Colton Hale
After he finished eating, Colton slid back his chair. "If you're about done, I'll go get the horses saddled."
"Okay," Ellie answered. "I'll get my clothes rearranged so I can take a few things."
"Pack light. I don't like to overload the horses on the steeper terrain."
While Vinia cleaned up from their meal, Colton showed Ellie to the room that she would have used if they were staying at the main house. "Just grab warmer things." He started to turn away. "How long do you want to stay up there?"
She shrugged. "A week? Two?"
His brows rose. "Two weeks? How about we just play it by ear, because there is no way you can carry two weeks of clothes up there."
She stared at him with her blue eyes until he wanted to just pack everything she owned and carry it up himself. "I'll be frugal."
"I'll go get the horses ready." He paused at the door. "Don't worry about those idiots. I can keep you safe." She gave him a wane smile and started sorting through her suitcases.
He thought about the situation all the way to the barn. She seemed way too nervous about the photographers. Surely, she had to be used to them. She was a beautiful woman, and he had no doubt that the camera loved her. It didn't bother him to take her up to the cabin, but he was a little concerned about how she would react when they got there. There was literally nothing to do if she was used to being entertained. He remembered his mother saying she liked to take photographs, so she would at least have that to do.
Within the hour, they headed out to get on their way up the hill. With all the eyes on the front of the house, Colton took Ellie out the back and through a stand of trees to the barn, completely invisible to anyone watching from the road. Vinia had packed them an entire knapsack full of food that he carried on his back, and Ellie wore a similar one that contained her clothes. He had to give her credit that it wasn't even jam packed full of stuff. She had taken him quite seriously.
He handed her the reins of a sorrel mare. "This is Diva. She's gentle but an excellent trail rider."
"Diva, huh? Is that a dig at me?"
He laughed. "I hadn't thought about it, but now that you mention it."
He watched her contemplate the saddle and knew instantly that she didn't have a clue what she was doing. He walked up behind her and showed her where to put her foot. He gave her a boost to swing her up onto the horse's back.
"Sorry. I'm a little rusty."
He kept his comments to himself, even though he really wanted to call her out and make her admit it was her first time. Keeping in stride, he gave her some quick pointers and a short lesson on horseback riding without being obvious. She focused and caught on quick, and as they headed toward the woods, he relaxed that she wasn't going to get herself killed.
"Now, I just want to reiterate that where we're going is nothing more than camping out in the woods except with a cabin instead of a tent, and an outhouse instead of a tree. There are literally no amenities." He felt that she needed one last out just in case she didn't realize what she was getting herself into.
"I get it," she responded. "Very primitive living. I'm fine with that."
"No electricity, not any."
Her expression read annoyance, and he struggled not to laugh. "I understand."
"And no flushable toilet."
She pinned him with a glare. "I know what an outhouse is, Mr. Hale. And I'm well aware that there is no running water, internet, or cell towers. When I say it's okay and I'm good with it, I mean it."
He shrugged. "I always like to make sure our clients know what they're doing so they have the best experience possible."
"I'll have the best experience when we're away from the prying eyes sitting down by the road."
He held up his hand in surrender. "Yes, ma'am."
For the first part of the trail, he stayed behind Diva so he could keep an eye on Ellie. His own horse, Roscoe, wasn't happy because he was used to being in front, but Colton kept him reigned in. As he watched Ellie, he could see that was sophisticated and everything that would be expected of a Hollywood actress, but he was also seeing a softer side of her, one that was more in touch with who she really was versus what Hollywood wanted you to see.
She suddenly sat up straighter in the saddle and squealed as she pointed. Two white-tailed deer bounded off into the brush. Ellie slid down off the horse so quickly that he didn't even have time to react.
"What are you doing?"
She dug in a saddlebag. "I need my camera. I would have loved to have a photo of those deer."
