Quinlan: Foster’s Pride – Lion Shapeshifter Romance (Foster's Pride Book 3) by Kathi Barton (read a book TXT) 📕

young lady. I’d like to hire you to come out here a couple of days a week. I think you’d make a good foreman for my horses here. I’d like to tell you I think you could take over now and not miss a beat, but I think you have to be a tad older for me to do that. But you come out here three days a week, and I’ll personally teach you everything there is to know about horses and breeding.”

“I’d have to ask my mom.” Robby said that was a good girl. “Mr. Quarter, I’d have to be able to work here without your son hurting me or the horses. I’m enjoying this, working with Doc Quin, but it has always been a dream of mine to work with racers.”

Quin hadn’t known that, but he could see it. Also, the hope in her eyes and face told him that for her to turn down this opportunity would be like sticking him in a cell without sunlight or air. He promised her he’d bring her and pick her up—if her mom agreed.

Mr. Quarter showed her around the barn. The quarter horses were world-renowned for their speed and beauty. The man owned nearly seven thousand acres, all of it devoted to not just a place to house his prized animals but to keep them in shape, train them, and keep them healthy. Quin had been asked—no, begged—to be his full-time vet for years. This was the first time he could ever remember considering the position.

On the way back to the office, Billy didn’t say much. She was a thinker, much like her mom. It surprised him every time he thought of her family that they weren’t biological. The more he was around them all, the more he realized it was only blood that separated them. They loved as fully and as passionately as he did his family.

He was pulling into the office when she finally turned to him. “Are you upset with me?” He asked her why she thought that. “Because I got mouthy with Robin. I know his dad thought it was funny, but I think I embarrassed you.”

“No, you didn’t. I was very proud of you for standing up to him. But I do want to warn you not to do that when it’s just the two of you. He’s a mean man.” She nodded and looked at his building. “Robby was serious about the job, Billy. And I’m seriously considering taking the one he offered me as well. Is that all right?”

“I would like to have someone there I can depend on. I believe Mr. Quarter will go out of his way to make sure I’m safe, but I know you will no matter what.” He said he would. “I don’t want to ask my mom. I mean, I want to, but I don’t want her to turn me down. I think that with you working there with me, she might consider it more. But I hope that’s not the reason you take the job.”

“No, it’s not. I’ve been losing money around town because no one needs a vet any more than they need to have their cars broken down. I’ll still help out around the town. It would be my pleasure. And I did speak to Robby about that. He was fine with it.” Billy nodded, still not looking at him. “Billy, what is it? What are you thinking about that has you so tensed up?”

He could tell that whatever was bothering her, she was struggling with it. Wanting her trust, he waited until she was ready. As far as he was concerned, Quin had nothing to do but help this child with whatever was bothering her.

“When I was a little girl before my dad died and while Missy was still at the house, a man came by with a horse he was selling. I have no idea why he stopped at our house to ask if we could buy it for a few dollars. Everyone in town knew Missy didn’t like people. But he asked.” Quin wondered what had made the impression on the child when she turned and looked at him. “I couldn’t keep the horse. I knew better than to ask for him. But I borrowed money from my dad, and took my birthday money and gave it to the man. He cried so much that it hurt me too. My dad found out and said it was a good thing I’d done, and he didn’t want me to pay him back. I knew, you see, that the man wasn’t just hungry, but that he’d been feeding the horse and going hungry himself. That horse, the one he was selling? It spoke to me. I don’t mean in words like I use, but in images.”

He believed her. Quin wasn’t sure why he did, but he thought it wasn’t just horses she could speak to, but all animals. It would be her main reason for wanting to help him, he’d bet. Thinking about how to talk to her, he figured the straight-up approach would work better than anything with her.

“You can speak to them too?” She nodded slowly. “All right. So today, when you were helping me with Shire, he told you something. Do I need to know?”

“Yes. Robin stole him from another horse farm.” There was more. Quin knew it but waited. “He killed the man that was in the barn with Shire, as well as three other horses. It’s what made me so mad at Robin in the first place.”

“The dead man. Do you know if he was found or not?” She shook her head. “I’m not going to like this, am I?”

“No. He fed him to the pigs. I know this because they told Shire, and he told me.” Christ, he thought. This was by far more than he’d imagined when he asked her about this. It was good information, but now what did he do with it? “I’ve not