Adopting Love

Chapter Five

Garrett-

Someone decided it would be a great idea to leave the gate to the horse pasture unlocked last night. We've been racing around today trying to round them all up. Unfortunately, Duke felt the need to move at his own pace this morning, so I sent him after Blondie who was hiding in the trees at the lower end of the property, blanketed by the tree tops providing her with shade for this humid day. At least with his morning sluggishness, he wouldn't push her to much as he herded her back in. Roxy on the other hand, was rounding them up fast as hell. Before Duke got Blondie have way up the field, Roxy had our other mares, Fiona, Autumn, and Poppy, back in the pasture. She was already back on her way down to get Cash and Champ, those two were a little more stubborn and would take a little extra effort. Watching them work the horses so differently, just made me appreciate Scout so much more. He could run circles around them and make it look so easy, by far the best herding dog I have ever owned. The pit in my stomach was still there and I don't think it's going away anytime soon.

Right after Roxy nipped at Cash's hooves a few more times, he trotted a little faster and went straight through the gate. He was the very last one of the crew, we had originally thought that they all gotten out, but good ol Pepper wasn't having none of those shenanigans today. He was out behind the barn rolling around, just enjoying some alone time then just flopped over watching as the other came back.

I kept checking my phone, hoping that I'd open it up and there would be a voice mail from Maribelle, a call I missed or by chance, it would be a fluke and ring the same time I looked. "Damnit..." I muttered to myself, or so I thought. Wasn't long before I heard a few heavy boots scuffing across the wood floor behind me.

"Still nothing?" the husky voice asked. He had both hands in his pockets about half way and leaned up against the horse stall door, propping one foot up to brace his weight.

Bradly was your average farm hand, scruffy and never seen without the old Stetson. Every day in a different colored flannel shirt and never anything other than denim jeans with a skoal ring worn into the back pocket. Every time, the poor guy is sent to the feed mill or in town in general, we always expect him to take an extra hour or so cause of the trail of women that follow him around. They flock and giggle gossip when they see him because the man is single and they all want a piece, you know how woman are. I address him as my main farm hand, but in reality Bradly is my best friend, has been since grade school. He ventured out to college with m,e but when I came back so did he, we have always done everything together, that includes having the love of working on the farm. It was inevitable, they all say, for us to make our way back home. Both our parents have always claimed that they had no worries when we left, cause in their hearts they knew we would return.

"No man, I can't believe she did this." I told him, kicking up some dust in the mean time then stomping my boot back down hard on the barn floor. "I don't get it, I gave her everything, just not the farm. Scout is part of the farm, just cause he doesn't have hooves doesn't mean shit"

He scratched behind his ear before asking, "Is she still playing victim?" He looked up at me with curiosity filled eyes.

"B, I don't think she knows how to own up to her mistakes." I spat. "Mommy and daddy will always bail her out and she knows it, but how can she not see that sleeping with that model goes against all our marriage vows?"

Bradly started dragging the top of his boot and moving it through the shavings dust like he was trying to spell something then said, "I don't know what to say thats going to help, man." He started sheepishly, rubbing his neck again, "Let's go see what Alaina cooked up today for a distraction."

He turned and walked out of the barn to make his way up to the main house. I followed in behind but making sure Duke and Roxy were taken care of first. "Soon guys, hopefully soon he'll be back."