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Yes, yes we should. My sweater was beginning to freeze to my body, and I think she could feel it.
“We should get these wet clothes off and—” she began, but I quickly shook my head.
“Let-t-t-ts just g-g-g-o.”
“And risk you getting frost bite?” Tenley widened her eyes, frantically rubbing her arms up and down my body, turning into the concerned girlfriend and doctor that she was.
“Y-y-y-you’re t-t-too small,” I managed to choke out, and it hit her, logic shoving through her worry.
“Right. Let’s go.” She quickly stated, and did her best to wrap her petite arms around my shoulders as we turned to leave the town square.
Then I paused. One problem. “T-T-Tenley.” I shivered.
“Yeah?” She paused beside me.
“I-I-I did-d-dn’t drive h-h-here.” My teeth clacked together.
“What? Nor did I. What are we going to do? You’re going to end up with damage from the cold or get sick.”
I took a deep breath, trying to dance in place to warm myself up. An idea popped up in my head, absurd, but I mean, it was at least possible. “C-C-Com-m-me with m-m-me.” I clenched and unclenched my fingers before turning around and heading directly toward the area that held the people I had been avoiding all day. The rodeo and stall barns.
Horse drawn sleigh rides were done by now at least, so the animals should be untacked and in their stalls. At least I hoped they were. The horse trailer would be parked on the far side of the square, near the indoor arena and the stall barn. It was an insane idea, but her house was a rideable distance away. We could ride there together, get her little car, drive back here to drop the horse off, and then head to the ranch.
“Weston, what are you planning?” she asked, following me desperately through the crowd. If I wasn’t so cold, I would’ve happily explained. But talking hurt my mouth, so I simply looked at her, hoping she’d trust me.
What a way to experience her first horseback ride. With me, frozen crisp, headed to another event with my family. If it was any other time, it would be romantic, but I couldn’t feel my fingers. Holding the reins was going to be difficult enough.
Cassidy. Curse words ran through my head as we approached the rather empty stall barn.
“Are you planning to have us ride to the ranch?” Tenley suddenly gasped and stopped walking as warmth and hay mixed in with the cold air.
I shook my head. “Y-y-your house.” My teeth clacked together a little less.
Her mouth fell open. “You know I don’t know how to ride a horse, and you’re so cold.” Her eyes widened, swallowing her face.
“Together,” I gasped in one word, approaching the soft dun in the stall to my right. Snagging the halter off of the stall door, I unlatched it and walked in. My boots crunched over straw bedding, the dryness a welcome feeling.
“Darla.” I nodded to the horse as Tenley’s face appeared through the bars on the stall door.
“We’re sharing one horse?”
I nodded again, fumbling with the buckle.
“You can barely buckle the halter, how are you supposed to steer the horse?” She blinked rapidly. Because my legs were still working and they did more to maneuver Darla than my hands needed to. I looked at her, silently begging for her to trust me as I finally managed to latch the golden buckle.
“If I die, I’ll come back and haunt you for the rest of your life,” She grumbled and I chuckled.
Deal.
Leading the mare from her stall, I walked to the opposite end of the stall barn, past rows of resting horses, tucked into the warmth of their housing for the night.
We reached black cross ties and, by this point, the feeling was beginning to return to my fingers. I turned the horse to the right and clipped the buckles on the side of her halter before facing Tenley.
“I-I-It’ll be f-f-fun, relax darling,” I reassured her. She studied me for a moment as I ducked around the front of the horse and walked toward the small door. Tenley followed me out, and as I attempted to gather Darla’s riding tack, she dug through the trailer.
A thick blanket suddenly draped around my shoulders, cocooning me into much needed warmth. I stopped fumbling with the stiff leather saddle and exhaled. Arms wrapped around my waist, and heat fell over my back as Tenley stepped against it.
The crisp, winter’s night air didn’t feel quite as cold as she held me tightly, keeping that thick, dry quilt around my body.
