attention. We’ve got plans in the works for a separate quarantine stable, but we don’t have the funds yet. The economy hasn’t helped us with a lot of donations. Although our board chair, Shea Monroe, has been doing wonders in that area. We’ve got several email campaigns running with more planned.”
“It’s Tucker,” he said.
She blinked, stopped walking.
“Not Mr. Brennan.”
“Oh, right.” Annie walked him into the stable proper, making sure to move slowly, talk softly. “The stalls are twelve by twelve. That wall serves as the barrier to the half of the stable we use to house the newcomers. There are four stalls back there. The four in the middle are for those who are hurt, and we keep the nearest four for foaling. They’re really too close to the doors but we don’t have much choice.”
Annie let him take his time looking around the big white structure. Considering it was almost twenty years old, the stable was in good shape. The man who’d originally built Safe Haven had come from Idaho, and he’d worked his tail off to save whatever horses he could.
Tucker walked past the pregnant mares to check out the other horses that were in sick bay. None of them were contagious, just needing special attention.
Levi and Kathy were inside the empty foaling stall next to Glory’s. “Hey,” Kathy said, keeping her voice low and calm.
“How’s she doing?” Annie asked, taking a look at the mommy-to-be. Glory was a sturdy black quarter horse with a blazing white star on her forelock. She was lying down on her nest of fresh straw but her agitation was clear.
“She’s fine,” Kathy said. “We’ve got a bet going on what time her water’ll break. I say ten.”
“I think it’s gonna be midnight,” Levi said. “You gonna call Doc Yardley?”
“He’s supposed to come by later, but everything’s going okay. I can handle it.”
“You know,” Kathy said, “we can stay.”
“No need.” It was Tucker’s voice coming from behind her, and Annie jumped, even though he’d kept the words soft. “I’ll stick around.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Annie said. “I can manage, and you just flew in today. Wrestling goats is exhausting.”
His grin made her want to flip her hair back like a teen at the mall.
“I’d like to stay,” he said. “We used to tell all our most embarrassing stories waiting for the foals. It was fun.”
Annie turned to face him, wincing as she tried to cross her arms over her chest. If she’d had a brain, she would have iced some of the worst bruises before heading out to show off the sanctuary. She really needed to get that aspirin. “We’ve got a ton to go over tomorrow, including that ride across the property you asked for in your email. Besides, I don’t recall telling embarrassing stories being an essential part of foaling.”
His casual wink made her pulse leap. “You just haven’t been to the right stables.”
Kathy and Levi both laughed, but that got Glory struggling to her feet, so all attention went to her. As soon as she was standing, Annie entered the stall to comfort her. She moved slowly, holding up her hands and whispering the same soft nonsense she had since Glory had been brought in. She’d made a point of touching the mare a lot, letting the horse become familiar with her scent and her hands.
The foal was moving and there was no sign of excessive distress. With luck, there would be little to do but observe and clean up after the birth. As she left the stall, everything was quiet except for the familiar sounds of horses. Snorts and breathing, shifting straw, a soft nicker from Cocoa, who was waiting her turn to go into labor.
She walked to the open stable doors, knowing Tucker, Kathy and Levi would follow. As soon as they were far enough away to speak normally, Annie said, “You guys don’t have to stick around. It’s almost six.”
Kathy looked from Annie to Tucker, then back again. “You’re awfully stiff. Did you put
“It’s Tucker,” he said.
She blinked, stopped walking.
“Not Mr. Brennan.”
“Oh, right.” Annie walked him into the stable proper, making sure to move slowly, talk softly. “The stalls are twelve by twelve. That wall serves as the barrier to the half of the stable we use to house the newcomers. There are four stalls back there. The four in the middle are for those who are hurt, and we keep the nearest four for foaling. They’re really too close to the doors but we don’t have much choice.”
Annie let him take his time looking around the big white structure. Considering it was almost twenty years old, the stable was in good shape. The man who’d originally built Safe Haven had come from Idaho, and he’d worked his tail off to save whatever horses he could.
Tucker walked past the pregnant mares to check out the other horses that were in sick bay. None of them were contagious, just needing special attention.
Levi and Kathy were inside the empty foaling stall next to Glory’s. “Hey,” Kathy said, keeping her voice low and calm.
“How’s she doing?” Annie asked, taking a look at the mommy-to-be. Glory was a sturdy black quarter horse with a blazing white star on her forelock. She was lying down on her nest of fresh straw but her agitation was clear.
“She’s fine,” Kathy said. “We’ve got a bet going on what time her water’ll break. I say ten.”
“I think it’s gonna be midnight,” Levi said. “You gonna call Doc Yardley?”
“He’s supposed to come by later, but everything’s going okay. I can handle it.”
“You know,” Kathy said, “we can stay.”
“No need.” It was Tucker’s voice coming from behind her, and Annie jumped, even though he’d kept the words soft. “I’ll stick around.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Annie said. “I can manage, and you just flew in today. Wrestling goats is exhausting.”
His grin made her want to flip her hair back like a teen at the mall.
“I’d like to stay,” he said. “We used to tell all our most embarrassing stories waiting for the foals. It was fun.”
Annie turned to face him, wincing as she tried to cross her arms over her chest. If she’d had a brain, she would have iced some of the worst bruises before heading out to show off the sanctuary. She really needed to get that aspirin. “We’ve got a ton to go over tomorrow, including that ride across the property you asked for in your email. Besides, I don’t recall telling embarrassing stories being an essential part of foaling.”
His casual wink made her pulse leap. “You just haven’t been to the right stables.”
Kathy and Levi both laughed, but that got Glory struggling to her feet, so all attention went to her. As soon as she was standing, Annie entered the stall to comfort her. She moved slowly, holding up her hands and whispering the same soft nonsense she had since Glory had been brought in. She’d made a point of touching the mare a lot, letting the horse become familiar with her scent and her hands.
The foal was moving and there was no sign of excessive distress. With luck, there would be little to do but observe and clean up after the birth. As she left the stall, everything was quiet except for the familiar sounds of horses. Snorts and breathing, shifting straw, a soft nicker from Cocoa, who was waiting her turn to go into labor.
She walked to the open stable doors, knowing Tucker, Kathy and Levi would follow. As soon as they were far enough away to speak normally, Annie said, “You guys don’t have to stick around. It’s almost six.”
Kathy looked from Annie to Tucker, then back again. “You’re awfully stiff. Did you put
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