A/N: Spring is here in Louisiana and let me tell you guys I am loving it! I am getting to ride everyday which really helps my inspiration level for my fic, lol. I have put a link in my profile to Edward's boots in this chapter, if you guys are curious. This chapter and chapter 15 which will be posted Tuesday go hand in hand. Enjoy! Thanks for the great reviews guys, I love them!
Thanks to the ever awesome StephieB for helping me as much as she does. Again guys if you have not checked out her fic you so need to it is some kind of awesome, especially if you are a Jasper and Alice fan.
Stephenie Meyer owns all that is Twilight…I just want to own Rob Pattinson, maybe put him to work in my barn, so he can get all hot and sweaty. **swoon**
Chapter 14
Farm Call
EPOV
I have been stuck in a good mood since getting off the phone with Bella on Saturday. It is funny how something as simple as a conversation with her can make my once empty heart soar.
Dad and I are loading up the truck we use for farm calls, a burgundy Ford F250. We have a few calls to make before Bella's moms appointment at two o'clock; I am anxious as we finish placing all the medical supplies we will need for the day in the tool boxes that are in the bed of the truck. I am broken from my mundane task by Carlisle "Edward, did you get the files? We have a few teeth to do at Renee's today."
"Uh, let me check. I think Angela packed them." I look inside the back of the truck, nope no files. As I turn to go back into the clinic to get them I see Angela with them in her hands.
She smiles and wags the files at me. Angela is truly one of the most genuinely nice people I have met since moving to Phoenix. I have gotten to know her and her boyfriend Ben quite well. "Thanks Ang, I don't know what I'd do without you. Are you tagging along today?"
"I don't think so Edward, I need to stay here and tend to that stud that we had to sew up yesterday afternoon. He's trying to bite at his stitches." She glances over at my dad and then back to me as she lowers her voice "I see that Renee Dwyer is on the books for a farm call today. Is Bella going to be there?" Angela raises her eyebrow at me knowingly.
I can't help but smile at the mention of Bella's name, "Yeah I think so. When I talked to her on Saturday she said that she would be there." Angela lets out a small squeal.
"Edward, I really like her. She seemed so sweet when she was in her with her horse a few months back. I got a really good vibe from her." She elbows me in the side as she walks back to the clinic.
"EDWARD! Come on, we're going to be late!" Dad yells from the cab of the truck. With the files in hand I jog towards the Ford eager to get on with the day.
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BPOV
The drive to Renee's seemed to take forever. It's now two-thirty; I am late. As I pull into the driveway and cruise past the house to the barns, I notice a big burgundy Ford parked in front of one of the barns. I let out the breath I had been holding as I sped over here, scared I would miss him.
I park my truck, giving my self the once over in the rear view mirror before stepping out. I walk at a brisk pace into the barn where I am sure they are working. I pass by the rows of stalls. Each has a bright face hanging over each door, expecting a treat, "Not right now guys, maybe later," I say to them as I rush by.
I turn the corner to the wash racks and am halted dead in my tracks. Edward looks way better than my dreams ever depicted him. He is wearing lose fitting jeans, with a light grey v-neck scrub top, there is a white t-shirt visible at the v of the scrub. His boots appear to be a deep rich brown full quill ostrich, almost a cigar color, they could be Lucchese.
Edward is helping his Dad with one of Renee's more unruly colts, Damien. Yeah she named him after the scary kid in The Omen. The colt wants nothing to do with either Dr. Cullen. I assume they are trying to give him an intramuscular vaccination, Edward is holding the lead rope, Carlisle has the shot in his hand and Damien to trying to bite whichever one he can get his teeth on first. I take in the escalating situation in front of me, if they do not do something fast some one is fixing to get hurt.
Then Dr. Carlisle steps back wipes the sweat from his brow and exhales a long breath, "Edward, lets give this colt a breather. He definitely does not like us and I am starting to not like him very much." Edward releases the hold he had on Damien's halter and hands the lead rope back to Renee.
"I told you boys he was a handful. You should have listened to me when I said I should hold him." Renee chides them as she chuckles.
I clear my throat as all three of them turn to look at me, "Is sweet lovable Damien giving you guys trouble?" I chuckle under my breath, knowing full well that Damien could take us all out if he wanted to.
Edward looks straight at me. The corner of his mouth starts up into that damn crooked smile; he is covered in sweat after his battle with the colt. "Bella…love…that was the understatement of the year" he purrs as he wipes the sweat from his face with his shirt. Oh…my…God his abs are perfect, I notice he has a light trail of hair leading from his belly button down below the waist band of his pants. God what I wouldn't do to be able to lick straight down that trail, it is then that is dawns on me what he just called me: "love"…surely that was a mistake.
"Bella, after we're done with Damien we're going to get Phoenix out of the way. Would you bring her up, please?" Renee hurriedly says as she tries to distract Damien as round two begins.
