AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Or, maybe, you should trust them. That’s probably your best choice.”
Dev half jumped out of her skin, her heart leaping into her throat, from the shock of an unexpected female voice behind her. She’d been so caught up, she hadn’t even heard Verity, the vet from the Flying D, arrive. Because of what Dev was doing with training, breeding and rehabilitating horses—some of it for Robert Daly—he’d offered to share his staff veterinarian with her. And the vet had been scheduled to come out today, but Dev had forgotten.
“Verity, hi,” she said, turning while her heart settled back into her chest.
“Devon,” Verity replied, eyeing Devon, though they’d met plenty of times before. Her shrewd gaze took in all Dev’s undisguised appearance. “You look…different than usual.”
Looking down, Dev saw her T-shirt molded to her body and showed off assets she normally hid. When she’d gotten home today, she’d pulled off the uncomfortable bindings she usually wore into town. Then working in the heated barn while she cared for the animals, she’d shed even more layers.
“I wasn’t expecting anyone,” she said.
“I guess not.” Verity nodded toward Dev’s chest. “Look, um…I don’t know the story there, or why you’re clearly hiding your gender, but I won’t tell anyone, okay?”
“I appreciate that. There are people looking for me.”
The vet nodded again. “I heard a guy was flashing around a picture in town, earlier. Is he looking for you?”
Dev considered lying for a split second, but nodded instead. “Yeah. I don’t know him, though. I’m sure he works for…” She cut off before she said stepfather. She didn’t want to reveal too much. The less people knew about her situation, the better. “I’m sure he works for the people looking for me. They’re bad. Very bad men.”
“I’m sure you don’t have to worry about anyone saying anything. Even if someone recognized you, they wouldn’t rat you out to that guy,” Verity said, echoing what Hawk and Cannon had said earlier. She patted Dev’s shoulder, lifting an eyebrow. “We take care of each other around here. Small town policy. We can give each other all the shit we want to, but God forbid an outsider tries. They’ll be shut out cold.”
“But all the new people who’ve come to town—”
“Not to worry, I’m pretty sure it’s in the Welcome to Daly handbook,” Verity joked.
“There’s a handbook now?” Dev moaned, playing along. “I didn’t get one.”
Verity smiled before growing serious. “But seriously… People who come here, they’re usually leaving something behind. They understand if a girl might be hiding from her past.”
Dev didn’t argue that she’d run from a lot more than her past. “Hawk said that, too.”
“He’s not wrong. I grew up here, and I’ve seen so many people come and go over the years. Believe me, everyone has a story. But… Can I say something?” Verity went on. “When I came in, I heard what you said about running away. Don’t do that. Not to them. Not to yourself. I did that, and because of my decision, my men and I lived through hell.” She held up a hand. “Nothing physically scarring or life threatening. Just… We were all in our own personal prisons of loneliness, pain, and what-ifs.”
Dev was sure there was a story there, but Verity turned toward one of the horses boarding with Devon. They’d met before, and the animal let the vet stroke along her neck. Since Verity had started working, Devon turned back to grooming Phoenix.
As they each went about their tasks, Verity discussed some changes in diet for the mare she examined. This particular animal hadn’t come in for training, per se. Her owner had rescued her, and Dev was rehabilitating her since the man who’d purchased the horse couldn’t spend the extensive time necessary to get her back to being a healthy and happy horse. When she considered it, Dev thought it might be really good that she wouldn’t be at the diner anymore. She wanted to give her equine wards all the time she could, all the time they needed—yet still have time for a life, something she hadn’t had much of while running her business and working at Leena’s.
“You’re doing a good job with all of them,” Verity commented when she’d finished her exams.
“Thank you. The estate where I grew up had horses. The head groom at our stables taught me everything. I think maybe it was to save his sanity since I was always there, bothering him. I’ve cared for horses most of my life, other than when I was running. Started basics when I was barely five. Began training them before I was even ten. It’s always been my passion. I never wanted to do anything else.”
It had been her main occupation, and she’d spent most of her time in the stables. Until that last month before she’d run. That month had been awful. While she’d been at school, her stepfather had sold all the estate’s horses, including the precious Friesian she’d had since it had been a foal.
His action enraged her. He hadn’t had the authority to sell them. All those horses had belonged to her, and the loss had pierced a hole through her heart.
She’d only started to heal when she’d bought this land from Briar last year and brought equines back into her life. She still ached for the ones she’d lost, but the wound was getting smaller and less painful while she indulged in her life’s work.
Dev looked around the stable. “This is where I’m happiest.”
“I get it. They need us and accept us as we are with unconditional love. I’m happiest with animals, too. Happiest aside from being with my men and my kids, of course.”
“Of course.” Dev smiled wide. “That’s a given, right?”
“It is in Daly. Thank God.”
After a few more minutes, she and Verity wrapped up their business and the vet headed out. Dev had barely heard the woman’s truck start when Hawk and Cannon came in. She got the feeling they’d been waiting for the other woman to leave.
“It’s getting late. Ready to come inside?” Cannon asked. He acted nonchalant, but he reminded her of a puppy struggling to stay still so it could earn its treat. His hungry eyes devoured her, and the heavy tightness, which had barely subsided from earlier, wound up her low belly again. Her thighs clenched—no… Everything south of her waist clenched, anticipating the hours ahead.
