‘Just a bit of fun,’ I lied, desperate to not talk about it, think about him, for a few minutes.
She chuckled as we approached the first stall, a small, pale grey pony popping its head over the top.
‘Well, I’m sure I’m not the first to warn you, but bull riders and cowboys . . . they’ve got a rep for a reason, you know? Fun’s one thing – and good for you – but there’s always a queue of women behind those guys. Especially him, right?’
The pony nudged her hand, rewarded when she pulled a couple of mint sweets from her pocket.
‘Right,’ I admitted – then, not able to help myself, added, ‘But Jesse isn’t like that, not really.’
She raised an eyebrow as I stroked the pony’s nose.
‘Come on now, neither of us are naive country girls who’ve never left the Midwest,’ she countered. ‘Men are all the same. They’re all magpies, after the next new shiny object.’ She held up her hands as I frowned. ‘I’m not being a bitch, I’m just saying what I’ve experienced. And you are one hell of a shiny object.’
I knew what she was saying. There was a complete lack of malice in her tone.
‘Yeah, you’re probably right,’ I sighed.
‘I’m just saying, from one city girl to another, if you want to stay here, make it something for you. It’s an adjustment, for sure. Took me the best part of a couple of years to settle in. Dee says you’re a tattoo artist? There’s a great creative community here.’
‘Yeah, met a few people at the Jackson Collective,’ I replied. ‘Everyone’s been really welcoming.’
‘And now you’ve got yourself a horse, too?’ she asked, sharing more mints with the next horse down. ‘Bailey told me about the sale. Fucking assholes. Tell me about Luci, then. She not gonna cut it as a ranch horse?’
I explained that she wasn’t broken in, that the thought of taking her to another horse sale to sell her on again was more than I could bear now I was going back home.
She considered it, leaning on the stall door.
‘Well, I only usually take them in when there’s nowhere else to turn, otherwise I’d end up with twice as many as I have now. But Bailey rates her, tells me she’s got a sweet nature despite the rough start. So why don’t I take her on for a while? I’ve been wanting to show Addie how to work with young horses, so maybe we can see if we can get Luci into ranch shape? That way, if you do come back, she may be able to go back to the Diamond Back. Or we could sell her on to someone we know is decent, and split the profit maybe?’
I exhaled with relief.
‘Thanks, Rosie,’ I breathed, ‘that would be amazing.’
‘Well, all right then,’ she smiled, eyes on the crossed swords tattoo on my right forearm. ‘And maybe I can wheedle a tattoo out of the bargain too? Dee hasn’t shut up about hers. Apparently half the Collective are queuing up to ask you.’
‘They are?’ I questioned, taken aback.
She considered me for a moment.
‘It’d be great to have more interesting people like you move in round here,’ she said, shooing the grey pony back as it attempted to steal the remaining mints in her hand. ‘Think if you opened up for business here, you’d be pretty busy. I know people who fly to other states to get work done, too. Sure they’d come here for you.’
I thought it over, wondering if she might be right.
I was still wondering as I attempted to manhandle my heavy case out of the ranch house that afternoon. I was barely able to look at the now empty bedroom behind me, so full of moments of me and Jesse that I almost walked into my second cowboy of the day.
‘I’ve got it,’ Cole said, lifting it like it was nothing, a sad smile on his face. ‘You sure you don’t want me to take you to the airport after the show? It won’t take me long to help Bailey pack up.’
I shook my head, wanting – needing – the anonymity of a taxi driver to drop me off. The thought of getting emotional with Cole was not something I was up for.
Especially when the biggest goodbye of them all was going to hurt more than I might be able to bear.
We talked about Luci on the way into town, avoiding anything that might bring us close to Jesse.
‘She can just stay at the ranch, you know,’ Cole said as we parked up near the chute entrance, my stomach already starting to churn as a group of cowboys walked past in full gear. ‘Lottie doesn’t mind at all.’
‘I don’t want her to be a burden,’ I explained, catching his glance. ‘It was my decision to buy her – I caused the problem, so I need to solve it. She’s taking up money and room where she is. Plus, Rosie can help break her in. Project for her little girl, Addie.’
He smiled at that.
