Complicated Matters by Unknown

the barns and turned right staying with the fence line. Taylor bounced around in the saddle. He slipped twice, but managed to hold on.
       Farrah laughed. “You’d do a lot better if you worked with her, instead of treating her like a tool.”
       Taylor raised an eyebrow. “Huh?”
       “Press your thighs together and put some of your weight in your stirrups.”
      He stiffened his legs against the stirrups. “Are you sure about pressing my thighs together?”
       “Unless you want to invent saddle seatbelts,” Farrah giggled.
       Taylor’s face turned red. “Whoa, Sandy.” He clung to the saddle when Sandy started moving.
       Farrah reached over and grabbed the bridle. “I’ll lead her. You concentrate on staying in the saddle.”
       Taylor held on to the saddle horn as they rode a well, worn path that ran along the fence line. “Why are we doing this?”
       Farrah stopped to examine a sagging fence. She reached into her saddlebag and retrieved a hammer and a fence staple. A few minutes later the fence was fixed. “We buy calves in the fall and winter and raise them on bottles. By January, young cows will be running in the smaller fields.” She mounted Stoney again. “I’d rather they stay where we put them.” 
       Taylor started to relax. The girl seemed oblivious to the fact that she was beautiful. Hands like hers had no business being covered in calluses. “Then what happens?” 
       They came upon a covey of quail nesting in some bushes. The tiny birds flew into the sky startling the horses.
       He grabbed his saddle horn with both hands.
       She held on to his reins. “Are you okay?”
       “What was that?” Taylor clung to the saddle horn and managed to hang on.
       “Quail. Cute, little birds. They live in the brush. Some people eat them, but they’re so little, it’s hardly worth the bother. Besides, these little darlings mate for life.”
       Mating for life . Taylor knew what that was like. He hadn’t been out on a date since his wife died. He had plenty of opportunities, but no one appealed to him. Getting a rise out of Farrah’s boyfriend was fun though. Even if she weren’t so young, she was still off-limits. He needed this job.
       They continued their ride.
       “You never did tell me what happens to the cows that you put out here.” Taylor reminded her.
       “They grow until it’s time to send them to auction or the slaughter house.”
       “You slaughter your own meat?” Taylor clutched his saddle horn.
       “We send them to the slaughterhouse.” She turned in her saddle. “What’s wrong, Sheriff? You some sort of animals’ rights activist?”
       “No,” he answered. “I just never met a steak while it was still a cow.” 
       They rode to a pond shaded by two huge oak trees.              
       “I can assure you, that my last steak led a much happier life than yours.” She dismounted and took a long rope out of her saddlebag and tied Stoney to a low hanging limb. “Come on, Sheriff. Time to give Sandy and Stoney a rest.”
       Taylor slid off his mount. His legs felt stiff and weak under his weight.
       “There’s a rope in your saddlebag.” Farrah gestured toward the leather bag tied to the saddle on Taylor’s horse. “Use it to stake Sandy out.”
       Taylor tied his horse to a low hanging tree limb, and sat down in the shade watching the horses drink their fill of water and graze in the shade.
       Farrah retrieved two bottles of water from her saddlebag and handed one to him.
       “Thank you.” He accepted the water. “This is cozy.” He stretched out in the shade.
       “Don’t get too comfortable.” Farrah sat down next to him. “This isn’t a day trip.” 
       He folded his arms under his head. “You and your guy come out here often?”  
       “Ah, no.” She propped her elbow against her knee. “Why are you asking?” 
       “Just making conversation,”