Dominion Falls

Chapter Three

I took Devon on a tour of the farm, he checked out the barn and the smaller barn and made notes of what we needed, and how much. Then we went to the pastures and walked each one.

"We are going to need new water troughs, they have automatic ones or the regular ones that we empty and refill, which isn't that bad and it's a hell of a lot cheaper, just in wintertime it will be a pain in the ass.

The shelters for the larger animals such as horses and such need a few repairs but that won't be much" he stated. "Well once in town we can check everything out and get a total, we might have to split it up into different trips depending on the price" I told him.

He nodded his head as if he were agreeing with me, he knew I wanted the main barn to get worked on and finished before I went on to any other buildings. "Well, I think I have everything written down what we both saw that we needed" he said as he held the door open for me as we went into the house.

"Let me get my purse and we can head into town and grab lunch there if you want?" I said as I went upstairs to grab my purse and look over my checkbook making sure I knew what I had to work with.

I had three separate accounts, one was for the supplies to fix the farm, the second one was to pay the bills and buy food and such, and the third was my savings where the money wasn't to be touched but grew from the interest.

That last one was my next egg and what helped me sleep at night knowing that either way this goes I would be okay. I always hated not knowing when the next paycheck would be coming in, I had seen a few challenging times when I ventured out on my own and my parents cut me off to teach me a lesson.

I learned the hard way, that you have to plan things out the best you can, be prepared and not just jump, they took me back in when I hadn't eaten any food in three days.

Never once did they judge or question me, they knew I had to learn one way or another, and that taught me especially important life lessons. Now I make sure to get what I just need, never any wants except once a month I treat myself to something small as a reward for doing so good.

It may seem weird, but it helps keep me on track and not to waste or blow the money on stupid things.

Grabbed my purse and headed downstairs, I was about to walk outside and there stood Devon looking out at the farm, that man was muscular, you could tell he worked hard and his built was anything to go by.

He was a tall man as well, I would guess well over six foot three, he had brown shirt hair, beautiful golden-brown eyes, the gold shimmered in the sunlight it seemed. His voice was deep and warm, you could feel comfortable around him.

It's just his energy that he put out, and I was good with it. I didn't know someone around here that would grate on my nerves every two minutes.

I walked out and shut and locked the door, "I'm ready, are you?" I asked him, Devon turned around and smiled "I'm all set" he said as we walked to my truck to head to town.

Once we were in town, I found a parking space and turned off the engine, "I have to warn you, almost everyone in this town talks about me, and I really don't think it's a pleasant kind of talk.

Ever since I took over that farm, a few people have been nasty towards me because I won't sell it and with being a single woman doing all the work myself, well I'm sure you can guess, and now I will be showing up with a stranger along side of me, I just wanted to let you know just in case you hear anything" I told him looking down at the steering wheel. 

Devon took my face in his hands, "Sarah, I don't give two shits what these folks have to say, let them talk, we know the truth and if they want to deal with someone, I will take care of it" he said.

I smiled "thank you" I whispered. We got out of the truck and headed towards the hardware store, "oh look Sarah actually found someone to help her, what a waste since she can't do anything right" a few people whispered as we walked by.

Devon bristled at the comments he was hearing, he placed his hand on my lower back as we walked into the store, "holy hell, those people are assholes" he whispered in my ear.

That got me laughing, it was so nice to have someone on my side for a change. If these were the same kind of people my parents were around, I don't blame them one bit for never coming back here.

We got what was on the list, and went to pay for it, "Hello Sarah, did you find everything you need this time?" the old man asked, he was trying to be nice, but the tone wasn't.

"Yes Mr. Stanly, I found everything just fine and I also want to place an order to be delivered for next week to the farm" I told him. He stopped and looked right at me.

"What did you find buried treasure at the old farm? You're usually so cheap about things" he said as he finished ringing me up. Devon must have felt my back go straight and tensed up.

I placed my order, and the total was twelve thousand dollars, at least I would be getting everything for two new roofs for both barns and all the lumber and nails and such that I will need to fix up the barns.

I only did this so I wouldn't have to deal with this ass hat any longer than I needed to. I wrote a check and the only reason why he took it was the banks were in town and word had gotten around that I had money.

Course no one knew how much, they didn't want a lawsuit on their hands if they so much as breathed the amount in any of my accounts, and I told the bank manager that the other day I was in once I heard that the gossip was about my money.

The bank manager was insulted but that's the one thing, I have my parents' lawyer who was now mine and he told me he would do any kind of lawsuit I needed for free, since he was my dad's best friend since childhood, and knew the town I was moving back into.

Even the lawyer hated this town and wanted so badly to sue someone here just to stick it to them. That always made me laugh when I would see him before I moved.

Of course, it gotten around about my fancy big town lawyer that I had in my pocket, that part I didn't mind getting around town, it kept a couple of men from coming after me trying to take my farm.

That was one thing I wasn't going to stand for, and I made it known to them that if they tried anything I would in the end own their land along with mine while they sat in jail for years.

Now I just get dirty looks and nasty comments, those I can deal with, but I noticed Devon having a hard time keeping quiet to the chatter. Occasionally, he would growl at them.

The look on their faces, it was priceless, I always laughed when that happened. Devon I could tell was a force to recon with and I was glad he was on my side. We ended up having lunch at the small diner, where the waitress was actually nice for a change to me.

I knew it was because of Devon but still, I could eat lunch in peace for a change instead of snide remarks from the waitress. Her boss always pretended never to hear or notice what went on.

After lunch we walked to the other side of town and went shopping for bedroom supplies. This store I could always shop in, it was a nice old couple that ran and owned it.

She would always pat my hand and tell me just never mind those old hags that chattered about everything. I looked to her as a grandmother figure, after an hour we loaded up the truck with all our supplies and headed home.