Chad grinned. It was the first time he had done it all correctly by himself and she could see the joy the accomplishment gave him. He led Pepper closer to the fence and used it to mount her, then rode off around the paddock.
“He's showing so much progress,” Evelyn said as she joined Kaya at the fence.
Kaya had to agree; it gave her so much satisfaction. “Are you seeing an improvement in other areas as well?”
“We are. His teacher commented on it recently. It's helping him to deal with a lot of other areas in his life. He just needed the confidence.”
Confidence wasn't the only area where he needed help. “How are things with the other kids at school? Is it getting any better?”
Evelyn let out a low breath of frustration. “No. I think we need to move so he can have a fresh start. I just don't think we can get the help we need in that district. They're doing fine with Shyanne— her disabilities are all physical and she copes well, plus she's so social and friendly with everyone. But the teachers and programs just aren't working for Chad. My parents keep trying to convince us to move out near them. Their schools are a little better, but it just feels wrong. I can't imagine tearing them away from here.”
“Arizona is so far away.” Kaya's heart sank at the suggestion. She would miss getting to see them so often.
“I know. But we can’t keep living at the apartment where we’re at now. Shyanne is getting so big. I'm afraid I'm going to hurt my back lifting her in and out of the wheelchair. She's working out so she will be able to do most of it herself, but she's not there yet, and may not be for quite a while. I knew we wouldn't stay there forever, I just didn't count on it being an issue so quickly. I can’t seem to find a flexible job— even part time— so I can qualify to buy a house that would be easier for her. My ex is settling down with a new wife and kids and can’t, or won’t, help out more than he already is.”
“I'd hate to have you go.” Kaya paused to call out a correction to Chad. Though she was talking to his mom, she kept her eyes on him at all times. “As soon as it warms up here, I have several families who've committed to group lessons. I think Chad is comfortable enough that he's ready to work with other kids. I think it could be good for him socially, and the group will be small, no more than four at a time.” She'd miss the pay from his private lesson if he switched to group, but it was the next step, and he was nearly ready for it. Maybe she should try a group social with several of her private clients and see how they meshed. That might help with the transition. She'd have to think about that in January.
“Mom, we need a goat. I like their milk better.” Shyanne called from the pen. She brushed Morning Star, paying special attention to her flank, which, oddly enough, was the goat's favorite place to be caressed.
“That's another thing our apartment can't handle.” Evelyn said it like a joke, but there was pain in her eyes. They needed a house with a yard and animals for the kids to keep advancing.
“You ever thought about moving closer to here instead?” Kaya asked. “I could use a full-time goat groomer, and my neighbor is selling.” Not that she wanted Ora to move to that assisted living center, but it looked inevitable.
Evelyn shot her a tired look. She was maybe in her late thirties, and with her sandy-colored hair, smooth skin, and blue eyes, seemed somehow even younger than that, though she seemed worn out at the moment. “More times than you can imagine. I've been online looking at places, but nothing really stands out. The kids would love it. I've even heard good things about the school system, but a mortgage is going to take more income than we're getting from Glen plus Shyanne's social security and it can be hard to find a decent job when I never finished my degree.” She sighed. “I'll figure it out.” She lifted her voice again to call encouragement to her son.
Kaya wondered what Evelyn studied in school, but Chad waved that he was ready for the next step. Maybe they could talk more later. “Looks like he's warmed up and ready to go.”
“I'll help Shyanne set up to milk,” Evelyn said, heading away.
Kaya vaulted over the railing and into the paddock to join him. “Hey, you ready to try a canter?”
“I don't know,” Chad said.
“Let's give it a test and see how you like it. It's jiggly, though.”
Chad looked a little dubious, but took to the faster speed like a pro.
Kaya ached when she thought of not seeing this kid again, but she had him for now. She'd have to do what she could while the opportunity was still there.
JONAH SNATCHED UP THE TELEPHONE receiver, wishing it would stop ringing long enough for him to finish paying his bills. He wanted to let it go to voicemail, but the driver delivering his picture-framing supplies was supposed to call when he reached town.
He hadn't made it into Kenworth's yet to pick up the items his grandma had requested. He checked his watch again to make sure he would have time for it before the truck was supposed to arrive. He'd have to do it soon.
“Echo Ridge Arts, how can I help you?”
“Jonah, this is Mike. You left a message for me?” Mike was an old friend, a neighbor of Jonah's grandma, Ora, and had shown the house a few times when Jonah was tied up with other things.
Jonah's head lifted, as all thought of his spreadsheet left his head. “Yes, it's been a few days and I hadn't heard what your friends thought of the house.” He had to sell Gram's house, and soon, or she was going to lose everything.
“They loved the house, it's just the right size, the layout is good, and the location couldn't be better, except for one thing.”
Jonah had a sneaking suspicion he knew what that one thing was. “The horses?”
“Yes, they're concerned about noise and smells during the summer, even though I told them it wasn't an issue. They settled on a different house instead. Sorry.”
That was exactly what he didn't need to hear— the neighbor's horses were variables he had no control over. “Thanks anyway.”
“No problem. How is the gallery coming? Are you going to be ready?”
