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“I don’t know what I’m going to do.” He spoke to her while he grabbed the bucket of first-aid supplies. “I feel like I’m making a mess of things.” He stepped into the stall, and the buckskin backed away. “I know, you care about her too.”
Tally set a wary eye on him and pinned her ears. “Easy, girl.” He pulled the carrot from his back pocket. Offered half of it.
She took the carrot, chewed. Lingered. Didn’t back away quite so fast.
“You’re okay.” He rubbed her head. “You gonna let me take a look at that?” The mare stepped sideways, leaving her hoof off the ground, ready to strike. “Okay, maybe we start with your bute.” He pulled the tube from his other pocket and set the dosage dial. “I thought I was your new favorite.” He held her head and administered the paste into the back of her mouth.
He checked his watch. He wasn’t sure he’d still have time to make it to church by the time he rebandaged.
Which might be more personal preference than actual reality. No one was going to care if he ducked in the back door late. He just didn’t want to run into Beth.
Well, he did. He did want to see Beth and maybe even spend the day with her.
He didn’t want to run into Dylan. Especially not Dylan with Beth.
Grayson heard the telltale hum of Noah’s truck.
Moments later, Noah appeared in the stall doorway. “Our camp bench seems to have been decimated last night.”
Oh. “Sorry—we were just sitting—” And kissing. He could still feel Beth in his arms. The way she’d kissed him, so sweet and tender and…loving. She’d tasted like promise and possibility.
Yeah, he’d leave out that part. “I’ll fix it this afternoon.”
Noah nodded. “You need a hand?”
“Thanks.” He ran his hand along Tally’s shoulder. “There’s more going on with this horse than its wounds.”
“Always is—whether it’s humans or animals.”
“I thought I was making progress with her. Beth sure has.” He pulled the other half of the carrot from his pocket as Noah entered the stall. “She tore her bandages off last night, and she’s really wanting none of it to get that cleaned and rewrapped.” Tally took the carrot and crunched it. Eyed Noah.
“She’s a wary one, huh?”
“She adores Beth. I think her size is less…” He looked Noah up and down. “Intimidating.”
The man laughed. “I get it. I’m not exactly small.” He let Tally sniff his hand and then slid his hand down to rub her neck.
Grayson haltered her and handed the lead rope to Noah, then collected the bucket of bandaging supplies.
“Are you almost done in here?” Anne stood in the barn doorway, her Sunday dress billowing in the breeze.
“Getting there,” Noah answered.
Anne came to the stall door and watched them work.
“You’ve both known Beth for a while,” Grayson said.
“Sure,” Noah said.
Anne nodded her agreement.
“She’s pretty tight with her dad.” Grayson removed the rest of the soiled bandages and flushed Tally’s wound.
“Mm-hmm.”
“But she’s also got this bucket list of things she wants to do.” Grayson looked up at them. “Do you think she’d ever leave Deep Haven?”
Noah let out a laugh, and Tally startled. “Oh, sorry.”
