Small Town Filly (Sandbar Stables Cozy Mystery Book 1) Read Free Page A

found me working, and hired me on the spot to take care of things. I liked working around the horses a lot better than fixing air conditioners for hotels. I agreed to do this until the family could be located."
    He looked up at her. "And now the family's here."
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

CHAPTER THREE
    Alex caught her breath. "Oh, no, no," she said quickly. "I'm not family. It's true that this place was left to me in a will, and yes, I'm the one they meant to leave it to, but I've never heard of the Normans and I've never been to this part of the country at all."
    Lance just nodded. "Okay. I guess I'll be back at the motels, then. They said they'd take me back anytime."
    "Lance! Don't you—don't you want to stay? I need you!"
    He looked up, puzzled.
    "I mean—I hope you'll keep on working here. You said you liked it better than your other job, and I need you to show me how it's done. I have some experience with horses—I do like them and I used to take lessons as a kid—but I have no idea how to run a place like this."
    "Okay. Sure. I'll stay."
    Alex sighed with relief. "Good, good. Thank you. Now, if you don't mind giving me your address and cell number, so I can always contact you–"
    "No cell. And my address, well, it's here."
    "Here?"
    "Yeah. Been sleeping in the barn alongside Fanny. I think the horses should be watched, especially after what happened to Fred. There's nobody living in the house. "
    "But where were you living two weeks ago? While you were working for the motels?"
    "Oh. Well, they'd let me have an empty room sometimes, and that was all I needed."
    He must have seen the concern in her eyes, because he shook his head. "Don’t worry about me. I like my independence. Just let me know what you want done around here."
    She tried to smile. "I think you're doing fine with it, Lance."
                  Alex found herself looking steadily into his very bright blue eyes, and then he suddenly turned away. "Time to turn the horses out," he said. "You can help me if you want. Get to know them."
                  "Sure. Sure! I'd love to."
                  "Grab a halter, then."
                  She did and opened the nearest sliding door, trying to remember the right way to catch a horse in a stall. Fortunately, the tall gray mare—the one who had been watching Lance—seemed to be pretty easy to handle and ready to get outside for her daily turnout.
    Lance kept up a running commentary as they worked. "All of the horses and ponies here are good to go for work. I've ridden each one of them in the arena since I've been here, just to check them out and keep them working."
                  "Oh, that's good," Alex said, slipping the halter on the head of the gray mare. "I know you have to keep horses working, or else they get a little crazy."
                  "Yeah. They're like kids in school. They get used to being on vacation and forget how to work. But these are mostly all right."
                  "I'd love to see them go back to work, teaching kids about horsemanship and taking families for rides down the beach."
                  "Yeah. I think that would be nice, too."
                  Lance came walking down the barn aisle with two horses—a pair of pintos. One was black and white and quite tall and stout, while the other was chestnut, white and very small and dainty. "This is Moonrise and Sunrise. And you've got Violet. Just follow me."
                  Outside was the large and nicely kept wood-fenced riding ring, painted bright white just like a racetrack. They took the horses inside, slipped off their halters, and stepped back as they trotted away.
                  There were twelve horses in the barn, and so Alex and Lance made three more trips to take the rest of them to the ring. Fanny stayed close by, watching all the activity. Lance kept trying to tell Alex the names