“Easy. She’s just worked up about…something.”
Jess had been stomping around since she came in fifteen minutes ago, and Hadley hadn’t worked up the courage to ask what was wrong.
Hadley lucked up when she moved to Blackwater six months ago and scored a job as a children’s activities manager at Wolf Creek Ranch. Through the summer months, she and Remi played with the kids who visited the ranch. It was the best job ever, but the ranch closed to guests in the winter months. Thankfully, her boss had offered to let her stick around during the off-season doing odd jobs.
Some of the wranglers went south for the winter, taking up work in Texas or Arizona. For Hadley, her new home was here, and she couldn’t imagine leaving.
Star side-stepped for the fourth time, and Hadley crouched to study the horse’s legs. Everything looked fine. Why was Star so antsy?
Hooking her arm around Star’s right front leg, she inspected the shoe. All good. She made her way around the horse, checking Star’s hooves and shoes until she got to the last one.
Shoot. Something white was caked in Star’s hoof. What in the world was that?
Hadley rose and scanned the stables. Jess’s office door was still closed. Patting Star’s side, Hadley headed to get Jess.
The boss, Mr. Chambers, could probably find plenty of people with more experience to do Hadley’s job, but the man was what she was coming to know as a blessing. As long as she didn’t screw up too much, he might let her stick around. She volunteered for every job and tried her best, but would it be enough?
A man’s deep voice echoed in her mind–the one that popped up every once in a while when she got lost or didn’t know what to do.
Biggest mistake of my life.
I don’t want to see your face again.
I wish you were dead.
That last one jerked her to a stop the way it always did. Hadley shook her head, trying to throw the old memories out.
Mr. Chambers was a nice old man who talked to her like she was any other person— No, he talked to her like she was special, and his kindness had given her courage when those old doubts crept in and threatened to strangle her.
The awful man in her memories didn’t even have a face anymore. He had brown hair like her and dark eyes, but she’d been five when her dad left.
Another blessing.
Hadley knocked on the office door, and Jess immediately shouted, “What?”
Hmm. Someone left her cool in the freezer this morning.
Hadley opened the door just enough to poke her head in. “It’s me. What’s the white stuff in Star’s hoof?”
Jess stood and rounded the rickety desk. “Let me take a look.”
Hadley followed as Jess marched through the stables. “Um, where’s Brett? I thought he was stopping by tonight too.”
“Brett can fall in a hole for all I care.” Jess flipped a bucket beside Star and sat on it to inspect the hoof.
Hadley scratched the back of her head. “I’ve never had a brother, but I think wishing he’d fall into a hole is frowned upon.”
“I do not want to talk about it right now.” Jess tilted her head to get a better look at the hoof. “How’d things go with your mom yesterday?”
“We don’t have results from the MRI yet, but I’m going to assume things are good until I hear otherwise.”
Good was a loose term. How good could things be when her mom still had a dozen lingering complications from a stroke?
Hadley had plenty to be thankful for. Her mom was alive. She got to visit her at the long-term care facility all the time. She had a sister who also helped take care of her mom, and neither of them had to worry about where they’d find the money to pay for all the things their mom needed.
That was all thanks to Cheyenne’s dad. At least one of them got a good one. Hadley’s sister deserved a good dad after years spent without him.
Star sidestepped, jerking her hoof from Jess’s hands.