"Is that short for something?"
"Yes, if you must know, it's short for Nicole."
The look on his face said he was pleased that he'd gleaned that bit of information from me, somewhat smug. I had finished buckling the throat latch on my horse's bridle, so I stepped to his shoulder and checked my cinch again, realizing that I was stalling, but for exactly what I wasn't sure.
"You gonna eat your burger a horseback? I'll hand it up to you," he said the words as stepped toward the trailer, keeping out of my horse's way. It hit me then that in the all the ruckus my mare had caused, that I hadn't eaten yet.
"No, I don't think I will," I swung down from my horse and took his bridle off again. He handed me the halter I'd just laid in the floor of the tack room. I smiled back my thanks, not quite sure how to handle being helped so much. I was pretty independent, it was a big change not to do something myself.