I walk to the back pasture to catch Phoenix who is over grazing by the pond. I call her name and she lazily looks at me like I am crazy. I put the halter and lead on my shoulder as I start walking out to her. She studies me intently for a second, then drops her head back down to continue munching on the green grass. I am still amazed that this is the same mare I bought from Jake all those months ago. She does not even look the same, a total transformation from the horse she was when I got her. As I walk up to her she raises her head and rests it on my chest. I know what she wants. Phoenix loves it when I rub between her eyes and behind her ears. Normally she would practically knock me down to get what she wants. I slip the halter on, and start back to the barn.
As I walk back in with Phoenix, I notice they have gotten Damien all taken care of and back in his stall. He is pissed; kicking the stall walls periodically and shaking his head over the stall door. That horse is something else, I don't know why Mom keeps him around but she says something about liking his firey attitude.
I notice, as I am walking to where Renee, Dr. Cullen and Edward are standing, there are two other figures. As I get closer I realize it is Rose and Jasper. Jasper and Edward are engaged in a conversation as Renee, Rose and Dr. Cullen are chatting over to the side. Jas glances away from Edward, seeing me walk up, "Hey Bellarific!" He yells as I get closer. I shake my head, turning all kinds of red at Jas' use of my nickname. "Rose and I stopped by to make plans for the rodeo Saturday. You're still in, aren't you?"
"Of course I am still in! Are you crazy! I can not wait. Where is it? What time?" I feel those butterflies in my stomach I always get when I'm excited about something.
Jasper and Edward both walk towards me. Edward is looking at me, then back at Phoenix, his gaze stays on her almost like he has seen her before. I meet them in the middle of the alley. "The rodeo's in Gilbert, which is about…oh…thirty minutes from here. It starts at seven. We could be here around five to load up and go. How does that sound?" Jasper places one hand on Phoenix's withers to prop himself up as he awaits my answer.
"That'll be perfect Jas. Alice can just ride here with me. Does that sound good?" I glance over to see Edward still studying Phoenix as he walks around her. He gets to her right hip where her brand is and stops dead in his tracks. I am broken away from the unusual scene in front of me by Rose walking up.
"Damn, Bella. Phoenix looks great! So are you still in for this weekend?" She looks inquisitively at me and then to Jasper.
"You know it Rose. I wouldn't miss it for the world!" I say to both her and Jasper.
Rose then turns to Jasper, "Well little brother." Jasper and Rose are twins, but Rose was born three minutes before him. She loves rubbing it in his face.
Jasper lets out a low growl, "Rose, I am warning you."
"Oh, Jasper, quit being so emotional, I was just going to say that we needed to get going. Alice is waiting on us at the mall." Rose than turns to me, "Bella do you want to go with us? We're going shopping for outfits for this weekend."
"As tempting as that sounds Rose, I have plenty to occupy my time here. Just get Alice to pick me up something, make sure it is not too extravagant though. This isn't the NFR, it's just a local rodeo." Rose rolls her eyes and hugs me bye.
"It was nice to see you again Edward, take care of my girl's horse here." Rose says over her shoulder as she walks down the alley towards her car.
"Alright Bellarific, til Saturday." Jasper says as he follows Rose, "Edward it was great seeing you again man…maybe we can all get together and hang out, us Aggies need to stick together." Jasper turns, catching up with Rose.
I look back over at Edward. He still has this shell shocked expression. I can not help but think he has found something wrong with my horse. "Edward you look worried, is everything alright with Phoenix?"
He smiles nervously at me, "Oh. No. Bella it's nothing like that, she looks fine. Where did you get her, if I may ask?" The crooked smile is back.
"Oh thank goodness! You had me scared for a minute. I bought her from a horse trader named Jacob Black who lives out on the Quileute reservation. I really lucked up when I went out to look at her." I instinctively start biting my lower lip, "I'll be honest with you Edward, I happened to recognize the mare's brand from one of the better ranches and the fact she ran at the NFR a few years back kind of influenced my decision. I didn't find out until later that the previous owner had actually sold her for dog food! How horrible is that? Some people's kids, I tell ya what!" I could feel myself getting mad all over again at what I had learned from Jake on Sunday.
It is then that I look up at Edward's face, if I didn't know any better I would have sworn he looked mad…well mad does not cover it, he looks pissed. "Edward? Are you alright? Your face is awful flush. Can I get you anything?" He looks like he is going to be sick.
"Um…Bella…I know this mare. I was told she was dead." I gasp. Who would have told him that?
"Edward, how do you know Phoenix? Did you treat her in Texas? I know the previous owner was Tanya Denali. I believe she lived in Stephenville, do you know her…"
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Tell me what you think guys, the next chapter will answer a lot of questions ya'll have been wondering about. So until Tuesday, leave me lots of reviews.
