Bridgeport Academy » COMPLETE

55

Kae had Googled horseback riding clothes, so she felt relatively prepared showing up at the stables on Sunday afternoon for her riding date with Chris. The websites said straight-leg jeans were the best if you didn't have riding trousers, which Kae definitely didn't, so she wore a pair of Levi jeans she'd had since seventh grade, when she'd stopped growing. Her black hair fell into two braids down her back, which she hoped gave her an air of boho chic.

Even though it was clear that Robyn was still reeling from her breakup with Chris, Kae couldn't stop thinking about him. When she got to the stables, she saw him leading two horses out in the paddock, one black, one a deep brown, noticing how his head was bent toward them as he patted them both on their necks, talking to them. His hands ran across the saddles and stirrups.

"Which one is Credo?" Kae asked when Chris finally noticed her approaching.

He stroked the black one's sleek mane. "This is my sweetheart. Isn't she gorgeous?"

Kae crept slowly toward Chris and his horse, not wanting to spook her. Credo was enormous. "Credo's a girl? She's so huge."

Chris laughed. "She's really not. I'm going to ride Dean Marymount's mare, Deena, because she's a lot bigger than Credo. And I told Credo to be gentle with you."

"Good," Kae said, hesitantly touching the horse on her neck where Chris had been stroking her. Her coat was surprisingly soft and glossy. Credo shifted a little at Kae's touch and turned her head to look at her. The quick movement startled Kae, but she didn't flinch and instead kept petting the giant animal as she admired her enormous, brown-liquid eyes.

"Let her smell your hand," Chris said over her shoulder. "It will help her get to know you faster."

"Like this?" Kae held her palm out awkwardly in front of Credo's nose. With anyone but Chris, she would have been terrified that the horse would bite her hand off, but she trusted him. Credo made a snuffling noise with her nostrils and nuzzled her soft, damp nose against Kae's hand. She giggled. "She looks so much happier than those poor horses in the city that have to pull carriages around Central Park for tourists all day."

"God, you're such a city girl," Chris said affectionately. He held out a black velvet riding helmet. "Here," he said. "See if this fits."

"I have to wear a helmet? Does that mean there's a chance she's going to throw me off or something?" She held it awkwardly in her hands, suddenly scared again, visualizing her tiny body flying through the air and landing in a crunch of bones against the hard, packed dirt.

"Nah, she likes you."

"How can you tell?"

Chris scratched his head. "Well, I can't tell for sure." He shrugged. "But she likes girls who are nice to me." He raised his eyebrows at her, causing her to forget all about being afraid of Credo. "So, you'd better be nice to me."