Read Online Love Inspired August 2014 – Bundle 1 of 2 by Allie Pleiter and Jessica Keller Ruth Logan Herne - Free Book Online Page A
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else inside Livvie, a truth she’d been unwilling to admit.
She needed healing. She needed peace. She needed to look in the mirror and not see
a loser who’d had two men run out on her. The fact that her ex-husband had already
remarried his extramarital girlfriend bit deep into her bruised ego. Tossing a baby
into the mix meant Billy hadn’t wasted any time and was perfectly willing to start
a family with someone.
Just not her.
The horse nickered softly as Joy guided him out of the trailer. His mild voice said,
“What now?” but as Liv ran a gentle hand down his neck, she whispered into his ear,
“Now we go home, my friend. Now we go home.”
She took the lead and walked the horse across the lot. Animal movement had stirred
the dust. Particulated Montana topsoil hazed the midday air.
Liv didn’t care. She walked the gelding into the trailer, placing him between the
mares. If the young stallion they loaded from the other side thought to kick up a
fuss, she wanted two steady, well-fed horses to let him know they weren’t impressed.
This malnourished fellow shouldn’t be put to the test today. Not until he had a few
weeks of TLC and food.
“We’re all set?” Jack asked as she settled the horse and closed the ramp.
“Good to go. Thanks for loading the girls, Randy.”
“My pleasure. And right back at ya’ for taking him off Mom’s hands. While we didn’t
need extra work, I couldn’t see letting him be put down. I’m grateful.”
“No.” Jack faced him, and stuck out a hand. “We are. Travel with care.”
“Will do. You, too.” They shook hands as Liv climbed into the front seat of the big
truck. She waved to the dashboard clock as she withdrew her phone. “There’s a great
burger joint about fifteen minutes out. I’m going to call and order food so we don’t
have to keep these guys waiting. I’m grabbing a mushroom Swiss burger and fries. How
about you?”
“Sounds perfect. Ask them to put ketchup, pickles and sweet relish on mine.”
“Done.” She found the number online, called in the order and settled into her seat
after scanning the trailer a quick look. “What a day.”
“Great. Wonderful. There are now four horses ready to call the Double M home. Including
your new project.”
She heard the emphasis on the pronoun, but wasn’t about to disagree. Her heart had
seized upon first seeing the horse and hadn’t let go yet. Maybe it was learning of
Dillinger’s demise. Maybe it was searching for times lost but never forgotten. Or
maybe she empathized with the horse, wanting them both healed and loved. That thought
touched a nerve, but she scuttled it and kept her voice bright with anticipation.
“I can’t wait to get him home, get him cleaned up. Feed him. Brush him. Talk to him.”
“You’ve got a knack, for sure. Always did have. The thing is...” His voice trailed
off and he looked uncertain.
“The thing is?”
“Are you wasting all those years of education being back here? There’s not much in
the way of work for someone with all those degrees, and you’re so smart, Livvie. Always
were.” Trouble tinged his tone, as if second-guessing way more than trailering a group
of horses home to a Montana ranch. “Will you feel like you’re wasting all that time
and money to help with a crowd of horses the next few months?”
His words made her pause, but then she shrugged. “I might have thought so the last
few years because I was caught up in my job. I poured myself into research work and
did well with it, but if I look back truthfully...” She drew a breath and turned to
see him more directly. “If you asked me then if I was happy, I’d have said yes. I
thought I was flying high, doing well. But looking back, I see it different and that’s
because I’m facing the truth about my life then. Clearly that’s easier at a distance.”
Jack’s grimace said he agreed.
“It will be a little crazy living
She needed healing. She needed peace. She needed to look in the mirror and not see
a loser who’d had two men run out on her. The fact that her ex-husband had already
remarried his extramarital girlfriend bit deep into her bruised ego. Tossing a baby
into the mix meant Billy hadn’t wasted any time and was perfectly willing to start
a family with someone.
Just not her.
The horse nickered softly as Joy guided him out of the trailer. His mild voice said,
“What now?” but as Liv ran a gentle hand down his neck, she whispered into his ear,
“Now we go home, my friend. Now we go home.”
She took the lead and walked the horse across the lot. Animal movement had stirred
the dust. Particulated Montana topsoil hazed the midday air.
Liv didn’t care. She walked the gelding into the trailer, placing him between the
mares. If the young stallion they loaded from the other side thought to kick up a
fuss, she wanted two steady, well-fed horses to let him know they weren’t impressed.
This malnourished fellow shouldn’t be put to the test today. Not until he had a few
weeks of TLC and food.
“We’re all set?” Jack asked as she settled the horse and closed the ramp.
“Good to go. Thanks for loading the girls, Randy.”
“My pleasure. And right back at ya’ for taking him off Mom’s hands. While we didn’t
need extra work, I couldn’t see letting him be put down. I’m grateful.”
“No.” Jack faced him, and stuck out a hand. “We are. Travel with care.”
“Will do. You, too.” They shook hands as Liv climbed into the front seat of the big
truck. She waved to the dashboard clock as she withdrew her phone. “There’s a great
burger joint about fifteen minutes out. I’m going to call and order food so we don’t
have to keep these guys waiting. I’m grabbing a mushroom Swiss burger and fries. How
about you?”
“Sounds perfect. Ask them to put ketchup, pickles and sweet relish on mine.”
“Done.” She found the number online, called in the order and settled into her seat
after scanning the trailer a quick look. “What a day.”
“Great. Wonderful. There are now four horses ready to call the Double M home. Including
your new project.”
She heard the emphasis on the pronoun, but wasn’t about to disagree. Her heart had
seized upon first seeing the horse and hadn’t let go yet. Maybe it was learning of
Dillinger’s demise. Maybe it was searching for times lost but never forgotten. Or
maybe she empathized with the horse, wanting them both healed and loved. That thought
touched a nerve, but she scuttled it and kept her voice bright with anticipation.
“I can’t wait to get him home, get him cleaned up. Feed him. Brush him. Talk to him.”
“You’ve got a knack, for sure. Always did have. The thing is...” His voice trailed
off and he looked uncertain.
“The thing is?”
“Are you wasting all those years of education being back here? There’s not much in
the way of work for someone with all those degrees, and you’re so smart, Livvie. Always
were.” Trouble tinged his tone, as if second-guessing way more than trailering a group
of horses home to a Montana ranch. “Will you feel like you’re wasting all that time
and money to help with a crowd of horses the next few months?”
His words made her pause, but then she shrugged. “I might have thought so the last
few years because I was caught up in my job. I poured myself into research work and
did well with it, but if I look back truthfully...” She drew a breath and turned to
see him more directly. “If you asked me then if I was happy, I’d have said yes. I
thought I was flying high, doing well. But looking back, I see it different and that’s
because I’m facing the truth about my life then. Clearly that’s easier at a distance.”
Jack’s grimace said he agreed.
“It will be a little crazy living
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