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“Just follow me.”
I lead her outside as a lot of others are taking their leave from the saloon. A lot of them did come in cars, or on motorcycles.
But Burly’s a bit different from other towns. You’ll see someone in a recent model Toyota next to a truck from the 1980s... and right next to something from the 1880s.
“Behold, my trusted steed.” I go over to Monterrey, and stroke his mane. He whinnies in approval as he chomps through his oat bag.
Cassie takes a step back in shock. “Wait, are you telling me you came here on a horse?”
“Why are you so shocked?”
“Because you’re telling me you came here on a horse!”
I break out in laughter. “Cassie, I live a whole mile away from here, and horse feed is cheaper than gas. Monterrey isn’t the only horse here, girl.”
There are a few other riders climbing up onto their steeds and starting the ride back to their farms. Coming to the saloon or the diner in Burly on a horse in the twenty-first century isn’t just some novelty. It’s how it is.
She shakes her head. “I’m sorry, it’s just a bit of culture shock. Tacoma doesn’t have horses wandering around, except for maybe at parades.”
“You’re not in the city anymore. Horses are just part of our life out here.”
“Do you even have a car?”
“Of course I do. My brothers and I got two SUVs between us. We use them if we gotta go into the city proper. But if it’s just chores around town? May as well enjoy a horse ride while we’re at it. Not a whole lot else like it, really.”
The disbelief is still strong in her. “So you’re offering to take me home on your horse. I guess this is a tad different than climbing into some stranger’s car.”
I hold my hand up and cross my heart. “I swear I won’t do anything nefarious despite my antiquated mode of transportation.”
“I don’t know. With as handsomely scruffy as you look, you could be planning to tie me to some train tracks or something.”
“I could tie you up if that’s what you want, Cassie, but if I did, it’d be far, far away from any train tracks.”
She bursts out laughing. My humor has finally worn down her defenses and she shakes her head. “Fine. Fine! Life is short. YOLO, as the kids these days say.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Yolo...?”
“It means I’ll let you take me home on your horse. I should probably go and tell Danny where I’m going, even if there’s a chance he won’t remember me telling him.”
“You do that, I’ll get Monterrey ready for another rider.”
I check the saddle, and keep my horse calm as I prepare him for our journey. He’s a strong stallion, and can easily take the extra weight.
I wait for Cassie to come back, giving Monterrey some pets for his patience. He’s just a big ol’ dog in a lot of ways. I people watch a bit as I wait. there’s a lot of people filing out, at varying levels of intoxication.
One person catches my eye. A younger man, looking back and forth as if he’s waiting for someone. I don’t think much of it. I make it a point not to stick my nose in other people’s lives unless I have to.
When Cassie comes out of the saloon though, he seems like a lot less of an innocent bystander.
“Have you thought about that date I asked you for?” he says, getting in her way as she tries to pass him.
“Doug, now’s not the time.”
“You’ve had days. You told me you’d think about it.”
Cassie shakes her head. “I’m not interested, okay?”
“You can’t just fill me with false hopes like that, you know.”
