the case. Let me help you with the horses.” Zack reached up and removed the harness from the next horse and set it in the wagon.
“Thanks. You can brush this one down, then turn him out.” Mike handed off the horse he’d just unhitched to Zack.
Zack walked the horse to the side of the arena, tying him to the post with his name on it. “I heard Misty leave in the dually.”
“I told her she could go to the football game tonight,” Mike said. “She needs more than these horses in her life. At least that’s what the women in this town keep telling me.”
“I don’t think she has any complaints.”
“I hope not. We have such a good routine keeping things going around here, but I need to be sure she has some balance.”
“She’s such an asset with all her competition wins. The number of parade invites seems to really have picked up.”
“It has,” Mike agreed. “You’ve become a great asset too, Zack.”
“Thanks for giving me the chance. I told you I’d never let you down.”
“A man is only as good as his word. I had no worries.”
“Misty is a horse person to the core,” Zack said. “I don’t think you have to worry about her, but then what do I know?”
“Sometimes I think she’s more worried about me than I am about her. She needs to be a teenager too. I know they’re right about that part.”
“Guess you’re right. Having kids seems like a lot to worry about.”
Mike laughed. “It’s worth it.”
Can’t stop them from growing up.
“Miss Lilene dropped off the final details on the Christmas parade for next week,” Zack said. “I put the envelope on your desk in the barn office.”
“Good. I can’t believe Thanksgiving is next Thursday. Somehow it doesn’t seem like Christmas should already be here again, but here we are planning to give Santa a ride.”
“Yeah and instead of eight tiny reindeer, he’ll have six huge horses pulling him from town.”
“Better than reindeer. No flying, though,” Mike teased.
“It would take some mighty big wings to get these horses off the ground.”
“Oh yeah, but they have more power than flying reindeer, so Santa can carry bigger toys.”
“Good, because I was kind of hoping for a four-wheeler for Christmas this year.”
“It could happen.” Mike might even grant that wish himself.
“Misty said she’s going to be riding next to you in the Christmas parade.”
“Partially true. She’ll be driving the wagon, and I’ll be riding next to her.”
“No one would believe that a teenage girl the size of her could handle these giants.” He curled a set of reins. “Multiple sets of these at once? That’s not for the weak.”
“No, it’s not.” If he could be grateful for anything it was that his baby girl could take care of herself.
Even with Zack’s help it was after eight by the time Mike got back in the house.
He showered, letting the hot water hit his tired and aching muscles until it ran cool. He toweled off and changed into a pair of sweatpants, then padded barefoot into the kitchen to serve up a huge bowl of pot roast for himself.
He settled on the couch and turned the television to the Western Channel. He’d never been one to sit and watch hours of sports on television, but this channel held his attention. Before the episode of Maverick was over, he’d put away a second helping of dinner and stretched out on the couch.
The rumbling diesel of the Ford F-450 woke him. He glanced at the clock. Only nine thirty. He must have been more tired than he’d realized. He sat up and put his feet on the floor.
Misty burst through the front door. “Hi, Daddy.”
“Hey. How was the game?”
“We were winning by a mile when I left.” She peered around the corner to see what he was watching. “Lonesome Dove? We love this movie. Can I watch?”
“Yes—wait, no. It’s a school night. I can’t keep football nights straight now that y’all play on Thursdays.”
“Thursday-night ball games are stupid. I liked Fridays better.”
“I’m sure they had a good reason. You’ve got school tomorrow,” he said. “Better get in bed, and get a good night’s sleep. We’ve got it on DVR anyway.”
“True.” She walked over and gave him a hug. “Love you.”
“Love you too.”
He leaned back on the couch. With Misty getting older, he wondered what it might be like to share his home with someone else. It was too quiet in this house when Misty wasn’t around.
The problem was, he couldn’t picture