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I hand Juliet the reins and rehearse the basics of riding, which she humbly listens to. Then I mount Irving, Juliet’s eyes fixed on me as I lean forward to adjust my seat.
“Ready?”
She smiles, nodding in silence as we take the horses out onto the trail.
It’s impossible not to stare at Juliet atop the palomino. I’ve had girls come out here before, wanting to ride my horses with me. They were graceful, pretty, and secure—a fine enough distraction from the loneliness of my life.
More often than not, though, I couldn’t wait for them to leave. It was like they were encroaching on something personal—almost spiritual—and I didn’t want to share it with them. Sadie is different in that there’s no obligation between us, but even then, sometimes I’m hankering to be alone.
Juliet is something else, though. She’s the first woman I’ve ever asked to come out here.
“What’s all that?”
Her words break through my thoughts as she points to a pile of black-painted boards, dark sheets, and wood stacked high at the side of the stables we walk beyond.
“Oh, just stuff for a little event I put on here around Halloween.”
“Event? I didn’t know you did events here.”
“This will only be my second time.”
“What is it?”
“A Sleepy Hollow, Headless Horseman type thing. Sleepy Holler, is what I’ve called it.”
But her eyes brighten. “I love that story. You’re holding it again this year?”
“I hope so.” Will she come? I might work harder knowing that. “It’ll be held a couple days after the wedding.”
“Awesome. Although you might be sick of seeing me here so often after that,” she jokes.
I don’t know if I could ever be sick of Juliet.
“So why is it just a hope that you’ll be holding it—instead of a sure thing?” she asks next.
“I had a rough time getting it off the ground last year.”
“What’s difficult about it? Just the work?”
“Um. Getting people’s approval and stuff.”
She looks at me, and I can almost feel her reading my thoughts. “Don’t tell me. My dad?”
I don’t say anything.
She looks around, then back at me. “I think we’re remote enough to start talking about this now, don’t you?”
“You’re sure you want to use your questions for this?”
“Yes.”
“Because you could ask me anything, you know.”
“I know.”
“And I don’t want to put you in the middle of things.”
“Archer?”
