A bird swooped past, circled Eve, and then flew toward Rhett and his girls, who were now leading the trail ride.
Eve’s horse kept plodding along. “Happy, you go just my speed. Slow.” Eve smiled, giving the old horse a pat on the neck as they started up a low rise.
Happy gave it more effort, head rocking and joints popping as they tackled the gentle slope.
“Good boy,” Eve praised him again when they reached the top. She’d always wondered what it would be like to go on a trail ride with Hayden. Tall pines lined the rolling pasture to the north. She’d been nervous when they set out, but this was relaxing, like a slow drive.
Piper held up her cowboy hat and whooped. “Race ya!”
“No!” Rhett and Hayden cried in unison.
Piper and Sadie whooped and galloped ahead. Rhett galloped after them.
Katie’s horse pranced sideways, moving away from Hayden’s big chestnut and testing the tether Hayden had her on.
“Hayden,” Eve called, chest tight with worry. That was her baby on that horse.
“We’re fine.” Hayden held onto that lead rope with what looked like a firm grip. “Pull gently back on the reins, Katie.” His voice. So calm.
Katie sawed on the reins, nothing gentle about it.
Eve had been so focused on what was happening ahead of her, she hadn’t realized that Happy was moving at a faster clip than usual. Without warning, he accelerated into a choppy trot that had Eve bouncing in her seat. She clutched the saddle horn. “Ow. Hey. Stop.”
Happy trotted straight for the gap between Hayden and Katie’s horses.
“No. Happy. No.” Bobbing in the saddle, Eve sawed on the reins to slow Happy down, completely forgetting she should be steering him right or left until it was too late. “Sorry. Sorry.”
Happy trotted right between the two horses, forcing Hayden to drop the lead rope on Katie’s mare.
Star skittered sideways away from Eve and Happy.
Clutching the saddle horn, Katie screamed, “Mama!”
“Whoa!” Hayden cried. “Pull back, Katie. Whoa.”
But Katie seemed to be too scared to heed Hayden’s instructions. Star bolted.
As Eve watched her worst fears unfold, something came over her. She leaned over Happy’s neck, kicked his flanks, and yelled, “Yah!”
Happy might have trotted faster. It was hard to tell.
“Stop, Evie. We don’t want two runaways.” Hayden leaned over and pulled her reins backward, bringing Happy to a stop. “Are you okay?” At her nod, he leaned over Red’s neck and yelled, “Come on, boy!” And off he went at top speed.
My hero.
Eve kept a tight hold on Happy’s reins. He swung his head around to take a look at Eve and blew a raspberry, as if to say, “Come on, chicken. We’re part of the herd.”
A glance ahead showed Hayden capturing Katie’s reins and bringing Star to a smooth stop.
“Okay. I guess you’re right.” She relaxed her hold on the reins and gave Happy a gentle kick. “That’s my baby up there and we can’t be left behind.”
*
“Hay-Hay.” Katie reached for Hayden when he brought Star to a stop. Her little face was pinched with fear. “Hay-Hay.”
Without hesitation, Hayden drew the little girl into his lap. “I’ve got you.” He still held Star’s reins too.
The normally unflappable mare nudged Katie’s leg with her nose.