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Authors: Rachael Herron
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hurt.”
She had the good grace to look chagrined. “I’m sorry. I just thought the boy here was getting away, but Mort put him on a tighter lead and tied him to the fence.”
“You got alpacas.”
“You don’t like them?” Her smile faded.
“I don’t know much about them. I know enough to know I didn’t want any on the property.”
“But I’ll keep them in my little barn. You won’t even know they’re here.”
“What do you know about livestock?”
“Not very much. But Mort told me what I had to feed them, and he gave me some stuff to start off with, and he said they were gentle. And then I can shear my own alpacas.”
“And do what?”
“Spin the fiber into yarn! It’s the softest stuff. I’ll make you socks.”
He snorted before he could help himself. “Alpaca socks? I can’t even imagine.”
He heard something from her truck and turned to look at what was causing the bumping noise.
“You got a dog.” She didn’t do anything halfway, did she?
“Not just any dog. She’s a border collie.”
“And let me guess, you don’t know much about border collies.”
“You do? Can you tell me? She’s the sweetest thing ever.”
“And probably the smartest thing ever, too. I’ve got two of them that live in the barn and work the sheep. They’re smart enough that I wouldn’t leave out a can opener near a can of tuna.”
“Mort said she was smart!”
“How did he talk you into all this?”
Abigail smiled and reached to pet the head of the female alpaca, but the animal shied away and moved away as far as she could on the leash.
“His wife died,” she started.
“Three years ago,” said Cade.
“What? He made it sound like it was yesterday. But he’s sailing to Hawaii soon, so he had to get rid of the dog.”
“He’s no sailor. He just bought a new tractor. He’s not going anywhere soon. And he’s been trying to get rid of those beasts since Mary passed.”
“He told me you wanted alpacas. That you would think they were nice.”
He couldn’t help laughing now. It was too funny: her earnest, excited face, Mort taking her for all she was worth. “A nice gift? I’ve been giving him a rash of shit ever since he let his wife buy them. They’re always getting loose and running down the highway. She said she was going to raise and sell them, but he never saw a dime. And where are you going to keep the babies? You can’t fit more than two out in the shed.”
She glared at him. “I don’t need baby alpacas, not yet, anyway. Two is enough to start with. Their fiber will keep me happy and busy. They’re sweet and wonderful and I love them.”
He was surprised she didn’t stamp her foot after saying this.
“They have names?”
“Yes.”
“Wanna tell me?”
“You’ll laugh at me.”
“Would I do that?”
“Yes, but I’ll tell you anyway. Merino is the boy here, the darker one. Tussah is the pale girl. She’s the sweet one, but they’re both wonderful and I love them.”
“Merino, like the sheep? And Tussah I’m guessing is something in your fiber world.”
“A kind of silkworm.”
“You named alpacas after a sheep and a worm?”
“You said you wouldn’t laugh.” She turned her back on him and moved to start untying the male from where he was attached to the fence.
“Where are you going to put him?”
“I told you, in my shed.”
“You already set it up?”
“Mort said that they only need a little space and an overhang to get out of any weather that might come along.”
“Have you checked that fence back there? I haven’t used it in a long time.”
She looked at the ground, her cheeks flushing. He couldn’t tell if it was in anger or not, and he didn’t like it. He was used to being able to read women at a glance. They didn’t usually challenge him. This one, she was a challenge.
None that he couldn’t handle though.
“I looked,” she said. “I can’t see any holes in the fence.”
“Want me to look for you?”
Her eyebrows
She had the good grace to look chagrined. “I’m sorry. I just thought the boy here was getting away, but Mort put him on a tighter lead and tied him to the fence.”
“You got alpacas.”
“You don’t like them?” Her smile faded.
“I don’t know much about them. I know enough to know I didn’t want any on the property.”
“But I’ll keep them in my little barn. You won’t even know they’re here.”
“What do you know about livestock?”
“Not very much. But Mort told me what I had to feed them, and he gave me some stuff to start off with, and he said they were gentle. And then I can shear my own alpacas.”
“And do what?”
“Spin the fiber into yarn! It’s the softest stuff. I’ll make you socks.”
He snorted before he could help himself. “Alpaca socks? I can’t even imagine.”
He heard something from her truck and turned to look at what was causing the bumping noise.
“You got a dog.” She didn’t do anything halfway, did she?
“Not just any dog. She’s a border collie.”
“And let me guess, you don’t know much about border collies.”
“You do? Can you tell me? She’s the sweetest thing ever.”
“And probably the smartest thing ever, too. I’ve got two of them that live in the barn and work the sheep. They’re smart enough that I wouldn’t leave out a can opener near a can of tuna.”
“Mort said she was smart!”
“How did he talk you into all this?”
Abigail smiled and reached to pet the head of the female alpaca, but the animal shied away and moved away as far as she could on the leash.
“His wife died,” she started.
“Three years ago,” said Cade.
“What? He made it sound like it was yesterday. But he’s sailing to Hawaii soon, so he had to get rid of the dog.”
“He’s no sailor. He just bought a new tractor. He’s not going anywhere soon. And he’s been trying to get rid of those beasts since Mary passed.”
“He told me you wanted alpacas. That you would think they were nice.”
He couldn’t help laughing now. It was too funny: her earnest, excited face, Mort taking her for all she was worth. “A nice gift? I’ve been giving him a rash of shit ever since he let his wife buy them. They’re always getting loose and running down the highway. She said she was going to raise and sell them, but he never saw a dime. And where are you going to keep the babies? You can’t fit more than two out in the shed.”
She glared at him. “I don’t need baby alpacas, not yet, anyway. Two is enough to start with. Their fiber will keep me happy and busy. They’re sweet and wonderful and I love them.”
He was surprised she didn’t stamp her foot after saying this.
“They have names?”
“Yes.”
“Wanna tell me?”
“You’ll laugh at me.”
“Would I do that?”
“Yes, but I’ll tell you anyway. Merino is the boy here, the darker one. Tussah is the pale girl. She’s the sweet one, but they’re both wonderful and I love them.”
“Merino, like the sheep? And Tussah I’m guessing is something in your fiber world.”
“A kind of silkworm.”
“You named alpacas after a sheep and a worm?”
“You said you wouldn’t laugh.” She turned her back on him and moved to start untying the male from where he was attached to the fence.
“Where are you going to put him?”
“I told you, in my shed.”
“You already set it up?”
“Mort said that they only need a little space and an overhang to get out of any weather that might come along.”
“Have you checked that fence back there? I haven’t used it in a long time.”
She looked at the ground, her cheeks flushing. He couldn’t tell if it was in anger or not, and he didn’t like it. He was used to being able to read women at a glance. They didn’t usually challenge him. This one, she was a challenge.
None that he couldn’t handle though.
“I looked,” she said. “I can’t see any holes in the fence.”
“Want me to look for you?”
Her eyebrows
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