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CHAPTER39
“Each stall is numbered and on the chart. The chart notes specific needs each horse has as well as their menu. Like this one, big scoop of bin number 3, medium scoop of bin number 2, and two big scoops of bin number 1. She’s undernourished, and the vet said she needs more protein in her diet, hence the alfalfa. She’s been stabilized, food-wise, so she should be okay. There were a lot of electrolyte infusions in her early days here.” He babbled on as he walked around the barn, doing the feedings, still not believing she was here.
Or that he’d tasted her.
“This one was more severe, and we’re still not giving her pellet grains yet. She’s purely hay at this point. She’ll start some pellets in a couple of days.” He moved down, stroking the weak mare affectionately, watching her do the same with the first horse next to him.
“The farrier is coming tomorrow morning to give them a little pedicure, but that’s something I’m hoping to learn as well.” He was hoping to learn it all, and he had all the time in the world at this point. But this woman next to him was a sudden unknown in his equation.
Why was she here? She’d said nothing about her true motivations for being here, and he was clueless. So he continued to prattle on about his routines and systems for regaining the horses’ health.
“What happens when they’re healthy?”
“I’m still not sure about that part. I’d like to rehome them, but that runs the risk of more trauma to the horse, or an even worse environment than where they came from. People don’t realize how much work horses are.”
“Have you thought about a dude ranch? Having people come stay here and ride them?” She shrugged. “I don’t know. I really don’t have a clue about what you’re doing here.”
“I don’t have a clue about what you’re doing here either.”
At first, she looked shocked at his throwing her words back at her, but then, he couldn’t really believe he’d said it either. Then her face softened, and she reached her hand back to the mare’s muzzle.
“I don’t either. I’d hoped for more from you. More than letters, I guess. I want to see if we have a chance at something.” Her attention was wholly focused on the horse, munching away in front of her, and she wouldn’t meet his eyes.
“Something?” He thought he knew what she wanted, but he was too afraid to assume.
Finally, her eyes lifted to meet his. The uncertainty in them nearly brought him to his knees.
“We had something great, before all—” She waved her hands around vaguely. “I wanted to see if we could get that back and grow from there. I signed over my charity, got rid of my condo, and left behind everything I was. I want to see what I can be.”
He swallowed.
“Here?” he asked, his voice sounding very unsure. “With me?”
She nodded, her eyes still questioning.
He smiled at her, hoping to ease some of the tension. “I’d like that.”
She visibly relaxed, and instead of taking her into his arms again like he had before, he cleared his throat and continued his rambling until he had finished with the seven horses in the barn.
Katie followed him, listening and nodding intently.
“I know it’s a lot.” He checked to make sure everything was situated before he headed out of the barn. “It takes time, but you’ll get it.”
He realized his words assumed she was here long term, but since she didn’t say anything to contradict him, he went with it.
Back at the house, he opened the door, cringing at the inside of the place.
“I’ve been focusing so much on the outside and the animals that I haven’t done much to the inside, beyond making it habitable.” He tried to see it from her point of view and found it astoundingly lacking. “I’m sorry.”
She smiled at him shakily. “It has potential.”
“I know it’s not what you’re used to, but—” Her hand on his stopped him.
“I wasn’t expecting the Taj Mahal. Relax.”
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“Okay, but there are no floors upstairs, so…” He let that linger on the air but was surprised when she only laughed at him.
It was glorious.
