A Delivered Heart Read online

  Allie was still hung up on the idea of a milk delivery system. They still had those? Unbelievable.

  "Uh, fine. Great, actually. That's a very comfortable bed. Love the quilt," she added, sending a smile to Eleanor. It had looked handmade. She bet Eleanor made it herself.

  Eleanor beamed. "That one was particularly challenging. It took me forever to pick the right fabric. The slightest change in color could throw the whole look off."

  "It's wonderful," Allie reassured.

  The back door slammed open, startling Allie. Whipping around, she saw Rhett's tall frame fill the doorway. He gave a quick nod to Allie before reaching next to her and grabbing the pot of coffee. Rhett refilled his thermos, replaced the pot, and strode back out the door.

  Eleanor sighed. "That boy. Don't mind him. He's not even human until the second thermos of coffee is gone."

  "There must be a lot that happens here in the mornings," Allie said. She grabbed her plate and went to the oven. Inside, not only did she find eggs, but also hash browns and bacon. Gary would have balked. Allie smiled to herself and she filled her plate.

  "A bit. We never thought it would get this busy when we first started the place. But, here we are."

  "Yes, here we are," Max said, entering through the door Rhett had just used. He had his own thermos in hand, a pair of cowboy boots, jeans, and a flannel shirt pulled over a white t-shirt. The only thing missing was a cowboy hat, but somehow, Max didn't seem the type to wear one.

  "Good morning," Allie said. She gestured toward the coffee pot. "I hope Rhett left some for you."

  Max smiled and shook his head. He placed his thermos on the counter, which was immediately swept up by Eleanor and into the sink. "One is my limit. Besides, that means more for Rhett." Leaning over, Max placed a sweet kiss on Eleanor's cheek.

  The sight made Allie's breath catch. It was clear that Max and Eleanor loved each other deeply. She realized that she had never seen a love like that in person, not even with her own misguided attempt at a marriage. It made her ache with longing at the same time as make her breathless with happiness.

  She tore her gaze away and focused on her food. She couldn't help but wonder if she would ever find somebody who would look at her the way Max looked at Eleanor.

  Morris' sly grin flashed into Allie's mind. She choked on nothing, flushing as she coughed.

  "You alright?" Max said, rushing to her side.

  Allie nodded, waving him away. "Wrong pipe." She lifted her coffee mug, hoping the liquid would help.

  "No need to eat so fast. We're in no rush." Max pulled out the chair across from hers. "It gives me a chance to take a break, to be honest with you."

  They chatted about the weather and some of the chores Max had already taken care of this morning.

  "The foal and dam are doing just fine this morning. The baby and mama horse," Max explained at Allie’s blank look. "Paige and Rhett both just got back from Rowland Ranch, reported that Morris should be by in the afternoon to take a look."

  Allie's heart gave a lurch. She kept her gaze down on her plate, hoping nobody would notice her reaction at the mere mention of Morris.

  She couldn't explain her attraction to the man. Yes, he was good-looking, and helpful, and kind. He had helped her a lot yesterday with the unexpected drama her appearance had caused. But she usually didn't find herself so drawn to a man. She had known plenty of good-looking, helpful men in New York. The city was full of them. What was it about Morris that made her want to look twice?

  Before she knew it, her plate and mug were empty. Based on Max's slight frown, she must have been in a daze for a little while.

  "I'm sorry," she said hastily with a reassuring smile. "Must be the jet lag."

  Max grinned. "I understand the feeling. Come on. I want to show you the animals."

  Out on the porch, Allie scooped up the galoshes and slid them on, tucking her jeans inside them. Then they were on their way to the first set of stables, the one where Allie had run into Max.

  "So, we know the foal and Penelope are in here, but we also have three pygmy goats, a donkey, and two mules in this stable. We usually let everybody out into the grazing areas in the morning, let them stretch their legs. I kept them inside just a little longer this morning because I wanted you to meet them and help me escort them out."

  Allie's stomach filled with nerves. "Me?"

  "Yup. Here," Max reached into a pocket and pulled out a few carrots and an apple, cut in half. "You're going to be everybody's best friend in a second, don't worry."

  The idea of Max holding an apple in his pocket, without anything covering it up, made Allie scrunch her nose. Then again, he probably ran into a lot of other gross things on the farm.

  "First up, Allie, meet the other love of my life, Maribel. She's been with us for nearly twelve years now. She's only fifteen years old, so a lot of life left in her. She has a bone disease that prevents her from doing a lot of things on a farm. So, she gets the easy life here with us." A gray donkey with a short dark mane and eyelashes a supermodel would die for headed straight for the gate, giving Allie and Max the once over. Her nose twitched before she swung it over the gate and stared right at Allie.

  Max laughed. "She's a smart one. Knows you have her apples. Come here."

  Placing a gentle hand on her arm, Max guided Allie closer to the gate. Allie stiffened, uncomfortable with being so close to an animal. This wasn't like the zoos she had been to. This was the real deal.

