I watched as Ty's face went from friendly to harder than stone in just three seconds. What the heck is wrong with him? He looks as if he's just seen the devil himself I thought.
"And who are you?" Caleb asked him.
I nudged Ty in the ribs, waking him up from whatever was causing him to stare.
"Ty Boardin, I used to work here five years ago," said Ty, his voice sounding as though he was talking to someone he hated.
But . . . that's impossible, Caleb's never seen Ty before . . . at least . . . not that he's ever mentioned it I thought. "Yeah he's going be filling in your spot while you're out on the rodeo circuit," I explained.
"Huh, so this is the same Ty Boardin who left without telling anyone?" asked Caleb sneeringly. "Gee, I wonder if it's because someone from his past came and . . ."
"Not that it's any of your business, but I left for different reasons," Ty replied. "For reasons that are not appropriate to talk about in this place and time. So if you'll excuse me, I need to go get my stuff from the motel."
"Alright, see you," I told him as he left.
Caleb's eyes followed Ty as Ty left the barn. When Ty was out of earshot, Caleb turned to look at me. "You might want to be careful of him Amy," he said.
"Okay and why's that?" I asked walking over toward Storm's stall so I could get him ready for tomorrow.
"Simple, he's trouble and not only that, but he did leave you five years ago without an explanation," he said.
"Yeah and Caleb, I'm grateful for your concern, but I know how to handle myself," I said, grabbing Storm's halter and lead rope off the hook next to his stall and entered the gelding's stall.
"Alright, don't take my advice, just don't come crying to me when he hurts you again," said Caleb and left. Next thing I heard was the sound of his truck pulling away.
I shook my head as I slipped Storm's halter over his head, and led him out to a pair of cross-ties. For today, all I planned on doing with him was doing some Dressage and go over a course of jumps so that I knew he would be okay for tomorrow.
"Was that just Caleb?" asked Lou coming out of the office.
"Yeah, I thought he was supposed to be working today?" I asked.
"He was and he didn't even call in," she replied. "Good thing Ty came around when he did, I can't keep Caleb if he's not even gonna call in to let us know he can't make it to work today."
"Yeah," I replied. "I"m gonna exercise Storm for a bit so that he's had some exercise for today."
"Alright, have fun, Mallory told me that she'll be getting him ready tomorrow, but knowing you, you'll get everything done way before Mr. Forest is supposed to arrive," said Lou. "So, I got some things to go over today, so you have fun."
"Okay, see you later," I said.
I gave the gelding a quick grooming and saddled him up before leading him toward the indoor arena.
Once inside, I saw Mallory riding Sapphire through some flat-work to help the mare be more loose and agile.
Stepping onto the mounting block, I lifted myself into the saddle, and began a twenty minute warm-up.
"So . . . I see that O'Dell finally came around and then left," said Mallory.
"Yeah, according to Lou he didn't even call in, she's gonna talk to him about it," I replied urging Storm into a large circle at the walk. Once we completed three circuits, I began making the circle smaller and smaller until he was loosened up on one side, before changing direction and working on the other side.
"Well that's good, maybe it'll tell him stop being such a jerk," she said.
I didn't say anything about that, but I did want to know about Caleb and Ty's attitudes toward each other. "Hey, has Caleb ever mentioned Ty before?" I asked.
She shook her head, but with her doing the sitting trot, it was kind of hard to see. "No, not that I've ever paid attention to whatever he's saying. Main majority of the time it's all about how great he did at the rodeo," she replied.
I shook my head and put the entire ordeal in the back of my mind, wanting to focus on Storm.
Twenty minutes later, he was warmed up and loose and I began asking him for more complicated Dressage moves, making sure to stay out of Mallory's way so she had room to work.
We worked in comfortable silence, each of us just wanting to make sure we ended our sessions on a good note; if we ended on a bad note, while I can't speak for Mallory, I always get wound up through the night going crazy.
I smiled though as Storm performed brilliantly and, as we went around the course, I knew, without a doubt, that he was ready to go to a new home. He kept his feet high without lagging, he had good energy, and, when we approached the water jump, he didn't even falter; he pricked his ears and jumped the water clear.
I laughed as I patted his neck and slowed him down. "Good boy," I said to him, causing him to snort and bob his head.
