“I’ve already brushed you, George.” I scratched his forehead with my free hand, my mind wandering to our houseguest. “It’s been an odd couple of days with Grace in the house. I just don’t know how to act around her. One minute, she’s hot, and the next, she’s cold. Makes me nervous, and I’m not sure if it’s in a good way or not.”
I applied some pressure as I moved the body brush in large strokes along Gretchen’s back. She moved into it, signaling that she was thoroughly enjoying it.
“I don’t know. Maybe I’m just being silly. I know I fall too hard, too fast. It’s how I’ve always been, and it’s probably why my relationships always end. I know I’m not ready for anything—in more ways than one—but I also don’t think I can help myself.” I looked at George and then Gretchen. They turned out their ears and lowered their heads.
I set the brush down and grabbed two carrots from a bucket, holding them out. Gretchen and George bit at them. I like to think they were chewing on the words I had spoken, but I’m sure they were just chewing on carrots.
“There’s something special about Grace. Something different. I know she leaves in six days but maybe she doesn’t have to. She and I could get to know one another on a deeper level. She could be the girl of my dreams, and, what, I’m just gonna throw that away because time constraint, location, or not being completely ready? I think Grace is worth fighting for, worth risking it all for.”
After they finished chewing their carrots, I scratched both of their heads.
“You two got it easy. You live together. Built-in soulmates. Nothing like time or distance getting in your way.” I ran my hands down their muzzles.
“You talking to yourself, Calvin?” a voice called from behind the horses.
I craned my head to get a better look. Grace stood there dressed in Daisy Dukes, cowboy boots, and a blue tank top. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her lips were glossy. I hoped she hadn’t heard anything—surely she’d think I was a weirdo if she did.
“Not at all. Just talking to George and Gretchen,” I said with a tight smile.
Grace walked around them and grazed her hand along Gretchen’s coat.
“That’s cute.”
Sliding a thumb in the loop on my jeans, I ran a hand down George’s forehead and looked back at Grace. In that outfit, I would never have guessed she was from the city. She was fitting in real nice, almost like she was here all along. I actually couldn’t picture this place without her now.
“You wanna ride?” I asked.
Grace glanced at the horse and then at me. Her eyes were tight like she was worried. That was the only dead giveaway that she wasn’t from around here—the hesitation, the tension. She carried it inside of her.
I raised an eyebrow. “You said you never backed down from a challenge.”
She gave a forced nod. “Umm . . . yes.” It was almost robotic.
I smiled. “Don’t worry. I’ve got you.”
I’ll always have you.
15.
Grace
With one foot in the stirrup and one hand on the horn, Calvin hoisted me up on Gretchen. I straightened myself in the saddle, rocking side to side until I was somewhat comfortable—well, physically. There was nothing comforting about being six feet up in the air with nothing strapping you in. I made sure my shoes were firmly in each stirrup and inhaled deeply, holding it for a few seconds before letting it out. I didn’t like feeling like I wasn’t in control. My personality was Type double A, and right now, I was at the mercy of this thousand-pound horse.
“You all right?” Calvin glanced up at me.
I nodded but I’m sure the look on my face gave way to the fact that I was not all right. Calvin didn’t know it, but I had a slight fear of heights. You had no power when you were in the air. One slip and gravity would pull you to the ground. I sealed my nod with a smile just to reassure him.
He handed me the reins, and I held them tightly. Calvin put his foot in the stirrup on George, grabbed onto the saddle horn, and hoisted himself up, swinging his leg over in one fell swoop. He made it look easy.
“Hold the horn,” he reminded. Calvin had taught me all the parts of the saddle before I even got on the horse. He also made sure I got to know Gretchen through grooming before he saddled her up. He said it was important to establish a bond before you rode an animal. I grabbed the horn with one hand.
“You ready?” He smiled.
“Yeah.”
“Let’s go over some of the basics again. I’m applying light pressure with my left leg while pulling on the left rein to get him to turn,” he said. George turned to the left. “You try.”
I took another deep breath and did the same with Gretchen. She turned her head just like Calvin said she would.
“See. You got it.” He smiled proudly. “Now, how do you stop the horse?”
“Pull back on the reins and say woah.” I readjusted myself in the saddle.
“That’s right. Ready to start walking?”
I nodded.
“Hands soft on the reins. Apply some light pressure with both legs.”
I did what he said, and the horse started walking. Calvin got George to walk right beside Gretchen and me at a nice slow pace. I was fascinated by the idea of domesticating wild animals. They did as we said because we trained them to forget their nature, to disregard who they truly were. But nature can’t be erased. It’s always there, lying dormant, waiting for its turn to resurface. Even Siegfried and Roy couldn’t keep the tiger in the cage.
“How’s it feel?” Calvin sat tall on George, the reins in each of his hands.
“Better than I thought it would.”
“You look good on that horse, Grace.” He winked.
“You’re not so bad yourself.”
His cheeks flushed, and he pointed up ahead. “Let’s go down by the river.”
I nodded, and we walked slowly across the green pasture until we got down to the water. My thoughts rolled like the water babbling over the rocks.
It wasn’t so bad here. Actually, it was better than I thought it’d be, despite the few hiccups. And Calvin . . . well, he had been a good host. That hadn’t always been my experience with Airbnb.
“You never told me why you picked my ranch,” he said. “I know Dubois was, in a way, fate, but why me?”
I glanced at Calvin, trying to get a read on him, but his face was serious.
“Couple reasons, actually. I liked that it was secluded. You know I don’t have that in the city. And you seemed nice and attentive, a person I wouldn’t mind spending ten days with.” I smiled briefly and then refocused my attention on the horse and the path ahead of us.
“You got all that from my Airbnb profile?” He tilted his head.
“No. I got all that from social media. People basically put their diaries online for the whole world to see,” I said with a laugh.
“So, you researched me?”
“A little. It’s a dangerous world we live in, and I had to make sure you weren’t some creep or crazy person.”
He finally smiled back. “You’re smart, Grace. I like that about you.”
“Why’d you start doing Airbnb in the first place?” I asked. “Doesn’t the ranch keep you busy enough?”
“It does.” He nodded, continuing to keep George’s stride in-line with Gretchen’s.