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Richard nodded and then shook his head.
Mercy ignored the latter. “Remember what I told you when you learned how to tack her?”
“She’ll hold in a breath to fake being fat?”
I couldn’t hold back a smile at that. Duck was the worst of the whole bunch at needing multiple girth cinches.
Mercy chuckled. “Well, that. But more important, stay relaxed no matter what. She can sense your nerves. So, go easy. No sudden moves or noises. No yanking the reins or kicking her flank.”
“Shouldn’t you be telling her those things? She seems a reasonable sort. I’m sure if you just explained—”
Mercy ignored Richard’s prattling and urged him closer to the left stirrup. Now that it was time to actually mount the horse, Richard swallowed what he’d been saying and focused on the task at hand with resolute determination.
Just like yesterday, his jeans were ridiculously tight, which made it difficult to lift his leg high enough to get his boot into the stirrup. For a moment, he hopped around on one foot, trying to regain his balance, and I couldn’t help but stare at the way those jeans hugged every inch of his thighs, outlining the cut of his muscles.
Before my imagination could run away with the image, he was on the horse, his butt firmly in the saddle and his hands holding the reins in a death grip. He sat frozen, as if terrified to move even a muscle.
“What now?” he hissed through clenched teeth, apparently afraid that even talking too loudly might startle the sweet, old mare into a rampage.
“Relax,” Mercy reminded him. “Talk to her. It’s not much different from learning how to handle a puppy when you were a kid.”
“I wasn’t allowed to have pets,” Richard said absently while shifting slightly in the saddle. “My father claimed having animals in the house was exceptionally vulgar.” He’d spoken the last two words with a mock high-brow accent, tipping his nose in the air and looking down at Mercy. Then he shrugged. “My sister learned to ride horses, but I was away at boarding school by then.”
He seemed to realize he’d shared more than he’d meant to. His eyes flicked to the rest of us before focusing back on Mercy. “Which was fine since that’s where I learned to ride another kind of stallion,” he added with a wink, clearly slipping back into the role of a jokester.
Harrison hooted, and PeeWee cackled, the sudden noise causing Duck to shift her weight.
Richard yelped, every muscle in his body going rigid. “Easy, girl,” he said tightly. He squeezed his eyes shut. “Relax,” he chided himself. Blowing out a breath, he leaned forward and placed a hand against the mare’s neck.
“Good Duck,” he murmured. “Nice Duck. I’m very relaxed, big girl. We’re going to stay nice and easy, right? Hear how relaxed I am? Feel how gentle I can be?” His voice was soft and regulated. I had to strain to hear it. “You’d never know I don’t know jack shit about animals.”
After a moment, Mercy began to lead Duck in a slow walk. Richard tensed, and I wanted to call to him to stay relaxed, but I kept my mouth shut and let Mercy handle it. There wasn’t anyone better on a saddle than the former bull rider, and he was also known for his endless well of patience.
Apparently bored now that Richard was becoming more acquainted with the saddle, PeeWee wandered over to ask a question about a pallet fork he’d been working on repairing. I kept my eyes on Richard, only half listening. Belatedly, I realized that PeeWee had asked me a question, though I had no idea what it was. Something about difficulty sourcing parts that I really didn’t care about in that particular moment.
“Just buy a new one,” I told him.
“A new pallet fork?” he asked incredulously. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed him glance toward Jed, who only shrugged.
The mechanic opened his mouth to say something, but Jed cut him off with a hand on his shoulder. “You want him to change his mind?”
PeeWee snapped his mouth shut. “No, sir.” And with that, he turned and hustled toward the machine shed.
Jed stood beside me for a moment, saying nothing while we watched Mercy give Duck more rein. Richard seemed to have relaxed slightly, his legs hanging looser, his heels pushed down.
“It’s not like you to lay down money for something new when you don’t have to,” Jed finally said.
I shrugged. “If PeeWee says the old one can’t be fixed, then it can’t be fixed.”
Jed didn’t respond. I could sense him looking at me, but I kept my eyes on Richard.
“Why are you teaching this city boy how to ride a horse when you know full well he’s gonna be out of here in a few weeks?” he asked. “The kid looks like he’s about to shit himself. On Duck, for Christ’s sake.”
