Bette nodded. She slowed down a little bit. She wanted to savor every second. They walked the horses slowly up the coast. The conversation was easy. They laughed and sang. They allowed the horses to lead them into the ocean. The silence was beautiful. 

They stopped. They sat atop Cash and Bandit and watched the sun disappear. They were about a quarter of a mile from the meeting spot. They could see the apples and Susi.

“Wanna race?” Tina asked.

“What do I get when I win?”

Tina scoffed.

“Oh, you want to make a bet, Bette?”

Bette nodded.

“How about the loser gives the winner a massage,” Tina said.

Bette gulped. Tina knew she was playing with fire. But she needed Bette to touch her.

“It’s a bet,” Bette smiled.

“On your mark. Get set. Go,” Tina yelled.

“Yawwwwww,” they both yelled.

Cash and Bandit sprinted. Tina and Bette’s shirts flowed in the wind. The lead exchanged a few times. In the final stretch, Bette pulled on Bandit’s reins just enough to give Cash the lead. Bette knew she could’ve beaten Tina but she wasn’t certain if she would be able to handle Tina rubbing on her back.

“Yessss!” Tina screamed.

Susi grabbed the reins as Bette and Tina dismounted.

Tina started doing a victory dance. Bette and Susi laughed.

“You barely won.”

“A win is a win,” Tina danced around Bette. 

“Susi, thank you so much. That was amazing,” Bette said.

“You’re welcome. Please give us some feedback and your thoughts about having horseback riding on Malibu Beach.”

“It’s a yes for me,” Tina said. She was still dancing.

Bette and Susi laughed. 

“We will for sure. Also, I would like to invite you to Mark’s opening.”

“Oh, brilliant. I would love to come.”

Tina and Bette fed Cash and Bandit some apples before they said their goodbyes. Tina grabbed Bette’s hand.

Bette looked down.

“Julia said,” Tina shrugged.

Bette laughed.

“She did say,” Bette squeezed. 

Tina squeezed back. Bette started walking towards the stairs.

“Wait…your car is the other way,” Tina said.

“We are not going to the car yet?”

“There’s moooore? I thought the horseback riding was the date.”

“That was phase one.”

“Phase one?”

Bette nodded. Tina would’ve been fine with just phase one. They interlocked their fingers. Tina saw what appeared to be a restaurant. Bette walked them confidently to the front door.