Page 58 of The Wounded Warrior

Matty was in the fridge already, grabbing the tea pitcher to pour them both a glass. “Anyone else need a drink?”

“I’ll take some, kiddo.” Preacher hung his hat as well. “So, to what may I lend my expertise?”

Momma raised one well-waxed brow. “Before lunch?”

“I’ll be less greasy that way. Besides, I’ll make both boys change and help me.” Preacher sat, grinning in that lopsided way that he had now. “Spill.”

Luke looked to Matty, but Matty shook his head. “I just train horses, Lu. This is your deal.”

“I want to…shit, I want to start a therapy-type deal. A place where injured guys can come, work on the horses, work out their shit. I’m thinking about renting some property attached to our place.” The words all came out in a rush. He was needing them to approve, to give their nod and tell him he wasn’t stupid. Matty’d done it already, but this was his folks.

Momma’s sharp, indrawn breath made him wince, but when Luke glanced at her, she was smiling, her eyes a wee bit misty. “You’re staying here?”

“I am, yeah. I mean, we have the VA close, and I really want to try this. The horses… I think they’re really a good thing. I’d work with rescue horses, too. Be good on both sides.”

“You need to look into insurance before you do anything.” Preacher nodded, words slow, but that mind quick still. “Sure as shit, some asshat will get stepped on and will pussy off to sue.”

Matt grinned, hooking a chair to turn backward and sit once he’d poured tea. “See? I knew we needed to talk to the old man.”

“Here.” Momma got up and pulled out a spiral notebook and pen to hand him. “You’d better take notes.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He took it with a smile. “So, insurance. What else?”

“You’ll need safe fences, a good paddock. One of them spinny riding deals with the chains and shit to make sure the horses don’t bolt.” Momma looked so pleased with herself.

Luke scribbled. Some of this him and Matty had talked on, but it was always good to have input.

They all started talking about whether he wanted this to be a day thing or more like a temporary halfway house deal. What kind of staff he’d need—nurses or therapists. How to get any VA support.

“You’ll need assistive devices, too. If we rent the Lawson place you can always use that barn—it’s got a way bigger breezeway than mine. You can rig some of those walking straps or whatever.” Matty had that glow of conquest. He was ready to take this on.

“You just don’t want strangers touching your barn,” he teased and Matt snorted.

“Our barn, and no I don’t.” Matty shrugged. “I have a lot of time and energy invested in some of those fillies, and while I have rescues, too, I would want my breeding barn to be off-limits, you know?”

“I get it,” Luke said seriously. “The Lawson place also has two houses, so we wouldn’t have to worry about an invasion.”

Him and Matt, they’d need their own space, otherwise it would overwhelm them both. He was used to lots of people, but his twin needed alone time.

Matt brightened. “That’s a plan.”

Preacher scowled. “Doesn’t that McConnell boy own the Lawson place now?”

“Yessir. We’re leasing it, with an option to buy.” Matt was firmly in Rory’s camp now. It honored him, kinda, how much stock Matty took in how well Rory treated him.

“No shit?”

“Abraham!” Momma popped Preacher on the shoulder.

“Pardon my French. Well, good on you, boys. There’s not a lot of acreage there, but there’s good grass, and you’ll feed supplemental.”

“Yessir. I’m not looking to run a breeding program like Mr. Horse Whisperer here. I just want—” Luke stopped, feeling his cheeks start to burn.

“He wants to help. It’s cool.” Matt picked up his glass and drank deep. “How much do you think we need to start, Preacher?”

Preacher took the notebook from Luke and made some scribbles. “Well, I think you ought to get with Hannah Keeler and ask her to write you up some grants. She owes me five hours of work, gratis. Get what you can from other sources. See what you can do about starting out with a few trained animals from some local service animal organizations. You have that many soldiers, you’re gonna need space for dogs and shit, too.”

He looked at Matty, giving thanks that his daddy had made it through the stroke. They still needed him. All of them.

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