Page 83 of Home Hearts Hooves

His face grows pinker, and he pushes up from the chair and heads to the fridge.

“Nope. I’ve just been helping His Royal Highness learn a thing or two about goat farming. He’s convinced his parents to let him manage a small part of the land to give raising and milking a go.”

He’s been spending a lot of time with the Royal’s eldest son, Denver. Ever since I broke my leg a few months ago, he has come to help out on the ranch. I figured they’d become fast friends with them being close in age and maturity level and all. The first time I met Denver, he was giving the Bull run a go. It’s a risky game. The signs I post on the bull paddocks aren’t there for decoration, and I’ve been to my fair share of rodeos and seen what a bull’s horn can do to a man. But he made it across Nero’s paddock with time to spare. Nero’s a young bull, quick, but also really dumb. The thing ran in the opposite direction for a good five seconds before it turned around and made a start for him.

“Maybe he’d like to take three cheeky troublemakers off our hands?” I ask.

“Doubt it. By the way, one is on top of the chicken coop and won’t come down. I’m just leaving him there. He’ll find his own way back when he’s hungry.”

“Speaking of hunger, are you getting something out of the fridge or just looking?” I ask, and he closes the door and turns around, the pink still there, but no longer growing.

“Atlas is trialing a walk past the cabins today; how many calls do you reckon we get about someone finding a dead horse?”

“Only one, from Cabin Three. The others know about Loki and his…issues.”

“Did you see him the other day, he was on his back kicking his hind legs like he was riding a bike, funniest fucking thing I’ve seen in a while. At least when he was moving his legs, he didn’t look dead. I fully think he’s faking now. No way he’s still that spooked by people he has to go freezing and falling over like that.”

I shrug. “Maybe it’s his new normal?”

“Maybe.”

“Oh, just so you know, I’ve booked cabin one.”

“Nice. Did they pay cash or by card?”

“When I said I booked, what I really meant was given away for free.”

He rolls his eyes and sits at the table. “This is why I’m the numbers guy. You do know that in order to feed and water all the weird and wonderful creatures we keep, we kind of need money, right?”

“Well, that’s the thing, they’re coming out specifically because we keep some weird and wonderful creatures.”

His brows pick up. “Do tell.”

“A mom is bringing her four-year-old out; he was born missing a leg and asked if there were animals like him. He loves animals, apparently, so we’re going to go all out for them. He’ll get to meet Juju and the hopping duck, but we were thinking we should do more, like everything, including your new milk tour idea. What do you say?”

“I say that’s brilliant.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I mean, a few hundred bucks for the cabin can’t compare to the experience that kid is going to get.”

“That’s what I figured, and I don’t want it to stop with just this kid. I want to offer cabin one to people like them. I think we can make a real difference and bring some joy to people’s lives.”

“Did you see Preston’s smile earlier? I’m pretty sure you do that already.”

“I thought you hated all the mushy stuff.”

“Right, I do. Forget my last statement.”

“Nope, you said it. No take backsies.”

“Are we twelve?”

“You are.”

“You’re the one who just said backsies, but okay. You can count me in, the guys will all be up for it too. You just tell us what you need and we’ll get it sorted.”

“Thanks, Nial.”

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