“It's coming along. We're nearly set for the opening show— I've gotten in some beautiful sculptures from a college friend, and I've been gathering some fantastic pieces from locals, plus I have a few other artists who are shipping me some amazing drawings and paintings. If I only had an extra six hours per day, I wouldn't worry about getting through it all.” It used to be that he burned off his frustration and energy with his paints, but it had been a long time since that had satisfied him.
“Well, don't work too hard. Sarah and I will be there opening night, and it would be good if you weren't stuck in the hospital from a nervous breakdown.”
“No kidding. Catch you later.” They said goodbye and Jonah returned his gaze to the computer again, though he barely saw it. How many showings would he have to do before the house finally sold? Could he sell it with the animals next door?
He cleared that thought from his mind and focused on what he could control. At least a little. Just a few more bills to pay and he'd be done— and almost entirely out of money. He sure hoped the feelers he'd put out with art collectors he'd met over the years would pay off, because if he didn't sell a few pieces as soon as the gallery opened, his grandma wouldn't be the only one in dire financial straits.
Still, it could be worse. He was here, after all, in his own building, with a dream about to come true.
He finished paying the bills that were due before his gallery opening and turned off the computer. He would take an early lunch, do the shopping, go see Grams, and hopefully come back ready to get back to work with time to spare before the truck arrived.
His to-do list seemed to do nothing but grow every day. He stretched his back and groaned when several vertebrae popped back into place. He'd done a fair amount of the renovations himself, though he'd had an employee helping with some of the work. Sam had taken the day off for a family ski trip, so Jonah was solo today. Just as well, since the paperwork seemed never ending.
The roads had b
een cleared after the previous day's snowstorm, which thankfully had been only a few inches, despite the elevation in the ski resort town. Traffic was heavy— it was only three weeks until Christmas after all, and lunch time as well. He found a spot near the back of the Kenworth's parking lot and trudged into the building, freezing and wondering what he was going to do if he didn't find a buyer for his grandma's home. Her medical bills were piling up and he wasn't sure he would be able to handle the co-pay for the rehabilitation center where she was recovering from a broken hip.
If only the neighbor would keep her stinky horses somewhere else. As he entered the store, he glanced at the latest clothing styles in the men's department, hooked a left at the makeup counter and was passing the perfume when he stopped short. There was the source of all his trouble, touching all of the perfume bottles, like she couldn't decide which to buy. Her inheritance probably financed her little hobby farm so she could play around all day instead of doing real work. Animal therapy— like that was a real thing. Meanwhile his grandmother could lose everything, and it was Kaya's fault.
He stopped behind her. “Just can't decide which scent to buy next? I bet you need a lot to cover up the stink of those horses.” The words popped out of Jonah's mouth before he could think better of it. He knew he should keep his mouth shut and walk on by, but he couldn't help venting on someone.
The woman turned, her dark eyes and smooth olive skin looking like she just came from shooting a commercial for natural beauty, her lustrous brown hair fell in waves halfway down her back. He could see the Spanish heritage from her Argentinian mother. She wore a professional navy skirt and white blouse with a clunky, golden necklace. Far cry from the dun-colored coveralls he'd seen her in last time he'd glimpsed her over the fence.
She brushed the hair back from her face and her brow wrinkled in surprise. “What do you mean?”
Thankfully his better judgment kicked in so he shut his mouth for a long moment, glaring at her. Ora would not appreciate him harassing Kaya, even if she deserved it. “Never mind.” He moved past, headed for the toy area to pick out the gift his grandma had specified for his cousin's son.
Her hand snaked out and grabbed his sleeve. “No, not never mind. What was that about?”
He whirled and towered over her. “My grandma can't sell her house, thanks to you and those stinky animals. But you're only thinking about yourself, aren't you? Who cares about anyone else in the neighborhood?” He whirled away and stalked around the corner.
She let him go.
He may have been mad, but he didn't miss the look of shock that had crossed her face, and as he reined in his anger, he justified his actions, even though he should have held his tongue. Shouldn't someone tell her that her animals were a problem, that they were causing trouble? Was it fair to her to think everything was fine when it wasn't?
Jonah continued this mental tirade as he found the dump truck his grandma had wanted him to pick up, and then grabbed a board game for his own gift. By now he was starting to feel calmer and when his eye caught sight of the Hope Tree, sitting across the aisle from the toys, he couldn't help but go over to it.
Little cream-colored snowflake cards hung from the tree, far more than he would have thought a small town like this would have. This many people wouldn't have a decent Christmas without help? He looked at the cards.
Boy's pants, size 8.
Doll for six-year-old girl.
Toy horse for four-year-old boy.
He moved on from that one, settling on one that requested a chess set and another asking for art supplies for a budding artist. He didn't have much, but he could help with these, couldn't he? He'd been through the store and knew the art supply items couldn’t be found here, but he could order some online. He tucked both cards into his pocket, then headed back to the toy aisle for the chess set before he took the toys he'd picked out to the cash register to check out.
When he glanced back over his shoulder at the perfume department across the store, he didn't see Kaya.
