He looked at my shitty car, and back at me. “If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.”
He shrugged. “Alright then.”
And so Rick and Carl piled into the cruddy Katiemobile. It was funny to see them in there, amongst the grooming kits and the saddle soap and the bits of old tack.
“The height of luxury,” I laughed, and cranked the old brute into gear. I looked at Carl at my side, and he was dressed too nicely for this, as usual. His shirt was expensive and far too clean, his jeans had never seen mud in their life. And his shoes. His poor posh shoes.
“Don’t think I can’t see you checking me out,” he said.
Rick leaned between the seats, and my skin did that lovely little shiver it does when he’s close. “You’re so not dressed for this shit, Carl.” he said. “You’re never dressed for this shit.”
“Says Mr fucking Outdoors. A bit of time at the stable and you think you’re Farmer bastard Richard.”
“I’ve ridden,” Rick said, and I saw his grin in the rearview mirror. “It’s getting serious.”
Carl raised his eyebrows. “You’ve been on a horse?”
“Samson,” he said. “Katie gave me a lesson.”
It wasn’t a lesson, but I didn’t butt in. It was hardly more than a donkey ride, a bit of a walk up and down the yard but I didn’t want to piss on his parade.
“You didn’t say,” Carl said, and I swear I caught a whiff of jealousy. It made Rick laugh.
“You got your cock out when we walked back through the door. It slipped my mind.”
“You can have a go, too,” I said. “If you want.”
But Carl pulled a face. “Horse hates me,” he said. “He’d buck me off, then trample me.”
“He loves me,” Rick gloated. “He came when I called him yesterday, knows I give him mints.”
“He’ll do anything for a mint,” I said, but Carl didn’t say another word.
The trailer was pretty shit, and I knew it. But it was mine. I couldn’t stop smiling.
Carl gave it a bit of a kick, scoped it out with critical eyes. “This is safe, is it?”
I nodded. “Yeah, looks sound.”
Rick opened up the back. “Samson will love this, his own personal chauffeur service.”
Carl jumped on the floor inside until it clanked and echoed. “You’re sure this is safe?”
I rolled my eyes. “Yes, it’s safe. It’s rough round the edges not a total bag of shit.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” he said.
Rick jabbed him in the side, then grabbed him in a headlock to ruffle his perfect hair. “Don’t knock it, grumpy face. It’s fucking awesome.”
Carl pushed him off and aimed a foot at his ass, gave him a healthy kick. “I’m not knocking anything, I’m just safety conscious. Better safe than fucking sorry, Rick.”
It made me laugh. They always made me laugh. “I’m good,” I said. “I’m happy. I’ve wanted one of these forever.”
“Fine,” Carl said, and held up his hands. “Then I’m very happy for you.”
I checked the fixtures then fetched my car, reversing it back with bated breath in case I made a tit of myself, but I didn’t. I lined it up just right.
I waved them aside as I fastened it up, determined to do this shit myself, and I was grinning like a lunatic as we rumbled away with a trailer in tow.
“You’re a kickass chick, Katie,” Rick said. “She’s kickass, isn’t she, Carl?”
“I’m impressed,” he said. “Kickass, indeed.”
It made me feel on top of the world.
We rocked that trailer up onto the yard, and I wanted to show it off to Jack, but he was nowhere to be seen. I hadn’t seen him for days in fact, the van was rarely there. I tried calling him but it rang through to voicemail.
“It’s Katie,” I said. “Just checking in. Got a trailer, parked it up by the barn. Hope you’re alright. Catch you soon.”
“Check this out,” Rick said to Carl, and he was off, jogging on past the stable block to the field.
My heart fluttered as Carl stared back at me, and there was a look in his eyes. A heaviness. A need. “You don’t have to,” I said. “We can head back.”
But he shook his head. “Let’s go see the furry boy.”
Rick was up on the gate, waving his arms and yelling Samson’s name. He was funny, Rick. Everything about him was so funny. I climbed up beside him and joined in the call, and the thump of hooves came thundering. Samson pulled to a halt later than usual, and