Chapter 3

THREE

Ranger

"Thanks for coming over," Cody Willett says as he walks over to shake my hand. "I know it was short notice, but you come highly recommended.

I'm slightly starstruck. There aren't many ex-professional sports athletes in Bellehaven, and Cody is the most loved. "No problem. What's going on?"

He folds his arms over his chest, a scowl across his face. "This farm was my grandparents, and since I came back home, I've been working on it when I have time. Not long ago we got the barn fixed, and we're starting to work on getting some livestock. A friend of mine sent me a horse." He runs a hand through his hair. "Things were going great until I had to get him re-shoed. Since then, he's had an off‐kilter stride. I think you'll be able to see it if you come over and watch him walk. One of my hands said they think the farrier shoed him incorrectly. I admit, I don't know enough about this to be definitive, and maybe that's my fault."

"Won't take but a minute for me to look. If he does need to be re-shoed, I can do it today. I have a gap in my schedule."

"Perfect. I really appreciate this."

We walk over together, and I try not to let my admiration affect the way I do my job. But I gotta say something. "Before I do any of this, I gotta tell you, you were a fuckin' amazing basketball player, and you've done the town proud."

Cody dips his chin into his chest. "Thank you. I've enjoyed being back. You're from here, right?"

"Yeah, I left after my daughter graduated high school." I rock back on the heels of my boots. "She got married and didn't need me any longer, not for her day‐to‐day, so I took out. I'd always had a dream of traveling, and opening my own farrier business has allowed me to do that. It's given me a good living and I've seen more of the country than I ever thought I would. Now? It's time to come back while Britt needs me."

"I heard about the divorce, and the broken leg. Emma's been helping out with taking dinners over there," he mentions.

"Tell her, ‘thank you'. Those dinners were lifesaving. I'm not a great cook, and there's no way that Britt could do it on her own. I'm thankful the ladies in the community have lifted her up."

Cody takes a drink from his water bottle. "Nobody appreciates what that dick Denly did to her."

My ex son‐in‐law's name causes me to see red. "Kinda hate the fucker myself." Before I can say anything else, a horse comes into view.

"This is him." Cody nods. "He wasn't favoring that one side until that fucker from Daviess County came over and shoed him."

"Yeah ..." I sigh heavily. "The advent of social media has done some really interesting things to the blue‐collar job market. There are a lot of women who see hard‐working men and start following them online. Now every twenty‐something with a fuckin' cell phone is doing this shit, filming it, and putting it to the newest trending song. They're getting a million views, but, unfortunately, they don't know what the fuck they're doing and end up hurting animals more than they help them. I'm afraid that's what's happened here."

Cody groans. "Can you do whatever it takes to fix it, and I'll Venmo you? I have to go meet Emma at the doctor."

"Yeah, I'll shoot you a text when I find out what's going on. You can either send it that way, or we can settle up tomorrow. Doesn't matter to me." I put my hand on my hip and let out a slow breath. I hate these fuckers who keep doing this shitty work.

"Alright, you choose. I'm good either way."

It's not like I don't know he's good for it. "Good luck at the doctor."

"Thanks." He smiles, cheeks bright red.

I have no idea what brought that on, but I head out toward the corral and wait for the hand to tell me I can go in. This horse is a beauty, a thoroughbred, and obviously well taken care of, except for this issue. I click my tongue, and hold out an apple, hoping it gets him to come to me without much work. When it works, I grab hold of his bridle, and bring him into the back part of the barn where I've parked my truck. It takes me a few minutes to get set up, but when I do, I grab hold of the leg, and take a look at the hooves. "Easy, easy ..."

It's a mess. This was done with no care to the actual horse, or the job at hand. No doubt all four are done the same way, and it's a good thing Cody called me over. Grabbing my phone out of my back pocket, I fire off a text to him.

R: Whoever did the job is the shittiest farrier I've ever seen in my life. I'll get this taken care of. Your horse should be fine.

C: Thank you! I appreciate this more than you know. Put me on your rotating schedule if you can. I don't want this to happen again.

I don't know that I'm going to have a rotating schedule here. I'm still unsure how long I'll be in Bellehaven, but the longer I'm in town the more I'm thinking about possibly coming back home. Especially with Karli getting older and Britt being divorced.

R: Will do. I'll send you some info to fill out.

Now that I have a clear job to do, I get to work. With precision I take the shoe off, file the hoof down, reshape the horseshoe, and put it back on. It's a routine I could do in my sleep, and it's comforting. I can tune everything out, and think about nothing but the job at hand.

Which is why I'm surprised when I get done and check my phone again. There's a text from Ava.

A: So about that dinner? You interested in it tonight?

Britt is going out with a friend of hers and Karli is staying at her other grandparents', so I'm on my own tonight. Truth is, I wasn't sure what I'd be doing, and maybe this is the universe telling me it's time to take her up on her offer.

"Ranger, this could be a bad idea ..." I mumble.

"Or it could be amazing," the devil on my shoulder taunts.

R: Yeah, yeah I am. Meet you at your place?

A: Seven okay with you?

R: I'll be done by then. Want me to bring anything?

A: Just you and an appetite.

Now that? I can definitely do.