This Fearless Girl (St. Clary's University #2) - E. M. Moore Page 0,100
clouds of sand as he turns down a dirt road, much like the one my family house is on. Well, used to be on.
We drive under a wooden arch, and I lean forward, squinting to see what the sign reads, but it’s too aged to decipher. “Where are we?” I ask as we pull up to an old wood farmhouse. Animal paddocks stand to the side. Several have horses in them—one, a beautiful spotted white, and the other, a brown with a long, glorious mane.
“This is Sunstream Ranch.” He pulls to a stop in the driveway. “I come here sometimes because it reminds me of home.”
“Like your ranch?” I guess, looking at the area in a new light. “You miss home, huh?”
“More than a little,” he remarks. “See that beautiful, brown horse out there? That’s my buddy.” I lift my eyes, and he shakes his head. “Well, not really, but I request him when I go riding.”
“Riding?”
He smiles wide. “You ready to go for a ride with me, Tits? If we can’t do the other, this is the next best thing.”
“I’ve never been before.”
“I figured you hadn’t. I’ll make sure to ask them for their best beginner horse. It’s what they do here, Tits. They offer trail rides for the treasure hunting tourists. People want to have authentic experiences, and riding horses is one of them.”
My stomach churns with excitement. “I’ve never even been close to these beautiful animals before, but I’m willing to try.”
“I have a feeling you’re going to love it.”
He hops out of the truck, and I follow after him. He entwines our fingers, leading me to the side of one barn. The ranch hand greets Wyatt like they’re old pals, and the way they talk, it’s clear Wyatt wasn’t lying when he said he likes to come here. He nods toward me. “Dakota, here, needs a nice, gentle one.”
The only other person I’ve ever seen wear a cowboy hat in real life tips his hat at me. He’s a little older than us, but not by much with tanned, glowing skin. “I’ve got just the horse for you.”
Wyatt arranges for us to take a trail ride by ourselves. It sounds like they rarely do that, but Wyatt assures them he’ll take good care of me. I’m nervous at first, but when I meet the brown and white mare, I can’t help but stare into her eyes and fall in love. “She’s real sweet, miss,” the ranch hand assures me. “You’re going to love her.”
“I think I already do.”
Wyatt steps in and helps me onto her back, and she doesn’t move a bit, just swooshes her tail while I pat her side. The nerves turn to excited butterflies as Wyatt gets on his own horse like he was made to ride one. “Follow me, Tits.”
Our onlooker presses his lips together to keep from laughing, and I glare at Wyatt while he chuckles. My horse makes a spluttering sound, and I pet her side some more. “Exactly,” I whisper, feeling like the animal and I are on the same page. I turn to Wyatt’s friend as we start moving. “Hey, what’s my horse’s name?”
“Sunfire,” he calls out, shielding the morning sun with his hand and waving at us.
“Sunfire,” I breathe, turning back around again. Wyatt has one hand on his hip, smiling back at me. I lean over and whisper, “He’s a cocky one, isn’t he?”
She shakes her mane, and I can only assume she’s agreeing with me.
Wyatt’s quiet as we take a well-worn trail. The horses’ footfalls are practically silent on the packed dirt, and it’s just Wyatt and I and the beautiful Arizona mountains in the distance. It’s something straight out of a book, I swear. This is where the hero gets down on one knee and tells the girl that he only wants to be with her forever and ever, and I’m so lost in the imagery in my head that I don’t realize Sunfire is coming up on Wyatt and his horse until we’re standing side-by-side. The animals bend to drink from a river, and I gasp as the sun’s rays play over the water in front of me. “Salt River.” Awe fills my words. “I’ve seen it from up in the mountains, but I’ve never been.”
“There’s a river like this near my house, too,” Wyatt says, voice soft. “It’s one of my favorite places, and since I can’t be there, I like to come here.”
“I’m glad that what’s happened to your family hasn’t