I walked into the stables and took a good look around. Taking in a deep breath, I smiled.
“Any man who draws in that deep of a breath must either work with horses, or really love them.”
Turning, I smiled at the young blonde woman standing in the doorway of the stables. She for sure must work at the stables. She had on dusty jeans, boots that had seen a better day, and work gloves were sticking out of her back pocket.
“I guess you could say both,” I answered.
Her face lit up with a wider smile. “I was hoping you’d say that. Is there something I can help you with?”
I shook my head. “Nah, just snuck down here to see if I could get a jump on picking out a horse.”
“Ah, you must be going on the group trail ride. I’m Kris, I’ll be one of the guides.”
I tipped my hat. “Yes, ma’am I am in that group. So tell me, Kris, which one would you put a five-year-old on?”
She frowned. “I didn’t see where there was going to be any young children on this ride.”
I laughed. “There isn’t, well unless you include Josh; he acts like he’s five.”
Giggling, she walked over to a stall. “This here is Peppermint. She’s a very sweet and timid girl. Likes to lead the pack and set the pace which is usually a very slow pace.”
My hand ran along her neck where she treated me with a couple of head bobs. “She’s perfect.”
The young lady leaned against the stall. I couldn’t help but notice how she let her eyes roam over my body. “Excuse me for saying this, but you don’t seem like the type of guy who needs a gentle horse. You look built to ride. Hard.”
Well, all right then. She got right to the point and so will I.
“I wasn’t looking for a horse for me, but for my wife who is pregnant. She’s been on horses her whole life, but she has fallen and lost a baby before, so I want to make sure she is safe.”
The girl’s cheeks blushed. “I’m so sorry … about the baby and even more for my shameless flirting.”
I lifted my hands. “It’s all good.”
“I’m really embarrassed. But in my defense, you’re not a bad looking guy and it’s early in the morning. We’ll use that as my excuse.”
Laughing, I shook my head and focused back on Peppermint.
“Is this your first?”
I motioned to go into the stall. “Yes, please go on in. She’ll love the attention.”
“To answer your question, this will be our second child. We have an eleven-month-old little boy. Luke is his name.
“How adorable. I love that name.”
I lifted up each leg on Peppermint and checked out her shoes.
Kris walked up to Peppermint’s stall. “I promise your wife is going to be safe. She’s the best horse we’ve got.”
“So this is where you snuck off to, huh?”
Peeking up, I saw Ari and Ellie standing there. “Hey, just thought I would come down and see the horses.”
Ari narrowed her eyes at me. “Uh-huh. Have you personally checked each shoe on every horse in here?”
Kris laughed. “He was asking about a horse for you to ride.”
The second Ari’s hands went to her hips, I knew I was in for it.
“Jeff Johnson. I’ve been riding horses since I was little. I don’t need you treating me like I’m a piece of glass.”
Kris took a few steps back as she looked between Ari and me. “I think I’ll go ahead and start getting ready for the ride.”
“Ari, I’m not treating you like a piece of glass. I love you and I love our baby. I’m being careful. That’s all.”
The stern look on her face instantly melted away. Making her way into the stall, she kissed me tenderly before giving Peppermint attention.
“She is a beautiful girl, isn’t she?” Ari said with a wide grin.
Peppermint bobbed her head, causing all of us to laugh.
“Smart too,” Ellie said.
“If y’all want to help round up the horses, I won’t say no to the help. We’re two people down today.”
“I’d love to help,” Ellie answered as she walked over to Kris.
Ari quickly gave Peppermint a kiss on the nose, turned and said, “Count us in too.”
We’d been out on the trail for over an hour, and I was pretty sure each of us was in heaven. There was nothing like being on the back of horse and seeing some beautiful Texas country. I could ride all damn day and look at this country side.
Kris rode up front with Ari and Peppermint, while Tripp, the other guide, brought up the rear. He and Gunner instantly hit it off. Tripp had grown up on a cattle ranch in Leakey, Texas. He was helping out the owners of the stables for a few weekends until their son recovered from a bull riding accident.
“You say you have a ranch in Mason?” Tripp asked.
Gunner smiled. “Yes, sir. Been in my family since my great-great-granddaddy.”
Tripp nodded. “My family’s been raising Longhorns in Leakey since 1884. My dad got eighty thousand for a cow at auction last year.”
“Holy shit,” Gunner and I both said at once.
Laughing, Tripp took off his hat and wiped his brow before placing it back on. “Elite genetics, gentleman. My great-great-granddad knew what he was doing. We’ve got some Black Angus and Herefords as well. But mostly Longhorns.”
Ellie let out a very loud groan before turning back to Gunner. “I know you could talk cattle all day, Gunner, but can we leave the shop talk out please. I just want to enjoy what’s around us.”
Gunner gave my sister a wide smile. “No more shop talk.” He rode his horse alongside Ellie and they moved slightly away from the rest of us.
“Y’all are a great group of people. Been friends for a while?” Tripp asked.
I glanced around at everyone. Ari and Kris were lost in a conversation as were Josh and Heather.
“I’ve known Gunner and Josh since college. The girls have known each other longer.”
“Wow, and you all ended up together as couples? That’s pretty cool.”
Focusing back on Tripp, I grinned. The kid couldn’t have been but eighteen years old. “It is cool. For a while, it didn’t look like we would all end up together like we did, but in the end … love won.”
Tripp’s mouth rose into a wide smile. “I think that’s pretty damn cool. It’s also great to see y’all out here, enjoying some time together.”
I nodded as I looked out over my friends again.
“Yeah. It is pretty damn cool.”