Page 53 of Stables Spurs Suits
“That’s your one,” I say, pointing to the ground roll, and he laughs.
“Possession is nine-tenths of the law around these parts,” he chuckles, and he pulls out the saved roll and takes a big bite, the sticky coating clinging to the scruff above his lips.
I pick up the ground roll and try to brush off the dirt, but it just smears further.
“Here, we can share,” he says, ripping what’s left of his one into two and passing me the bigger half.
“Do you think Loki would like a cinnamon roll?” I ask as I drop the inedible one into the brown bag and brush my hands against my denim jeans before taking the half Atlas is still holding out.
“That horse doesn’t need more sugar.”
“But horses love sugar, don’t they? Or is that cows?”
“It’s both. Cows even more than horses, actually.”
“Cool, we can give it to Miss Moo then, or Miss Milky. Which one is the momma?”
“Miss Milky.”
“Right. And they give you a hard time about what you name the horses,” I laugh, and Atlas turns serious.
“All the horses have great names,” he declares.
“I know. I agree, I wasn’t the one—“
“Who doesn’t like the horses’ names?”
“No one. I mean, the guys were just saying, like with the new ones coming in, you would be disappointed you wouldn’t get to name them more Marvel character names.”
“Oh, you name one horse Loki, and suddenly everyone thinks you’re obsessed,” he says, shoving the last of his portion of roll into his mouth and turning to head toward the stables. I follow close behind.
“There is also a Thor as well, and a Scarlett?”
“Scarlett was named before they cast Black Widow; that one’s a complete coincidence.”
“Sure it is,” I say, but I don’t entirely believe him.
“Just cause they came up with the whole vote on the names for the rest of the ranch residents doesn’t mean I have to play along.”
“They vote?”
“Yeah, how do you think the little pygmy goat got the name Cuddles?”
“I thought Poppy must have named him, to be honest.”
“Nope, that was all of us. The thing wouldn’t leave Dean’s arms the whole first week he was here.”
“Aww, that’s sweet.”
He glances back at me with a small smile on his lips.
“What would you name the new foal if you could pick a name?” The second of the foals was born yesterday in a far less eventful labor.
“You’re asking me?”
He turns and walks backward like it’s the easiest thing in the world. I’d be on my ass in three steps.
“I don’t know. What’s she like?”
