I listened absent-mindedly while Colt talked about adding a third floor, finishing the basement, installing a solar water heater and solar shingles to take advantage of the blistering Texas sun. He talked about a few other eco-friendly add-ons, and I listened and responded just enough to sound halfway intelligent.
There was still plenty of daylight left, so I agreed to a tour by four-wheeler. Colt fired up the engine then motioned for me to climb on behind him. I slid my camera bag around behind my back and took a seat on a cushioned gear rack behind him, relieved to find handholds on either side of my legs to avoid having to grab onto him.
We raced in the direction of the barn, and for a moment I wondered how much of the wild little boy was still inside him. There was a time when the Colt I knew would have taken the worn path a little too fast, showing off a little too much for a much younger kid. Now, he was more reserved, like a man who’d had all the risk he could stomach and just wanted… peace.
“Now, the only way to really appreciate this ranch,” he began when he slid the immense barn door open on its track, “is by horseback. Come on.”
“Wait, what? I’m, uh...really, I’m not dressed for it,” I said, gesturing to my professional attire and making excuses.
“You shoulda thought of that before you headed out to one of the largest cattle ranches in the tri-county area!” he teased. “It’ll be fine, I’ve got just the horse in mind for you.”
Before I could protest, Colt had saddled up two massive horses, one a sleek black stallion and the other a chestnut colored mare. At the risk of seeming sexist in my own choice of horses, I approached the mare with my hand out towards her velvety nose.
“Nuh uh, Misty’s the jealous type,” Colt said with a hint of caution in his voice.
“Wait a minute… Misty? As in Misty McDaniels? You named your horse after your high school sweetheart?” I started giggling, and couldn’t stop. Colt stood by, watching me with an amused grin and waiting for me to regain my composure.
“First off, I didn’t name the horse. She’s a rescue from a farm a good ways from here. But if I had named her, surely you’d agree that it’s fitting. Old Misty was a stubborn, horse-faced, two-timing—”
“Wait a minute, horse-faced? Nice try, she was the homecoming queen, Colt. I think you’re just experiencing a little revisionist history. And as for two-timing, I do remember a few stories about you and my brother, namely about your late-night trips to go parking behind that old broken down drive-in screen. I’m pretty sure ol’ horse face wasn’t the only one stepping out on her sweetheart.” I let my tone of voice drop all the hints of my accusation and waited for Colt to squirm.
“I don’t know what you’re implying, but I would never,” he answered, closing his eyes, raising a hand in honor, and looking smugly self-righteous Texan preacher man.
“Save it, cowboy, the talk was all over the junior high school about you and Allie Hamilton staying out all night that one time, and how her parents pulled her outta school and made her go live with her grandparents after her reputation was ruined.”
“What?! Are you kidding? That wasn’t me! That was your dear sweet, saintly big brother. I was just the person they called to come pick them up when he ran the battery down on the car playing his ‘mood music’ all night.” Colt laughed, but looked surprised. “I can’t believe you didn’t know that. Bryant was quite the hellion, maybe it’s high time you interviewed your own brother!”
“I am shocked,” I replied, pretending to be indignant. “I can’t believe you would try to sully the good name of someone who… well… now that you mention it, he was always in trouble, wasn’t he?”
“Well, it was the good kind of trouble. Bryant was always up to something,” Colt admitted, “but you gotta say this for him: he never got in the same trouble twice! He was always on the lookout for something new to get people riled up.”
We laughed for a minute, reminding each other of my brother’s most notorious antics. Finally, Misty shifted her weight from one hoof to the other, and Colt turned to stroke her soft nose.
“I know, girl, you’re ready to go for a ride.” He took the reins and turned to me, pointing to the stallion. “You’re riding Dudley over there.”
“Dudley? That thing looks like it should be named Thunder, or Blaze, or Monster. Why’d you pick ‘Dudley’?”
“I didn’t. He came that way, too. And judging by the fact that his last owner gave him up for being too stupid to walk in a straight line, it just fits. But I’ve worked with him a lot, and he’s a solid, friendly horse. Come on, I’ll give you a leg up.”
Before I could even formulate a coherent protest, I was sitting on top of the sleek black horse. And Colt was right about him. He wasn’t bright, but he was the gentlest horse I’d ever ridden. We headed out together and rode just the perimeter of the back acres closest to the house, not even coming close to seeing the bulk of the land, but still I got a sense of wonder from what I could see in the distance.
By the time I’d taken hundreds of photos and we’d made it back to the main house, my mind was far away from fancy roof shingles and wine cellars. Instead, I was more focused on when in the hell the lanky country boy who’d tormented me as a kid had turned into an environmentally conscious, intelligent businessman who could have walked off romance novel cover.
Colt saw to the horses while I took the opportunity to sneak a few photos of him working. No matter how much money or property or prestige he had, he would always be the cowboy kid I knew growing up. Watching him groom the horses and put away the tack, watching the gentle way he fed and watered the animals, talking to them while he worked, was like a window into a whole new side of him that I’d known was buried in there but had never seen for myself.
“Come on, I’ll fix us some dinner,” he said, holding out his hand to me. I looked at it, unsure of what kind of meaning to put to it. I didn’t want to be rude, though, so I slipped my hand into his and let him lead the way.
“Don’t trouble yourself, I have to get going soon. I was going to get at least as far as Dupont by tonight, and get to working on this article at the hotel.”
“What about your parents?” he asked, turning to face me with a shocked expression. “Don’t tell me you came all the way down here and aren’t gonna visit.”
“Oh no, I got in a couple of days ago, and stayed out at their place,” I explained, assuring him I’d had a great time seeing them.
“You been here for a few days already and didn’t stop by? Meredith, I gotta admit, that hurts a little. I’d have fetched Mama and my brothers, had a whole big get-together… you know, done things right.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I only shrugged. I’d never been a focal point in our families’ activities together, but more like the extra girl who was just always there. “I’m sorry, but with the drive down here and back, I just didn’t know what kind of time I’d have to socialize. Next time I’m down, we’ll do something. Okay?”
“Next time?” His voice was rather quiet. “Is it gonna take another ten years? Or do I have to build another project out here to get you to come take some pictures?”