“I was gonna say to lick an ice cube!”
Yeah, right.
“Gray thinks he was overhandled in a halter,” Ozzie murmured. “It’s good that Matty found him so he can be with people who will care for him.”
Speaking of the devil…
A distant drumming pulled my eyes past the paddock, down the lane that curved along the cottonwoods. A copper horse came into view at an easy lope, hide gleaming like brass under the sunlight. In the saddle, sun flashing off a familiar figure, was Matty. My heart did its traitor’s lift.
Ivy saw him a second later. She made a sound that wasn’t quite a word and wasn’t quite a squeal, then turned it into both. “Maaaatt!”
Thank fuck I was holding on to her, or she would have tumbled off her perch in her haste to run to Matty. I held her back, an arm around her waist, while her little legs ran in thin air.
The horse slid into a jog, then a walk, ears flicking forward as they approached the fence. Matty was a whole new person when he was on a horse, loose but focused, alive, and respectful of the animal he trusted. He tipped his hat to us and grinned at Ivy like she’d hung the moon.
“Well, look what I found,” he said. “Three handsome fellas, a princess, and what the heck is that chicken wearing?”
Ivy stuck her chin out. “I’m not a pwincess. I’m a cowboy like Matt!”
Matty put a hand over his heart. “My mistake. My apologies to the ranch’s newest hand.”
Ivy beamed. “Can I ride the horsey, Daddy? Wanna ride wi’ Matt.”
“Matt’s working, Bug,” I said.
“Cowboy!” Ivy cried.
I rolled my eyes over her head so she couldn’t see. “Sorry, I meant Matt’s working, cowboy.”
“Puh-leeze, Maaaatt!”
She gave him her puppy dog eyes, and I knew he wouldn’t say no to her. He seriously needed to grow a spine, or Ivy would walk all over him.
“I can take her around, slow for a minute.”
“You’re such a pushover.” I shook my head but couldn’t stop smiling. Every day I fell more in love with him when I watched his interactions with my little girl.
Ivy’s eyes went wide, glitter-bright. “Up!”
Ozzie set Ms. Cluck gently back on Opie’s forearm. “Ms. C would like to supervise from the cheap seats.”
“Who are you calling cheap?” Opie griped, to which we laughed.
I boosted Ivy up while Matty reached down for her. Ivy landed in front of him with a breathless giggle and two small hands fisted in the mane like she’d been born doing it. I had a feeling it wasn’t the first time Matty had her on that horse.
Ivy’s laugh rang clear. She sat with back straight and proud as Matty took her on a slow pace around the perimeter of the paddock. On the second lap, he let Junebug lift into the tiniest little gallop, just a few strides, and Ivy squealed, high and thrilled. He eased them back down and brought her over.
“All done, cowboy.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and handed her down to me. “You rode like a champ.”
She touched her chest, breathless. “I did it all by self.”
“Just about,” he said solemnly. “You did most of it. I’m so proud of you.”
Opie dabbed at his eyes with a nonexistent handkerchief. “I’m emotional. Ms. C, capture my good side.”
Ms. Cluck blinked left. Even the hen knew he was too much.
Ozzie tapped Ivy’s nose. “It’s getting hot out here. You want a pop? We’ve got grape, orange, and the blue one that turns your mouth the color of the sky.”
