Chapter 14
A week later, Shay stepped out of the trailer he had just placed a box in and looked at the truck that had just pulled in. He waited for Pedro to join them. They shook hands, and Pedro asked where Faith was.
“Inside, come on in.” They went in, and Shay took him to the kitchen for coffee, and nodded when Faith came around the corner, carrying another box.
They had finally gone through everything in her home, and dealt with the different piles or sell, donate, toss, or take with her.
Since sleeping together the first time, they had shared her bed every night, and Shay hadn’t said anything yet, but he would ask her on the way back to Colorado if she would move in with him making them an official couple.
He knew it was fast, but he also knew that neither one of them was getting any younger, and he really, really liked her.
“Faith,” Shay called out. “Pedro’s here.”
“Oh.” She set her box down, looked up, and grinned when she saw the other man.
“What’s up?”
“I’ve come for a couple of reasons.”
“Which are?”
“One, I’m here to help you pack. I can either pack the trailer, or carry boxes back and forth.” He looked at Shay with a shake of his head. “No offense, and I don’t know what happened to you, but do you really want to be walking back and forth with that brace on.”
“No,” he said with a sigh as he settled in a chair at the kitchen table. “I was helping the farrier at New Double, and as I walked away, I didn’t pay attention.”
“He hasn’t been around horses all his life like we have been,” Faith said with a smirk. “He’s former military.”
“Ah, I understand. So, what happened?” At Shay’s look, Pedro shrugged. “When you walked away.”
“Ah, like I said, I wasn’t paying attention, and as I walked away, the horse kicked. At first I didn’t think anything of it, but by the time I got home, I couldn’t walk on it.” He removed his brace, and since he had the snap sweat pants on, he unsnapped them to show Pedro.
“Damn, that looks nasty.”
“Oh, this is nothing. If you compare this,” he said as he pointed to the horseshoe size bruise with a shake of his head, “to when it happened, then I’m completely healed.
” He snapped his pants back up, and pulled his phone over to him.
He accessed his photos and showed them to Pedro. “This is the day after it happened.”
“Pardon my language, but holy hell, that looks painful.”
“It was. Thankfully, nothing was broken, and I didn’t even tear my ALC or any ligaments. I was only severely bruised. The brace was to support it.”
“I understand. You can’t be too careful with bruises, you don’t know whether something will break lose and a blood clot goes to your heart or lung.”
“Yes, that’s the reason for the brace. I’ve ditched the crutches, and every day it’s getting better and better.”
“Good, then you won’t mind staying in the trailer to load the boxes Faith and I bring out to you?”
“Not at all, but may I suggest you bring out the bedroom furniture first? We’ll make do on the floor tonight, but if we can get it all packed today, we’re leaving tomorrow.”
“That’s why I’m here.”
“Why else?” Faith asked.
“Oh.” He turned to her, and his entire face lit up like a Christmas tree. “Your guy, Cole, called me.”
“And?”
“And, I passed the background check. He and Miss Naomi interviewed me over the phone, while we waited. I’ll be heading that way in a couple of weeks. I have to do what you’re doing here.”
“But?” Shay asked when he saw his expression.
“But, I did some digging, and I learned something. There’s a horse for sale, don’t worry, I can afford to purchase him, but I don’t know if I can bring him with me.”
“From my understanding,” Shay began. “There are currently three ranches on the same property, with another one being built across the road come this spring. Between those horses, there are five to six hundred. I don’t think one more will make a difference.”
“Okay, but this horse has been neglected, and severely beaten at one point. I think he’s given up on life, but I saw him a few days ago, and there’s still hope in his expression.”
“That’s what Broken Wheel is for,” Shay said.
“It’s a ranch where the horses were taken from their owner by the SPCA, or the police for neglect.
On Broken, they rehabilitate the horse back to their former glory with love, patience, and kindness.
Eventually, the horse could be used in the human rehabilitation center, if not, then they will live their lives out as a regular horse. No pressure to do anything.”
“The only thing I can tell you, Pedro,” Faith said as she reached out and placed her hand over his when she saw how distressed he was.
“Call Cole and Naomi to discuss it with them. I know I was told that Broken Wheel has a quarantine pen that all new horses go to for a couple of weeks while the vet works with them.”
