Country Girls Do It Better... Book 1 Of The Healing Through Horses Trilogy

Chapter 12

A/N: yay! i'm updating again!!!!!! i'm so happy! i guess i have time on my hands as i'm waiting for the concussion team to call... ): yay right? anywho, i'll get to the story. BY the Way, i'm listening to It's America by Rodney Atkins. if you guys havnt heard it yet, you should. and even if you have you should listen again.

Hunter's p.o.v.

     I blew out a breath as I buttoned the last button on my black button-up. I grabbed a lint roller and started trying to get all the dog hair off of my black jeans. My family owned a Husky/German shepherd mix, and needless to say, he sheds a lot. Like, a lot! 

     I pulled my boots on and grabbed my stetson off the hook next to my door.

     My family and I were going to meet Kate and her dad at Church, and go out to eat afterwords.

    I glanced around my room. I had posters of some John Deere tractors and a few International Harvesters. I even had a few Farmall tractor models on the shelf.

    "Hunter! Get yer butt down here kid! We gotta go!" My mom yelled up the stairs. She was born and raised in Tennessee and had the accent to prove it. My dad was born in Louisiana where he stayed until he went to collage at Maranatha in Wisconsin. They both had the best southern accents and I had fortunately inherited it from them.

    "Comin'." I yelled back down. I grabbed my Phone that was playing Toby Keith off of my dresser, and jogged down the stairs.

     "Kid, yer gonna break the stairs, I swear." My dad said from the entryway as he put his hat on his head.

     "Yes sir." I had heard that same thing almost every time I came down the stairs. I knew he was joking so I just kinda ignored it.

      "At least I don't break the stairs. I come down like a lady." My little eight year old sister said from the table where she was still eating. I teased her all the  time, but I would give my life for her in a second if I had to.

     "That's 'cause you are a lady." I replied, grabbing an apple from the bowl on the counter.

     "No I'm not!" She stuck her tongue out at me.

    "So what are ya then? A cow?" My mom asked, grabbing her purse and walking out he door.

    "We finally figured out what she actually is!" Before she could answer, I picked her up and threw her over my shoulder, ducking out he door and towards the car. "A very skinny cow." I said as I tossed her gently in the backseat. As she went down, she grabbed my hat and took it with her.

    "Ha! Loser!" She cackled.

    "Hannah! Speak nicely." My mother reprimanded her right away.

    "Yes ma'am. Here you go, Hunter." She handed my hat back, but under her breath she said, "You're still a loser."

    I got in and leaned over to her. "Maybe, but if I'm still a loser, then you're still a cow."

    She gasped. "Mo-" She glanced at me and I raised my eyebrows. "Never mind." She huffed, crossed her arms and glared out the window.

    "Love you, sis." She shifted farther away and more into the window. I smirked to myself.

    We finally pulled up outside the church and I saw Kate and her dad, Mr. Leeson standing there in front of the door talking to the Pastor.

    "Oooh! She's pretty! Is she your girlfriend?" Hannah finally pulled her nose off her window and looked out mine.

    "Yeah, she is. And no she's not. I mean, no she's not and yes she is. I mean..." I sighed before continuing. "Yes she is pretty, and no she is not my girlfriend." My sister was right though. Kate was very pretty. She was wearing a forget-me-not blue dress with a brown belt and her cowboy boots, that had been nicely shined, but obviously worked in.

    "Well, she should be." Hannah said as she got out of the car.

    "Hannah, keep your nose stuck in your own business, please." my mom reprimanded.

    "Yes ma'am." Hannah replied, sickly sweet, but she turned around and stuck her tongue out at me. Again.

    My dad and Mr. Leeson walked into the building with Hannah and my mom following close behind. Kate stepped up beside me and started walking with me. "I didn't know you could actually look nice." she smirked at me.

    I noticed the thin line of eyeliner around her eyes, and a little bit of blush making her cheeks look flushed pink.

   "Well, I knew  you could, and I'm not disappointed." I gave her a small smile. Her cheeks flushed even harder, to the point where I could tell that it wasn't just the makeup.

   "Thanks." She looked down, embarrassed.

   We quickly took our seats in the pew, and they happened to be next to each other. We were squished between our families, and another small family with two little kids. We were so close out knees touched and so did our shoulders. I felt Kate stiffen next to me, so I relaxed as much as I could.

    She stayed tense the whole service.

    When the Pastor finally said the closing prayer, Kate was up so quickly it was like she had been poked on the butt with a hot branding iron.

    I heard someone squeal Kate's name. I looked around trying to find the source of the noise. My eyes landed on a short woman in a maxi dress and six-inch stilettos. She power walked up to Kate and started talking a mile a minute.

    "Kate! We need to set up a time for you to give my nephew lessons." The woman leaned against the pew as if she was out of breath. "He's around here somewhere." she looked around the sanctuary, probably trying to find her nephew. It was then that I realized that it was the same lady who had come the other day with the fancy jumper.

     "Shelly. Hi. Yeah, we do. Um, I have school tomorrow, but possibly after that if he's up for it." Kate flashed her gorgeous smile, and even though it wasn't directed at me, my breath still caught in my throat. I started coughing. Kate gave me a weird look which only made me cough harder.

      "I-I'm o-o-okay." I somehow managed to choke out.

     "Anyways," Shelly continued. "I forgot that you have school. Which school do you go to?"

     "Katriss high School." Kate replied.

    "Really? I'm enrolling my nephew there and tomorrow's his first day. maybe you can show him around?"

    "Sure-." Kate was cut off by Shelly.

     "Oh there he is! Chase! Get over here!" I followed her gaze and saw none other then the waiter from Cutter's that had been hitting on Kate. My guard immediately flew up and I stood. He walked over and eyed Kate up and down.

    "Well, hey cowgirl. Didn't really expect to be seeing each other again." He smirked devilishly at her.

   She smiled. "Well, it's a small town. We woulda run into each other at some point."

    "True."

    "You two know each other? Perfect! Chase, Kate here will be teaching you to ride and she will be showing you around at school tomorrow." Shelly grabbed both Kate and Chase's hands and made them shake.

    I now knew one thing. I would not be letting Kate out of my sight once tomorrow.