The Wild Card [Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands]

Chapter 20

"What's she called?" Colette asked.

"Rosita. Of course, you can change it if you don't like it," Vaughn said as he stepped back to let Colette have a closer look.

"Well, she certainly is pretty," she commented, stroking the mare's nose softly.

"Looks aren't everything," he snorted.

"That's true," she agreed, then she swung up into the saddle. She turned the mare around and rode her over to a fallow field.

Vaughn watched her put the mare through her paces, admiring the easy grace with which the pair moved. She might not have known much about livestock, he thought to himself, but she sure could handle a horse.

After a few turns around the field, she rode back over to him and dismounted. "I like her. She moves beautifully. I'll take her. Let me get her settled in a stall, then I'll write you a check."

He hadn't seen the interior of her stable yet, so he looked around while she took care of her horse and put her tack away.

"Nice stable. Did you design it, or Gannon?"

"I did," she replied as she hung up the bridle. "It's small, but plenty large enough for my needs."

"Well, you did a good job. It's nice and bright and open. Not all dark and dank like some stables I've seen. I bet the horses like it."

"No complaints so far," she said with a grin as they left.

Back in her cabin, Colette sat down at her table to write out the check. "Who do I make it out to?" she asked, the tip of her pen hovering over the blank line.

"Rita Marin. Spelled M-a-r-i-n."

"Thanks for your help, by the way. Hopefully you'll get a nice commission for your efforts," she said as she wrote in the name.

He shrugged. "Usually, yeah. Not this time."

"Not this time? Why not?" she said, looking up at him in surprise.

"Just not taking it. She's had a lot of medical expenses."

"But it's not like you're taking her money, is it? I mean, the price should include your commission, so really I'm the one paying it, not her."

He shrugged again. "She's a good woman, and she needs it more than me. If you're done, I've got things to do."

Colette gave him a thoughtful look, then she finished filling out the check and handed it to him. "Well, thanks. I think we'll get along very well."

"I'm surprised you didn't get all gushy about how she was so perfect," he snorted with a slight smirk.

"Why would I?" she asked, blinking in surprise.

"I heard about you and this little fellow here," he said, crouching down to skritch the tawny kitten curled up in his box.

She blushed. "That was different. Baby animals just kind of have that effect. Besides, sometimes you just click right away, but other times it takes time and patience before you develop an appreciation for each other."

"You talking about animals, or people?" he said with an amused look as he stood up again.

"Maybe a little bit of both," she mused to herself as she watched him cross the bridge.

**************

"Hello there," she said as she opened her door with a smile. "Ready for our ride?"

"More than," Will laughed as he embraced her. "How do you like her?"

"She's lovely. I only gave her a little trial ride, of course, but it was a real pleasure to be back in the saddle." She pulled on her riding boots, grabbed her helmet, and they headed toward the stable.