Call Me Michigan by Sam Destiny Page B

less than half is true, I’m sure. At least, I think so.” She shrugged. “And I was talking about horses. I think we need some again,” she explained, deciding to finally deal with her farm.
    “Your horses are at the Stiles’ farm,” he reported, and she wondered if there was anything Mason hadn’t done for her family.
    She pursed her lips. “Well, let’s get them back. I like taking care of horses, and it’ll give me something to do besides the books. So, next up, I need to find out what’s missing, what needs to be done, and what we need to plan money for.” She arched a brow in question, and he rubbed the back of his neck.
    “I sure hope you have some time, lady,” he stated, and Taylor sighed.
    “Let’s get started. Timmy is getting back by lunch, but until then, I’m all yours,” she promised.
    “Best sentence I’ve heard all morning.” He flirted with her! While Taylor felt flattered, she decided to let him down easy.
    “Charming, but there’s work to do, and while I have no doubt you do your job perfectly, I’ve been slacking at mine. I really need a rundown on all that’s been happening.”
    He lowered his eyes, silent laughter on his lips. “Got it. Let’s go and start with the barn then,” he suggested, and she nodded. His tone was no less warm but much more businesslike.
    They entered the huge space, and Taylor spotted the hay. Clearly, the horses had been relocated since she had left and no longer stayed in the stables but were usually in the barn.
    “There’s somethin’ classical about horses in a barn, so your father thought it was a better place for them. I actually agree,” Daniel told her, and she nodded. The stalls had been built big enough so each animal would be able to lie down. She counted four and liked that. It was a nice number and something they sure could handle.
    “Equipment?”
    He pointed at a closed door in the back of the barn. “Still there. Mase picked them up with one of his own, so everythin’s still in place. It might need some cleanin’ and some wipin’ down, but other than that, you should be fine. I do have to tell you, though, that your horse is no longer among them.”
    She had figured as much, but it still hurt.
    “It was old, very old. Just couldn’t get up anymore. It was for the best.” She breathed a sigh of relief, wondering if he’d been able to read her that well or if Tammy had mentioned how she’d feel.
    “Well, I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised.” She laughed through the tears that had come to her eyes.
    “Your father bought you a new one. I know it’s not my place, and I should probably not comment on it, but your father loved you. He just loved your mother more, I think. After she was gone, he was a different man.”
    “Damn, how long have you been working on the farm?” she asked, trying to rein in her emotions.
    “I came the summer after you left. It was the first summer I worked here. I came back the summer after that and eventually was here longer. After he had left, Tammy hired me full time because she figured …” He stopped, another time rubbing the back of his neck. “So we need more hay if we get the horses back.”
    She didn’t mind the topic change. She couldn’t believe that her little sister had known her so well.
    “I owned a business when I was away, and I had ten employees. I should be able to handle this here,” she whispered, and he turned back to her after having started to walk toward the cattle paddocks.
    “It was somethin’ you loved, not somethin’ you had to do. It’ll take some time, but trust me, you’ll come around. I’ll make it easy for ya,” he promised with a wink, and Taylor couldn’t help but feel better.
    “No doubt.” She grinned, and then fell into step next to him, making a mental note to pick an especially thankful card for him for Christmas.
    After everything was done, Taylor went into the house and jotted down everything she’d need to take care of,