Page 136 of Lost Trust

The familiar smell of hay and horse hits me before I see him.

“Hey, handsome.”

Rowdy shifts inside the trailer, ears flicking toward my voice.

I step inside and talk softly to him, giving him a few minutes to recognize where he is and settle before I coax him down the ramp.

“Come on, buddy.”

He follows me carefully, blinking against the sunlight.

Ryder immediately runs over. “Can we ride him?”

I shake my head. “Not today, baby.”

His little face falls. “Why not?”

“Because traveling is really hard on horses,” I explain. “They have to stand up and balance the whole time they’re in the trailer. They can’t sit down like we do. People get to sit in a seat, watch a movie, eat snacks, even fall asleep. Horses have to work their muscles the whole trip just to stay on their feet.”

Ryder looks at Rowdy with new concern. “So, he’s tired?”

“Very tired.” I rub Rowdy’s neck. “He needs a few days to rest and recover from the trip.”

Ryder nods solemnly. “Okay.”

“But you can help me feed him and give him fresh water.”

His eyes brighten. “Okay.”

That’s all it takes. Ryder moves closer, carefully stroking Rowdy’s nose.

“Hi, Rowdy,” he whispers. “I’m Ryder. You remember me?”

Rowdy blows softly through his nostrils.

Ryder grins. “He remembers me.”

“I think he does.”

He wraps his little arms around Rowdy’s neck as much as he can and whispers something else into his mane that I can’t quite make out.

Whatever it is, Rowdy stands perfectly still.

After giving him time to eat and drink, I lead him out to the paddock.

The second I unclip the lead rope, Rowdy stretches his neck, takes a few long strides, and then breaks into an easy trot.

I smile as I watch him move. Fresh air and open space. His own four feet beneath him. That’s exactly what he needs.

I rest my forearms on the fence.

“Same, boy. Same,” I mutter.

Shelby and Charli join me, and we stand shoulder to shoulder, watching Rowdy stretch his legs.

Shelby glances at me. “So … what happened with you and Royce at the bar last night?”

I look at her.