It was that day he’d been inspired and confident enough to really believe they would have the restaurant they’d always talked about.
And yet here he was seven years later, and he was still making someone else’s recipes in someone else’s restaurant.
He dropped the memorabilia back into the box and gave it a swift shove, sending it sliding across the smooth wooden floor of the attic. Enough of that.
Downstairs he changed into a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt with his boots, then went to the kitchen to box up the picnic lunch. He grabbed two apples from the fruit bowl for the horses. “You sure I can’t talk you into riding with us?”
“You and Dawn will have fun. The creek trail is gorgeous right now.”
“We may as well go saddle up the horses so when Dawn finally gets here, we can go.” He put their lunch in a bag and walked with Mom down to the barn.
As they neared the barn, the horses frolicked and nickered, happy to see them.
“You already had your breakfast,” Mom scolded the horses as she pulled the chain on the gate to get enough slack to unhook it. She waved an arm in the air. “Get on back.”
The horses sauntered away as she swung the ten-foot gate open.
Andrew slipped his fingers under Doc’s halter, a big bay gelding standing sixteen-three hands. He was tall to get on, but anyone could ride him. A babysitter horse, Mom had always said.
Gentle as could be, Doc dipped his head, letting Mom rub his nose.
“Doc’s happy to see you,” she said to Andrew.
“Come on, old buddy.” He reached up and rubbed the side of his neck. “Best friends forever.”
The horse snorted.
To his surprise, Dawn came riding up on her horse, Gabby. “Thought you’d never get here,” she teased.
“I thought you were going to call when you got here.”
“Thought I’d surprise you instead.” She pulled on Gabby’s reins and spun the golden palomino in a tight circle. “I’m waiting on you for a change.” Gabby tossed her flaxen mane.
“Show-off.” Andrew threw the saddle on top of the blanket on Doc’s back. The shiny bay used to be a competitive header horse. He’d been retired early after his cowboy got injured. He was a good horse with a less-than-competitive demeanor these days.
It didn’t take long to get Doc tacked with Mom’s help. He tucked the food into the saddlebags, then put his foot in the stirrup and lifted himself up onto Doc’s back.
“You good up there?” she asked.
“Your mothering is showing,” he teased. He shifted in the saddle side-to-side. “Fits like a glove.” He tugged low on the reins and clicked to move Doc back a few steps, then caught up with Dawn.
“You still look good up there,” Mom said. “A natural cowboy.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” he said in a southern drawl while tipping his imaginary cowboy hat. He let Doc move at his own pace.
“Have fun.” She waved as they rode across the field.
When they reached the back gate that led to the creek trail, Andrew dropped down from his saddle and opened the back gate, letting Dawn lope ahead. He was perfectly happy to take it slow and soak in the beauty of the North Carolina landscape again.
He’d forgotten how different things looked from another five feet in the air. The world felt more open from up here in the saddle.
He sucked in a lungful of the fresh, pure air.
Although winter was in full swing, the abundance of evergreens in this area made it still feel lush. He brushed his hand through the thick pine needles that hung heavy from the trees along the trail. The pungent aroma of pine released into the air around him, reminding him of Christmases past. He wiped the sticky residue from the pine tar against the horn bag on the saddle.
Doc snorted. “It’s good to be with you again, Doc.”
It didn’t take long for Andrew to relax. “I’ve missed this.” Andrew loosened his grip on the reins and let Doc pick his own path. As a kid he’d wandered these trails on horseback and on foot, pretending to live off the land and hunt for secret treasures.
Dawn waited for him. “It’s nice having you around.”
“It’s been a good trip. I can’t believe it’s already half over.”
About fifteen minutes of riding through the tall pines and bare hardwoods, the tension in Andrew nearly disappeared. It had been a long time since he’d felt this way. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. As he loosened up, Doc did too.
Since it was early February, there were no bugs to contend with, and the mild temperature was like no weather at all. He pushed his sleeves up. The sun was warm against his skin. Birds chirped above, as if asking what he’d been up to all this time, and that was exactly what he was thinking about. He’d accomplished a lot, but a lot of it wasn’t what he’d set out to do, either.
Dawn eased her horse down the bank toward the creek. Here the river rock was smooth and the water was never too deep unless they’d had a rainy run of weather. The familiar cluck and clop of the water being sucked from below by the pounding hooves was as soothing as rain on a tin roof, loud and mellow all at the same time.
Water splashed from Gabby’s hind legs, sending icy-cold water up Andrew’s leg and the side of his face.
“No fair.”
“I guess you forgot the rider in the back is the one
