Deena was fixing a late lunch on a Friday afternoon when the call came in. Deena walked into the living room and picked up the handset, wishing again she had put another in the kitchen.
"Deena dear? It's Josie, from high school? Anyway, I sat in on an auction today just because and I ended up buying something and I remember you grew up on a farm and figured you would take them on." Josie, droned on.
"Hold it, take what on? What did you buy? Why think of me?" Deena rushed out.
"Why horses of course! Poor things haven't seen a bit of kindness in too long and not even the brute from the slaughter house wanted them so I bid four dollars. Anyway, I gave the guy your address and they will deliver them on Monday morning, isn't that nice of them? Oh, Jack is here, time to go! Toodaloo!" Josie ended the call before Deena could get another word in.
Deena set the phone down and stared at it as she tried to process everything.
Deena was getting a horse, no horses, as in plural! How many? What shape were these 'poor things' in? She hasn't had a horse in years, since she was 17.
Almost in a panic, Deena realizes she ought to go down to the barn and pasture and make sure it is suitable to contain horses.
Deena lets the dogs out into the yard on her way out, headed for the back gate. She knows everything is overgrown, the grass, the weeds and the thistles. What condition is the barn in, or the fence? Cringing at the site, Deena makes mental notes of what she has to fix in the next couple days.
The barn is more of a run in shed than a barn, but at least it's in good condition. The corral based around it seems to be in a fair condition with several places that need fixed. The pasture fence itself has a huge section in the back that is gone as well as many places that need fixed.
Deena decides its best to get the corral fixed first, then work on the pasture later. So Deena grabs her wallet and drives into town to pick up supplies. She goes to the local hardware store and picks up some lumber, fencing nails and a nifty fencing tool. She stops at the feed store and buys three bales of grass hay, a grooming kit, fly spray, vet wrap and everything else she can think of other than actual tack. She calls the vet and sets up an appointment for Monday afternoon for 'multiple' horses.
Heading home, Deena ponders what it will be like to care for horses again. She try's to guess how many horses there are, how old, their breeding and all that.
Once home, Deena sets to work on fixing the corral. It's been years since she had to fix fence and she forgot just how tiring it was. It was Sunday afternoon and Deena was cursing up a storm on the fence closest to the road, when a voice startled her.
"That fence won't hold anything city girl." A very rude, deep and sexy voice called to her. She jumped and turn to see a ruggedly handsome cowboy on a golden palomino horse standing up the hill on the road.
"I'm no city girl and who are you to say it won't hold?" Deena demanded as she instantly took offense. She didn't like the way this cowboy was looking down on her. Or how instantly her body noticed how sexy looked in that white tank top, all sweaty and muscular...
Instead of responding he turned his horse and trotted off. Deena turned back to the fence and studied it, he was right. Maybe they will be calm horses and won't test it.
