Page 16 of Fake Fiancée for Dad's Best Friend
“Of course not,” she says. “I just…don’t want any accidents.”
“There won’t be any accidents.” I hold her hand while gazing into her eyes. “I promise!”
She shudders, and her eyes turn dreamy. “O-kay, I guess I can trust you.”
“Of course you can,” I say, my voice is turning coarse, and my eyes wander to her lips.
I pull away from her with mighty effort before I kiss her. This is bad. I won’t share a bed with her tonight.
“Good morning, Dad!” I say to my dad as I walk into the kitchen. He’s already finished his breakfast and is reading the newspaper. My dad gets up at five every day for years. Even though he’s retired, he still keeps the habit.
“Morning, son,” Mike looks up. “I’m heading to the golf course. Join me after you’re done riding with Vivian.”
“I will,” I say. I’m not a good player, but it’s my dad’s daily exercise.
“Where’s Karen?” Vivian asks, looking around.
“Oh, she’s up,” Mike says. “But she usually skips breakfast.”
After a quick breakfast, Jack drives Vivian and me to Coastal Ranch stable.
Vivian’s mouth falls when I tell her the family ranch has 1000 acres of rolling hills, streams, oak groves, pasturelands, and beaches. There used to be some farms, too, but later converted into gardens and resorts. The resort, which is managed by my sister Samantha and her husband George, takes a fraction of the property. The rest of the ranch is all wilderness.
I stop the car in front of the equestrian center, part of the resort’s entertaining facility. Rob, a man in his seventies with silvery grey hair under his Stetson, grins when he sees me. “Good to see you, Alex!”
Rob has worked for us for over half a century. In fact, he taught me how to ride when I was a kid.
“Hi, Rob. How’re you doing?” I hug the old man who’s as dear as a father to me.
“Welcome back,” he says, chuckling and glancing at Vivian. “And is the young lady who I think she is?”
“She’s my fiancée Vivian,” I say, doing my best to sound natural. Damn. It isn’t easy to lie, especially to people I grew up with.
I introduce Rob to Vivian, and they shake hands.
“Your dad invited me to the party tomorrow, and I’m thrilled to hear the news. It’s about time!” From the twinkle in his eyes, I know the old man approves of my fiancée.
We have a bit of small talk before Rob goes into the stable to find Charlie, my favorite Arabian horse whom I befriended twenty years ago when he was still a colt.
The stallion with chestnut coat and white mane nickers and whinnies the moment he sees me and runs toward me. As soon as he gets close, it rests his head on me and nudges his muzzle against my shoulder. Despite my infrequent visit, the intelligent animal still remembers me. I stroke his back to return his affection.
“Awww,” Vivian utters as she nears us. “He’s so beautiful!”
She reaches Charlie to pet him before I can stop her. Horses are afraid of new and unfamiliar people. They don’t like to be touched by strangers, especially not without permission. Charlie snorts and swishes his tail at her.
Vivian gasps and retreats to my side. “Jeez. Is he mad?”
“No, sweetheart,” I say, stroking her back gently. “He’s afraid of you because he doesn’t know you.”
“Calm down, buddy,” Rob says to the animal and then turns to Vivian. “Greet him after you have his attention. Call him by his name, Charlie. After he turns to you, approach him to the shoulder, not his face. Let him sniff you first and keep a distance, about an arm’s length, just to be safe. Once you’re sure he likes you, you can put a hand on him and stroke him.” He goes on to show Vivian how to say hi to the horse.
Vivian listens carefully and follows suit. Charlie is a friendly horse, so he accepts her in no time, and soon she’s stroking him.
With Rob’s help, I show Vivian how to mount the horse and how to sit, which she masters quickly. After I correct her sitting position, I let her walk and trot in the arena in front of the stable, while holding the rein for her.
“Can we go to the beach?” Vivian asks, gazing down the hill.
“Not today,” I say. “You aren’t ready. The trail leading down is ten miles long.”
