Page 130 of Perfect Enough
I nearly laughed. “Do you even know how to ride?”
She scoffed. “Of course, I know how to ride.”
Raising a brow, she folded her arms over her chest. “I can ride a horse, Nate. If you want to go to a private spot, I can show you how good I ride.”
“I’ll pass.”
She huffed before turning on her heels and marching away from me. Turning my focus back on Haven and my father, I watched as she expertly handled the horse. I was so enthralled watching her that I didn’t hear my mother walk up and stand next to me.
“She’s the only one who can ride that mare.”
All I did was nod.
“I just had to turn away business.”
Looking at my mother, I asked, “Lizzy’s mom?”
“Yes. The woman bought a horse and expected us to train it to barrel ride with their daughter, who has never even sat on a horse before. And they needed her to be ready by early next year so she could ride in the rodeo.”
I laughed. “Sounds like Lizzy.”
My mother sighed. “I want you to help Haven with Lady when she is done with your father.”
I looked at my mother and asked, “Why do I have to help her? She’s more than capable of caring for the horse when she’s finished.”
Raising a single brow, my mother stared at me. I took a step back and nodded my head. “Of course, I’ll help her.”
A brilliant smile spread across her face. My mother was beautiful. Her brown hair was pulled back low, and her blue eyes sparkled as if she knew something I didn’t.
“Thank you, Nathan. I know you normally avoid Haven, but since your father and I need to leave as soon as her lesson ends, I don’t want her feeling alone.”
I sighed.
“Nathan, what in the world do you have against that girl? So she had a crush on you in middle school; surely she’s gotten over it.”
Casting a glance out, I saw Haven biting down hard on her lower lip as she tried to get Lady to walk in a circle around Dad and his gelding, Prancer. Her control of the mare was impressive since the damn thing was scared of everything, including the other horse and rider.
“She just bugs me, Mom.”
She laughed and then gave me a side hug. “Oh, Nathan, sweetheart. One of these days, you’re going to look at that girl out there, and you are not going to think about how she bugs you.”
“Is that because she’s going to move out of Montana, and I’ll never have to see her again?”
Her smile grew bigger. “No, you’re going to feel something in here.” Placing her hand on my chest, she slowly shook her head. “And that is going to change everything.”
“If you’re talking about love, Mom, I am not going to fall in love. Ever. I like girls too much to settle down with just one.”
She pointed to me. “I’m going to pretend I never heard that. Go head into the barn; they’re finishing up.”
Doing as I was told, I headed to the barn and did a few quick chores as Haven cooled down Lady. I filled a bucket with warm water for Haven to wash her down next. I could hear the hooves of the horse a few minutes later. I watched as Haven tied herhorse up and removed the saddle. I walked over and took it from her.
“I’ll get that for you.”
Haven smiled. “Thanks, Nate.”
I pointed to the bucket. “Brought this out for you.”
She thanked me once again and quickly got to washing down the horse. I took her saddle and brought it back to the tack room. Not many people had their own saddles, but Haven did simply because she was here so much and loved helping my father break new horses in. It was my mother who suggested she just leave her saddle here.