“I noticed the fence was fixed and a little birdy told me there was a big black truck parked out by your barn yesterday.”
“Oh my word, are you and Sara spying on me?”
“Actually, it was Mrs.Hart who told me about the truck.But thank you for confirming the information.What is going on?”
“He just saw me getting the fence material at the hardware store and offered to help.”
“Did he also offer to roll around in the hay with you?”
She couldn’t help but laugh and blush, which basically told Shelby everything she needed to know.
“Wow, he did.Oh, man, you are just like Ava and Brice.”
“Who?”
“The couple in my draft.”
“I thought you wrote young-adult adventure books.”
“I do but the funniest thing happened, after I got home from chatting with you.It was like my characters just had a mind of their own and decided they’re going to be each other’s first loves.”
“So, it’ll end tragically and one or both of them will have their hearts broken while they save the world in your pirates meets outer space series?”
“Not so tragic since they’re only fourteen and I can’t include much beyond flirtation, but they are both dead ringers for you and Renn.Now tell me about yesterday!”
“Well, it was kinda romantic.He helped me load lumber into the back of my truck, pull the old post from the ground, dig a hole, and put the new post in.Then after the cement cured, we nailed in the siding.”
“Uh I feel like you’re leaving some very scintillating details out?”
“And we may or may not have gone for a swim and gotten sand in places we shouldn’t while we waited for the cement to cure.”
“Sex on the beach in the middle of the day.That is so hot, and I bet your tan looks great.”
Miranda couldn’t help but laugh.
“When are you going to see him again?”
“Shelby, we are not playing matchmaker with the Harts’ long lost brother, whom we know almost nothing about.”
“But we…” Shelby started.
“No, I don’t have any time in my life to get distracted by some hot stranger passing through town.And I don’t exactly have a great track record.”
“Oh, who cares what some judgmental idiots say.What if Renn is yourthe one?”
“No.Please.He’s not.But I promise once I have this business up and running, I’ll let you play matchmaker.As long as the man is not from this town.”
Shelby sat up straight.“Okay you can bet it’ll be a double date with us, and you and I know just the man.”
“Good grief.Until then, why don’t you tell me about this new book.”
The next hour Miranda was forced to imagine a young Renn saving the damsel who mysteriously resembled her from one disaster after another, until Miranda was strong enough to save them both from some unknown enemy.
They made good time getting to the estate sale, and there weren’t any other serious bidders, so she ended up with not one but two, one-year-old colts.It wasn’t uncommon for people to fall in love with the idea of just having horses out on their land, but never taking the time to train them to be ridden.Then at the end of the auction there was one more horse led out to the circle and Miranda nearly fell out of her seat.
“Did you mean not to let you spend more than ten thousand per horse, or total,” Shelby whispered as Miranda bid on the year-old Mustang with beautiful white and brown patches.
“I can’t pass this beauty up.He’s too perfect for BB.”
