Texas to Tennessee

One hour and a whole lot of persuading on my part I was driving my truck, Jackson, and a trailer carrying Summer back to my house. I had had to coax Summer into even stepping near the white trailer. Obviously, she’d had bad experiences with them because every time I’d nudge her forward she’d yank back real hard. But, eventually, I calmed her down and told her that it’d be alright. After that, Jackson and I decided to take her straight back to the barn. As I was driving, I could see Jackson’s pleased smile from the corner of my eye.
“You excited?” He asked.
“Duh! I cannot believe you basically got me a horse. Why would you do that?” I know he hadn’t paid for her because Wayne had refused any money since Summer and I had shown him “a connection he’d never seen before” but I was still curious as to why this boy had taken such an interest in me within just a matter of two weeks.
Jackson shrugged, “I guess I just figured that you’d need a horse. I know how it feels to have someone one day and then the next day you don’t. And when that happened to me...the only thing I counted on was my stallion, Beauty. He would let me just run wild and free. I wanted you to feel the same way.” He put his hand down on my thigh and squeezed lightly. It was a cute gesture.
In that moment, I could honestly say that I felt safe. As if no one was going to hurt me or leave me. I glanced over at that annoying, wonderful souther boy sitting next to me and felt a surge of something I’d never felt before towards anyone outside my family, (and even now it was different)...Love. Jackson looked back at me and I quickly turned my head back to the road. I’d never loved a boy before. Sure, I thought I’d loved Chance, but there was always a small part of me that had said “no, this isn’t love.” But now...sitting here with Jackson... I smiled to myself; happy with my life for the first time since...yeah.
I pulled towards the barn, turned the truck around and backed up (to the best of my ability) so the doors of the trailer were even with the open doors of the barn. But before I got out to let MY horse out I turned to Jackson and kissed him, not a “needy” kiss, but an “I love you” kiss. I hoped he knew what I meant because there was no way I would be able to say those three words just yet.
Jackson smiled softly and whispered in my ear, “Let’s get Summer out before she has a heat attack.”
I laughed and unbuckled my seatbelt. We both walked to the trailer and started to come up with a game plan, just in case Summer bolted out before we had a chance to get a hold of her. “Alright, so I’ll have her halter and you have her lead rope.” I told him, handing him one of the lead ropes I’d bought the other day.
“Okay.” He took the rope. “I’ll put this around her neck while you put the halter on, that way we’ll have two ways of holding onto her.”
I nodded. “We can just put her in her stall and then decide where to go from there.”
Jackson took hold of the latch, I could hear Summer inside knocking against the metal door. I was nervous. I didn’t want Summer to get hurt, and I knew she was scared out of her skin already. I mean, it’d been a big day for her. Jackson counted to three and then opened the latch. Just as we’d expected, Summer tried to barrel out of the trailer. I stepped in front of her and held my hands up, mumbling quietly words of calmness. Jackson shot me a frustrated glance, “what are you doing?!” He asked frantically.
I ignored him and lowered my arms, slowly placing them on Summer’s face. I kissed her softly. “Atta girl” I said, “I knew you’d be good.” I placed the halter on her and lead her off the ramp. I opened her stall door and watched as she walked into her new home for the first time, just as I’d done a few weeks before. As I watched in awe as she turned around and sniffed about, I realized that Summer was like me in a way; scared, alone, and in need of a friend. I turned around to face Jackson who was still frustrated at me for not doing as we’d planned.
“Why’d you do that? You could’ve gotten hurt.” Jackson kept looking at me like I’d done something wrong.
“I just knew that she needed to be comforted, not roped. I wouldn’t like a bunch of hands on me either.” I shrugged, “It was an instinct thing I guess.”
Jackson ran his hand through his hair and sighed, then took me in his arms, forgiving me for the mini heart attack I’d given him. “You’re something else.”
I laughed. “Thank you...” then I added, “for everything.”
“Everything?”
“You made my birthday the best ever and you’ve been a really sweet person to me. thank you.” I tilted my head up so I was gazing into his eyes, and then slowly I got on my tiptoes so I could plant a kiss on his irresistible lips.
He gave me a smile. “So what’s the plan now?”
I took the papers that Wayne gave me out of my pocket and looked them over again. “She’s not under saddle, and as far as Wayne knows she’s only had a halter on her a few times in her life.” I looked back at Jackson. “I’ll train her.”
Jackson raised his eyebrows, amused. “You’re going to train her? By yourself?”
I nodded, and put the papers back into my back pocket. “You don’t think I can handle it?”
Jackson ran his hand over his face and replied. “I-”
I could feel his “no” coming on so I put my hands on my hips and turned on my southern attitude. “I can do it.” I told him. “I lived on a horse ranch, I’ve been around horses since I was born. I was riding before I could walk!” I exclaimed. “I can break this horse.”
Slowly, a smile crept on Jackson’s face. “I know you can.” He kissed my forehead.
Grinning I said, “I’m going to get started now!” I started to go towards Summer’s stall.
Jackson grabbed my wrist and pulled me as close as he could towards him. “Not today. Start tomorrow.”
There was a sudden intenseness in the barn and the piercing gaze in his eyes made me feel like I was floating. I said nothing. Just nodded. I opened Summer’s stall and clipped a lead rope on her. I shot Jackson a cute, yet flirty smile and lead Summer out of the barn. Jackson followed.
“I’m bringing her out to the pasture, so she can get used to it.” I lamely said.
Jackson unlatched the gate and opened it wide so I could take Summer through it. “Okay.” He watched me as I walked her around a little bit. I could tell she was nervous, by the way her ears twitched, but never did she once make any movement to rear or pull away from me. I guess she felt safe. We had that in common, because I felt safe too. I walked her underneath this big tree and unhooked the halter, taking it off. She pushed her nose towards me and I kissed it. “Ain’t nothing better than horse kisses.” I said, reaching over to pat her shoulder. “You go have fun. I’ll be back later tonight.” I started out by walking but then decided to run back to the barn. The temptation of starting her training and getting to know her more was too much. Jackson was waiting for me at the gate, he had this strange smile. One that I hadn’t seen before. “What?” I asked, once I’d gotten out of the pasture.
“You’re beautiful.” Jackson said simply. He took my hand and we walked back to the barn. Jackson stopped me when we got to the barn. “May I kiss you?”
I smiled, “I’d be mad if you didn’t.” I giggled and wrapped my arms around his neck. His kisses were sweet and soft and warm. He put his hands under my ass and picked me up. I laughed and couldn’t stop smiling, which made it hard to kiss.
“Shh!”He laughed with me.
I wiggled down from his arms and back on the ground. “Did you just ‘shh’ me?” I faked a mad face and once again put my hands on my hips.
“Possibly.” He winked.
“You better not do it again.”
“Oh? And what are you gonna do about it?” He cocked an eyebrow.
“You’ll be in trouble.” I smiled, and leaned up against him.

