s some of God’s best work.”
Carissa stood back up and Trey felt a breeze cool his hot skin. He stood up quickly and realized Carissa was still standing very close to him. He nearly bumped into her and reflexively reached his hands out to grab her if he knocked her over. He stopped his hands just short of her arms. She looked up into his eyes and smiled sweetly. He had a strong urge to reach his fingers up to her lips but cleared his throat and turned back to the horse.
He resumed his teaching voice. “Okay, so before we start you on your first ride beyond the pen, we need to go over the health of a horse and how to spot injuries and what potential injuries could happen on a long ride. Then we’ll break for lunch and this afternoon we’ll go through the routine of feeding and caring for the horses and mucking the stable. It’ll be something your guests will need to learn to do as well.”
Carissa nodded eagerly and pulled up her sleeves.
***
Trey fell into bed feeling tired. He’d skipped the big dinner in the dining hall—thinking that he’d forage for a sandwich later. Carissa had done well today, so well, in fact, that he felt a bit more confident about taking her on a long ride tomorrow. She’d looked good sitting on top of Sterling, and after she had relaxed, Carissa showed natural ability. Climbing up and out of the saddle was still a challenge for her but that would get better with practice.
Trey thought he’d take a nap but sleep wouldn’t come yet. He’d taken a hot shower and slid into some cotton lounge pants and comfortable shirt but he couldn’t get Carissa off his mind. He knew there was a story behind those green eyes, but he wasn’t sure what it was and he didn’t know yet if he really cared to find out. She’d definitely let everyone know she was dating someone. What did he care? He wasn’t interested, right? Still, he wondered what it would be like to touch her soft brown hair.
“Come on, dude,” he said to himself, hopping up out of his bed. He slid on some moccasins and sat on the front porch of the small cabin that he currently didn’t share with anyone. The other bedroom had been empty for months; it was like having his own place. He liked that. He didn’t make a good roommate. Trey wasn’t that social.
He took a seat in the heavy wooden rocker on the porch. It had gotten dark out; people were leaving the dining hall and making their way back to their bunks. He didn’t see Uncle Robert. He leaned up and didn’t see his uncle’s truck or his side-by-side. That wasn’t good. He’d go visit him tomorrow and make sure he was doing alright, without letting on what he knew. No way did he want to
tick off Aunt Nancy or embarrass his uncle.
He closed his eyes and leaned back in the rocker thinking about happier days with his parents and brother. Trey thought about the time he’d made the first solo ride to Painted Rock. He hadn’t told a soul that he was going, and his mother was livid when he came easing back on Big Sally, his father’s horse. His father didn’t punish him for taking the ride but he did get it for taking his dad’s horse without permission. Trey had to muck out the barn by himself for that, but it had been worth it. He left the ranch feeling like a scared kid but rode back a man. Yes, it had been worth it, he mused. He hoped that someday, if he ever had a son, that his boy would have a similar experience.
“Penny for your thoughts?” It was Carissa, holding a wrapped sub sandwich and a big mug of iced tea.
“Dang, you surprised me.”
“You must be slacking, Trey Montgomery. Aunt Nancy told me to bring these to you. I think she missed seeing you tonight. Did I wear you out today?”
He accepted the food and drink and grinned. “I guess I’m getting old.”
“May I join you?”
“Yes, ma’am, have a seat.” Instead of taking the rocker next to him, Carissa sat on the stairs and leaned back onto her elbows, stretching her tanned legs out. She had cleaned up too and wore a white peasant blouse with loose black and white pants. Her long hair was still damp from her shower and he could smell the clean, floral scent. She smelled like something delicious.
“Your aunt and uncle are nice people. I especially like your aunt. I helped her wash up the dishes tonight; she tells me that your parents passed away? I’m sorry to hear that.”
Trey munched on his sandwich and nodded his head. “What can you do? Life goes on. I have a brother though, Chase, and those two, so I’m not alone.” He took a drink from his glass. Well, I guess the polite thing to do is ask her some questions in return.
“What about you? You said you’re sort of an orphan too. What happened to your parents?”
Captivated By A Cowboy (Canton County Cowboys 3) Page 4