Page 92 of River
CHAPTER 24
Fleur’s Feeling
River
Coming to see Noah was the best decision of my life, or maybe going to Bali was the better one because that’s when I’d met him.
What I loved about Noah wasn’t only how laid back he was or how handsome he was. I also loved who I became when I was around him. He’d seen me at my worst when I got frightened and pressured, but it hadn’t scared him away. Noah had a calmness to him like he wasn’t always trying to entertain or impress people, something that I recognized in Fleur too.
She was kinesthetic by nature, and when we talked, she often touched my forearm, elbow, or shoulder.
I spent my morning with the five puppies, watching Noah train them. They were eleven-week-old Bernese mountain dogs with the loveliest colors, mostly black, but with brown legs and cheeks, and white on their chest and snout. Eventually they would become support dogs when Fleur and her team were done training them.
“River.”
I looked up to see Fleur in the door opening of the stables.
“Do you want to join Clara and me?”
“Yes,” I said without a clue who Clara was.
Noah gave me a quick kiss when I put on my jacket and scarf and followed Fleur outside.
“Clara is new here,” Fleur said as she led the way out from the farm and down the road. “She prefers to be outside for now, but I’m trying to convince her to give the warm stable a chance.”
Looking in the direction we were going, I tried to figure out what kind of animal we were talking about. It turned out to be a horse.
Fleur stopped in front of the pasture where a single horse was standing. She didn’t call it to her with the kind of sounds I’d seen in movies. Instead, Fleur kept her hands in her pockets and stood and watched Clara.
When the horse didn’t move, I asked, “Are you going to call it to you?”
“She’s not an it, River. Clara has a strong spirit but suffered great abuse.”
“My mistake.”
Fleur closed her eyes for a second before opening them again. “Clara is asking about you.”
“Me?”
“Yes. Normally she comes to me, but you’re making her nervous.”
“Why?”
“She’s not good with new people. That’s why I asked you to join me. I’m telling her that you’ll do her no harm, but she’s worried you’re here to take her away.”
“Oh, no. I’m a little scared of horses, to be honest.”
“Maybe that will relax her.”
As if the horse truly was part of our conversation, it moved in our direction. Fleur and I stood patiently watching the horse take its time before finally stopping to sniff Fleur.
“Yes, of course, I brought your apple.” From her pocket, Fleur picked out an apple and gave it to me.
“I’d like you to give it to Clara. It will be good for both of you.”
I held up the apple but felt nervous from the way Clara moved her neck up and down and made huffing and puffing sounds. “She’s not happy,” I said.
“No, Clara prefers to deal with as few people as possible.”
