The next day after breakfast, Mr. Walker had all the activities posted in the community room for guests to see. Sarah was reading over the list when another woman joined her, looking over her shoulder.
“’Horseback riding lesson -- Meet at the corral’. That sounds good to me, what do you think?”
Sarah looked back and smiled. “Yep. It does.”
She turned around as the woman stuck out her hand. She had shoulder length auburn hair and a big smile.
“Tess.”
“Sarah.” They shook hands. “Want to walk over now, Tess?”
“… I’m game if you are.”
They walked out of the ranch house with other guests going here and there. It seemed like a busy morning.
“Where are you from?”
“Phoenix, Arizona. How about you, Sarah?”
“Baltimore, Maryland.”
“Wow! You get the prize for coming the longest distance. Trying to escape, were you?”
Tess’s smile faded as she watched Sarah’s face fall. She reached out to touch her arm.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…”
Sarah shook her head. “… It’s okay. This is just all so new to me. I haven’t processed anything yet.”
“…Well, we have all day to goof around and find our footing. Ready?”
Sarah laughed at her attempts to jolly her. “You bet.”
They had reached the corral and a few of the cowboys were there to help with instruction. Sarah didn’t consciously mean to, but she looked around for Matt – He wasn’t there. Richie and Tyler were, however, and eagerly walked over to see if they could be of some help to two lovely ladies.
“Mornin’,” said Richie tipping his hat at them. Tyler did likewise.
“Good morning,” said Tess. “We’re ready for our riding lesson, aren’t we, Sarah?” She winked at Sarah like she was on to something…
Sarah smiled and nodded.
“Sarah and….”
“… Tess.”
“Nice to meet you. We’re Richie and Tyler. Tyler’s too shy to speak with women, so I do all the talking.”
Tyler blushed. “Oh, ha, Richie…” They laughed at Richie’s joke.
“Have either of you ridden before?”
“Not much…” They both replied.
“Okay, we’ll start you off easy.” He turned to Tyler. “Can you go get the horses?” Tyler nodded and left for the barn.
Richie turned back to Sarah and Tess. “If you’ll excuse me a minute, I probably need to help him. We’ll be right back.”
Tess immediately turned to Sarah. Looking from side to side, she whispered conspiratorially, “Okay, which one do you like? Personally, I like the quiet, blonde Tyler with the neat mustache, but I’ll take the talkative Richie with the sexy brown eyes, if you insist.”
Smiling, Sarah said, “Take your pick. I’m not choosy.”
“Okay, then I get Tyler.”
“He’s all yours, Tess.”
“Good luck with Richie. I bet he never shuts up.” Which made Sarah double up with laughter. Tess glanced toward the barn. “Shhh,” she said. “They’re coming back…”
Sarah was now trying not to smile when the cowboys had returned with two saddled horses. Richie smiled back, thinking she was happy to see him.
He brought a Palomino out to Sarah, all saddled and ready to go. Tyler brought a bay with white feet out to Tess. Richie began the instruction.
“All right, ladies, take the reins in your left hand and the back of the saddle with your right.” The cowboys watched as Sarah and Tess did as instructed.
“Place your left foot in the stirrup, pull yourself up and swing your leg over the horse’s hindquarters.” When they’d mounted their horses, Tyler took over instruction.
“Drop your right foot in the stirrup.” Richie helped Sarah put her leg in the stirrup, while Tyler helped Tess.
“Now,” said Richie, “pull up the reins. They’re your steering wheel of the horse. To turn him left, pull the reins lightly to the left… Same with the right. Okay, so far?”
“Sit up tall, ladies, so you don’t feel like you’re falling one way or the other,” added Tyler.
“Now squeeze at the heels and communicate with the horse to walk forward,” said Richie.
Sarah and Tess were walking their horses now. After they looked comfortable with walking, Richie gave them new instruction.
“Okay, now squeeze again with both heels to get the horse to trot.” They tried that for a while and trotted around the corral several times.
“Eyes and chins up, ladies…Posture’s important,” smiled Richie. Up went their chins and eyes. Sarah glanced over at Tess, who looked like she’d been born to ride.
