Page 100 of My Heart Still Beats
Cole helps Ben onto one of the brown horses and then mounts his own. “All right! Let’s start with a gentle walk along the beach. Keep your reins relaxed and look around. The horses know what they’re doing. They won’t start galloping away. You’re perfectly safe.”
Without me doing anything, Hannibal follows Cole and his horse. His movement beneath me is unsettling for a moment, but I get used to the sway of his gait quickly. Once I’m comfortable, I look out at the ocean—at the turquoise hue near the shore that darkens to a mysterious navy near the horizon. A fresh breeze, along with the light mist of saltwater from the crashing waves, drifts over me. Hannibal’s mane flutters when the soft wind rustles through it.
Ben rides alongside me on his horse, Sunny. “Enjoying yourself?”
I can’t reply for a moment. Words aren’t adequate for what I’m feeling. I settle on, “Wow. Just…wow.”
“Is this really the first time you’ve been on a horse?” he asks.
“It is.”
“I think you’re a natural.” He smiles. “You move with the animal, as if you’re one.”
I glance over at him. He looks…uncomfortable. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Just a little bouncy for me.”
Cole looks over his shoulder. “We’re going to go into the water now. Are you both ready?”
“Yes!” I shriek.
Hannibal follows Cole and his horse to the shoreline, walking into the frothy waves.
“They love the ocean,” Cole shouts over the sounds of the water. “They may get a little playful. Keep a gentle grip on the reins and you’ll be just fine.”
Hannibal adjusts his steps as he walks in up to his knees. I tighten my grip on his reins for a moment but then ease up, determined to enjoy every minute of this outing that Ben planned just for me.
The water swirls around us, and I almost feel weightless, as if Hannibal were a mythical winged horse and we could fly over the vast Caribbean Sea, all the way to the horizon.
Serenity fills me, and I look over at Ben. He looks anything but serene, but I don’t laugh.
I simply gaze at him. At the man who planned something so special just for me.
The memories of my first communion that surfaced earlier are still there, but looking at the sheer magnificence of the natural world atop such a majestic creature puts things into perspective a bit.
And I feel okay.
I truly feel okay.
Chapter Thirty
Ben
When we returned to the resort, Tessa thanked me profusely and hugged me. Actually hugged me. It was quick, but it was still a hug. Then she excused herself to shower the horsy smell away and get ready for tonight—the big dinner with all of the attendees present is tonight.
From what I understand, the women had the same meal that we had last night—jerk chicken with all the sides. Tonight, the entrée is curried goat.
Yeah, goat.
With sides of rice and kidney beans cooked in coconut milk, callaloo—which looks like spinach and is sautéed with garlic, onions, tomatoes, and Scotch Bonnet peppers—and fried cornmeal dumplings that are called “festival” on the printed menu.
“Goat, Ben?” Braden says to me, holding out the menu while he takes a sip of bourbon. “Really?”
I grin. “When in Rome…”
He simply chuckles and walks away to join Skye, who’s with Betsy and Daniela.
Tessa stands by herself, nursing a sparkling water. She’s wearing a different black dress tonight and looks even sexier than last night.
