AllFreeNovel
Share Us
From the bathroom, I answer. “There’s two pairs of boots. I’ll wear the taller ones, but the shorter ones can go in the bag.”
Her voice comes back. “Didn’t the guidelines say to only bring one pair of shoes for the ride?”
“What if one pair gets messed up? Or I step in—heaven forbid—a pile of manure?”
“It’s unlikely. Just take the more comfortable ones and leave the others with the rest of your stuff.” I could almost hear her eyeroll. “What else?”
“Should I wear the chaps or pack them?” I ask.
“Uh . . .” Emma starts. “Those weren’t on the list we sent. You shouldn’t need them. Our saddles are plenty comfortable, and we won’t be riding into any forests with underbrush. Good denim is enough.”
“Oh,” I say and grab the toiletry bag sitting on the counter. Stepping out into the room, I lift it in the air. “I hope there’s still room in there for this.”
One hand holding my bag and the other on her hip, Emma raises her brows. “And that is?”
“Hair dryer. Makeup. Moisturizer. Individual charcoal mask. You know,”I shrug one shoulder, “the essentials.”
Emma rolls her lips between her teeth and blinks slowly. “Leave the hair dryer and the mask and bring the rest. Put it all by the door, and we’ll get it over to the trading post to go back to the airport with you this weekend. Chaps stay here too. I’ll take your bag down.”
“Aw, really? But they had those adorable silver studs.”
“Yes. Really,” she says. It’s a little short, but I can tell she’s trying to be nice. She turns on her heel to leave. “Five minutes and we’re riding out.”
I pack my hair dryer in the bag that has to stay behind, hoping wherever we’re stopping for the night will have one I can use. After sliding on my new boots, I sling my essentials bag over one shoulder and follow Emma into the hall, yawning. “Is there coffee?”
“We’ll stop about two hours in for coffee on the trail.”
“What?” I groan and watch my feet as we walk, uncertain if I’ll stumble in the huge boots. The pointy toes stick out well beyond any of the normal shoes in my wardrobe. I seriously don’t know how people wear these on a regular basis. The lack of coffee is a real problem, though! My head might explode if I don’t get my morning dose of caffeine, especially after being up in the middle of the night hungry and with Luca. Heat flushes into my cheeks, and I smile. There’s something about that cowboy that seems a little out of place. Maybe trying to puzzle that out will get me through the first couple of hours.
Out front of the ranch house, Emma tosses my bag to Luca, who eyes me as if I’m going to be the bane of his existence on this trip. He even does the one-brow quirk at me as I step forward, thinking how irritation looks good on him. Everything does. As my foot lowers onto the first step, he tips his hat, and I quickly forget how to walk. My left foot is too far forward when I place it, so I slip down the next three steps and land on my tush with my boots in the air. Luca covers his mouth, hiding a laugh, and turns toward one of the largest horses in the bunch with my bag in hand.
My jaw gapes open. He was so nice last night, so it seems odd that he is hostile and rude this morning. Whatever. I guess my hunger kept him from getting his beauty sleep too. All the horses are lined up on one side, saddled. Luca drops my bag next to one that has a gorgeous sable and white coat and promptly empties the contents into the saddlebags. Heat flushes my face as he handles my clothes—undergarments and all. All I have time to do is watch helplessly from the ground, because he’s closing the flap before I can object. He hangs the designer bag on the fencepost behind him and moves on to tending the next horse.
Emma looks over her shoulder and turns back to help me off the ground. “Getting a little dusty already, I see.” She smiles warmly and pulls me to my feet.
“I swear, Emma, I’m usually not this uncoordinated.”
My teammates stand in a huddle, looking at the line of animals, and whisper among themselves. Fortunately, I don’t think any of them noticed me biff it on the stairs. Bruce has a trekking pole at his side, leaning his weight onto it. I almost wish he hadn’t come, given the newness of his hip, but he insisted it’d be fine. I hop he’ll be able to straddle the horse. At least he signed the waivers.
Eddie waves and I cross the front lawn to stand by his side.
“You’re lookin’ like the cheese fell off your cracker, doll face.” He looks me up and down and shoots me his classic narrow-eyed, pursed-lips, challenging stare.
“Wha—” I scowl and shake my head when the meaning sets in. “I didn’t get to sleep until late. Had to find something to eat in this carnivore haven.”
“Oh? And?” he drawled.
“Luca cooked some eggs.” I tuck my hair behind one ear.
Eddie’s mouth drops open and his eyes go round. He’s about to say something, but—
“Gather ’round!” Wyatt waves his hands to pull us into a semicircle, and we fall into formation.
Eddie recovers himself but drawls a suggestive “Mm-hmm” as we move closer.
Wyatt flips through papers on his clipboard. “Nine of you and three of us. I’ll take Sean, Nathan, and Bruce. Anthony, Derrick, and Geoffrey, you’ll work with Emma. Calvin, Eddie, Jack, you’re with Luca.”
“Hold up there, Wyatt.” Luca rushes over and whispers just loud enough for me to hear. “Don’t you think Jack should go with Emma?”