“Press your outside heel only now and let’s kick the trot up a notch.” Tyler looked over at Richie and gave him a thumbs-up when both girls opened their horses to a fair gallop. They went around several times and started to enjoy themselves.
“Great, ladies. Are you up for a ride out in the open country now?”
Sarah spoke up. “Could I get a few things before we head out?”
“Absolutely,” said Richie. “Go get a bottle of water and whatever else. You can put things in the saddlebags.” He caught Sarah’s horse and held it while she dismounted. Tyler helped Tess dismount. They hurried out of the corral towards the ranch house.
“Can you get the water, Tess? I’ll be right back,” said Sarah breathlessly. She was in a hurry – This was fun and when was the last time she’d had some fun… Matt watched her run into the ranch house. He was by the barn saddling a horse for another guest. Taking his time, he curiously watched her dash back out in just a few minutes, almost bumping into the other gal getting a lesson with her.
What in the world was she showing her? From his vantage point, Matt thought it looked like a horseshoe. Why on God’s green earth would she have a horseshoe? Dan. He immediately thought of their driver. Dan gave out horseshoes on very rare occasions when he really liked a guest, usually female.
Sarah smiled at Tess while talking and turning the horseshoe with its ends up. Dan had probably told her that it would bring her good luck. Matt smiled… She must be a sweetie for Dan to be so attentive. It was, indeed, a good sign. He decided to check with Richie when they came back for his take on Sarah.
Then he shook his head. What for? It’s not like he was interested in her or anything. Matt turned back to the guest he was helping and thought no more about it.
The cowboys and their guests had been riding out in the beautiful countryside for more than an hour. They weren’t that far from the ranch house property and everyone was doing fine. The valley they were in gave rise to sloping hills and mountains beyond. After recent rains, the cattle they passed were happily munching the sweet grass. Sarah looked over in a direction Richie pointed to see wildflowers blooming far across the land. They soon were riding in huge patches of yellow and white flowers. She’d never seen anything like it.
She shielded her eyes to look up in the blazing sky as a hawk flew overhead silently stalking some prey. She’d read about sage grouse and was eager to see that beautiful bird somewhere around the sagebrush. Sarah thought she might ask Richie about it later.
In the midst of the meadow, Tyler pointed out a stream where they could stop and rest their horses – Let them drink… Richie dismounted and helped Sarah down, while Tyler helped Tess.
“You ladies ought to sign up for the horse drive coming up,” said Richie.
He plopped down by the stream to get a sip.
Sarah got her bottle of water out of her saddlebag, touching the horseshoe as she did so. “What exactly is a horse drive?” Tess sat down by Richie to hear this as well.
“Well, we drive a herd through open range to their seasonal pastures. It’s fun…” Richie smiled at them.
“How many days is it?” asked Tess taking a sip of her water.
“… Three days and night
s,” added Tyler. “So if you’re here for a week, there’s two days up front and two days when we get back. Works out well.” He nodded at them.
Tess looked at Sarah. “What do you think?”
“I’m game if you are,” laughed Sarah. “Didn’t we come out here for a Western experience?”
“A horse or cattle drive is about as Western as you can get,” said Richie.
“You’ll love it…”
They sat and chatted companionably for a while and then Richie looked up in the sky.
“It’s getting close to lunch. We should head back. Dale will be upset with us if you miss lunch.” Richie got on his feet and helped Sarah up, while Tyler helped Tess.
“…Dale?” asked Tess.
“He’s our cook and a damn good one.”
“What sorts of things does he make?” asked Sarah.
“Nope,” said Richie helping her mount her horse. “Let it be a surprise.”
Sarah raised an eyebrow.
Tyler continued, “He’s really great and all the way out here from the big city…”
“Okay, I’m starved,” said Tess. “Let’s go get some chow.”
“There you go,” said Richie. “Now you’re talkin’ Western.”
They rode back to the ranch house, back to the big corral. After dismounting, Tyler and Richie tipped their hats at Sarah and Tess, who smiled back, and took the horses into the barn. It had been a terrific morning.
But where’s the chow line? They were starving and ready to see what feast Dale was serving up for lunch.
* * *
CHAPTER TEN