Page 6 of The Cowgirl's Forever Love
Josiah stepped into the warmth of the barn. His gaze slid to the left where a yellow glow fell over the hay bales stacked along the inner wall.
Two men rose from where they’d been sprawled comfortably, hitting their feet as he approached.
“I’m Josiah. Sorry I wasn’t home when you got here.”
“We made better time than expected. We figured you wouldn’t mind if we got our animals under shelter.” The first man shook his hand firmly. He wore his reddish hair cut short, and his neatly trimmed facial hair framed a serious expression. “Finn Marlette. This is Zachary Sorenson.”
“I go by Zach.” The dark-haired man stepped forward, his bright smile spreading from ear-to-ear. In spite of the lateness of the hour, he looked as if he’d just begun his day. “We’ve got our horses tied up out of the way in your training arena. Where do you want them?”
“Over here.” Josiah guided them to the end of the barn and the stalls he’d prepared. “I board extra horses, mostly in the summer for visitors to the community. The stalls are empty right now.”
“These will work great.”
Josiah joined them in the arena where a half-dozen animals waited patiently. Finn brought forward a beautiful black stallion, pausing to glance back over his shoulder as another animal made a noise of distress.
Josiah hurried forward to help, catching hold of the stallion’s lead rope.
The beast stomped his feet uneasily before eyeing Josiah closer. He tilted his head almost like a puppy, nostrils flaring.
This never failed to give Josiah a thrill. He eased forward, eyes drifting over the animal’s withers. He kept his body twisted to one side, completely relaxed. Breathing deep, he focused on absolute calm inside.
The next moment the stallion sniffed him, muzzle rising until he could bat his head against the side of Josiah’s face.
Josiah moved slowly, but he firmly patted the animal on the neck. “Nice to meet you too.”
He tangled his fingers in the animal’s halter, twisting to discover Finn and Zach staring.
Zach’s jaw hung open. “How’d you do that? Mywaye gets cranky with anyone but Finn.”
Josiah shrugged. “We all have talents. Animals like me. I thought we could put him in the first pen. It’s one of the larger ones, so he shouldn’t feel as if we’re slighting him.”
He gestured to the side.
Finn finally found his tongue. “That’s great.”
They worked together easily as Josiah showed them around the barn, pointing out where the feed was and where they could put their tack. All three men were used to working with horses and by the time the animals were settled, Josiah felt as if he’d had a wonderful introduction to his new roommates.
Finn was the more serious of the two, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have a sense of humour. Zach would set up the perfect straight line and Finn would step in to drop a great response. Josiah appreciated the teamwork involved and the deep-seated affection between the two men was clear.
They closed the barn door behind them, continuing to chat as Josiah led them toward the house. “I can tell you’ve been friends for a long time.”
“Us? Friends?” Zach paused. “Oh, right. Finn paid up until the end of the month, so we’re good until then.”
Finn snorted then ignored Zach, focusing on Josiah as he guided them into the warm house. “You’re a veterinarian?”
“Yes.”
Finn settled on the bench by the door to tug off his boots. “Good. Means you recognize bullshit.”
A soft chuckle escaped Zach as he grinned at his friend. “By the way, thanks again for the lodging. Finn bought a house, but it’s going to need a lot of work before it’s livable.”
“So you said. You never told me what you bought, though,” Josiah pointed out.
“Local gossip chain hasn’t let you know yet?” A smile, small but intense, teased Finn’s lips.
“That answers my second question. You obviously understand the dynamics of small-town living. No, I didn’t hear any rumours about you. Expect that to be over and done with by seven a.m. or earlier if you show up at the coffee shop. Buns and Roses is the best place in town and they open their doors at six.”
“We’ve got no reason to keep being here secret, right, Finn?” The way Zach said it implied the exact opposite.
