“That’s River,” I said loud enough for Lake to hear. “I’ll go back in to make sure he’s quiet and won’t startle Truce.” With a final pat on Hope’s neck, I turned around to go, then glanced over my shoulder at Theo. “Thank you so much.” I grinned. “Can you bring me someone smaller tomorrow?”
Theo chuckled. “If the weather’s fine, then sure.”
“Okay!” I turned to go inside and make sure River knew to be careful.
* * * *
About a week later, I was knee deep in reading about horse breeds. It was like catnip to me somehow. Seeing Hope so close made me think about all the different types of horses there were, and I fell into a rabbit hole of the various horse breeds around the world and the causation of why they were so different.
I was fascinated by things like how in Iceland there were only Icelandic horses that were pony sized. For the safety of the breed, law prevented from other types of horses to be imported or any horses that were exported to be brought back.
It waswildto me how they’d managed to keep this breed so unique and pure through history. There had even been a volcanic eruption that wiped out most of the horses in the 1780s!
Anyway. I had clearly found something that my brain absolutely loved and I couldn’t be happier about that.
Lake had gone with Theo to go riding in the reserve across the road from us. River was doing something or other in his room, and I was reading on the couch. I’d already done my cleaning and had made lunch for everyone earlier, and I suddenly looked up from my book because a realization hit me; I felt happy.
I grinned, then smiled widely. Completely at peace, feeling safe and happy. I refused to think of what I’d come from, because this moment was too good to spoil like that.
* * * *
Lake and Theo returned earlier than I thought, and when Lake came inside, he told me there was a rescue operation they needed to do the next day.
Apparently, Theo had a friend called Jules—with the funny French pronunciation—who ran a rescue somewhere near Indianapolis. They needed help because they had too many animals in their care. Since we had space, Theo and Lake were going to drive to Jules’ rescue the next day to pick up what they could.
They left early the next morning, and River and I hung out after breakfast. Then he went to his room to concentrate on applying for more nursing jobs within a reasonable driving distance.
Now that we were more settled here, he felt like he needed to start working again, and I could understand that. I kept the house sparkling clean and the laundry done for all three of us, because I had to contribute, too.
I felt like I should be done with my chores before I could read every day, but Lake had told me not to stress out. Besides, we had a cleaning lady, Karla, who did the more detailed cleaning bi-weekly. With me doing the more general stuff and spot cleaning when something got obviously dirty, we were fine.
So yes, more book it was.
I heard a yell from upstairs, then River practically bounced down the stairs.
“I have an interview today!” He did a happy dance and just seemed so ecstatic.
“Wow, that’s awesome! Which place?”
“That one I really want, the new, inclusive family style clinic. Dr. Cobb runs it, and check this out,” he said, handing his phone to me.
The guy on the screen was handsome, he had laugh lines and tattoos and just…yeah.
“Don’t go crushing on your boss,” I warned him, knowing how that could go wrong, fast.
“He’s not my boss yet, and I know that. But eye candy makes the workday fly by.” He winked at me as he took the phone back. “It’s in the afternoon, so you’ll be alone here for a while.”
I shrugged. “That’s fine. I’ll do dinner prep and all that, make sure we’re ready to feed the guys when they get back.”
* * * *
I was checking the pizza dough River had put together when I heard a knock on the front door, then it opened.
River had come home about half an hour before, but he’d gone for a walk to get rid of his post-interview excess energy.
I wiped my hands and turned around just in time to see the most handsome man I’d ever seen step into the kitchen.
“Oh, hi,” he said, looking apologetic. “I’m Sebastian; I’m the vet.”
