Page 17 of Pictures in Blue
I swing my ax, the rhythm calming my racing heart.
No.
No.
No.
Three more swings.
That word. The only word I know around her apparently. I know she heard my conversation with Sky. Take her hiking?
No.
Thwunk.The wood splits in two, splintering at the sides. I had a few orders come in this morning while I was at Fran’s fixing the espresso machine. The barn was filled with plenty of wood for me to use, but I needed to clear my head.
Ofher.
Thwunk.
Her ribbon.
Thwunk.
Her tying it up in a ponytail.
Thwunk.
Her eyes.
I sigh, frustrated. This isn’t helping. I toss the ax aside and start gathering the pile of wood I managed to chop in a short time. The sound of the ax stopping acts like a whistle for the dogs and all five of them come running, circling me and begging for dinner. Or to throw a ball. They are suckers for a good tennis ball. I’ve lost count of how many we’ve lost in the lake over the years. If anything else, Sky’s business is in good hands as long as she keeps selling tennis balls thanks to the five golden retrievers following me up to the barn. I drop the wood in front of the stalls containing Cletus and Mick, two horses that belong to Ethan and Elias, but they keep them here because they don’t have the space to keep them at their place. They live a few blocks away from the inn and don’t have land or a barn to keep them. I don’t mind though. A couple more animals to take care of helps me keep my mind off things. I try to take them out and exercise them in the middle of the day, riding one through the trails with the other following on a lead.
Cletus is a deep brown thoroughbred and Mick is a black stallion, so dark Ethan tried to name him Black Beauty, but decided Mick fit him better.
I pull out my phone to check the orders I have to start tonight and find a message from an unknown number.
A picture of hiking boots fills the screen, legs wrapped with tight, black leggings snug inside the boots.
Unknown
They fit! Thanks for helping me choose!
Unknown
Any word on finding me a hiking buddy?
As much asSky didn’t want to be involved in family life, she really likes to meddle in mine.
Who do you think this is?
Unknown
Sky? You put your number in my phone earlier at your store.
Not Sky.
Unknown
Okaaaaaayyy, then who am I texting?
