Looking at the shiny black stallion, Jade said, “I think he’s a ten.”
“In temperament,” Chase clarified. “He’s an American Quarter Horse and registered as ‘hot-blooded’.” Looking over the top of his sunglasses at her, Chase flashed her that cocky grin. “Stallions can be a challenge for an inexperienced rider.”
“Can they, now?” Jade casually arched a brow as tingles erupted up and down her spine. “What about the mare? Jubilee, is it?”
“Maybe Jubilee,” Chase said as to the name and patted the mare’s snowy mane. “She’s a three in temperament. She’s an American Quarter Horse, too.”
“So she might surprise the rider who underestimates her?”
“Only a rider who doesn’t know what they’re doing.” Chase folded powerful arms over his broad chest, and a muscle worked in his jaw. “Since you can ride, you can handle it. Right?”
Dear God, help me, Jade silently prayed. “Right.”
“Look, I gotta tell ya, as cute as you look,” Chase tilted his head and pointed as he continued, “you’re likely to get too much sun in that green tank top, your white jeans will be dirty by the end of the ride, and sandals are not the best footwear for riding a horse.”
Did Chase think she was cute? Before Jade could collect her thoughts enough to reply, Chloe burst out of the front door with a gift bag.
“Wait! Jade, I almost forgot!” Chloe said, hurrying forward she handed Jade the bag. “I always give my guests a small gift. But you sounded so nice on the phone, and since it’s your birthday today, I splurged.”
“How did you know?” Jade blushed, overwhelmed by her generosity.
“I hope you don’t mind. I saw your date of birth on your driver’s license, which you provided for identification on the reservation for your stay here.”
“Oh, of course.” Jade felt a choke in her throat at Chloe’s thoughtfulness and generosity. “Thank you so much, Chloe.”
“Try it on,” Chloe said.
Jade pulled a buckskin cowboy hat out of the bag. She put the hat on, adjusted it a bit and, hiking up her shoulders, smiled. As Chloe clapped, Rachel came onto the white-and-yellow porch and placed a hand over her heart.
“Picture-perfect, Jade,” Rachel called.
“Like a real cowgirl,” Chloe said.
“I love it,” Jade said and noticed a tag dangling off the hat.
“Chase, cut the tag off so she doesn’t look like Minnie Pearl,” Rachel called.
“Who?” Jade asked.
“Minnie Pearl was onHee Haw, an old TV show Coop still watches when he’s not watching a John Wayne Western.” Chase chuckled as he pulled a knife out of his pocket and sliced off the tag. “Minnie Pearl always has a price tag dangling off her hat.”
“That wasn’t the price tag, was it?” Chloe asked and laughed.
“No,” Chase said, looking at the tag. “Says the hat was made by Stetson and the color is buttercup.”
“Thank you again, Chloe,” Jade said and gave her an impulsive hug.
“You’re welcome,” Chloe replied, hugging her back and taking the bag for her.
“Awright, let’s go,” Chase said. “Can you saddle up on your own?”
“We’ll see,” Jade mumbled and put on her sunglasses.
Not taking the reins Chase held out to her, Jade focused on getting her foot in the stirrup. She missed it completely on her first try. The second time, her sandal slipped all the way through it. The mare snorted. On the third try, with effort, Jade planted her foot in the stirrup. She slung herself into the saddle with such determination she slid halfway off the opposite side. Chase grabbed her left knee just as she lucked into finding the other stirrup with her toes. Jade righted herself in the saddle as Chase grimaced. Making no comment, he handed her the reins again.
That must have been quite the cringeworthy spectacle, Jade thought. Torn between crying and laughing, she settled for profound relief that, by some miracle, neither she nor her new cowboy hat had plummeted to the ground. After Chase had expertly mounted Valor, he made a clicking noise and touched his boots to the horse. Jade did the same with her horse.
“She needs boots, Chase,” Chloe called after them.
