Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 69775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
The owner looked at us both apologetically.
“Shower,” I urged. “Now.”
Holly left without another word.
I waited until the horse was resting comfortably in the hay before I told the owner, “I’ll give you a call with the results of the test a little later in the day.”
The owner winced. “Thanks, man.”
The horse lay down gently, and I gave Carlene, who had also been helping with the procedure, a look that clearly said, “be back after I get this shit off of my body.”
Carlene tried not to smile.
Failed.
“You’re such an asshole,” I grumbled, but immediately regretted it when I felt things I was trying not to think about dislodge off my face and tumble down across my lips.
We only had one huge shower that was used for dual purpose. Horse, cow, dog, cat, or person.
It didn’t matter who needed rinsed off, everyone was welcome.
I walked into the shower stall, uncaring that Holly was also rinsing off at the same time, thankful that I’d rid myself of my cell phone and keys before I’d taken the exam.
“This is the worst,” Holly declared from the other side of the stall.
I grunted, knowing better than to open my mouth again.
I turned face forward into the shower spray—thankfully there were two separate shower stalls separated by a curtain you could pull around you to cordon the space off—and tried not to breathe.
I don’t know how long I was in there, rinsing shit off my face, when I heard the voices.
“Just go look and see,” I heard my mother crow triumphantly.
My mother had bonded out of county jail within a couple of hours, but Kurt hadn’t paid and neither had my father.
It took us a while, but eventually we found out that it’d been Ida Bell. The poor woman had no clue who she was dealing with.
It was also too bad that I’d failed to trespass my mother from my vet practice. If I had, I’d have pressed charges and she would’ve wound up in jail again.
But she’d stayed away over the last five weeks and I hadn’t thought about her much at all. I’d been too busy enjoying my life.
“Are you not going to look?” my mother taunted.
I would’ve peered over the side of the shower stall had I not had shit now rolling down my face.
I could literally feel the chunky bits sliding down over the corner of my lips.
“They’re not in there together, Gail.”
Shit.
“Yes, they are.” My mother laughed like this was the best thing in the world.
I couldn’t open my mouth, either, because I was afraid of what would roll inside if my lips parted.
“Don’t go in there!” I heard Young yell.
But then the door was opening and there were gasps.
“Shit,” Holly moaned. “This isn’t what it looks like!”
I waited until my face felt clean before reaching for the soap I knew was on the shower stall above my head.
“Here,” I heard Nettie say. “Hold out your hand.”
I did and felt the palm of my hand fill up with industrial soap.
After washing my face and rinsing, only then did I hear Gail say, “Oh, my. I’m sorry, dear. I didn’t realize.”
Holly.
I wasn’t listening to what she was saying.
I only had eyes for the woman peering over the back side of the stall as she looked down at me.
“Is that what I think it is in your hair?”
I grimaced.
“I’d offer to help, but I think I’ll give this one a pass.”
“I told you not to go in there,” Young called from the other side of the room. “It smells awful. God, shut the door if you’re going to stay in there with them.”
Her smile was everything.
The last hour had been horrific.
But, seeing her smiling, obviously not mad when my mother’s intentions had been clear, was enough to have me breathing easier.
“I would’ve answered that call earlier but…”
“I’m glad you didn’t. I don’t want you getting that new cell phone covered in…poo.”
I just shook my head and held out my hand. “Hit me again.”
She did.
“Your rubber boots are filling up with soap, poo bits and water.”
“That’s a later problem,” I said.
An entire hour later, Holly and I were clean and none the worse for wear.
My mother was once again in handcuffs.
Someone had called to get her trespassed.
And the ol’ broad had left and come back.
Again.
Black had been a whole lot less understanding this time.
“I just wanted to talk to you for a moment!” Gail sounded ravaged. “Just five minutes, Boone. Just five, and I’ll never bother you again.”
Nettie jerked her head toward the door. “We already missed the appointment, babe. You might as well hear her out.”
The appointment for us to get married.
Fuck!
“Shit, baby,” I said as I finally clued into how fuckin’ beautiful she was. “I’m so sorry. I completely forgot.”
It sounded horrible.
But as I was leaving, a horse owner had torn into the lot with the hounds of hell on his heels.