Kurt’s phone rang at eight o’clock and he pulled it from his back pocket. May’s name and picture sat on the screen, and his heart plummeted to the dirt floor of the riding ring where he stood.
“Hey, May,” he said in as upbeat of a voice as he could muster. He pressed his eyes closed though he should be watching Old Susanna as she walked the circle, make sure she stayed on the fence line though she wanted to come in.
“Kurt.” She exhaled, and he imaged her scraping her bangs off her forehead.
“You can’t make it today, can you?” He opened his eyes and focused on his horse, who had indeed snuck inside the path she was supposed to be on. He didn’t even have the heart to correct her.
“The dishwasher at the restaurant flooded, and it’s still not fixed, and I’m a huge mess, and—”
“It’s fine.”