"Looks like he's ready," said Mallory from where she was cooling Sapphire down.
I let the reins slide through my fingers and let Storm walk around on a loose rein so he could cool down. "I know, isn't he amazing?" I asked. "If Mr. Forest doesn't buy him, I'm sure someone will."
"Oh Mr. Forest will buy him, who wouldn't?" she asked. "I would if it wasn't for the fact that he's a jumper not a Dressage horse."
"Plus you also got Sapphire," I commented, knowing full well that Mallory wouldn't ever sell the mare unless it was because they had outgrown each other.
She smiled and patted the mare's neck.
Thirty minutes later, Storm was cooled down, rubbed down, and put back into his stall. "I'll be back later boy to give you a bath so you look good tomorrow," I said to him, picking up his tack and grooming bucket, and walked toward the Tack Room.
"So I didn't call in, big deal, it's not like I've committed a crime or anything," said Caleb's voice from the office.
"All I'm saying Caleb is that next time you don't want to come in to work, call or request a day off," said Lou's voice.
"I just got a full sponsorship to go travel the rodeo circuit, I completely forgot because I was so happy, can't you just cut me some slack?" he asked.
"Well how about this? I could have fired you for not calling in," she said. "At my job if I did a stunt like you did today, I would have been fired on the spot."
"You know . . . I bet it's because the Golden Boy showed up, the one who has no future in anything, that's why you're firing me!" he said.
"I'm not firing anybody, but if you want to quit go right on ahead," said Lou.
"Fine than I quit!" he yelled. The sound of his boots coming toward the door of the office made me hurry toward the Tack Room so he wouldn't know that I had been eavesdropping on his and Lou's conversation. "But be warned, I won't go down easy!" he adds and stormed off toward his truck.
As I drove up the long driveway, toward the ranch, I saw O'Dell's truck coming from the ranch. I pulled over to the side to let him pass, not wanting to get into it with him. As he passed my truck, he gave me a murderous look, so I knew he was pissed off about something. As I parked my truck in the usual spot, I saw Lou coming out of the boarder's barn, looking upset.
I cut the engine and got out. "Everything okay Lou?" I asked.
"No, I'll be alright Ty, you just go get settled in, dinner's at six," she replied.
"Alright," I said going around to the back of my truck and grabbed my dufflebags; as I entered my old room, I was hit with a pang of memories of the days and nights I spent in here. Relaxing, playing cards, listening to music, playing my guitar, and listening to the sounds of the horses downstairs. While this barn had gone from being the one simple barn to being the boarder's barn, it still felt like home.
After putting all of my stuff into the loft, I began unpacking, making the room look the way it used to be before I left. At the the bottom of the first bag, I grabbed a bubble-wrapped frame and unwrapped it, revealing a photo of me and Amy at the Fall Finale. I smiled; the picture had been taken after she and Spartan had won their class. I didn't know who was more happy, her or me.
"So are you gonna tell me how you and Caleb know each other?" asked a female voice, causing me to quickly drop the picture back into my bag.
"Huh?" I asked turning around to see Amy standing in the doorway.
"I said, "Are you gonna tell me how you and Caleb know each other"?" she asked.
"Oh um . . . it's a long story . . ." I said chuckling a bit.
She raised an eyebrow.
"Make long story short, we met when I was in foster care and we didn't get along," I quickly lied, wishing I could tell her the truth. But I doubt she'll ever believe me when I did tell her.
"Okay so is that why he told me to be careful of you?" she asked.
"I guess, why is that what he said about me?" I asked.
"Ty what's going on?" she asked.
I sighed. "Something that I don't think we're ready to talk about just yet," I said.
"And why's that?" she asked.
"Cause you'll have to trust me in order to hear with your heart, not your mind," I replied. "Cause if you listen with your mind, you won't believe anything I have to say."
She stared at me for a few minutes, making me feel uncomfortable. "Well then I guess it's a good thing you're working here then, just keep in mind it won't be easy," she said and left, closing the door behind her.
I sighed and looked at the picture in my bag. I knew she and I had something special going on, but because of the circumstances, I couldn't risk her being hurt because of me. I still loved her and, I get the feeling she still does too, but . . . I screwed up . . . and now?
And now, I'll have to work for a place in her heart again I thought.