Like a Cowboy - Parker McCollum

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We take a short drive to his friend's farm, which looks just like the movies. When you got to the driveway, there was a large wooden arch with the name Blue Tick Ranch carved into a piece of wood hanging from the top. A gate opened once you reached a certain distance and a long driveway to what seemed like nothing. It was wooded, almost like we were driving into a forest. After about a five-minute drive, we pulled up to a large cabin and barn resembling the farm off Yellowstone. It was so rustic; it felt like home.

We get out, and he unloads the horses and puts them in the round pen, "don't worry, they're staying here for the night." He closes the latch on the gate and begins to detach the trailer from his truck.

"Well, I wasn't sure if they were staying in my apartment with us, so that's good."

He laughs, shaking his head, "You are such a smartass."

A woman, a little older and with blonde curly hair, walks out of the barn wearing a short-sleeved polo and jeans. "Colton, it's lovely to see you again."

Colt stops winding the trailer hitch up and walks over to her, hugging her, "Nice to see you again, Abby. This is Charlie; she wants to learn barrels." he turns to look at me, "She was at the rodeo with her clients."

I reach my hand out for her to shake and smile, "It's nice to meet you."

"You are even prettier up close, miss rodeo queen. I've caught the horse I'm going to let you ride. Let's get saddled up." I nod and follow her into the barn, where a beautiful, dappled grey horse is tied up. "This is Ace. He is a sweetheart. Have you ridden before?"

I nod and pat Ace on the neck before letting him sniff my hand, "Yes, ma'am, my friend back home lived on a farm, and we would go riding all the time."

"Alright, get saddled up, and we will meet you out in the arena through the doors."

She's leaving me alone? I hope I don't screw up trying to tie the girth. I grabbed a brush in a bucket, brushed the dirt off him, and then picked the dirt out of his hooves. I grab the saddle pad on the rack beside him and put it on. I hope it's on there right. I grab the saddle, and I underestimate how heavy it is. I set it down and readjusted myself before picking it up again and throwing it over his back. I tie the girth and back up to look at my work. It looks how it should. I put his bridle on his face and lead him to the arena, where Colt talks to a younger guy who must be his friend.

"There she is," he beams as I walk closer to them. "Beau, this is Charlie."

"Nice to meet you."

He tips his hat down at me and looks back to Colt, "I see how you are already whipped."

I blush, and Colt rolls his eyes, "Oh, shut it."

Abby walks over to us, "You ready?"

I nod, throw Ace's reins over his head, put my foot in the stirrup, and swing my leg over. I pull my hair into a ponytail, and Colt walks over to me to help make the stirrups shorter. He gives me a devilish smile before smacking Ace on the butt, making him jump and catching me off guard. "Really?" I roll my eyes and adjust myself in the saddle.

"Alright, go warm up. Get used to him and the saddle," Abby says as she walks over to talk to the boys. I kick Ace slightly, and he begins to walk. I kicked him a little harder, and he began to trot. I felt awkward as Colt watched me warm up. I felt like he was judging what I was doing wrong. I canter around the ring a few times before Abby says to come over to her. Ace was easy to ride and listened to me; he was probably used a lot as a lesson horse.

"So first, I want you to trot around the barrels so you can get used to the pattern. Depending on your preference, you can either go to the left barrel or the right first. Make sure to go past the barrel and then turn like it's a clover petal."

I nod and pick up a trot again and trot the pattern. I go to the right first, making a clover petal pattern like she said. I make my way to the barrel parallel to the first and make the same pattern before trotting to the last barrel on the other side of the arena. I make the turn on the last one, and Ace begins to canter as if it was habit to go fast after the last one.

I walk back to Abby, and she claps, "That was great! Keep doing that and go faster each time at your own pace. Make sure you are comfortable before you do anything crazy."

I nod, smile, and look at Colt, who is watching me with amusing eyes. He was definitely loving this.

I did the barrel pattern cantering the first time and then again, each time going a little faster. I went til I was out of breath and needed to stop. "Alright, if you're good, you can stop there. You looked terrific. You should ride some more and compete."

I jumped off Ace and laughed, "That would be a lot of fun. Thank you for the lesson!" I brought him back into the barn and untacked him, leaving everything where it came from. Abby said to brush the sweat off of him and put him out in the paddock.

Colt comes from behind me, picks me up, and I let out a little squeal, "You again?"

He laughs, sets me back down, and I turn around, "You looked sexy up there."

I smile, "It was a lot of fun. Thank you for bringing me." I kissed his cheek.

"If you keep riding, you can accompany me to rodeos and compete." He's thinking about the future. This cowboy must have never had his heart broken before. 

"Yeah, we could carpool."

He rolled his eyes, "You ready to get out of here?"

I nod, and he takes my hand, walking me back to the truck. He, of course, opens the door for me and climbs in himself. He pulls out of the driveway, and we drive to Auburn. "What do you wanna eat? I'm starving," Colt says.

I look at the time. It's almost five. We were at the ranch for a while. "Do you want wings or something?"

He nods, "That sounds good to me."

"Okay, then to B-Dubs it is."