“Oh, am I interrupting?” My dad stood in the doorway of the barn, looking in on his daughter sexually leaning up against her boyfriend.
I backed up quick. “daddy! I got a horse!”
My dad smiled, “So Wayne gave you the filly?” His eyes dazzled. He could see my excitement so he looked past me and Jackson flirting.
I nearly jumped when telling him. “yes! How did you know?”
Dad motioned towards Jackson, “He told me about her, so I went down to Keller’s and saw the beauty. She sure is a nice horse, but she’s a wild one.”
I ran and threw my arms around my father. He may have had a little issue the other day, but he’d definitely made it up. He patted my back, unsure of how to reply. I glanced back at Jackson and winked. He smiled and stared at his feet. I guess it was somewhat an awkward moment for him.
Once the hug ended, my dad spoke, his voice had the slightest of a crack in it. “How ‘bout we go eat some cake?”
I was surprised, “You got me a cake?”
Dad nodded. “I sure did.”
I looked at Jackson, “Can Jackson come too?”
Dad followed my eyes, “Of course.”

I was surrounded by my dad and my boyfriend. Both of whom were talking about the baseball game that had gone on a few days ago while I watched. I couldn’t help but wish my mom could see them right now. She would’ve fallen in love with Jackson. She would’ve known that I saw more than just looks in him. That I saw a horseman, a southern heart, someone who liked me for me, who could make my hardcore-badass cover melt away. I tried to picture her sitting beside my dad, holding his hand and laughing with me as we listened to the boys get caught up in a whole other world. My mom would've loved this.