Another side of Heartland

Chapter 23

-Caleb-

Once we got to the rodeo Grounds, i hopped out of the truck to go pay my entry fees. "Hey Caleb?" I turned around to look at Mallory. "Do you want me to saddle Ghost?" I smiled. 'Yeah Babe that would be great. You can ride him around too, if you'd like.'
Mallory nodded and walked back to the trailer. I walked into the office and paid my entry fees.
I turned around and ran into Josh, 'hey man'
"hey dude, what's up?"
'Looking for a partner for tonight if your interested?"
"Ohh hells yeah"
We bumped fists and laughed just as Jake walked through the office door and everything got real tense.
Josh nodded at him and then turned to walk out of the door grabbing my shoulder and shoving me out of the door.
'Dude, what the hell was that'

"It's a long story.. he's kind of a problem of Mallory's"

Josh nodded and looked at me with understanding.
'So she's more than just a date?' He said smiling widely.

I started walking headed towards my trailer and chuckled. "So much more"

When we got to my trailer Mallory was just climbing up on to Ghost. "Hey babe, you remember Josh.. from the bar"

She got all the way up on Ghost and turned towards us. 'Yes of course, nice to see you again'

"He's going to rope with me"

She smiled 'oh good'

"I'm still going to ride a bucking horse would you just ride him around until later?"

'Sure thing'

I walked over and motioned for her to bend down so I could kiss her. Mallory's cheeks turned a light color of pink but none the less she bent down and let me kiss her. I pulled my grey hat off of my head and placed it on Mallory's. "Go have fun" I smiled at her and squeezed her leg.

Josh walked up and bumped me on the shoulder.
'Dude. You are whipped.'

I smiled widely and watched Mallory trotting Ghost around. "Yes I am and I don't mind at all"
Josh smiled and clapped me on the shoulder.

-Mallory-

I was loping Ghost around when I noticed Josh loping next to me,  I smiled at him as he went by and I was watching him. He was on a beautiful little black horse with four high white stockings and a big blaze on its face. I brought Ghost down to a walk and was walking towards the exit, still watching the little black horse. I turned to look at the exit Gate and saw Caleb watching me. Just as I was getting to where Caleb was Josh trotted up next to me and fell into step next to me. When I got to Caleb I got off of Ghost and put Caleb's stirrups back to the right length and handed him the reins. Caleb smiled and took the reins.
'Hey Mallory, do you want to ride Dragon?'
I turned to look at Josh
"Dragon?"
'Yeah, I named him Dragon' Josh chuckled and stepped off of the cute little black horse. He started shortening the stirrups and I looked at Caleb. Caleb smiled and nodded his head to let me know I would be okay.
"So you want me to just warm him up?" I asked Josh as I put my foot in the stirrup to swing a leg over.
'Oh no, it's a she. But she is not my rope horse. She's only three, I just brought her along cause I like her. You can hang out on her all night'

I grinned at Josh and Caleb before turning and trotting away. I asked her to lope off and she moved right off and settled in to a nice little lope. My smile got even bigger as I rode her around.

-Caleb-

I watched Mallory riding Dragon around and I couldn't help but smile. 'That horse is for sale you know'
I looked over at Josh. "Oh it is huh?" I said shoving his shoulder. 'Yeah and for the right person it'd be damn reasonable to buy her' I rolled my eyes and smiled but didn't say anything. After a few seconds of us just watching Mallory I finally spoke up. "I'm sorry Josh" Josh turned to look at me.
'I know you are, I know you didn't mean for things to go down the way they did. In some ways I understand, you were newlywed and your wife hated me' He was still watching Mallory as he spoke.
"Maybe so, but we had been friends a lot longer and I regret that I didn't fight back."
Josh nodded and looked over at me 'Can I say something without judge?'
I nodded.
'You never smiled at Ashley like you smiled at her' he said nodding his head in the direction of Mallory. 'And Ashley never would have come here and warmed up your horse and she would have never climbed on that little horse over there'
I nodded my head in agreement, he was totally right. Everything he said.
"Your right, and I am really sorry. I hope we're still friends"
'Damn straight we are O'dell'

I laughed and turned to go tie ghost to the end of the arena for later. Walking along the back of the Bucking chutes I saw my mom scanning over the group of rough stock riders and I whistled. My Dad turned towards me and tapped my mom on the shoulder and I couldn't help but smile. After everything my parents had been through with my sister and my rebellious ass they were still going strong.

I walked up to my mom and Hugged her tightly "it's good to see you mom" I let her go and shook my dads hand. "It's good to see you too dad" he smiled and nodded in agreement while my mom was suddenly more interested in Ghost.
'I expected to see you holding a girls hand Caleb not this horse'

"Smooth mom, Smooth"

My mom pretended to look offended but my dad and I just laughed and I walked a little further down the line to tie ghost up for later.