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"I'll see about that."
He stalked out toward the squad car and opened the door on the opposite side of the car where Case sat. Henry assessed his age to be late forties.
"I'll make you a deal. I'll buy these horses from you, and you never buy a horse, or a dog, or a cat or any animal ever again and I won't come after you."
"Oh, are you threatening me?"
"Call it what you want. But I'll buy your stock, your feed and some of your equipment and you wash your hands of animals. You aren't cut out for animals."
"Fuck you."
"Right. Maybe you can get some English lessons too."
The sheriff approached and Henry turned to him. “I’ll buy his animals and his feed. I don't want him owning animals ever again."
"That's a great plan, but you'll have to get him to agree."
"How about a couple nights in jail? My mom is an attorney, and I'll have her make a visit to him tomorrow. She's very persuasive."
Deputy Gordon chuckled. "I'd love to see that." He slammed the door. "I can hold him on a cooldown period. I can only hold him for three days without charging him."
"We'll get it done in three days. Does he have family?"
"Nope. His wife left a few years ago and they didn't have children."
"Blessing there. Everleigh and I will stay here with the animals and make sure they are taken care of until we work out a deal."
Deputy Gordon shook his head. "You're one of a kind, Henry."
"She's one of a kind." He pointed to the barn and Deputy Gordon chuckled and got into the car.
30
She looked the horse over and saw the welts on her backside. Tears welled in her eyes. She was beautiful, why would anyone beat on her? She strolled past the other stalls and petted those who weren't afraid of her. The others she spoke to softly and moved on. They'd get used to her.
The barn door opened and Henry strode in. His eyes sought hers and her heartbeat kicked up a notch. It always did. She stood still, not wanting to scare the horses.
“There are seven of them. They've all been beaten. The one in the back stall..." She pointed to the end of the barn, "Has cuts that should be looked at."
Henry nodded and pulled her to his body. His arms wrapped around her and squeezed her tightly and she'd never felt safer and happier.
He kissed the top of her head and stepped back. "I'm going to buy them."
"Buy them." She looked into his eyes. "The horses? You're going to buy them?"
"I am. I asked him, he said ‘fuck you’, which seems to be all he can say. But Deputy Gordon is taking him to jail for three days. I'll have my mom visit him tomorrow. You've met her. She can smile and speak to him like she's doing him a favor, and I'll own the horses and the feed."
She choked back a sob and jumped into his arms. The horse jumped and whinnied, hopefully she understood, but likely not. Henry held her for a few moments. Kissed her like she'd never been kissed before. And slowly let her slide down his body.
"That's fantastic."
"I told Deputy Gordon we'd stay here tonight. I'm going to have my dad bring us sleeping bags, water, and food and we'll bed down in a stall. I don't want to go into his house. We can go home tomorrow to shower. We'll stay with them until we have permission to take them to my farm."
She squeezed him tightly. After a while, she tilted her head to look into his eyes. "I love you, Henry Delany."
His hand cupped her jaw, and his eyes delved into hers. "I love you, Everleigh Hayes." His head dipped and his lips touched hers and it was like magic. True magic.
They stood together for a long time, which was good, because her knees shook. She'd never declared her love before. No one had ever told her they loved her. Except her sister. But that was totally different. Everleigh Hayes was a thirty-year-old woman who finally, finally found love.
