Page 16 of All of Me

I looked up. It seemed disrespectful sitting while she wasn’t, but I had two puppies sacked out on my legs and another two wrestling practically on top of me.

“We never had children,” Moira said, carrying on without waiting for an answer. “I was thirty-three when I married Albert, and we were never that lucky.” She sighed. “Albert got into trouble when he was younger, so fostering and adoption weren’t options either.”

I made sure not to gape, but that had been the last thing I expected her to say.

“So, we opened this place and the dogs and the horses became our babies.” She smiled. “You need to come and see the office. The walls are full of the rescues.” She swallowed heavily and to be honest, so did I. “We have another full barn that’s just standing empty and seven acres that are the same. I can’t fill them because I can’t manage them. My knees make standing for a long time hard and since Albert had his heart attack, he has to be careful. We’ve had employees over the years, often good ones, but at the end of the day it comes down to us and we just can’t do it anymore.”

“You’re selling,” I said quietly.

“More closing down I guess,” she admitted, “unless I can find someone to either take over completely. The whole place would sell, but we’d have to let the house go and, well, we want to stay here. It will never sell as a rescue, and I’m not sure the fields would rent out other than what we’ve already done. We have three old horses, and the rest you see belong to the riding center at the back.

“Is it a charity?” I asked. She nodded.

“Yes, our sponsors needed that for their tax breaks. I have a good friend that handles all that for me, but this could be so much more.” She side-eyed me and I tried to hide the smile. “I have a friend in Dallas that I barely see now, but she runs a boarding kennel. Cats and dogs. She’s told me so many times a business like that would pay for the rescue.”

“I’m not in a position to make any decisions,” I said carefully, knowing what she was hinting at. “Plus, you don’t know me. I’ve…been in trouble.”

She gazed at me. “As I said, so was my husband when he was younger, but mistakes make people grow and learn. I can see you have a good heart.”

I nearly scoffed at the irony, except that would have been rude. “Miss Moira,ma’am, I don’t know what my future holds at the moment. I don’t even have somewhere permanent to live.”

She frowned. “But I thought?” Then she stopped and studied my face, and I did my best not to blush under her wise eyes. “I’ve got two families visiting this afternoon. I’m hoping they’re going to give two of my babies a loving home.”

I looked down because the puppy with one brown and one blue eye was snuffling into my elbow. He deserved a good home, and I ignored how tight my throat got.

“Moira.” I glanced up as Drake came into the barn. He bent down and kissed her cheek, then glanced over at me. “Your new boss giving you grief?”

Moira chuckled and slapped him on the arm. “Shush. I’m doing my best here to persuade your young man to take over this place.”

I cringed and lowered my gaze so I didn’t see Drake’s reaction.Your young man?I might as well go pack my bag now.

“I think that’s a great idea,” Drake said to my complete shock, and I risked looking up to see his steady eyes on me. “Breakfast’sready and I just got a call from the doc. He can see you at three p.m.”

I nodded, relieved at the change of subject. “I’m finished, and all the pens are clean.”

“I can keep coming in to check on the pups and I’ll swap the ones that can go outside,” Moira said.

“I’ll be back later then.” I gently lifted the puppy and put him in the new bed. Drake lifted the other one, and they both curled up together. The other two were still checking their food bowls despite me being generous.

“I know why you took the job,” Drake said as we walked back, “but is that something you’d be interested in long-term?”

I shrugged because I had no idea how to answer, so I decided to be honest, or as honest, as I could be. “I s’pose running this place—just working here—is as close as I would ever get to a dream job.” I took a chance. “Always wanted to make stuff like Grandad did as well.”

Drake nodded thoughtfully, and I decided to push. “What about you? Are you doing your dream job?”

Drake was so startled by the question, he faltered and nearly stumbled. I watched him, wondering if he would brush it off. He was silent for a moment but then paused and glanced at the fields beyond the fence. “No one’s ever asked me that.” He huffed. “Hell, I haven’t even asked me that.”

I stayed still because I didn’t want to interrupt. It seemed a moment to be quiet.

“From the time I knew what a job was,” Drake started, “I understood that my dad wanted me to be a cop like him. Nothing against cops, and if it hadn’t been pushed down my throat so much, I might have, but school was never my thing. My mom always checked my homework both before and after I’d completed it, and…” he fell silent for a few moments. “It got to the point where I knew that the college they selected wouldprobably mean me living at home. I went along with it until the day I graduated and walked into the recruitment office. It wasn’t that I especially wanted to join the military either, it was just that without funds, it was my only way of getting away from them.”

Drake sighed. “I told the recruiters I’d sign whatever they needed as long as I left the same day, so they made it happen.”

“You didn’t see your parents again?” I had no idea it could happen that fast.

“I saw them,” Drake bit out. “I came home an hour later to get my stuff, and they were both there. It wasn’t pleasant,” he added. “Dad tried to make more of it. Said serving in the army was like serving on the police force. Mom acted disappointed. I just wanted out of there, so I pretended I’d felt a higher calling. Fuck, that makes me sound like a priest or some shit.” I didn’t know what to say. Drake eyed me. “Does one of your superpowers make people spill their guts to you? I’ve never been one for talking.”

“It was clever though,” I said after a moment, because I really didn’t think he wanted an answer to that. “Don’t forget I took the easy road for four years. I could have run away.” I couldn’t because of Georgia, but he didn’t know that.

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