Yellowstone: Love and Cowboys

Albuquerque--Part 1

Coralee was sick of being on the road and wanted nothing more than to skip the show in Albuquerque and head back to Montana. She was heartily tired of the long drives, although it was only eight hours to Albuquerque it may as well have been eighteen. Being cooped up in the truck was driving her crazy and she understood why Coronado would buck when she took him out of the trailer to walk him, If she could, she would be bucking, too.

Katie, however, was looking forward to the next show. She noticed Coralee wasn't complaining much but she seemed edgier. Neither girl was the type to fuss and grumble, but Coralee had taken over the driving, saying that just sitting in the passenger seat was driving her crazy. Katie gratefully surrendered the wheel, but something was bothering her sister, and she didn't know how to draw it out of her.

Two more shows, Coralee told herself, a sixteen-hour drive that we split up into two days, then after the show in Missoula we can go home and park the trailer and leave it. How does Travis endure being on the road for days at a time? This is driving me nuts, my back is hurting and even the horses are getting impatient. Just two more shows, Coralee, and the last one is in Montana--and home.

It was early in the evening when they got to Albuquerque. The first thing they did was see to their horses and get them fed. Coralee managed to arrange some time to work with her horse in the early morning, she could use it and so could he. The warmup time seemed to suit them both, even though the hour seemed over early.

It was only after the horses were taken care of that they checked into the Ramada Inn and changed out of their traveling clothes. There was a Mexican food restaurant next door and soon they were seated at a table and drinking the one margarita they allowed themselves. Too much alcohol would interfere with their sleep and the show: Katie was determined to see if she could score a first.

The next morning Coralee gave the sleeping Katie a look of envy as she got up and went to work out with her horse. She saddled him and led him out of the stall to take advantage of the precious fifteen minutes she had been allotted to work with him.

Coronado was feeling frisky, and it wasn't hard to convince him to go through his paces. Though she knew he would rather be in his stall munching his mash he seemed to like these early morning workouts. She knew that she benefited, too.

"Hey girl," someone called out and she turned and saw Bob watching her, "You and that horse are looking pretty good, think you'll get yourself another first place?"

"I hope so, my horse is seeming pretty happy, but I've got to let him eat or he won't forgive me." She gave him a smile that was the twin of her sister's.

"Buenos dias, sweetheart," Bill appeared, leading his horse, "Are you going to get that first place tonight? That little bay of yours is one hell of a horse."

"Yeah, he is, I'm lucky to have him, he's put me into an entirely different class. I have to work just to keep up with him."

"Don't forget to give yourself credit," he told her, "I've watched your shows and you're good. You care about what you're doing, nothing half-ass about it. You've put in a lot of work, and it shows."

Coralee smiled, grateful for the praise. Travis would give her compliments, but he accompanied them with instructions for improvements. She appreciated his words, she told herself, because he was helping to make her the rider that she was but sometimes she wished he would be a little less critical.

"Well, we've got to get going," said Bob, "Hey, if you've never been here before, Albuquerque is a great town. Why don't we meet for dinner after the show then go to a bar I know that has great music and dancing. How about it?"

Yeah, she thought, I know what you want and I bet my sister will be more than willing. I kind of wish I was fucking someone tonight, too. No nooky for me until we get back to Montana.