I shrugged. “Kind of. I bought a trailer, need to go pick it up.” I pulled my hair into a pony and fastened it. “Enjoy your breakfast, I’ll be back before you know it.”
I made to scoot off without fanfare, but Rick grabbed my wrist. “Whoa whoa whoa,” he said. “Not so quick.”
And I thought it was time for the chat, the one where they reminded me that this was a Saturday and I was on their time, the one where they reminded me that I had a fat wadge of cash in my bank account and two fat cocks to service. But it was just my guilt. Of course it was.
“Kept that quiet,” Rick said. “Where’s this swanky new trailer of yours?”
“Hartpury,” I said. “Not far. It’s not exactly swanky…”
Rick looked at Carl, but Carl wasn’t looking at Rick he was looking at me. “We’ll come,” he said, just like that. Just like it was the most normal thing in the world. “Just eat your bacon first.”
Carl bleeped the Range as we stepped outside but I shook my head.
“What?” he said. “I’ve got a tow bar, we can take mine.”
“But I need to be able to hitch it on mine,” I said. “I’ll need to do it for shows. I can do it.”
He looked at my shitty car, and back at me. “If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.”
He shrugged. “Alright then.”
And so Rick and Carl piled into the cruddy Katiemobile. It was funny to see them in there, amongst the grooming kits and the saddle soap and the bits of old tack.
“The height of luxury,” I laughed, and cranked the old brute into gear. I looked at Carl at my side, and he was dressed too nicely for this, as usual. His shirt was expensive and far too clean, his jeans had never seen mud in their life. And his shoes. His poor posh shoes.
“Don’t think I can’t see you checking me out,” he said.
Rick leaned between the seats, and my skin did that lovely little shiver it does when he’s close. “You’re so not dressed for this shit, Carl.” he said. “You’re never dressed for this shit.”
“Says Mr fucking Outdoors. A bit of time at the stable and you think you’re Farmer bastard Richard.”
“I’ve ridden,” Rick said, and I saw his grin in the rearview mirror. “It’s getting serious.”
Carl raised his eyebrows. “You’ve been on a horse?”
“Samson,” he said. “Katie gave me a lesson.”
It wasn’t a lesson, but I didn’t butt in. It was hardly more than a donkey ride, a bit of a walk up and down the yard but I didn’t want to piss on his parade.
“You didn’t say,” Carl said, and I swear I caught a whiff of jealousy. It made Rick laugh.
“You got your cock out when we walked back through the door. It slipped my mind.”
“You can have a go, too,” I said. “If you want.”
But Carl pulled a face. “Horse hates me,” he said. “He’d buck me off, then trample me.”
“He loves me,” Rick gloated. “He came whenIcalled him yesterday, knows I give him mints.”
“He’ll do anything for a mint,” I said, but Carl didn’t say another word.
The trailer was pretty shit, and I knew it. But it was mine. I couldn’t stop smiling.
Carl gave it a bit of a kick, scoped it out with critical eyes. “This is safe, is it?”
I nodded. “Yeah, looks sound.”