Page 10 of More Than a Helping Hand

“You can call me Andy if that’s easier.”

“I’ll call you DeeDee.” She wriggles down. “Uncle Parker said he wanted to talk to you.” She drags me to the side door. “He’s back.”

Parker tosses a brush into a bucket. “You okay? No long-term repercussions?”

“All good.” I glance back into the barn. “Where’s Fred now?”

Parker looks at Bailey, waiting to let her answer.

She puts her hands on her hips. “He put the cactus on a high shelf in the tap room.”

Parker grins. “Yep. In thetackroom. Where you can’t sit on it.”

“Awesome. Have the horses been fed?”

“Not yet. That was next on my list.”

I nudge Bailey. “Want to help me feed the horses?”

“Yes!” She bounces on the balls of her feet.

“After that, we’ll go get dinner in the mess hall.” Parker tousles her hair. “Have fun.”

She grins up at him. “I wasn’t happy when mommy had to go to work today, but thank you for letting me come to the barn. This is fun.”

He squats down in front of her. “You can come hang out with the horses any time your mommy says it’s okay.”

“Thanks, Uncle Parker.” She hugs him, makes a face, then grabs my hand. “Will I smell like a horse when I go home?”

Parker and I make eye contact and laugh. “Probably.”

I show her where we keep the food and how much food we put in each bucket. Then we work our way around the barn, feeding the horses one by one. When Parker leads his horse Bonnet back into her stall, we circle back and feed her. And Bailey makes it a point to pet every horse.

I almost wish I’d taken a video for her mommy.

We clean up the barn and wash our hands. Then Parker puts the booster seat in his truck and helps Bailey into her seat.

She leans out the door. “Are you going to the mess hall, DeeDee?”

“Yeah, I’ll be over there in a few minutes.”

Parker set the cactus plants in the bed of his truck, then drives over to the main house.

I swing by my place because this western shirt does not go with these sweatpants, and because I refuse to go commando at dinner. Too weird. My backside will have to deal.

* * *

When I get backto the main house, there is a vehicle there that is not like the others. Most of the ranch hands drive trucks. No one out here drives a hatchback. The door swings open, and my hopes are flying high as I slide out of my truck.

Primrose steps out of the car and glances around like she’s not sure where to go. She’s no longer in those gray scrubs. She’s replaced those with jean shorts and a T-shirt.

She spots me and says, “You changed your shirt.”

“And I showered. So that I don’t smell like the horses.” I walk up to her.

She tilts her head back to look up at me. “My daughter is right. You are a giant.”

“Nope. I think seven foot and above qualifies as giant, and I’m only six five.” I step closer to her.

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