The Wild Card [Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands]

Chapter 12

"Oh, aye, lady. I can build 'un for yer. I got summat to do first, but I c'n start in two days. Should take me a week. Anywhat else yer wantin' whilst I'm out there?"

Colette thought for a moment. "Can you build some fences? I put up kind of a rough fence from sticks and what have you, but I'd like something more secure around my pasture."

"Hrrmm... Mebbe a rail fence wit' stone pillars for strength?"

"Sounds good." Gannon poked a few buttons on his calculator with his huge finger, then Colette paid the deposit. "I'll see you in a couple of days, then," she called as she left.

On her way back to the ranch, she stopped in at the feed store to pick up some supplies and look for Vaughn. As usual, he was moping around in the back of the shop, looking more than half asleep. She wondered how he even made a living, but then perhaps he did better on the mainland.

"Hey," she said as she approached him.

"What?" he asked without looking up.

"It's officially summer as of today, and I'd like to discuss getting more livestock."

"You would, huh?" With a grunt, he sat up and hopped down from his perch. He stretched lazily, then looked at her. "All right, let's go see how you've done so far with what you have."

She paid Mirabelle for her feed, to be delivered later, and Vaughn sauntered out the door as she hurried to catch up to him. When they reached her farm, he headed straight towards the back fields and barns. With a critical eye, he inspected first her animals and their small enclosure, then her buildings. When he was finished, he leaned against a fencepost. "Well, everything looks shipshape. Gotta hand it to you, I never thought you'd take to farm work as well as you have. Guess I was wrong about you," he admitted reluctantly.

"So... does that mean you'll sell me more animals now?"

"I reckon, on the condition that you provide them with a larger pasture. This one's too small for many more critters."

"Well, hallelujah! A breakthrough at last!" she exclaimed with a wry smile. "Come on, let's have a glass of iced tea to celebrate. It's a hot day."

He shrugged. "Sure."

Her tiny cabin was stuffy and hot, so she left the door open and hurried to open all the windows, too. "Have a seat," she said as she kicked off her boots. "Sugar? Lemon?"

"Just plain. Thanks," Vaughn replied, sitting in the small easy chair and fanning himself with his hat.

She handed him a glass and sat on the sofa, putting her feet up on her ottoman. Wiggling her toes, she brushed her damp hair off her forehead, gasping, "Whew, it's hot! Is it always this in the summer here?"

"Yup. Some years it gets even hotter. This is pretty average for these parts. They get some pretty extreme weather here in the archipelago."

"Maybe I'll see if Gannon can install some fans in the barns, too," she murmured, sipping her tea.

"'Too'?" Vaughn asked with a glance. "You havin' some work done?"

"Yeah, I'm having him build a stable for me, and I also asked him to put in some good, solid fencing around my pasture. Even if I don't leave my animals out at night, I want to be sure they don't escape during the day and help themselves to my crops. Plus Taro was warning me the other day about the summer storms we get blowing through here some years. I want everything to be as sturdy as possible."

Vaughn nodded approval. "Good plan. So what do you want a stable for, anyway? Planning to raise horses, too?"

"No, I'd just like to have a horse to ride. I haven't ridden very much since I left home, and I miss it. Now that I've got a place for one, I'd like to get back into the habit."