“Are flipflops appropriate footwear when being around horses?”
“I am guessing not.”
“Did you read the required attire for the class in the syllabus I posted?”
“I didn’t look at it.”
At least she was being honest with me.
“Do you have other shoes in your car?” I tried to cool my temper, which was flaring from the seemingly stupid display of unpreparedness.
“I don’t,” she muttered while bowing her head.
“How close do you live to here?”
“Far.”
“Come back later today with any form of boot on your feet and I will let you meet your horse then. This is your one pass, Miss Nelson. Don’t take that for granted.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Daughtry. I am really sorry.”
“Don’t thank me or be sorry. Just fix it.”
I watched the teenager scamper to her car, taking a few breaths.
“There’s always one idiot.” Jessup laughed, putting his hand on my shoulder.
“Fuckingsandals?” I glanced over at my right-hand man.
He shrugged. “Who knows what was going through her head.”
Walking back into the barn, my heart gushed. I loved the first day of class when the students met their horses for the first time. It was so nice to see my babies being spoiled and loved on.
Jessup called all of the students over to him. “All right guys, first things first, your horses are hungry. Cara is going to show you how to feed your horse by doing a demo with Stark. Some of your horses have special dietary instructions in your packet. Read over those carefully. After that, the fun begins and you’re going to be cleaning out stalls. If you have never done this before, let me know and I will show you how it’s done. Any questions?”
Jessup had really come into his own. I tried to not play favorites with my students, but Jessup had been in my first class ever and just stood out. When he asked to do his summer internship with me a few years later, I jumped at the opportunity and never let him leave. Jessup and Cara had just gotten married at the time, and when she wanted to come to work for me, I couldn’t say no. I was apprehensive to hire his wife, but they worked so well together and had become part of my family.
I heard Mr. Handover’s gruff voice call out to me. “Morning, Annie.”
Spinning on my heels, I greeted my farrier. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.”
“How’s the little bastard doing?” He chuckled, following me over to Hunter’s stall.
“Being a jerk. Nipped Jess not too long after I called you.”
Hank walked right up to Hunter, grabbed his bridle, and kissed him on the nose.
“You even think about taking a chunk out of me, boy, it’ll be your last thought,” he teased while stroking the horse’s long neck.
“You’re the only man he lets near him these days,” I sadly admitted.
“It’s because you’re not letting men near you, Annie. Hunter is being protective and guarded because you are.” I was taken aback by Mr. Handover’s words of wisdom.
“Are you moonlighting as a shrink now or some shit? Don’t you be going soft on me too,” I goaded.
“Once you get to my age, life just starts to make sense. Don’t want to see you wrinkled and alone like me is all.”
“You going to fix the shoe or charge me for this therapy session?”