Chapter 2
Two hours later after cleaning out the stalls of all horses currently in the barn, giving each fresh hay and clean water, then making the rounds on the side by side to check on each horse in the pastures and make sure their watering systems were functioning and all the horses were set for the night with their own piles of fresh hay, they finally called it a day, returned the side by side to the equipment shed behind the barn, and walked back to Harper’s car.
She stopped at the trunk and toed her boots off, slipped her sneakers back on, and tossed her gloves in on top of her boots.
“Here you go, forgot to leave these in the barn.”
“Oh, thanks,” she said.
“I’ll just get myself a pair for when I come help next time.”
She looked up at Clay. “You want to come help me again?”
“Yeah. It was fun. Besides, I have to admit, I am so impressed, Harper. These animals are special…”
“Noble,” she said.
“Exactly. Strong and as passionate as you are, but just as vulnerable as they can be. And you speak their language.”
She smiled at him, her eyes sparkling in the waning sunlight as she realized that he really understood. “I like to think I do.”
“They respond to you. I love to watch it. So, yeah, I’m up for helping you anytime you need it.”
“Thank you, Clay. I could really use some help around here.”
Clay kind of canted his head a bit as he looked away from her to give the house and the grounds the once over. “Now that you say it that way, I haven’t seen anyone else. Does no one else work here?” he asked as they got in the car.
“The Bigsbys do, of course. But they’re getting older and it’s getting harder for them to keep up with everything.
But those who board their horses here are responsible for certain things and if they help with the upkeep of the pastures and check the fencing and such, they get a discount on their boarding fees.
Then the riding school that uses the Bigsby’s horses help with some of the maintenance each week.
They make it a requirement of the students in the riding school to learn how to take care of the horses and how to properly operate and maintain a barn.
But it’s not like it used to be. They just don’t have the money to hire extra hands like they used to.
So, I do what I can. Some of those who used to be in the riding school and are parents of the kids who are in it now donate some time, too, and between us all, we get it done. ”
“Are their kids not interested in it? The Bigsbys I mean,” Clay asked.
She smiled sadly. “Their only child was special needs. She passed a long time ago. In fact, they started the center for the purpose of equine therapy for children with special needs. The program ended up expanding and was used for kids who were working through trauma, too. But now, the only riding school that rents horses and time is a standard riding school. But I digress, their child passed before their twentieth birthday. They never had another. But those of us who were around back then do whatever we have to do to help them keep their business profiting the little bit that it does, and the horses safe and healthy. For as long as we have the opportunity, anyway.”
“Why have the others stopped their programs?” Clay asked.
“The Bigsbys can’t afford to carry the insurance needed to insure the programs for special needs and troubled kids anymore.”
“Why are they carrying the insurance instead of the programs themselves paying for it?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know any of the particulars, but I guess they’d all discussed it at some point.”
“What did you mean when you said for as long as you have the opportunity?”
“I don’t know how much longer we can all hold it together. Mr. Bigsby is in his early eighties, Mrs. Bigsby is eighty, too, or just about. They can only do so much. And I don’t know what’s going to happen to the horses, then.”
“I’m sorry. I had no idea things were declining.”
“It’s okay. Honestly, I try not to think about it, because there’s not much I can do to stop it, but I’m going to fight it all the way down.
And then I just might bring the horses that belong to the Bigsbys to my house.
Those being boarded will have to find somewhere else to board them, or sell them.
My dad will have a fit, but my plan if it comes to that, is to tell him that at least I’ll be spending all my time at the tree farm now. ”
“Is there anywhere else to board them?” Clay asked.
“There are a couple of facilities out there, but nothing within fifty-five or sixty miles. And they’re nothing like this place. It’s gorgeous and peaceful. Not just a barn with dirt floors that horses are kept in until their people find time to stop by.”
Clay reached over and laid his hand over hers where it rested on the gear shift of her car. “It’ll be alright. Good things always seem to happen when we need them most.”
“I hope so,” she said as they pulled off the driveway of the equine center and onto the highway. “So, home now?”
“I don’t know. What did you have in mind?”
“I’m starving.”
“Didn’t you eat at Cristie and Remi’s party?”
Harper looked at him sheepishly once, then twice. “Yeah. But I eat a lot.”
Clay laughed. “Me, too. What are you feeling?”