  As if sensing Allie's tension, Maribel tossed her head and backed up a few steps.

  "Shhh, it's alright," Max murmured. Allie couldn't tell if he was talking to the donkey or to her. Either way, Allie sucked in a deep breath, getting a strong whiff of hay and animal. Strangely, the smells eased her tension. Feeling brave, Allie took one half of an apple into her hand and began to extend it toward the donkey.

  "Careful," Max warned, taking her hand in his. "When feeding them, make sure your hand is completely flat, like a plate. Or they might snap a finger off." At Allie's startled gasp, Max laughed. "I’ve never seen it happen, but better safe than sorry."

  Allie glared at Max. "You're a prankster, aren't you?"

  "The worst," he admitted with a bright grin.

  Feeling more relaxed than she had before, Allie flattened her hand, apple displayed prominently. Maribel hesitated for only a second before her head came back over the gate, sniffing for the apple. Allie brought it closer.

  A thrill raced through Allie as Maribel lifted the apple from her hand with a crunch. She couldn't help the shocked laugh at the sight.

  "She's really the sweetest, most gentle animal we have on the farm. I will tell you who to watch out for. But Maribel, she's a hit with the children."

  "So, what exactly is this farm about?" Allie asked, already offering Maribel the other half of the apple. "I understand you provide a home for large animals that need it, but is that it? They just, stay here?"

  Max shook his head. "We work them, make sure they're well fed and well exercised, to the best of their ability. We get a lot of retired animals that farmers and ranchers just can't afford to have around anymore. Some, like Maribel here, have a disease that prevents them from working at all. We're a no-kill shelter, in a sense. People can bring their animals here, no questions asked, and we take care of them.

  "We also open our doors to the public six out of seven days a week. The animals love the company. Parents come by with their kids, and surprisingly, the animals help people with autism or PTSD. Not sure who it was that put our name out into those communities, but it's been helpful for them. And a rewarding experience for Eleanor and myself, of course."

  Maribel crunched away at the apple, her long eyelashes fluttering up and down at Allie. Her heart warmed, already feeling a connection growing between her and the donkey. It was so strange. She had never given animals a second thought, that they might be able to communicate and interact in such ways with people.

  "It's wonderful," she whispered.
r />   "She likes you," Max said. Then he stepped away. "Keep her company for a moment. I need to grab her bridle and a lead."

  Max stepped away, heading back toward the entrance of the stables. He entered a doorway off to the side that Allie hadn't noticed before. Looking back at Maribel, she had the strongest urge to reach out and touch the donkey's neck, just to give it a pat.

  So she did.

  Maribel stilled for a moment, letting Allie's hand settle against the coarse hair. It was rougher than she had anticipated, but warm. Fascinated, Allie began to run her hand along Maribel's neck, lightly, afraid she would startle the animal. Maribel gave a snort, but didn't move away.

  "She loves neck rubs," Max said when he returned. "She's fine with any kind of human contact, but be careful around the others. Ask me before you reach into an animal's stable. They can be viscous. Especially those that have been abused."

  Allie nodded, her heart tugging at the though of anybody intentionally hurting an animal.

  Max reached out to open the gate, opening it just wide enough to slip inside. Maribel tried to nose her way past Max, which made him chuckle.

  "Not so fast, girl," he said. Then he slipped something that looked like a harness over Maribel's head. Max attached a rope to the harness, and held it out to Allie. "Want to lead her out?"

  Allie immediately shook her head, nerves tickling her belly once more. "I should probably watch this one. Maybe next time."

  Thankfully, Max didn't push the matter. Instead, he pulled the gate open and guided Maribel out. She walked at a slow pace, hardly putting any tension on the rope.

  "Like I said, she's the easiest one of the bunch."

  They walked out of the stables, the rising sun barely peaking over the mountains in the distance. Allie caught a glimpse of Mount Rainier, swathed with clouds near its base.

  "Ah, she's decided to come out this morning after all," Max said.

  Max walked toward a large, fenced in area with plenty of hay and grass. Inside it stood two more animals that looked a lot like Maribel, but also not.

  "Ah, Rhett moved the mules out for us already. Allie, meet Fred and Ginger. They came to us about two years ago, retired from circus life. They get along fine with Maribel, and they like to share the space with her. We try to keep the animals who get along together. Makes life easier for all of us."

  Max led Maribel inside the gate, removing the harness.

  Allie saw a couple more fenced off areas with what looked like tiny goats and... was that a llama?

  Chickens also dotted the landscape. Allie was pretty sure she spotted the rooster who woke her up that morning. He was a good-looking bird. He had every right to crow to his heart's content.

  "We'll probably put the horses out to graze over there today," Max said, pointing westward. "The goats and alpaca are already out. Eleanor will be happy to shave the alpaca soon. She uses the fleece to spin her own yarn."

  "She does everything, doesn't she?" Allie asked, impressed to hear about her yarn talent.

