Page 16 of Break the Barrier
I nod, knowing that underneath those very few words, my friend was telling me he was healing.
It had taken a lot for him to get to this space. He started attending therapy last year, taking the extra step to better himself to be the man he wanted to be for my cousin.
I clear my throat. “Bay is almost ready. But I don’t know about that reining shit, maybe cutting.”
He nods. “Yeah, I figured you’d puss out on reining. Not everyone is skilled enough for it.”
I step toward him and throw a half-hearted punch to his stomach. He dodges me just barely, dropping the rag and turning to return one.
We go back and forth, shuffling in the alleyway for a minute when we hear someone clear their throat.
I glance up toward the sound and see Thea standing there, smiling at the sight of us. “Sorry.” She shrugs sheepishly. “Am I interrupting?”
I shove Cade off me and stand straighter, readjusting my hat. CT does the same and smiles at Thea. “Just trying to keep Logan in his place. How you doing, Thea?”
“I’m good, CT.” She grins at me for a moment, and I find myself slightly dumbstruck.
Despite the fact I am helping Thea out of the kindness of my heart, there was still a major part of me that wished everything we were doing was for another reason.
I step toward her, my tall frame shadowing hers, and give her a smile. “What are you doing out here?” My thoughts turn, and my smile drops. “Are you okay?”
“Oh, yeah.” She waves a hand at me, scoffing. “I’m, uh, I’m good. I just was wondering if we could talk. Maybe walk somewhere?”
I can tell that her nerves are on edge, and I want to do what I can to set her straight. I glance to the side at the horse who is staring at us out of their stall window. “Ihave a better idea.”
“Um, Logan? I don’t know if this is a good idea.” Thea regards me carefully, looking at the now-saddled horse with uneasy eyes.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got you.” I step up to the horse, tightening his cinch to make sure the saddle is ready and won’t tip as we step on. “Here.” I reach a hand out for her to grab, and she eyes it for a moment. I hold my breath, hoping that she trusts me enough to get on the horse with me.
I see her take a deep breath, and then she slips her hand into mine.
“Okay, so put your left foot in the stirrup.” I help her get her foot there and stand behind her, admiring her for a moment before I get my head back on straight. The thoughts running through my head are not what she is here for. “Now, reach up and grab the horn with your left and the cantle with your right.”
“What the heck is a cantle?”
I smile against the back of her head. “The part your butt rests against.”
“Oh.” I hear her breathing as she does as I tell her to.
“All right, now, push off with your right foot.” She does so, and I help lift her up. “Swing your leg over,” I tell her, but it’s unnecessary. She gets on the horse like she’s done this a million times. I eye her suspiciously, and she looks down at me.
From where we’re standing, the sun hits her back just right, making her glow. I clear my throat. “You’ve done this before?”
Her expression changes to shock. “No! I’ve never even been on a horse before. I’m terrified!” Judging by the tight grip she has on the horn, I would say this is her being genuine.
“Here, move this.” I tap her left calf, and her foot covered in a white sneaker pops out of the stirrup. Stepping in, I quicklyhaul myself over the horse, settling in right behind the saddle and gripping the reins with my hands.
“Put your foot back in.”
“You can ride without using the saddle at all?”
With her back now pressed against my front, the only thing separating us is the cantle. I lean forward and say against the back of her hair. “Baby, I don’t need a saddle for a proper ride.”
Instead of being affected like I hoped, Thea snorts and lets out a laugh, carefully containing it.
And instead of being offended, I smile because making her laugh may have just become my all-time favorite thing.
We ride up into the mountains, a ride I’ve done multiple times in my lifetime. I grew up a few miles away from the Three Rivers Trevors Ranch—previously just called the Trevors Ranch—and as kids, my brothers and I would come with Dani to ride with the Trevors all the time.