“Pizza?”
“Oh, yeah. Definitely pizza.”
“Rodolfo’s Italian Grill?” she asked.
“They have the best eggplant fries!” they said simultaneously.
They laughed.
“Yes! And a large thin crust with everything,” Clay said.
“Except jalapenos and anchovies,” they both added.
They looked at each other with their mouths hanging open.
“Stop doing that!” Harper said with a laugh.
“You stop doing that!” Clay said, laughing as well.
Not too much later they were seated in a booth in Rodolfo’s, the waitress sending meaningful, lingering glances at Clay as Harper ordered for them.
Harper ignored the woman, as she read from the menu. “And can we get two orders of the eggplant fries and the marinara sauce.”
“Two orders?” she laughed. “Yeah, you can,” the waitress said. “Is there anything else I can get you?” the waitress asked Clay, not Harper, she looked directly at Clay while she spoke. “Anything at all.”
“Yes,” Harper said, bringing the waitress’s attention back to herself, pretending she didn’t notice the woman flirting with Clay.
Clay wasn’t her boyfriend anyway, he was her friend, a Pride member, but not her boyfriend and not the scariest word of all…
mate. “We’re going to need a large thin crust pizza with everything on it except jalapenos and anchovies. ”
“Make that two large pizzas, everything but jalapenos and anchovies,” Clay said. “Make sure you get that right. No jalapenos. No anchovies.”
“Got it. I hear every word you say,” the waitress purred.
“And I’ll have ice water,” Harper said. “What do you want to drink?” she asked Clay.
“You have iced tea?” he asked.
“We do, and it’s super, sticky sweet. Perfectly lip licking.”
“Mmhmm. I want mine unsweetened, and if you don’t mind, can you cool it with the sexual innuendos? It’s a bit of a turn off, especially with the disrespect you’re throwing my girlfriend’s way.”
The waitress’s eyes widened and she gasped in surprise. “I… it… I’m sorry. I didn’t think she was your girlfriend. I thought you were available.”
“No, you didn’t. You just didn’t care if I was or not.”
“Clay, it’s fine,” Harper said.
“No, it’s not. Do you do that with every table or just ours?”
“I swear I didn’t think… I was just…”
“You obviously didn’t think. But you know what? It’s fine. Can you just put our order in?” Clay asked.
The waitress nodded as she hurried away.
“Clay, that was not necessary,” Harper said, her voice hushed.
“Yeah, it was. What if you’d really been my girlfriend or my wife? It pissed me off that she totally disrespected you. And then it made my skin crawl. Damn, can’t we just get our food?”
“You alright?” she asked, reaching over to squeeze his hand.
“Yeah, as long as she doesn’t come back over here with that shit.”
“I’m pretty sure she’s in the back crying now. Somebody else will probably bring our food out.”
“Works for me,” Clay said.
“Let’s hope nobody spits on it.”
“We can smell it if they do. I’ll be getting more than we ordered to go for free if somebody does that.”
Harper laughed.
“What?” Clay asked, confused as he watched her laughing.
“I’ve never seen you like this. You’re usually so laid back.”
“Sorry. It just really rubbed me the wrong way.”
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’ve found your mate somewhere out there,” she said, waving her arm around to indicate the world, “and now when somebody comes onto you it really offends you.”
Clay looked at Harper, his expression unreadable.
“Is that it?!” Harper asked, excitedly. “Did you find her?”
Clay shook his head.
“Lie! I can smell the lie! Who is she? Do I know her?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Not sure about if I know her, or not sure if she’s your mate.”
“Yes,” he said. “And I really think I’d be offended anyway. That wasn’t even close to innocent flirting. She was practically propositioning me right here in front of you.”
“Well, it’s a small town. Smallish, anyway. Not a lot of chances to make new connections. Somebody interesting comes in, you do what you have to,” Harper said. She looked up and saw the waitress coming their way with a platter of something.
“Oh! Food!” Harper said, sitting up straighter.
The waitress put the platter down between them, then put two saucer sized plates on the table. “I put them on the same platter. Hope that’s alright.”
Clay leaned over and sniffed the eggplant fries, then picked up both small bowls of marinara sauce and sniffed them, too. “Yeah, it’s fine.”
“I’ll be right back with your drinks.”