Page 27 of The First Day of Breeding Season
When I get back to where we’ll spend the night, Drew has a tarp strung up.
He’s also changed the horses out of their saddles and bridles, leaving them in simple halters.
“There’s a nice stand of trees just down the path where they’ll be okay for the rest of the day and night,” he says, handing me their leads. “Can you tie them up there?”
“Yep.”
That doesn’t take long. Drew follows with a bucket of water for them.
I linger with Ace for another minute, but the sound of Drew moving gear around drags me back to the campsite soon enough.
I find him brewing up some hot water for coffee on a mini burner portable stove. And everything else is neatly stacked well under the tarp.
“The horses seem happy,” I say cheerfully.
Nothing.
“And Ten Gallon’s making friends already.”
Drew nods.
“Tough crowd,” I mutter under my breath.
If he hears me, he doesn’t let on.
When the water is ready, he clears his throat. “Where’s your Thermos?”
I grab it for him, and it takes it without quite meeting my gaze.
His hand hovers over the two different kinds of instant coffee he packed—black, and a three-in-one packet that has cream and sugar in it.
“I like it sweet,” I prompt.
“Thanks,” he mutters, and mixes that up for me.
When he hands it back, I take it, lifting it to my mouth.
“Careful,” he warns. “It’s hot.”
I blow across the surface, and that almost draws his gaze to my face.
I pause.
His attention tightens up.
I take a careful little sip, and then hum happily as I swallow the hot coffee.
“It’s perfect,” I murmur, looking at him over the top of the Thermos.
He’s staring at my mouth.
That’s close to my eyes. Progress.
So I back off, giving him some space as he makes his own coffee, then tucks the stove away.
The only other horseback camping trips I’ve done have been with other classmates. They were noisy and chaotic.
Drew, on the other hand, is tightly contained and quiet in every way. For such a large man, he has a small footprint, even when “unpacked.”
