“I don’t even really like horses,” I blurt out,
disturbing the quiet of the evening
even the horses lift up their heads to
stare at me as if they heard the words
and were offended.

“I mean. I thought you should know.
All this,” I wave my hand at the farm around us,
“Has nothing to do with me.”

Ben listens and then jumps off the fence
and stands in front of me,
nearly eye to eye

“And?” he asks.

“And? I just thought you should know, well…
before you…we…” I close my mouth to stop
the stuttering. I cannot seem to form the right words.

“Before we what?” He asks, a smile playing on
the corners of his lips.

I watch him hold back a laugh and then shove his shoulder
“I don’t know. You tell me.”

“You started this with your little “I hate horses’
announcement.”

“I don’t hate horses! I just don’t live and breathe
them like you all do.”

“So you think I’m that single minded?” He crosses
his arm across his chest. “I have many interests.
Take gymnastics for example…”

I go to shove him again and he catches my hand in his
and pulls gently. I step off the fence
and I am now looking up at him and his grin
has become a soft smile
that makes my heart
flood

“I promise I’ll never make you ride
if you don’t want to,” He says.

He squeezes my hand.

“Then I promise I won’t make you
do any back flips,” I say.

The grin returns and with his other hand
he tickles me until I plead for mercy.