Longrider

Dan led him to a door a few steps back, towards where he had entered. A small room holding supplies and namely the feed she began piling into a bucket. “Start at that front and move your way back.” She said as she handed him the bucket and scoop. Nathaniel failed to hide his struggle as she let go, the bucket dragging his arms to the ground before he could correct himself. With a soft laugh she led him out and returned to the ladder Matt was already standing on. 

The barn was empty, the cows out in the field Nathaniel assumed. There were at least ten pens Neil could see and he noticed a dip around the corner that led to more. It took a few trips back and forth from the supply closet just to get halfway through the first wall. He heard the idle chatter between the couple, Nathaniel caught on quickly to the nature of their relationship due to the overwhelming friendliness between them and the stolen kisses as they worked. 

Neil had made it to the turn and realized how vast the building stretched as he saw another corner further down. Thankfully, Dan and Matt had finished the roof by then and the pair grabbed extra buckets to help Nathaniel finish. The group moved faster, taking less trips to refill. “Not bad.” Matt said, they were done in less than half an hour. 

The group packed the supplies back into the closet, before Dan locked it up. “Well city-boy, let’s give you a show huh?” Matt said, grabbing his hat from the hook he’d rested it on and holding it to his chest as he held the door open for Dan. He had a dopey smile as he watched her pass him, whistling as he shot Neil a wink. Nathaniel didn’t understand, nor did he want to, but he followed them around the barn and towards one of the fields out back. 

As they approached the fence, Dan swung one of her booted legs over and propped her feet on the bottom row in one fluid motion. Matt almost perfectly mirrored the same move, taking a seat next to her. Eager not to embarrass himself the first day, Nathaniel stuck with settling his elbows on the top row. “Here they come.” Dan nodded towards a group of blurry specks coming over the hill. 

Matt whistled as they got closer, it took a minute before Nathaniel could finally see the two riders directing the herd. Nathaniel watched in awe, the black mustang moving in sync with the rider. He donned black attire, from his hat to his boots. His arms flexed as he moved the reins, the sleeves of his shirt rolled to his shoulders showing off decorative ink. Then Nathaniel caught the wave of his partner, her white shirt cut in a similar fashion but starkly contrasting her with the other with her pink hat and light washed jeans. It wasn’t a large group, maybe twenty cows and some calves. The two riders whipped around, picking up strays. 

Three, he corrected himself as they led the animals into the smaller fenced area near the barn. The third rode up from the back, Nathaniel guessed he had been hidden from view while they cleared the field. Dan and Matt hopped off the fence to help guide them into their shelter for the night. However one calf had other plans, breaking the ankles of the dark horse's guidance. It seemed this wasn’t the first time, as the mustang whipped around as if he expected trouble. The rope quickly tripped the calf, faster than Nathaniel could process it leaving the man’s hand. Matt had gotten the gate down in time and helped the man, shorter than Nathaniel had expected as he descended, settle the small thing. 

“Ruckus. Gotta watch him, he's a runner.” Dan said to Nathaniel. This drew the attention of him from the newest arrivals. “Who’s the stray?” The man asked, leading the troublesome calf behind Matt. Not to Nathaniel, barely sparring him a glance over. “Neil. Wymack’s trying him out.” Matt said, following behind. The man made a noise, something between a scoff and a hum as he handed the rope to Dan and she disappeared into the barn. ““New guy, Nicky. Introduce yourself.” He took his horse and the other from the third rider, opening a smaller gate and leading them out.

Nicky, approached him, grin wider than anyone he’d met yet. He seemed to be naturally bouncy and buzzing. The rainbow band around his hat swaying as he bounded over. “Hey there new guy! Nice to meet you!” He said chipper, holding out his hand to shake. Neil took his hand with a normal amount of enthusiasm. “Names Nicky, well you just heard that. My cousin Andrew,” he said gesturing his hat towards the fading figure. “Embodiment of sunshine he is.” He laughed, but trailed off as Nathaniel gave little reaction. 