Apparently he'd chased her off. He wasn't sure how he felt about that.
Kaya stared after Jonah, confused about where his attack had come from. They had only met once since he'd moved back to Echo Ridge in the fall, though she'd seen him checking on his grandmother and then Ora’s home after she ended up in rehab. She shouldn't care what Jonah Owens thought, but she pushed back the edge of hurt his words had caused and returned to organizing the fragrance display. Cecilia would get angry if she thought Kaya was slacking on the job, and it wasn't like she had to do anything wrong to bring the woman's anger down on her head. Considering how her future income looked at the moment, she couldn't afford to take any risks.
She felt bad that her therapy animals were making it hard for Ora's house to sell. She hadn't realized that was an issue, but she didn't think she was being the least bit selfish. The kids needed those animals— and so did she, if she had to admit it. Working with them brought her peace and satisfaction, not to mention her work with the disabled and how much spending time with the animals helped them. She was down to only four horses at the moment, though she'd been talking with someone about boarding their horse for the rest of the winter, which would definitely help her financially.
She let out a mental huff as she moved to the next display, straightening it since someone had mixed things up. Jonah's grandma, Ora, had praised him constantly, but obviously she didn't really know him that well. Being a great painter— and she had seen his work, so she knew he was— didn't excuse his behavior.
He could be angry and upset if he wanted to. It had nothing to do with her. The jerk.
A customer came forward, asking for advice for buying some perfume for his wife. She smiled brightly and helped him look at several fragrances, pleased as he took his favorite to the cash register to purchase a few minutes later.
As she turned back to the perfume counter, she caught another glimpse of Jonah, he was easily over six feet tall so he towered over the displays. It didn't hurt that his bright red scarf was hard to miss, as were his bright blue eyes, angular face, and pensive expression. Her gaze lingered on his features for a moment as he approached the Hope Tree Anika had been decorating all morning. It was covered in cream-colored cards edged like a snowflake with information on them for people who needed a helping-hand for Christmas. He read several, then took two off and stuck them in his pocket. He shifted the toys in his other hand, and delved back into the toy aisle.
Huh. She felt the edge of her anger soften ever so slightly. She supposed Jonah wasn't a total jerk, not if he was willing to help the less fortunate when things were obviously not going as well as he'd like.
Not that it made her like him anymore after the way he'd spoken to her. Not a bit.
It was dinner time when Kaya arrived home. Thursday was the only day she could work through the afternoon, and Cecilia had taken advantage of it since she'd started Thanksgiving week.
Kaya’s grandmother had given her the land and house, free and clear, when she died— not everyone in the family had been happy about that, but there had been substantial gifts to go around, and no one else needed or wanted the old property like Kaya did.
Since the animals needed feeding, she put on her mud boots and headed for the barn. She was a tad later than usual to milk the goats, and everyone else would need to be tucked in for the night— it was supposed to be very cold as the storm front rolled in for the weekend. Sasha padded over to greet her as soon as she stepped out the back door. Her happy bark said that everything was normal and all of her charges were safe.
Kaya peeked in on the chickens, smiling to see them all snuggled together on their perch, gave Morning Star and Jet Star, the goats, each a quick head rub in greeting and moved on to check the horses before milking.
“Hey there, sweeties, how are you all doing?” They each got a rub or pat as she spoke to them, whispering endearments and making sure they were all doing well.
She still had a decent-sized paddock sys
tem for summer, which she had split into four sections, rotating the horses and goats through the areas, along with a couple of pigs some years, so the grass had a little time to grow back between. Trees provided shade and forage for the goats and a variety of grasses had been planted over the years to provide a better diet for everyone. This helped cut way back on her feed bill, though it was nowhere near cutting out entirely. It didn't help at all in the winter when it was feet deep in snow— thus the need for the part-time job for Christmas. If only she could pick up a few more clients, then she wouldn't have to worry about making the feed bill.
After checking in on everyone, Kaya prepared the milking station. She broke off some sprouted barley from the day's fodder rations and set it in the feed tray, then grabbed the clean bucket she used for milking. She let Jet Star into the milking area and blocked her in. Jet Star hurried onto the milking station, anxious to get to her daily sprouts, and to be relieved of the milk in her udder. Kaya blocked her neck in so she could get to work. After properly sterilizing the udder, she sat on her stool to milk.
Hand milking the two goats didn't take long, and she found that most days, it was a nice chance to wind down from the day and settle in. The sound of milk hitting the metal pail was nearly hypnotic, and she would sometimes talk to the goats. Both girls were pregnant and before long she would have to start drying them out in preparation for the births in a couple of months, but for now they provided oodles of milk for her, a neighboring family who couldn't handle cow milk, and the chickens, who loved the leftovers.
After finishing with Morning Star and Jet Star, and setting the milk in the fridge to cool, she fed and watered everyone else. She did one final check and said goodnight to her babies. Working all day with the animals was tiring, but dealing with customers during the Christmas rush was exhausting as well— just in its own way. She couldn't wait until the new year when she could stay home all of the time again.
Christmas Kisses: An Echo Ridge Anthology (Echo Ridge Romance Book 1) Page 44