“She bought the horse?”
Percy frowned and shook his head.“No.The owner wants the horse sold, but I know it will break her heart, especially when she finds out it’s going to slaughter.She’s trying to make payments, but she won’t make it in time for the auction next week.I’ve talked to the owner about the situation, but he’s a real prick and wants the horse destroyed.I guess it bucked him off, and now he hates it.”
“Who owns it?”
“Kyle Langly,” Percy said.
“Fuck.”The man was a bastard with a capital B.“How much is the horse?”
“He’s asking two thousand, but if it goes to auction, he won’t get even close to that, and he knows it.”
Thomas nodded.“Show me the horse.”
He followed Percy through a couple of barns and down the aisle of the last one, stopping at one of the stalls.
The gelding immediately poked his head out.Thomas reached out and stroked the animal.“He’s attractive and looks sturdy.I hate the idea of it going to slaughter.”
“I do, too,” Percy said.
Thomas stiffened when he heard a growl from inside the stall.“What the hell?”
“That’s Jaxx.He can’t be with her when people are here, so he stays here until she comes and gets him.”
“I’d like to take a better look at the horse.Will there be a problem?”
“I don’t think so...”
“Hey!”Scrappy said as she ran down to them.“What are you doing?”
Thomas studied her.He could see a layer of dirt covering her, and her hair tucked into the back of her shirt.The hat on her head hid the rest.“Percy was telling me about the horse, and I wanted to check him out.Is that okay?”
She studied him.“If you want him, what will you do to him?”
“I’ll take him back to my ranch, and he’ll be ridden but well taken care of.”
Her shoulders drooped, but she nodded.She unlatched the stall door, snapped a lead on his halter, and walked him out.She held onto him, her gaze fixed on everything he did to the horse.
“He’s a beauty,” Thomas said.
Scrappy relaxed even more.“You don’t hurt animals, do you?”
Thomas shook his head.“No.Never.He’ll be pampered.”
Scrappy stroked the horse’s nose.“Okay.Will you buy him?”
Thomas hid a smile at the wistful look on her face.
“I think I should.Don’t you?”
She nodded enthusiastically.“Oh, yes.He needs a good home.He deserves it.”
Thomas nodded.“All right.I’ll have Percy take care of it, and I’ll have some men come get him tomorrow.”
Her eyes widened, and he could see her struggling to hold back tears.He had to fight himself not to pull her into his arms and reassure her that Daddy was there.Jesus, where the fuck did that come from?
“That will be good.The sooner the better,” she said.
Thomas looked behind her to see a large dog standing and watching his every move.“What’s the dog’s name?”
