Page 25 of A Bittersweet Summer

Eighty degrees is pretty hot for the end of April, but Ohio does what it likes. The humidity certainly makes it feel worse.

Mocha steps away from me, nosing the top of the stall in anticipation.

“Now wait,” Cassidy warns. “We don’t want him biting people at the door, so let’s open this and go in first. Hold that carrot firm and use your big girl voice. We need that pony to know we are boss.”

The girl giggles as the latches click and the stall door slides open. I hold Mocha by the halter, keeping the saddle resting on my opposite hip. With a bit of pressure, I force him to be respectful to the little girl in front of us. He tosses his head once in protest.

“Flat hand,” Cassidy says. “Go ahead.”

The little girl, Willa, holds her hand out, giggling when Mocha’s lips tickle her palm. When Cass giggles too, I smile—something I’ve been doing a lot of lately.

“And that’s it!” Cass says. “Mr. Miller and I will take care of the tack since the lesson ran late, but be ready to groom your pony next week!”

Willa says something to Cassidy and skips off towards her mother.

I catch myself staring, and when Cass turns to me, her brows crease—just slightly.

“What?” she asks.

An idea comes to mind—a crazy one. I don’t take time to second-guess it. I’ve been so tense lately, and Cass’s help today really made a difference. Not only that, she seems to enjoy the lessons immensely. Scarlett never had the patience for riders under the age of fourteen.

It was unfortunate, really. A love of horses often shows up before then. It’s one of the reasons we welcome young kids here for lessons. I like that I get to nurture that love for the sport. It’s one of the things my parents did right when I was growing up. Roe and I used to ride all the time.

And just like Cass said, she missed it; I do too.

“Do you want to ride?” I ask, watching as her whole face brightens, sunshine bursting in the dim and dusty stall.

“You’re serious?” she says, and I can hear the excitement in her tone.

“You said you haven’t ridden in a long time. I don’t get to often, and I figured it would be nice to get a break for a bit.” I swallow, a bit uncertain. “Plus it’s such a… lovely day.”

She frowns, the brow crease deepening. “Wes, it’s eighty degrees today with no less than one-hundred percent humidity. I wouldn’t call that lovely at all. Ohio has launched us from a cool spring right onto Satan’s front porch.”

I run my tongue over my teeth, trying to keep the secret in. I have the perfect plan for dealing with the unbearable heat. “You have a change of clothes?” I ask, increasing her confusion.

“No,” she says. “Most of my stuff is in boxes ready to be moved tonight.”

Mocha nudges my leg with his nose, and I gently push him away. Damn horse begging for more treats.

When I lift the ballcap off my head and spin it around before placing it back on my head, I can feel how wet it is beneath, confirming today would be the perfect day for a swim in the pond.

“I probably have something you could use,” I say. “Who is your favorite lesson horse you’ve met so far?”

“Decorated.” Her answer is instantaneous. “Easy.”

“Alright.” I’m getting a real kick out of keeping her in the dark, here. Cassidy bounces on the balls of her feet in anticipation, her eyes flitting to Deco’s stall and back to me. “Deco and Intrepid stay in,” I say. “Let’s get the rest of the herd outside.”

Nine

Cassidy

At over sixteen hands, Decorated proves to be an absolute powerhouse of a horse.

Butterflies dance in my stomach as I sit on the horse's back, riding next to Wes over the gravel driveway.

I still have no idea as to what we are actually doing. All I know is that I mentioned wanting to ride, and within a few hours, I found myself atop what has become one of my favorite horses in the barn.

That first week I worked here, I found a quiet moment to eat my lunch next to the fenceline. Deco quickly trotted up, nosey and curious. Since then, he’s always been there whenever I decide to eat somewhere other than the office.