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“They fill a whole picnic table. If that’s not a red flag, I don’t know what is.”
“Sage is fully aware Xander has five kids. And it’s not something she wants to get involved with. Relax and let her have a friend. A really cute and nice friend.”
After breakfast, it was time for some games. J.T. would’ve sat them out if it wasn’t for Finn wanting him to participate. The first game was a tug-of-war with J.T., Joey, Finn, Sage, and a father with his three children. On the other side were Xander and his kids, along with a mother and her son. The cook played referee and when he blew the whistle, everyone started pulling.
Xander and J.T. were both at the head of their respective sides, so they were ten feet apart and trying to stare each other down. As the rope inched toward Xander’s side, J.T. wished Sawyer was with them.
It took five minutes of pulling, but Xander’s team took control in the last minute and they tugged the ribbon in the middle of the rope, over the finishing mark. When the celebrating ended, J.T. went to shake Xander’s hand.
“Congratulations.”
“It was close for a minute or two. I’m glad your brother wasn’t on your side.”
Sage came up to them. “That would’ve given us an unfair advantage.”
Xander raised an eyebrow. “Would you have barred him from playing?”
Sage thought about it. “No.”
Xander laughed, then looked at the woman who was on his team. “I think Linda was our unfair advantage. She’s freakishly strong.”
Sage leaned in close to him. “She’s the girls’ gym teacher at the high school. Quite athletic.”
“That makes sense.”
J.T. scowled at Sage. “So why wasn’t she on our side?”
“I didn’t make the teams. She probably wanted to be on the side of the bakery guy who smells like delicious pastries, rather than the grumpy cowboy who smells like horses.”
“I’m not grumpy. And I rarely smell like horses.”
She patted his shoulder. “Are you ready for the next game?”
“What is it?”
“The dollar bill game.”
“Which is what?”
“Two rounds. One for the kids who are comfortable riding bareback. And one for the adults. It’s a race of sorts. You need to make it across the field without dropping the dollar bill tucked under your thigh.”
“Piece of cake.”
“We’ll see.”
Since most of the kids wanted to try it, Sage divided the group into three rounds. Kids under twelve. Kids twelve and over. And the adults.
The younger kids went first, and Finn was a little upset he couldn’t participate. But he felt better when he was told the younger kids got to go pick up the dropped dollar bills when it was all over. He also got into the cheering once the game started. Sage told the riders they needed to stay at a trot as they crossed the field. Two kids made it across with their dollar still under them.
The older kids were told to trot also, and only Oliver made it to the finish line with his dollar bill.
Six adults participated in the final round. Sage, Joey, Linda, J.T., Xander, and Bill, the father who had been on J.T.’s tug-of-war team. They were told they could lope, but no galloping. They also doubled the length of the race.
At the finish line, Sage, J.T., and Joey still had their dollar bills.
Sage laughed. “Okay. I think we need to have a run off race. This time, galloping is allowed if you two think you can handle that.”
J.T. and Joey both agreed, and the three of them walked their horses to the starting line.
