“Complete opposites. Sweet and rotten.”
He laughed. “Spunk with all that sweetness, I like that. We will get along quite well, I know it.”
She smiled. “Perhaps we will.”
“Unfortunately, I see my client has arrived, a miserably uncoordinated girl, but I shall do my best.”
Bailey watched him walk toward the woman. Tall, beautiful and lithe. And obviously, anything but uncoordinated. They embraced and August kissed her cheeks.
Bailey shifted her gaze and found Raine standing beyond them, watching the pair with naked animosity.
Or was that jealousy? she wondered. Was Raine in love with the flamboyant trainer?
“Bailey, good morning.”
“Paul,” she said. He’d emerged from what she assumed was his office and was walking toward her, smiling broadly. “Logan told me you might venture out and to keep an eye open for you.”
She returned the smile. “And here I am.”
His smile slipped. “I saw you and August, he wasn’t being … inappropriate, was he?”
She found the question strange, and shook her head. “Not at all. Trying to make amends for the other night.”
“He should. His behavior was abominable.” He paused. “Just be on your guard. He can be—”
“A flirt?”
“To put it mildly.”
“Logan warned me.” Tony and the two other dogs came tearing through the barn; Tony saw her and charged her way. He threw himself against her legs and she laughed. “As you can see, I’ve made a friend.”
“I see that. He’s Henry’s dog.”
“I know. I thought I’d return him.”
Paul bent to pet the pup, but he darted away, rejoining the other dogs. He straightened, met her eyes again. “That’s not necessary. As you can see, there are several dogs on the farm and they all pretty much run free. Tony knows where he lives. Have you met Henry yet?” he asked.
She shook her head and he went on. “Henry has a small place on the northeast corner of the farm.”
“Logan mentioned the accident.”
“She had no business being in that stall with King’s Challenge, not with mares in heat and another stallion nearby.”
He paused, looking off in the distance. “But she thought of herself as a bit of a horse whisperer. And in truth, she was. But not this time.”
Bailey swallowed past the lump in her throat. “You were there? You saw it happen?”
He nodded. “I was just a kid. Twelve, I think. Maybe eleven.”
“My God.”
“Henry was one of the groomers. He realized what was happening and put himself between her and the stallion. It was the most—” He shook his head. “I never looked at a stallion, any horse for that matter, the same way again. They’re powerful creatures.”
Bailey could only imagine how traumatic it must have been for Paul to have witnessed the attack.
Bailey rubbed her arms. “How old was Henry when it happened?”
“I’m not sure. Old enough to have been Raine’s father.”
“Excuse me?”
“That sounded wrong. I meant he was around the same age as Logan’s parents. She never forgave herself.”
He fell silent a moment. “Elisabeth took care of all his medical expenses. In fact, she promised she would take care of him forever. And she has, even though she’s gone. She deeded him the land and when the time came, built him a small home, gave him a job and a salary for life. It’s all legal. No one could take it away from him.”
“She was something special, wasn’t she?”
“Yes.” A faraway expression came into his eyes. “She was more of a mother to me than my own.”
He took off his cowboy hat and ran a hand through his short-cropped, sandy-colored hair, then fitted it back on. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to go on that way. Is there anything I can get you, Bailey? Any questions you need answered, directions someplace?”
“I do have one question.”
“Shoot.”
“It’s about True. August said I look like her. Do I?”
Her question had taken him by surprise, she saw. He cleared his throat. “No. Resemble, maybe. In your size and coloring.”
She didn’t quite believe him, but didn’t know why. Most probably her own insecurity.
“One more question.”
He glanced at the clock. “Shoot.”
“I overheard Logan and Raine, did he and True marry as suddenly as—”
He cut her off. “You should talk to Logan about this, Bailey. It’s not my business.”
His brusque tone felt like a slap and her face warmed. “You’re right. I’m sorry, it wasn’t fair to put you in that position.”
“If there’s anything else I can help you with, just ask.”
She stuffed her hands in her pockets. “Thanks, I will. Paul?”
He stopped and looked back.
“I’m not like True.”
“I didn’t say you were.”
“I just wanted you to know that. I’m not going anywhere.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Bailey stepped out into the bright, cold day. She shivered slightly and drew her sweater coat tighter around her. She’d been on the farm nearly a month and had learned its rhythm. The activities here revolved around the horses and their physical needs. Food and exercise, health care. Even schooling for the young ones, discipline for the headstrong. Like a barn full of children to care for.
Her days had fallen into a predictable pattern, as well; one that revolved around Logan’s schedule instead of her own. He had been busy, pulled between his land management firm and farm business.
But she hadn’t been bored. Or lonely. Her things had arrived from Nebraska and a good bit of her days had been devoted to sorting and storing. She had lingered over things that had been her mother’s, photographs of her, of the two of them together. She had lovingly placed the framed photos throughout the house, so no matter what room she was in, she would be able to see her.
Tony greeted her with an excited bark and ran over, his entire back end swinging with his tail.