She smiled.“Sort of—it’s a holdover from childhood when my dad would lecture me to always remember how powerful they were.I’d call them my beautiful beasts.”
One of the spotted mares was shaking her head in agitation and Renn walked over from the side of her so she could see him.Using a low tone, he spoke to her before he smoothed his hand down her neck.
“Where’d you learn to sweet-talk horses?”
Before he could respond the sheriff’s cruiser pulled up.“Hey, Andy, I’m really sorry about the barn,” Wes said, and nodded at Renn.“I’m going to see what we need to make things safe.Everyone, okay?”
“Yep, although Jeremy is already over in the barn asking the firemen a million questions.”
“Renn you wanna hop in?We might need more hands with the fencing.”
“I better walk.I’m drenched.”
“Alright.”
“Thanks, Wes,” Miranda said.
Once he drove off, she turned her inquisitive green eyes on him.“Earlier you said you were visiting the Hart family, but Wes didn’t seem too happy to see you.”
Renn just nodded.“We’re new acquaintances.”He wasn’t sure how much he should say to the Harts’ neighbor, even if she was the woman he couldn’t stop thinking about.
The rain had finally stopped just as a young man near the firemen whistled and waved them over.
“Looks like we can walk them back over.Do you mind taking two?And I’ll take the other two?”Miranda asked.
“Sure thing.”Renn just followed her lead, ready to follow her anywhere if she’d let him.
CHAPTER NINE
Miranda
Crybaby
It took allher strength not to scream or cry when the fire chief said the side of the barn would need to be torn down and rebuilt.The fire had not only hit the tree but also burned up enough of the side of the barn to make it unusable.That was not in the budget.But neither was letting her prize horses suffer or sleep outside.She’d have to figure out what else she could sell to pay for those repairs.
The firemen were cutting out all the fire-singed wood, chopping down the damaged tree, and said they’d pile up all the debris.
“This is so crazy,” Jeremy said looking at the charred earth and split tree.
Miranda thought about how she used to climb that tree and watch her dad’s horse wrangler work the horses.She had to blink back tears because if she started to cry now, she probably wouldn’t be able to stop.Looking over at the good portion of the fence she spotted Renn whispering to Beast, but his eyes met hers.Turning away from him she walked into the barn from the second narrow entrance on the one good side, to check the interior.Everything was wet but salvageable.
“Andy, a word,” Wes said, stepping inside the damp, humid space.
She recognized the look in Wes’s eyes.It was the same one people had been using on her since her mama left when she was ten.
“Don’t pity me, Sheriff—at least I didn’t let the insurance policy lapse.”Lie, she thought as she mentally kicked herself.
He shook his head.“No, I wouldn’t dare, but I will offer to help you out.Get some quotes for the insurance company, and I’ll take care of the rebuild.”
“You, you’re going to rebuild an entire side of my barn?”
“You know Levi built Dalton’s place.He’s back on the road with his team but he’ll be back to rebuild it, but in the meantime, we can figure out what supplies to get.”
She sighed.“I can’t afford to tell you no.”
Wes nodded.“Then it’s settled.And I think we can use some leftover fencing we’ve got to close up this damaged side for now.Keep the horses safe from any critters and stop them getting out.”
“Thank you.”