  "Just about. And most importantly, she keeps us all in line. Come this way. I'll introduce you to the pygmy goats."

  Allie and Max spent the rest of the morning meeting the animals and distributing carrots and apples when appropriate. Max showed her some of the daily chores that needed to be done and where to find feed and water. She laughed when one of the goats caught a good grip on Max's flannel shirt, and again when a chicken flew up to land on the back of Maribel, who cast a long-suffering look at it before going back to her food. A family of four arrived halfway through the morning, regulars from the way Max greeted them. The two young girls headed straight for the horses, blind to anything else.

  Allie felt a sense of peace overcome her. She hadn’t felt this way in as long as she could remember. The combination of the crisp, clean air, and spoiling the animals reminded Allie that it was the simpler things in life that brought joy and peace.

  When a bell rang toward the back of the house, Allie startled, causing the chickens she was feeding to scatter.

  "Lunch bell," Max explained. "Let's go get washed up and eat."

  "How was it?" Eleanor asked when they came in through the kitchen. A large platter of turkey and roast beef sandwiches awaited them, along with a giant basket filled with lunch sized bags of chips and bottles of water.

  "It was wonderful," Allie said.

  "Not too bad for a city slicker," Max goaded. Allie stuck her tongue out at him.

  Paige came in through the back. "Looked like you two were having way too much fun out there today. Not very fair for the rest of us."

  "Don't be jealous," Allie quipped. And immediately tensed, embarrassment shooting through her. Gary had hated that kind of teasing, often saying she was rude and insensitive.

  But everybody laughed, and Allie relaxed.

  "Watch out for this one," Max advised, sticking a thumb out toward Allie.

  Everybody praised Eleanor's sandwiches, gulping them down quickly before heading back outside. Allie found herself racing to keep up with the rest of them, not at all used to having to eat so fast.

  "Let's head to my office," Max said. "I want to pick your brain, if you don't mind."

  Allie followed Max toward his office, which was little more than a shed alongside the second stables building. Along the way, the passed Rhett, who did little more than narrow his eyes at the two of them.

  "Is Rhett alright?" Allie asked when Max closed the door behind them. A large table sat along one wall with piles of papers stacked on top. A computer took over one corner, at least a decade old. The office chairs were old, with tears in the fabric and uneven legs. A calendar marked important delivery dates, but hadn't been turned to the current calendar month yet.

  "He'll be fine." Max sat at the desk, gesturing for Allie to do the same. "He's not exactly happy with the way things are run around here. But. We’re working on it."

  Allie frowned. "What is he concerned about? I'm sure he's just worried about you and Eleanor."

  Max heaved a sigh as he powered on the computer. "When we started this place, we had no intention of ever making anything big come out of it. But, one thing led to another, and through word of mouth, we grew larger than we ever dreamed of. And Eleanor and I can't stomach the thought of having to turn animals away, but we have a time or two. Especially recently.

  "The problem is, according to Rhett, that we are not running this place like a business. But truly, it was never meant to be a business. It was only ever meant to be a home."

  Allie wondered what exactly all of that meant. Then she remembered Rhett's comment last night about the rich getting richer, and Paige's thankfulness that Morris' was taking the foal. "Doing them a favor," she had said.

  "I understand if you don't want to tell me," Allie began, donning a professional and friendly demeanor. "But is this farm in any financial risk?"

  Max's face flushed and he stammered. That was all Allie needed to hear to know the truth.

  "It happens to a lot of people," she said, keeping her voice calm. She'd had to sooth many embarrassed clients before. "That's why I do what I do. To help others when they get overwhelmed. Not only to help the 'rich get richer.'"

  "I don't want you to have to worry about that. Not on your first visit out here. It's not your job."

  Allie should have felt relieved. Too many people had asked for her advice without asking her permission once they found out what she did for a living. For years, supposed friends would ask for her help with various tax forms or investment opportunities. And she had never been the type of person to say no.

  But now, with her father looking so flustered, and already having formed such a strong attachment to the farm and the people who helped take care of all those animals, Allie couldn't help but feel like this was exactly what God had brought her here to do.

  "Would you believe me if I said that I really want to help?" she asked. "You said it yourself earlier, every person on this farm has a job to do. Well, I do finances. I do
money. Let me look at your books and brainstorm ways to help the farm."

  Max stared at her. He stared for so long, Allie began to shift in her seat.

  "Let me talk with Eleanor," Max said, finally. Allie nodded. It was only fair. This was Eleanor's farm, her home, too.

  "You should. And Rhett and Paige. Maybe even Jason, though I know he's not here. It's your farm, not mine."

  Max smiled. "Oh, I'm sure by the time you're through with it, it'll be yours, too."

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Even as Morris pulled into the drive, he knew he should just back the truck up, turn around, and head right back home. There was no real reason for him to be out here today. He didn't have to look at the foal. He didn't even have to bring the bales of hay for the animals, a donation he tried to make at least every couple of weeks.