Passion » Max Regnery

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"Hey Max," Red O'Malley entered the small barn office to find Max Regnery, Pine Hollow Stables manager and owner, at his desk looking conflicted as he stared at the dark screen of his laptop. He peered up at Red eyes, his blue eyes a dark stormy grey. "Er, bad time?"

"Ah," Max closed the laptop and sat back in his chair, the stormy grey returning to a deep blue. "No, just the usual finance business. What's up?"

"Oh," he said a little more quietly as his gaze dropped to the closed black laptop. Red started to rack his brain for exactly why he had decided to show up. "Oh! Have you seen Blake?"

"No?" Max sat forward with a look of concern. "Why, has she not shown up today?"

Red shrugged his broad shoulders, "Dunno, her chores are all done, just haven't seen her. Was going to ask her if she wanted to join me for lunch."

Max crossed his arms and looked down that the dark mahogany desk. For a week straight, he hadn't seen Blake, but he figured she was just avoiding him like she had that one time he had yelled at her. Max didn't think too much of her absence because he knew just how upset she was about Garnet being gone. But then that wouldn't explain why she packed up her things and left the morning after Deb moved back.

"Maybe she went home," Red suddenly said as he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his dirty jeans. "Still isn't over Garnet, I see."

"Who?" Carole Hanson appeared in the office followed by her two best friends, Stevie Lake and Lisa Atwood. "Blake? Can you blame her? She and Garnet got on really well. And I know how she feels after Cobalt died, I nearly gave up horses forever."

"Hey Max," Stevie stood beside Carole, smirking. "Maybe you should try and find Garnet and see if you can buy her back."

"Stevie, Garnet was not my horse to begin with. What Mr. diAngelo did was his decision. I'll admit, I was a little upset he didn't come to me about it, but there is nothing I can do."

The girls looked at one another and then Red who shrugged his shoulders. Neither of them spoke and when Carole had opened her mouth to do so, the phone rang.

"Hello," Max said in his usual business tone when he answered the phone. "Really?" The girls watched curiously as his brow rose. "Sounds great, I'll be there right away."

"Who was that?" asked Stevie.

"An old friend of mine," replied Max when he hung up the phone and stood up. "He's just informed me he has some potential school horses and wants me to swing by and take a look."

"Brilliant!" Carole shrieked, her face lighting up.

"Can we come, Max?"

"I suppose, if that's okay with Red?" he eyed Red, hoping his head stable hand would help him out of the situation.

"Sure," replied Red with a grin meant for the girls. "I was just going to go into town for lunch, but if you three want to go help Max with some new school horses, go ahead. I can hold down the fort."

"You're the best, Red!" Lisa exclaimed as she threw her arms around his neck to hug him and then dashed out to beat Carole and Stevie to Max's truck.

"Thanks," Max sighed while tugging on his jacket. "Well, if you hear from Blake, let her know I need to talk to her when I get back."

"Will do," replied Red as both men walked out of the office. "Oh, and if you can, please try not to let the girls have their way with what horse you get for Blake."

"What?" Max turned to look at him. "I wasn't going to get a horse for Blake."

"Yeah, right," he chuckled, knowing exactly what Max was up to. "I know you better than that Max."

***

"What about this one?" Max asked the girl while he patted a beautiful chestnut stallion that looked identical to Garnet.

"Mmm," Stevie and Carole shook their heads while Lisa looked unsure.

"Max, he looks a little too much like Garnet," said Carole honestly.

"I know," he replied with a smile. "She'd love him."

"She'd love him, sure, but it would also be a painful reminder of Garnet."

"So is that a no?"

"What about that one?" Stevie pointed to the next paddock where a palomino ran around the entire perimeter nickering and shaking its head.

"No Name?" Said a voice which grabbed their attention. "He's pretty wild, won't let anyone near here."

"He's perfect!" Exclaimed Stevie and Carole in unison.

"I don't know girls," Max rubbed the back of his neck and turned to look at his friend Mr. Gavin, who had been the only person to return his call about having a potential horse for him.

"That horse is as wild as they come," said Mr. Gavin, the old leathered skin man was now leaning against the white fence watching as the palomino called No Name cantered around the paddock. "Boys brought him in with a herd from Wyoming. Thought I could help break him, unfortunately he's too wild for me. Don't see him being some school pony, Max, and I'd hate for you to waste your money."

"Come on, Max," Carole had turned to him. "Think about it, if Blake can tame him, imagine the bond that would be between."

"I know that," he said firmly, his eyes on the stallion. "But that horse is not Garnet. Garnet was trained, that horse is not. She could get seriously hurt."

"He does have a point," admitted Lisa. "Perhaps it is better to just get this horse. I'd rather Blake being safe than worrying about if that horse will hurt her or not."

"But he's perfect," Stevie turned to look back at the palomino. "I just know it would work."

Mr. Galvin turned to Max and smiled, he could tell Max was in but of a dilemma with two girls all for the palomino and one for he chestnut.

"Tell ya what," the old man stepped away from the fence. "If you can get this horse outta the pen in into that trailer, he won't cost you a thing."

"Really?"

"Tom, no!"

But it was too late, both Stevie and Carole were already setting off to find a way to capture the wild palomino, with Lisa in tow.

"Don't worry, I suspect you'll be leaving here with their chestnut."

"You don't know those girls," Max said, his eyes on the palomino. "That horse will be coming with us."