Page 7 of Rekindling Little River
Dave took in the familiar scents of hay, dirt, and manure, grazing his hand over stall doors as he made his way down the aisle. He looked up and found plaques above the stalls reading silently as he went.
Peanut, Snickers, Starling, Magic, Thunder, Atlas…
Yeah, these horses were well loved. He wondered if any of them knew how lucky they were to be where they were, and honestly hoped the answer was no. To know how lucky they were, they’d have to have once been unlucky and Dave couldn’t handle the thought of any animal going through hell.
“Can I help you?”
Dave just barely managed not to jump at the sudden voice when he’d convinced himself he was alone. Turning, he found himself face to face with a man holding a pitchfork. The creases at the corners of his eyes spoke to his penchant for smiling, brown hair meticulously styled said he was the orderly sort while the gray at his temples said he was practical and genuine.
Dave offered the stranger a hand. “Hi, I’m Dave. I just came out to spend some time with the horses.”
“Arlo,” the man replied, shifting the pitchfork to his other hand and gripping Dave’s palm in a firm shake. “Were you wanting to schedule a ride?”
“Actually,” Dave figured it couldn’t hurt to ask. “You wouldn’t happen to need help would you? Nothing clears the mind like mucking a stall.”
“Well now, I’m not sure…” Whatever Arlo had been about to say he must have rethought it, because the next thing Dave knew, he was being led to the supply room. “I know of one thing to clear a mind better than mucking. How are you with grooming?”
“Arlo, I do believe you’ve just become my best friend.”
Arlo’s laugh rang through the stables as he plucked a curry comb from where it was resting and led Dave to a stall with a plaque proclaiming the occupant as Hercules. As he opened the stall door, Arlo informed Dave, “Hercules has a calm soothing temperament. When I’m having trouble calming my mind or working through a problem, spending time with him helps.”
The dappled-gray Clydesdale inside the stall took Dave’s breath away. He was obviously older, his eyes held a wealth of understanding, and Arlo was right, Hercules exuded calm. Dave reached out a hand to the horse, allowing him to become acquainted before stepping into the stall and running a hand over Hercules’ mane.
“What do you say, buddy?” he murmured to the animal. “Want to help me work out my problems?”
Hercules’ gentle huff was the perfect response, so Dave set about combing the gentle giant.
He couldn’t say that Hercules had given him any great insight into how to win the heart of a skittish Little, but hehadhelped Dave work up an appetite. As Dave made his way into the Italian restaurant at lunchtime, his stomach rumbled. Thankfully, hewas seated quickly, and it didn’t take long for him to decide what he wanted to eat.
It was as he waited for his food that he heard their voice. River. He was about to get up and see if he could sit with them when he realized there was already someone else sitting at their table. He settled back in his seat and tried not to listen, but there was a sadness in River’s tone that made his ears perk up and take notice.
He felt like the worst kind of heel as he heard them talk about losing their Little, and his heart ached as he heard them talk about being too much. He wanted to jump up from his seat and disabuse River of the notion they wereanythingless thanperfect.
He lost track of the conversation for a minute as his food was delivered, but that was okay. He’d heard what he needed to. He wasn’t going to stand by and let River continue to believe that about themself. He hoped they were ready because it was time to take off the kid gloves. Dave was done playing around. He was coming for them.
CHAPTER 6
River
“We’re going to find my Littlehere?” River looked at the door that Tay held open for them with no small amount of doubt.
“You sound so skeptical!”
“Well, despite what is commonly said, noteverythingcan be found in a book.”
“No, it certainly can’t. But”—Tay winked and made anafter yougesture—“this particular library currently houses my friend who once lost her own Little. There’s no better place to begin a search than with a person who has been there.”
River had to admit that it made sense, so they kept their doubts to themself as Tay led them through the shelves of books and around sitting areas, stopping in a section of the library that seemed to be used for playing board games. A curvaceous redhead was organizing the boxes of games on shelves when Tay caught her attention.
“Mandi, can you take a break? I have a new friend who could benefit from your experience.”
Big gray eyes turned toward them as Mandi sucked in a breath, obviously not having heard them come in. She didn’t remain surprised for long, however, as she smiled at Tay and offered her hand to River.
“Hi. I’m Mandi.”
“River. It’s nice to meet you.”
“River thinks they’ve lost their Little and I was hoping you could help them. You know, since you felt that way too when you first got here.”
