Pleasure at its Lowest

Chapter:18

Zoe

"Zoe!!!" I woke up to Toby yelling. I yawned seeing he was in my doorway. "What is this?" He asked. "Moving." I told him. At the end of January I signed the land deed to the house and hundred acres. The seller saw my offer and gave it to me for a lesser price after finding out who I was. Apparently his mother and mine had competed together and heard about the loss four and a half years ago.

"Like hell your not!" He said. I sat up on the side of my bed. It's now May and I'm going to be switching therapists for my knee. Last month I was placed in a brace to help start the healing process. I got up walking with crutches. Devon came in taking a box downstairs. "No your not leaving!" Toby yelled once more. "I'm tired of you using me. If you want to make real money then rodeo!

"I already spent the rest of my money on a house! And I'm taking all of my prized possessions with me. I may sell a few to some good people and rent a few stalls out for money but I'm still going to compete. My yearlings are already bought and are being fed." I yelled back. "You do not rule my life anymore. Your not going to mooch off me anymore. You wanna make money and raise bulls? Get into stock contracting and make big bucks. Once I'm healed I'm competing. That's how I make my money.

"You watch. I'll be successful in the next year." I told him. Devon grabbed the last two boxes and the rest of my clothes. I had furnished the house the past three months and gave up three yearlings to being of age. I followed Devon out and got into my truck. All but three horses were already at my place. Mason took two events off to help me move my horses and take care of them.

I then backed up to a trailer that had Gizmo, my mom's two prized mares and Sky High. Gizmo was on the outside of the group. I'll be dropping him off at his new home in Neosho to a little girl that loves western pleasure and her uncle that could cure Gizmo of his gun fright. He was old enough to breed so what I did was breed him to my mom's top mare. She'll bare me another champ before going into retirement for good.

As soon as I pulled into the drive I recognized one horse. I pulled up in front of the stables. A familiar man walked out. "Can't be." I said to myself before getting out. I didn't need my crutches for this short visit. Besides it will be my therapy for the day. I got out my left leg hitting the ground harder than the right.

"Well I'll be. If it isn't the most beautiful woman I've competed against." He said. "I don't think I can say the same for you. I've already found a guy even more handsome than you." I said. He scoffed. "So how'd he do on the way over?" He asked. "Fine. Freaked at the door closing but the rest of the way fine." I told him as I limped to the back.

"Did you go to the one in Amarillo?" I asked him. "Nah. My niece had school starting. Heard some guy shot at the group hitting a competitor." He said. "He's lucky he didn't shoot the horse. I would have killed him for injuring my horse." I told him. "Wait it was you that got shot in the knee?" He asked. "Had to get the bullet out then they reconstructed my knee. I'll either keep the limp or it will be gone." I said.

"No wonder he freaked out. He saw the gun, heard the shot, and thought it was him hit." He said. I opened the trailer and untied Gizmo. He snorted and balked a bit. "Least they didn't have to be gun trained for green horse." I said. He chuckled. "At least." He said letting Gizmo get use to him. "I'll love you boy. I have a new champ on its way. He or she will be as good as you were." I said patting Gizmo's neck. He nudged me as if knowing I was doing what was best for him.

"I hope you niece enjoys him. He'll be a good horse and mount." I told him. "She will. I'll take good care of him. Don't worry. Once your knee is healed I hope to see you out there kicking butt." He said. "Yeah. Yours." I said. "Is that your mother's mares?" He asked. "They are. And I could never part with them." I said.

"Wonder if you'd win the retire them class." He said. "Oh they'd win the old but spirited class." I said. "But I could never ride them. I've got too much history with them. Their both a year older than me and one is giving me one last foal." "Well I hope for a healthy pregnancy and baby. Then to see it competing against mine." He said. "Now this one I haven't fixed so you can either breed him or geld him. His bloodline does have my advanced horse and a random mare on my lot. But all of my mares have my mother's mares' bloodlines and Old Coot." I told him.

"Man I've been wanting to see that stallion." He said. "Maybe drop by my ranch to see him for yourself." I said. "And where would that happen to be?" He asked. "Cassville. Shouldn't miss it. It's two minutes out of town closer to Exeter." I said. "Maybe sometime this up coming week. I'm swamped at the moment. Between my mares and yearlings." He said.

"I understand. Just come out when you can. Until then I'll be taking care of my horses and getting them settled." I said finally closing the trailer and locking it. "I'll take great care of him. Don't worry. If I have any questions I'll call." He said. "Alright." I said before getting back in my truck. I backed up and drove down the drive out the gate and to my new home. When I got to the gate I punched in the code and went through.

As soon as the gate closed behind me that little sports car pulled up with that prissy woman that I've called the sheriff on so many times stopped at the gate. I knew she had gotten her phone out to call someone to let her in. Fact was, she was calling the wrong person. Her ex, the man that use to own the place, moved to Texas as soon as he could. I'm sure he even changed his phone number.

I backed up to the stables and got out. I leaned against the truck and bent my knee five times before unloading my horses. Every time I took a step I bent my knee.