Page 40 of Tough Love

He snaps back from wherever he was in that mind of his and jerks when he realizes we are standing right in front of him. “Shit, I’m sorry. Did you want me to lead you around?”

“Ah, no. Didn’t you see what we did?”

“I, ah?—”

“What is going on with you today?”

“Nothing. Did you want to try the paddock?”

I frown at him and gather the reins again before dismounting. He watches me, jaw clenched, as I lead Sergeant past him and to the gate. Opening the gate, I make my way to Sergeant’s paddock. I glance back to find Hudson and Charlie are trailing behind. I walk into the field and double-check the girth and my stirrups, waiting for Hudson to catch up. He closes the gate behind him and climbs up onto the rail. Charlie lies on the grass below him. “Show us what you’ve got, Howard.”

I huff a nervous laugh as the knots in my gut turn into a pit of writhing snakes. But I am not quitting now. I slide my foot intothe stirrup and swing into the saddle. Charlie watches, his little head popping up from his paws for a moment. As if he can sense the snake pit in my gut, too.

Pushing the gelding into a walk, I track along the fence line, away from Hudson. The paddock is a perfect rectangle of grass, one horse shelter for bad weather, and a handful of trees. It’s secure, controlled, and in no way intimidating.

We break into a trot along the fence, and I shorten the reins, rising with his outside footfall, the way it was drummed into me in my early equestrian coaching days. Gosh, that was almost twenty years ago.

If only eight-year-old me could see what’s become of me.

She would be so mad. Going for years without riding. I can only imagine the pout I would get from her. With a soft laugh at my ridiculous inner monologue, I push Sergeant into a canter. We lope around the short end of the paddock, past the shelter and the first clump of trees. Happiness bubbles in my chest.

Hudson has a hand over his face, as if sheltering his eyes, as he watches us lope toward him. I pull back on the reins and slow to a walk as we close in on the fence-sitting duo.

“That was fantastic, Howard. Well done!”

“Thanks,” I say, almost out of breath. I shift in the saddle, and my hip twinges a little on the right.

Charlie bolts to his feet, hackles up. Hudson swings around to see what he’s doing. And then I see it. A snake in the grass, less than ten feet from Charlie. Ringing starts in my ears. Sergeant shuffles on his feet—he must have seen it, too.

“Fucking hell,” Hudson growls. “Charlie, away!”

Charlie barks at the snake. It pays him no heed. Winding its way through the short grass toward us. My heart beats so fast, my breath shallows out. A whimper leaves my lips. Hudson moves so he is between the snake and Sergeant.

“No,” I choke.

Charlie moves closer. His barking intensifies to shrill yapping. Stars encroach on my vision as bile claws up my throat. Hudson pulls off his hat and tosses it at the snake. But it rears up at him, hissing.

Hudson stands his ground, thumping his feet, yelling at it to get out of here. Then I shift my gaze to Charlie. Everything moves like molasses, so slow. He leans back on his haunches, growling. Then pounces.

My heart flies into my throat. “Charlie!”

Sergeant whinnies and backs away from the chaos. I hold the reins tight.

Charlie snaps his teeth around the snake’s neck an inch before its head and shakes it until it goes limp. Growling the whole time. He only lets it go when Hudson tells him to drop it. The mangled snake lies limp at his feet. I take a shaking foot from the stirrup and clamber from the horse. Hudson turns back as I duck under Sergeant’s neck and fall to the ground and crawl to where Charlie sits.

“Shit, Charlie.” I run my hands over his face, neck, and torso. Making sure the snake didn’t have a chance to sink its fangs into him while it was getting tossed about. Hudson comes to stand behind me, close. I hug the pup tight. The snake twitches on the ground beside me. Hudson slams a boot onto its head, grinding into the ground.

“Are—” Hudson starts, his voice cracking. “You alright, Howard?”

I nod, letting tears fall onto Charlie’s head.

A moment later, Hudson and Sergeant walk past and out the gate. I pick up Charlie and prop him over my shoulder. I walk to the barn and sit on the hay bales and love him up, scratching his belly.

“Aren’t you the bravest boy I know?”

He pants, rolling around under my hand.

Hudson appears, saddle in one hand, bridle in the other. “You shouldn’t fuss over him so much. He’s supposed to be a ranch dog.”

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