Page 110 of The Auction
Jackson walked the horse into the barn, opened the gate and led the horse inside. She had no problem turning around in the stall and looked about as comfortable as a horse could be.
“This is Peasy.”
“Peasy?”
“As in Easy-Peasy. She’s a three year old and just about the sweetest horse you ever did meet. Our plan was to sell Will after we broke him and keep her, but April was adamant about keeping Will, so…”
“So, what?” I asked, feeling stupid.
“She’s yours.”
“No way.”
Jackson nodded. “Creed said you needed a horse and we happened to have one. She’s broken in and won’t give you a smidge of trouble if you make sure she’s well fed with carrots and apples.”
“Jackson, what the hell is going on?”
It was not lost on me I was standing in the middle of a barn first thing in the morning, wearing only an oversized t-shirt, panties and rubber boots. I folded my arms across my chest and scowled at him.
He smiled then, only it was one of those sad, pathetic smiles. Like he knew he was about to break my heart before I did.
He pulled an envelope out of his back pocket and walked it over to me. I took it but didn’t open it.
My name was scratched out on the front.
JULES.
It all made sense now. Him leaving in the middle of thenight, but not before he set me up with a working tractor and stall for the horse he must have already bought for me. I hadn’t paid attention when I was walking out to the barn, but my guess was, his truck was gone.
“You know what you’re doing with her?” he asked, his head inclining in Peasy’s direction.
“You brought hay?”
“A complimentary five bushels should set you up. She’s not picky. I’m going to bring my truck around, okay?” I nodded, looking down at the envelope in my hand.
“Farming’s not for everyone,” I said, feeling this hole open up inside me.
Jackson started out of the barn, but stopped himself. “I know it’s not my place, but he wanted what was best for you, Juliette. I believed him when he said it.”
I nodded but couldn’t look at him.
“Be careful backing up. Ground’s still soft,” I said. “Wouldn’t want you getting stuck with Creed not here to help you get out.”
In the end, it didn’t take Jackson any time to unhook the horse trailer, bring his truck around, and load the hay next to Peasy’s stall.
She had a white mane and soft brown eyes and I didn’t have a fucking clue what I was supposed to do with her, given that I didn’t have any money to keep her fed.
Jackson left without another word about Creed’s intentions. I walked over to Peasy’s stall and butted my head up against hers, letting her sniff out my hand to get to know my scent.
“Give me time to figure this out, okay girl?”
She whinnied softly like she was prepared to give me all the time in the world.
Easy-Peasy.
My legs felt heavy as I made my way back to the house. When I stepped onto the porch, AP was on the other side of the door looking at me expectantly.
“He left you, too,” I told him, as I opened the door and kicked off my boots in the foyer. “So you have to be on my side.”