“New Double has three,” Shay said. “Each barn has their own quarantine pen.
“Good, yes, I’ll reach out to them tomorrow.
Let’s get you guys packed up.” He stood, and had Faith walk him through the house to see what needed to be done.
Shay ended up helping get the mattress and box springs out to the trailer, while Faith took the frame apart.
Then Shay helped with the dressers. When only boxes where left, Shay was regulated to stay in the back of the trailer to organize and pack what the others brought out to them.
They worked all day, and by the time they quit around dinner time, everyone was satisfied with the work they’d accomplished.
The only thing left in the house were their suitcases, the coffee pot, their cups, and the last-minute cleaning supplies, along with the vacuum cleaner.
“What time are you pulling out tomorrow?” Pedro asked.
“Between ten and noon, the real estate agent is supposed to be here around eight. We’re doing the final walk through, and I’ll be signing the papers to list it. I’m hoping to be done by ten, and we can hit the road then.”
“Do you need any more help?”
“Thank you, but no, we’re good. Thank you again for all your help today. Don’t forget to call Cole and Naomi about the horse you want to bring.”
“I will, I promise. I’ll go home, get all my ducks in a row, reach out to the current owner to make the sale, then I’ll call. There’s no reason to call if the current owner backs out of the sale.”
They nodded and watched as Pedro left. With nothing left in the house, and exhausted, they ordered food in. While they waited for it, Faith went to shower, and she returned just as Shay shut the door behind the delivery guy.
“Good news, he said with a grin.”
“What?”
“The delivery guy is over twenty-one, he was able to bring us a six-pack of beer.”
“Good,” she said as she settled at the table, and they used paper towels as both plates and napkins.
Neither of them said a word as they ate, exhausted by all the work they’d done that day.
As soon as they finished, Faith waved him toward the bathroom, and she cleaned up the kitchen.
Because the rooms were empty, she had set up a couple of sleeping bags in the living room.
When Shay joined her, he used his crutch to get down, and sighed heavily as he settled back on his back.
He looked at her and released a heavy sigh. “I’m not being an ass here, but I think I’m too exhausted tonight to have sex.”
“I’m right there with you, buddy,” Faith said after her own sigh.
She rolled over to face him, and laid her head on his shoulder, at the spot where it met his pec, and as soon as he wrapped his arms around her, she sighed one last time and fell asleep.
Since that first time they had sex over a week ago they had had it every night, and a couple of times during the day, exploring what he liked, while using her toys.
They were both exhausted from the many, many bouts of lovemaking, and packing the trailer for the move.
Neither one of them moved much in the night.
Shay rolled over and stretched, and winced at the hard floor beneath him.
He reached for Faith, but found the bag beside him empty.
He paused, and smiled when he smelled coffee brewing, then wrinkled his nose when he smelled cleaning chemicals.
He used the crutches to get off the floor, went to the bathroom, and dressed while there.
As much as he wanted to forgo the brace, he knew he couldn’t.
He went to the kitchen to pour himself his first cup of coffee, and waited for the caffeine to kick in before he went in search of Faith.
He found her in her old bedroom, and she had just come out of the closet when she spotted him.
“Oh, good, you’re up.”
“Barely,” he said as he sipped his coffee. “What time is it?”
“Barely five. I’ve been up for about thirty minutes.
I wanted to wash down the walls. You know, I was a clean housekeeper, and I didn’t think I had a lot of stuff, at least not until I laid hands on everything in this house.
Now I get to wipe the dust, dirt, and cobwebs away.
I thought I’d do that first, then we can save the vacuuming for last.”
“I agree, I went through the same thing when I packed up to come to Colorado. Will you be shampooing the carpets?”
“I think so, Margaret said she’d bring those bootie things. I came up with a plan.”
“Which is?”
“I’ll wash the walls, you run the vacuum cleaner, then I’ll come behind and shampoo. There’s only this room, and the other bedroom with carpet.”
“True, and when you’re using the shampooer, I can wash down walls in the hallway. Before you say anything, I am slightly taller than you, and I have a longer reach.”
Faith snorted a laugh, “Slightly?”
“Okay, significantly.”