reaction, and
who didn’t really mean anything by the comments they made or the way they said
them? She’d dated a woman like that a few years back, and it bugged her, though
the sex had been good. She probably should have just stopped that relationship
at the sex and not tried to make something out of it that it wasn’t.
Better stop thinking about sex.
Right now.
She eased Rusty forward to check on the others, eight
total, then dropped to the back where she could keep an eye on slower riders.
Gina had ridden ahead and was chatting with Mark again. Probably gathering more
information for the story. The trail took them up into aspen, leaves rustling
in the breeze, their light undersides flashing and dancing in the sunlight.
Underbrush clogged the forest floor, and the horses picked their way carefully
over the trail, single-file.
“Hey, hold up, folks,” Mark called from the front of
the column, slowing his horse in a stand of aspen.
Meg looked up and the other riders watched him,
expectant.
“I have an announcement to make. Tomorrow is our very
own Meg’s birthday.”
Oh, shit. Meg smiled, embarrassed, as claps and
whistles greeted this news.
“So if any of you would like to ring in Meg’s new
year in style, we’ll be taking her dancin’ and carousin’ in Saratoga tomorrow
night after supper. Just meet up at the motel and we’ll designate some drivers.
Spread the word. We’ll be going to the River Rest. Can’t miss it. Saratoga’s
not that big. But ask if you’d like directions.”
“How old are you now?” asked Jerry.
“Sixteen. But don’t tell anyone at the bar,” Mark
answered for her.
Meg groaned good-naturedly. “Thanks, everyone. I
appreciate it.” To Jerry, she said, “I’ll be twenty-five.”
“Oh, that was a good year for me,” he said. “Hope
yours starts out the way you want.”
She caught Gina’s gaze. “Me, too.” She jerked her
attention back to him and smiled.
“And now back to our regularly scheduled ride.” Mark
wheeled his horse back to the lead.
Gina left the line and brought Daisy in next to Meg.
“I’ll see you there,” she said. “Save some party for me.” She grinned and went
back to her place in the column, leaving Meg both aching and dreading tomorrow
night. Aching because she’d see Gina but dreading because that would definitely
mark the end of her stay. Unless she was planning to extend a night. She might
want to check on that, she thought, as she settled into the rhythm of hooves
thudding against the hard-packed earth of the trail, and the peppery smell of
aspen bark that trailed after them.
Seven
M eg checked the guest register later that
afternoon, but Gina hadn’t extended a night. She was still slated to check out
tomorrow. Maybe she’d stay in town, then, if she really did plan to show up at
the River Rest.
“Hi, hon,” Stan said as he entered.
She hurriedly clicked out of the register. “Just
wanting to see how many we’ve got coming in.”
“Not quite a full house, but we might get some
latecomers for the weekend.” He placed a stack of mail on his desk. “I need you
to make a run to Laramie and then the feed store tomorrow morning. We’ve got
enough folks to get guests settled. But you’re off tomorrow after dinner and
Saturday. Birthday celebration and all.” He gave her a wink. “Be safe.”
“Yes, dad,” she said in her best imitation of a
teenager. She got up from the chair. “Are you going to come?”
“For a little bit. I’m kinda old these days. Need my
beauty rest.”
She punched him lightly on the arm. “Poor Dutchie.”
He smiled and handed her a couple of envelopes.
“Could you take these to Alice?”
“Yep. And thanks for Saturday.”
He nodded. “You work hard, hon. You always have.” He
paused, like he was trying to figure out what to say next. “You’re the best
damn daughter a man could hope to have.”
She stared at him.
“And I’m real proud of you. How well you do at
school, how
who didn’t really mean anything by the comments they made or the way they said
them? She’d dated a woman like that a few years back, and it bugged her, though
the sex had been good. She probably should have just stopped that relationship
at the sex and not tried to make something out of it that it wasn’t.
Better stop thinking about sex.
Right now.
She eased Rusty forward to check on the others, eight
total, then dropped to the back where she could keep an eye on slower riders.
Gina had ridden ahead and was chatting with Mark again. Probably gathering more
information for the story. The trail took them up into aspen, leaves rustling
in the breeze, their light undersides flashing and dancing in the sunlight.
Underbrush clogged the forest floor, and the horses picked their way carefully
over the trail, single-file.
“Hey, hold up, folks,” Mark called from the front of
the column, slowing his horse in a stand of aspen.
Meg looked up and the other riders watched him,
expectant.
“I have an announcement to make. Tomorrow is our very
own Meg’s birthday.”
Oh, shit. Meg smiled, embarrassed, as claps and
whistles greeted this news.
“So if any of you would like to ring in Meg’s new
year in style, we’ll be taking her dancin’ and carousin’ in Saratoga tomorrow
night after supper. Just meet up at the motel and we’ll designate some drivers.
Spread the word. We’ll be going to the River Rest. Can’t miss it. Saratoga’s
not that big. But ask if you’d like directions.”
“How old are you now?” asked Jerry.
“Sixteen. But don’t tell anyone at the bar,” Mark
answered for her.
Meg groaned good-naturedly. “Thanks, everyone. I
appreciate it.” To Jerry, she said, “I’ll be twenty-five.”
“Oh, that was a good year for me,” he said. “Hope
yours starts out the way you want.”
She caught Gina’s gaze. “Me, too.” She jerked her
attention back to him and smiled.
“And now back to our regularly scheduled ride.” Mark
wheeled his horse back to the lead.
Gina left the line and brought Daisy in next to Meg.
“I’ll see you there,” she said. “Save some party for me.” She grinned and went
back to her place in the column, leaving Meg both aching and dreading tomorrow
night. Aching because she’d see Gina but dreading because that would definitely
mark the end of her stay. Unless she was planning to extend a night. She might
want to check on that, she thought, as she settled into the rhythm of hooves
thudding against the hard-packed earth of the trail, and the peppery smell of
aspen bark that trailed after them.
Seven
M eg checked the guest register later that
afternoon, but Gina hadn’t extended a night. She was still slated to check out
tomorrow. Maybe she’d stay in town, then, if she really did plan to show up at
the River Rest.
“Hi, hon,” Stan said as he entered.
She hurriedly clicked out of the register. “Just
wanting to see how many we’ve got coming in.”
“Not quite a full house, but we might get some
latecomers for the weekend.” He placed a stack of mail on his desk. “I need you
to make a run to Laramie and then the feed store tomorrow morning. We’ve got
enough folks to get guests settled. But you’re off tomorrow after dinner and
Saturday. Birthday celebration and all.” He gave her a wink. “Be safe.”
“Yes, dad,” she said in her best imitation of a
teenager. She got up from the chair. “Are you going to come?”
“For a little bit. I’m kinda old these days. Need my
beauty rest.”
She punched him lightly on the arm. “Poor Dutchie.”
He smiled and handed her a couple of envelopes.
“Could you take these to Alice?”
“Yep. And thanks for Saturday.”
He nodded. “You work hard, hon. You always have.” He
paused, like he was trying to figure out what to say next. “You’re the best
damn daughter a man could hope to have.”
She stared at him.
“And I’m real proud of you. How well you do at
school, how
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