Page 69 of The Only Seconds that Matter
Victor climbed back into the truck, and his closing of the door jolted Jade awake.She blinked a few times, straightening and rubbing her eyes.
“What’d I miss?”
“Whole lotta nothing,” Victor replied.“We’ll be there in forty-five minutes.”
“What are you smiling about?”she asked, eyebrows raised.
“Just thinking of a funny quote from a movie,” Victor said.“Now put your seatbelt on.”
* * *
The first few hours after arrival were a flurry of activity, between getting signed in, doing paperwork, wandering around the horse barn in search of their assigned stalls before walking back to the trailer to start bringing everything inside.Thankfully all the horses were veterans at this by now, and no one put up a fuss, settling down immediately in the stalls once Victor and Jade put down some bedding and strung up hay nets.Victor was removing Blitz’s tail bag and undoing his tail braid when he spotted Taylor looking at him through the bars of the stall.
“Hey there, cowgirl,” Victor greeted with a smile.“Get in here and groom your horse.”
Taylor didn’t need to be told twice.She jumped at the opportunity, digging through the grooming box for a brush before ducking into the stall to start brushing Blitz’s already spotless coat.Victor had given him a bath before coming, though of course he’d done Victor the favor of shitting against the trailer divider and rubbing his buttcheek all through it, so now he had a manure stain on his hide that Victor had to deal with.
Johnny hung around the stall door, looking a bit sheepish.They hadn’t spoken in the several days since their encounter in the parking lot.Victor was still mad at him, but he also knew how to keep things professional, so he greeted Johnny with a nod and a “how was the drive”, to which Johnny responded with appropriate vagueness.Thankfully Jade called his name, so he had to go to the next stall to attend to Jade’s horse, leaving Johnny standing in the hallway.When he and Jade concluded the small cut on her horse’s left hock was nothing serious, Johnny had already vanished, and when Victor asked Taylor where he’d gone, she shrugged.Typical.
CHAPTER 20
Victor could have decided to live out of the horse trailer for a few days, but there were no sewage hookups, so he decided to spend the money for a hotel room across the street from the complex.Jade was staying with a family member in the suburbs, and while she’d offered Victor a room if he wanted it, he didn’t want to be a thirty-minute drive from the barn.He also liked his privacy.This especially came in handy after he settled down for the night and turned to Grindr to occupy his time.
How long have you been on T?Sebastian had asked hours ago, back when Victor had still been occupied with the horses.
About ten years now, Victor replied.
Sebastian’s response was near immediate.Damn.Long timer.I just started six months ago.
How has it been for you thus far?Victor typed back.
Wild.It’s been a whirlwind, but it feels so good.For the longest time I told myself I couldn’t be trans because I liked girly stuff too much, but I figure normal cis women aren’t excited about growing hair on their chest.
Yeah, I read a lot of stories about kids who insisted they were boys from the minute they could speak, and that was never me.I can’t say I was happy growing up as a girl but I didn’t even like hanging out with boys.I thought they were too stupid.
Theyarestupid,Sebastian replied with a laughing emoji.
God don’t I know, Victor responded, thinking about Johnny even though he’d promised himself he wouldn’t.
I’m kind of surprised you weren’t a man’s man.I haven’t met you, but you look very butch in your photos.Sebastian followed this with a winky face emoji.
Ask me to kill a spider and you may change your mind.
Sebastian replied with a string of laughing emojis.Victor smiled, wishing he didn’t feel so exhausted.But he was starting to nod off, even though this conversation was one he was excited to have after so many months of painfully dull interactions with down low men wanting a quick hook-up.
I can’t wait to meet you,Sebastian wrote after a few minutes.It’s been so boring and lonely in this apartment by myself.Are you an extrovert or introvert?I’m an extrovert, but that’s the NYC boy in me.
Introvert,Victor typed, then followed with,Not to be rude, but I gotta go.I am falling asleep because I’ve been up since four this morning.
Oh no!Go to bed, cutie.I’ll still be here tomorrow.;)
Victor snorted and put the phone on the nightstand next to him.What a funny character.He’d probably be too much for Victor, but Victor still couldn’t wait to meet him.It was nice to feel wanted for once.
* * *
Taylor’s class was the next day, so Victor met her in front of Blitz’s stall at 9 AM to go over the pattern she had to ride.She wore a starched white shirt tucked into a pair of jeans, and while Jade hair sprayed and plaited her hair, Victor helped her step into a pair of brown chaps that he kept around for students.Johnny had lent her one of his rodeo belt buckles, which looked even bigger when affixed to her waist.Judging by her pursed lips and puckered brow, Victor could tell she was nervous.As Johnny tacked up Blitz, Victor grasped both of Taylor’s shoulders and leaned down to look her in the eye.
“You know you can do this, right?”he asked.“You’re an incredible rider, and you could ride this sort of thing backwards with your eyes closed.”
