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“I’m better.” He dismissed her words. “But I have to go to the hospital for a checkup, and then meet this guy who wants to sell me his horse.”
“I’ll take Sandy and Beccy out if I have time and you’re not back.”
“Are you sure? It’ll be just you here.”
“Do I look soft or something?” She narrowed her eyes at Jack.
“Wellllll, you do have that Boston rich-girl look, and those soft hands.”
“Which have been working for you for a while now, so watch it, buddy, or I’ll demand a pay raise.”
He laughed, then ruffled her hair. “Can you feed Kimi too? She’s about ready to have her kittens.”
“You guys and your female animals. It’s really unsettling,” Bailey said, following him from the room.
“We like to be surrounded by females, what can I say. Plus, we have Arthur and Blue, so that evens the numbers some.”
She swatted his shoulder, and he laughed, heading out the stable doors.
Bailey saddled Lou first, after they’d had a cuddle, and headed outside. The horse was a big baby, and loved to be hugged. Buzz had decided to stay with her today, and ran alongside as she took the horse on a slow canter over the paddocks.
Looking around, she still couldn’t take it in, that Bailey Jones, concert pianist, was riding a horse for a living, and mucking out stables. She loved it. Playing the piano was in her blood, but for now this was something she wanted to do. If she could also play at A.S., then she was happy.
“Joe,” Bailey sighed.
What she felt for him scared her, there was no getting around it. Last night had been one of the most wonderful nights of her life, but what now?
To blow away the thoughts tumbling around inside her head, Bailey urged the horse into a gallop. Muscles bunched beneath her as he sprang forward, and soon the wind was in her face, and she was smiling. Turning when they were both breathless, she headed back. Buzz was waiting for her in the doorway.
“Did we go a bit fast for you, boy?”
He gave her a woof, and a tail wag. Bailey rode into the stables, and dismounted. After rubbing the horse down, she gave him some food, then saddled Rae.
When she was done with the horses, Bailey put the tack away. She got a dog biscuit for Buzz, and topped up his water, then fed Kimi, who was settled in a stall in a pile of hay. Her belly was big now, and Bailey thought the kittens would be arriving any day.
Back in the tack room, Bailey took a soda out of the fridge, then sat in a chair and drank until her thirst eased. She’d never guzzled in such an unladylike manner before, and the thought of what her grandfather and those she’d mixed with while playing concerts might think made her giggle. When the tack room door slammed, she rolled her eyes. Jack must have come back early. Getting to her feet she tried to open it but it wouldn’t budge.
“Very funny, Jack, now open up.”
She waited, but nothing happened.
“Open up, Jack.” Bailey was about to give him a piece of her mind, when she smelled the smoke. “Open up!” Rattling the doorknob produced nothing. She leaned on it. It moved, but didn’t open wide enough to get out. There were no windows in here; she was trapped. Smoke meant fire, and if she didn’t get out and rescue the horses, Kimi, and Buzz, the smoke would cause panic and they’d hurt themselves. Looking up, she hoped the sprinkler system kicked in soon.
Buzz started to yowl.
“It’s okay, boy, I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Grabbling a cloth, she found some water and wet it, if the smoke got thick, she’d wrap it around her face. She then ran at the door. It moved, but didn’t open. So she did it again. By the fifth time, she was losing her strength.
“Open, damn you!”
It did, and she fell face-first on the ground, just as the smoke detectors started blaring. The sprinklers followed seconds later, soaking her and Buzz. Getting to her feet, Bailey looked around. Whoever had lit the fire had shut the main stable doors. Searching for the source, she found a pile of horse blankets beside the tack room that were still burning, and the flames were now climbing the walls. She grabbed the fire extinguisher with Buzz on her heels. Jack had taught her how to use it.
“Move away, Buzz!” She waved a hand at him, sending him back several feet. “Pull the pin, and aim.” Bailey recited Jack’s instructions. “Aim low, and sweep from side to side.” She did as he’d told her, using it until her arms ached, and she was sure the fire was out.
The horses were getting restless with the noise and water. Bailey could hear them snorting, and pawing the ground with their hooves, but she could do nothing about them yet. She ran to the stable door, but couldn’t budge it.
“The office, Buzz!” She sprinted up the stairs and threw open the windows, inhaling deep breaths of air.