“So,” he said, clapping a hand on the upper part of the man’s arm. “What’s a handsome fella such as yourself doing in a place like this?” Nicky teases, gesturing his hat to Nathaniel as he speaks. “Passing through” He replies, feeling more repetitive with each person he meets. Nicky’s dark brown brow quirks in sync with an equally crooked smirk. “Where are you headed? We don’t get many tourists around here.” Nicky’s assessing stare is different from the one Wymack had given him earlier. There’s a tone to his talk he wasn’t familiar with. 

“Not sure yet.” Nathaniel answered, but Nicky didn’t seem the type satisfied with half assed answers. Nathaniel learned this quickly as Nikki continued talking, even just to himself the entirety through their last touches on their evening chores. He was well traveled, a bull rider in rodeo events, the group travelled now and then to shows nearby. He’d even visited Germany for a year in high school, god knows why since Nathaniel had tuned him out by then.

Nathaniel was grateful when Matt distracted him near stables, asking for help with the last of their evening chores. The last rider, who led only her own horse now, tucked the short hair that poked out the edge of her hat behind her ear as she approached him. The ends dyed alternating pastels which contrasted with the pale white. “Hello.” She said kindly, holding out her hand. “I’m Renee.” Her smile was kinder than the others, but the way she held the dainty cross on her neck as soon as Neil dropped his hand from hers caught his eye. “Neil.” He said short, but caught her eyes. There was a familiar tiredness, pain, and danger behind them. She must’ve recognized it too, but was too kind to acknowledge it. She nodded, gesturing to the building. Neil followed, assuming she’d be a better company than Nicky.

Renee gave him a simple tour when she put up ‘biscuit’, teaching him how to brush her out and set up her dinner. There were six horses in the stables and each had a plaque with their name on it that Neil studied as Renee led him to join the group waiting outside. He followed the four up the trail to the main house, as they paired off in rows Nathaniel was happy to fall behind. He copied them as they kicked off their boots. The group hung their hats on empty hooks, the only other two he recognized were wymacks and the man from earlier, andrew. As he followed the group in, the laughter and bustling movement from strangers he had yet to meet made Nathaniel realize just how much of the ranch he’d failed to see yet. 

He got lost in their movements as everyone set the table or fell into their seats in familiar routine. Renee sat down next to a blonde girl Neil didn’t recognize, she looked like she stepped out of a vogue with her perfectly manicured finger locked towards him. “Who’s this?” She said, causing a few of the rushing bodies to pause. The man from earlier, Andrew, bit into a piece of fruit as he passed Neil. His pale hair contrasted with his slightly tan kissed skin as his eyebrows raised in subtle acknowledgment. Nathaniel attributed this more to his position blocking the man’s walkway. A wave of nostalgia settled over Nathaniel as he caught a waft of cigarette smoke. 

“Neil, the new ranch hand.” Renee’s reply was sweet, but this didn’t divert the woman’s curiosity. “About time we get a new face around here.” She said, her tone seemed to have a ting of condescension but so did everything about her. “And a cute one at that.” Nicky added, setting a casserole on the table. He winked at Nathaniel as he sat down next to Andrew. Wymack followed with an identical dish he sat on the other end of the table, a beer in his other hand. “Quick your yapping, give the kid a day before you start fighting over him.” He said with a huff at the end of the table. He looked at Nathaniel, who’d yet made any sign of movement. “What’re you waiting on, an invitation? Go wash up and sit down.” Wymack barked, gesturing to the hall he’d just appeared from. 

Nathaniel nodded, slipping back into the corridor and turning into where he assumed the kitchen would be. However he wasn’t expecting another body to turn into him. The beer the man was holding splashed onto his hair, before Nathaniel could process he blurted his apology instinctively. “I’m sorry…..” Neil froze halfway between the last syllable. Those eyes. Neil hadn’t seen them in ten years. They seemed darker as he searched them for recognition but there was something entirely different. “What the fuck.” Kevin cursed, eyes locked on Nathaniel. Annoyance, Neil realized.