these tighter than normal shoes, too.”
“It just feels like it because they’re closed in. Sit back down and we’ll get the other one on.” He slid the sock on and then presented the boot. She put one hand on his shoulder as she stood and slid her foot in. “Okay,” she said, a little breathless, “I’ve got them on. What are the other packages?”
“Well, you can’t wear your mink coat on a horse, so I bought you a ski jacket. It’s blue to match your eyes.” He held it out for her. Then he opened the last package and plopped a black Stetson hat on her head.
“I need a cowboy hat? Why?”
“I started to get you a knit cap, but when the sun’s shining down on you, you need the shade. Or if it’s raining or snowing, you need it, too.”
“Why would you ride if it’s raining or snowing?”
“You might not have a choice. Weather can change quickly. You have to be prepared.” Hestepped back and studied her critically. Then he smiled. “Perfect.”
“What?” she asked him, a little confused.
“You,” he said succinctly. Then he stepped forward and dropped a kiss on her lips.
“Russ!” she protested.
“We’ll have to do that at the wedding. I thought we should practice beforehand, that’s all. Besides, you look real cute as a cowgirl.” He took her hand. “Let’s go show everyone.”
Reluctantly, she followed him.
All the mothers and Mildred and Red were in the kitchen. B.J. had just come back from doing vet work and was dressed quite similarly to Isabella, which relieved Isabella’s mind about how appropriately she was dressed.
“You look wonderful, Izzy,” Janie said.
“I feel rather bizarre,” she said, slanting a look at Russ.
He simply grinned. Then he said to the others, “We’re going to the arena to give Izzy her first riding lesson.”
“Dinner is at six, boy, so don’t be late,” Red warned.
“I figure she’ll only manage an hour today, Red. I don’t want her to get too sore.” Russ took Isabella’s hand as he spoke and started pulling her toward the door. She almost tripped on the boots, since she wasn’t used to walking in them.
“Son, take things slowly, okay?”
“Sure, Mom.” He agreed cheerfully, not slowing down at all.
Isabella gave them all a fleeting wave, apprehension on her face.
“Y OU’VE NEVER BEEN on a horse?” Russ asked again as they strode down a path to one of the larger buildings.
“No. I’ve seen the police riding them, that’s all.”
“Okay, we’ll start by introducing you to some horses. You want to see the babies first?”
“You have babies? Yes, I want to see the babies.”
They entered the second barn. “This is where we put the mamas when it’s time. I think Red said this one was born yesterday.”
Isabella looked over the half door and saw a mare with a tiny, fragile-looking horse only a couple of feet tall standing next to her.
“Oh,” she said, letting go of some of her fears, “he’s beautiful.”
“She. This is a filly.”
“Can I pet her?”
“Probably not. She’s her mama’s first baby. They’re both a little nervous.”
Russ tugged Isabella along to the next stall. “This lady is an old hand at having babies. Besides, the baby is almost a week old. We wouldn’t have him in here except for the early snowstorm. You can pet him.”
This foal was a little bigger and seemed much more comfortable on his wobbly legs. Isabella reached over the door to pet him, but he was too far away.
Russ undid the gate, startling her. “Don’t let them out!” she protested.
“I’m not, honey. I’m letting you in.”
She took a step back. “You want me to go in there? The mother is so big. What if she gets angry?”
“I’m going with you. I’ll protect you.” He led the way into the stall. “Hello, Marmie,” he said softly, rubbing the mare’s nose.
“Her name is Marmie?”
“No. Her name is Marmalade. Come rub her nose. It’s very soft.”
“But I wanted to pet her
“It just feels like it because they’re closed in. Sit back down and we’ll get the other one on.” He slid the sock on and then presented the boot. She put one hand on his shoulder as she stood and slid her foot in. “Okay,” she said, a little breathless, “I’ve got them on. What are the other packages?”
“Well, you can’t wear your mink coat on a horse, so I bought you a ski jacket. It’s blue to match your eyes.” He held it out for her. Then he opened the last package and plopped a black Stetson hat on her head.
“I need a cowboy hat? Why?”
“I started to get you a knit cap, but when the sun’s shining down on you, you need the shade. Or if it’s raining or snowing, you need it, too.”
“Why would you ride if it’s raining or snowing?”
“You might not have a choice. Weather can change quickly. You have to be prepared.” Hestepped back and studied her critically. Then he smiled. “Perfect.”
“What?” she asked him, a little confused.
“You,” he said succinctly. Then he stepped forward and dropped a kiss on her lips.
“Russ!” she protested.
“We’ll have to do that at the wedding. I thought we should practice beforehand, that’s all. Besides, you look real cute as a cowgirl.” He took her hand. “Let’s go show everyone.”
Reluctantly, she followed him.
All the mothers and Mildred and Red were in the kitchen. B.J. had just come back from doing vet work and was dressed quite similarly to Isabella, which relieved Isabella’s mind about how appropriately she was dressed.
“You look wonderful, Izzy,” Janie said.
“I feel rather bizarre,” she said, slanting a look at Russ.
He simply grinned. Then he said to the others, “We’re going to the arena to give Izzy her first riding lesson.”
“Dinner is at six, boy, so don’t be late,” Red warned.
“I figure she’ll only manage an hour today, Red. I don’t want her to get too sore.” Russ took Isabella’s hand as he spoke and started pulling her toward the door. She almost tripped on the boots, since she wasn’t used to walking in them.
“Son, take things slowly, okay?”
“Sure, Mom.” He agreed cheerfully, not slowing down at all.
Isabella gave them all a fleeting wave, apprehension on her face.
“Y OU’VE NEVER BEEN on a horse?” Russ asked again as they strode down a path to one of the larger buildings.
“No. I’ve seen the police riding them, that’s all.”
“Okay, we’ll start by introducing you to some horses. You want to see the babies first?”
“You have babies? Yes, I want to see the babies.”
They entered the second barn. “This is where we put the mamas when it’s time. I think Red said this one was born yesterday.”
Isabella looked over the half door and saw a mare with a tiny, fragile-looking horse only a couple of feet tall standing next to her.
“Oh,” she said, letting go of some of her fears, “he’s beautiful.”
“She. This is a filly.”
“Can I pet her?”
“Probably not. She’s her mama’s first baby. They’re both a little nervous.”
Russ tugged Isabella along to the next stall. “This lady is an old hand at having babies. Besides, the baby is almost a week old. We wouldn’t have him in here except for the early snowstorm. You can pet him.”
This foal was a little bigger and seemed much more comfortable on his wobbly legs. Isabella reached over the door to pet him, but he was too far away.
Russ undid the gate, startling her. “Don’t let them out!” she protested.
“I’m not, honey. I’m letting you in.”
She took a step back. “You want me to go in there? The mother is so big. What if she gets angry?”
“I’m going with you. I’ll protect you.” He led the way into the stall. “Hello, Marmie,” he said softly, rubbing the mare’s nose.
“Her name is Marmie?”
“No. Her name is Marmalade. Come rub her nose. It’s very soft.”
“But I wanted to pet her
Similar Books
