Read The Shoes Come First: A Jennifer Cloud Novel Page 23

Chapter 8

  The term “down at the end of the road” was putting it lightly in my opinion. We had already walked at least a mile with no conversation and no sign of a house. Caiyan’s horse decided he needed to relieve himself, and Gertie and I were hopping over giant mounds of horse turds.

  “How does one horse poop so much?” Gertie asked.

  “Good grass, I guess,” I replied, giving Gertie a palms up.

  “Where are we going?” I asked, moving up front to walk with Caiyan.

  “Well, since there are now three of us, I need to get another horse.” This was again spoken in perfect Texan.

  “What happened to the Scottish accent?” I questioned.

  “I’m practicing. If you want to blend in, it is imperative you speak like the natives or as close as possible.” He shrugged. “I assumed you knew this based on your stellar performance last time we met.”

  I cringed. “So are you really from Scotland?”

  “Aye, lassie. Glasgow.”

  “Are you from the past?” Gertie inquired from behind us.

  “No. We are from the same time.”

  “What a relief!” Gertie responded. “I would have hated for Jen to shack up with a really old dude.”

  I stopped in my tracks.

  “Oops,” Gertie said.

  Caiyan lifted an eyebrow and eyed me with slight curiosity but proceeded on. We continued walking, leaving the town behind us.

  “Why am I dressed like Laura Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie, but you get to be Bonnie and Clyde?” Gertie complained.

  “The vessel determines your state of dress,” Caiyan said.

  “Well, I think I would have been a better Bonnie; Jennifer is all about style, and she wouldn’t be caught dead in those boots.”

  She was right; so far the “vessel” hadn’t a clue about my shoe preference. The first time it had given me ugly loafers and now, dull, brown, round-toed cowboy boots with fringe down the sides. I envisioned buying my feet a new pair of Christian Louboutin pumps when I returned. The reality was it would use up my entire savings, but it was a nice daydream.

  The road veered to the right, but Caiyan took a shortcut through the trees. The path narrowed and forced us into a single-file line. There was barely enough room for the horse to maneuver. I stayed in the front so I could speak to Caiyan. The horse followed, and Gertie brought up the rear.

  “How long have you been here?” I asked Caiyan.

  “I arrived yesterday.”

  “Where did you get your horse, or did you ride him back in time?” I asked sarcastically.

  “I won him in a card game last night while I was scouting for brigand,” Caiyan said, stroking the handsome beast on the neck.

  “What’s his name?” I asked.

  “Dan.”

  “What kind of horse name is that?” Gertie asked. “He should have a name like Trigger or Silver.”

  I swear that horse lifted his tail, let out a big fart, and smiled.

  “I think he heard you,” Caiyan replied with a grin.