He smiled. “Takk, skatt. You are kind. I will go fast!”
“No, not too fast,” Mary groaned.
“You can’t use it in the barn,” I said. “It might spook the horses. On the course, it’s approved. I can get it and park it in the accessibility area out by the barn if that works?”
He nodded. “Thank you, Betty.”
“I’ll go with you,” Mary offered.
“Go, I will see the horse,” Erik offered.
“Watch the horse,” Mary corrected.
He waved us off. To my surprise, she took my hand. I squeezed hers.
“You’re really here,” I said. “I didn’t want to get my hopes up.”
She looked at our hands as we walked. “I wanted to see you. I’m worried about the logistics, but I feel pretty free here. I’m guessing horse people don’t mind the gays?”
“Eventers? Nah. They are chill. And California is gay as fuck. But really, it means a lot.”
“So do you,” Mary assured.
For a moment, my heart fluttered. I’d been nervous about our worlds colliding or her having something come up last minute and me being gutted that I missed her. Instead, we held hands on a sunny day about to collect a chair for her dad.
Mary added, “Besides, Dad wasn’t missing the horses. He was committed to seeing what a horse girl does.”
“That’s fucking adorable.”
“So are you,” Mary stopped me, pulling me into a quick kiss.
I narrowly missed the brim of her baseball cap.
I giggled. “I had to negotiate the hat.”
“Thank God you’re not super tall.”
“That is one thing I’ve never been.”
“I feel stupid in the hat. This was Dad’s idea to help me be incognito.”
“It’s cute,” I said. “I’m just happy you’re here.”
We continued towards the entrance.
Mary said, “You didn’t have to rent a chair. He would have been fine hanging out in the stands eating a bit of lunch. I worry this was a whole ordeal.”
“Nonsense. He’s a sports person, right?”
She nodded.
“He will want to be in the action. It’s the first time I’m meeting your dad. I wanted to make a good impression.”
She grinned as we reached the office door. A woman handed us a key, knowing exactly who I was and that the invoice was paid with my show fees the morning before. We collected the chair and put the keys in.
“I get to drive this thing back, right?” I joked.
“Whatever you want.”
