The wrangler took off his hat and scratched his head.“Got a slight problem.We weren’t expecting a last-minute addition to your party.All the rest of our horses are already out for the day with other guests, and your buddies got the last of our trail horses.Only one left is that one.”He nodded behind him.
Candace followed his gaze, noticing for the first time the diminutive animal standing half-asleep in the shadows the barn cast in the far corner of the corral.
Ryan did a double-take.“Wait,that?”
“That,” the man confirmed.
“What the hell is it?A donkey?”
The wrangler’s mouth twitched at the same time as chuckles broke out from the rest of the group watching.“That there’s Poncho.Half American mammoth donkey, half Icelandic horse.”
Ryan stepped closer, an expression of disbelief on his face, and Candace bit her lip to hold in a giggle.“I’m supposed to ride that?Up there?”He jerked his chin toward the distant mountains.
“’Fraid so.He’s all we got left.”
Scowling, Ryan stepped up to the corral fence and eyed the weird-looking animal dubiously, already shaking his head.“I weigh two-twenty, and it’s what—a four-hour ride to the ATV pickup point?”
“Closer to five.On him, maybe more like six.Not a problem about the weight.Poncho can handle you, but we’ll have to divide your gear amongst the other horses, just to be safe.”
Ryan turned his head to shoot Candace his trademarkare-you-fucking-kidding-melook she recognized well, and everyone started to laugh.His mouth tightened.“Fine, whatever.”He stuck a hand over the fence.“C’mere, Poncho.”
“Yeah, he’s not gonna come when called,” the wrangler drawled, nimbly hopping the fence and walking over to retrieve the animal by the halter on its head.“And you’ll find he’s pretty set in his ways, too.Real stubborn.”
“Ryan’s the same way, so I’m sure they’ll get along fine,” Candace called out.Maya snickered and Wade looked like he was struggling not to burst into laughter.
After some grumbling and signing the mandatory waiver, Ryan waited while the man saddled Poncho and brought him over.Candace slapped him on the back.“Have a good time, honey!”
He shot her a dark look and bent to accept the kiss she offered.“Yeah.Real good time.”
“Well, better than the little donkey you rode in Afghanistan that time, right?”
He grunted, looking none too impressed by the turn of events.When he strode over to take Poncho—who stood with his eyes closed and his long ears sticking out sideways from his head—from the wrangler, the top of the animal’s back only came up to Ryan’s waist.“How’s this gonna work?”he demanded, scowling again.
The wrangler grabbed hold of the stirrup.“Well, you put your left foot in this stirrup here?—”
“Yeah, I got it.”Jaw tight, Ryan grabbed the saddle horn, put his foot in the stirrup and hoisted himself onto the horse, his long legs damn near touching the ground.
“We’ll have to adjust the stirrups some,” the wrangler mumbled, and went to work shortening them.
Ryan looked so ridiculous on his mount that Candace couldn’t keep from laughing.She whipped out her phone to snap pictures.
“Hey, he’s a low rider,” Wade commented, already mounted on his own horse, which towered head and shoulders over poor Poncho.Of the group, he and Jackson were the natural cowboys.Both of them had grown up riding.
“Fuck off,” Ryan grumbled, and shifted in the saddle.Poncho didn’t so much as open his eyes, his lower lip sagging open as he carried on sleeping, standing up.
“Y’all ready?”Wade called out, checking the others behind him.
“Yep, good to go.”
Wade winked at Erin.“See you in a couple days, baby.”
“Have fun,” she called back.
“I’m already having fun,” he said, smirking at Ryan.
Ignoring him, Ryan let his inner clown out and hammed it up for Candace, tipping his hat at her as she recorded some video.God, he was adorable.“Later, little lady.Come on, Poncho.Let’s ride.”He nudged his heels into the animal’s sides.Poncho jerked but didn’t open his eyes.
“Sometimes he’s a slow starter,” the wrangler said, and hurried over to slap Poncho’s rear with a loudthwack.Poncho’s eyes flew open, his ears went back, and he shot off in the opposite direction Wade had gone.
