So much for her nontraditional ways....

"Sunday," she echoed, leaving the warehouse.

Her heart was still heavy, however. It was likely Lilly had an issue with this business about the horse for more than one reason. Lilly's mother had abandoned her when she was an infant, leaving her with her grandparents on the reservation in Arizona. Lilly's grandma had passed when Lilly was nine and while Yaz was grief-stricken, he was not intimidated by the prospect of raising her alone, without the help of a woman. In fact, it was possible he'd risen to the occasion. He seemed to relish his parenting duties. And at thirteen, the boy she'd loved had run out on her, leaving her high and dry, and with bigger problems than she knew how to deal with. Abandonment was an issue for her and she knew it.

It was that same year that Yaz brought her to California. He heard about the sale of the feed store from a friend of a friend, and for his entire life on the reservation he'd been saving and investing for just such an opportunity. That had been fourteen years ago. She hadn't moved out of her grandfather's house until she was twenty-five and that had been a difficult transition; he clearly wanted her to stay with him forever or at least until she was married.

While Lilly was on her way to her little rented house at the edge of Fortuna, she realized she'd have to go back to that pasture. She needed to know if the horse was there alone, if she was hurting, if she was sick, if she was... Her mind couldn't form the word dead. She needed closure. And if Nathaniel and Clay had left her alone, Lilly would be the one to stay with her until she was either recovered or... Again, she couldn't allow certain potential outcomes to enter her mind.

But when she did allow her mind to go that far, she knew that if the horse had to be put down, Lilly would stroke her head and send her off with loving words.

By the time she got home, fixed herself a portobello, cheese, pepper and tomato sandwich and wrapped it, a couple of hours had passed since she'd first found the horse. She grabbed a bag of soy nuts and almonds, a bottle of apple juice and one of water. Then she dug through the detached garage for an old sleeping bag that smelled vaguely of storage. If the horse didn't have serious digestion problems, she'd have taken a few carrots and a couple of apples, but the mare would be off food for the time being.

It was almost seven by the time she was back on the road, seven-thirty by the time she approached the place she'd found the mare. It was August; the sun was just lowering in the west. Because of the tall trees it darkened a bit earlier here than on the Pacific Coast. She was shocked to see that not only were the truck and trailer still there, but surrounded by reflective, triangular collapsible cones to notify any other vehicles that might come along after dark.

Lilly pulled up in front of the pickup and got out, leaving her food behind. It was already dusk, but she could see Clay walking the horse in a wide circle around the pasture. She remembered from her horse days in childhood that was one of the treatments for colic, a little walking. Not too much; a safe and moderate amount. She didn't see Dr. Jensen.

She jumped the fence to get in the pasture. Soon enough he came toward her, leading the mare. "You're back," he said. "Need something?"

"Yes," Lilly answered, "I need to know if she's going to be all right."

"She's hanging in there. She needs a little time."

"She's not getting worse, is she?"

"Nope, she's doing fine. But she's pumped full of Banamine and it's a waiting game to see if the treatment worked for her. She's still stressed. She's still pawing and stretching out. This is an unhappy lady here. Is that the only reason you're here?"

Lilly shrugged and put her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. "I was afraid you'd leave her and she'd be... I didn't want her to be alone. In case... Well, in case she got a lot worse."

"Lilly," he said, bending a little until their eyes connected. "I wouldn't leave a sick animal unless I had to. I'll see it through. You don't have to worry." He straightened. "Those blue eyes really freak me out."

She grinned at him. "Freaked out my grandfather, too."

"I'll bet the old Hopi just about passed out."

"Well, since you have to have the blue DNA on both sides and he thinks both himself and my grandma are a hundred percent Native, it means there was a bad pilgrim back there somewhere." She smiled brightly. "Have you eaten?"

"Not yet," he said.

"Would you like half a sandwich?"

He lifted one expressive brow. "Whatcha got?"

"Mushroom, tomato, peppers and cheese. On wheat."

He grimaced. "I was promised a welcome dinner of pot roast," he informed her.

She smiled lazily. "Do they deliver?"

"I sincerely hope so, but it's more likely there will be leftovers. Annie came to fetch Nathaniel home and I offered to stay on, but I think I'm going to be able to take the horse back to the clinic before too much--"

Right then the horse decided to stretch out again to ease her abdominal pain.

"You're going to take her to Nathaniel's?"

"Lilly, it's for the convenience of dealing with her condition, not to give her a new home. Nate didn't want to transport her until she was more stable and I think we're just about there, but that doesn't guarantee her recovery. If she doesn't improve, he won't let her go on like this, in pain."

"I understand."

"What were you going to do out here at night?"

"I don't know. Eat my sandwich. Be with her, I guess."

He tilted his head. "Do you have horses?"

She shook her head. "Never have, but when I was real young I rode some. Well, it's been a long time, but when I was a kid, I was surrounded by them. Back on the reservation. I've ridden with Annie a few times, but I'm not around horses much, just when I deliver their feed. Finding her like this, it kind of made me responsible in a way. At least for making sure she wasn't alone."

"It could be midnight before she's either better, worse, ready to transport or..." He didn't finish.

"I brought a jacket and a--" She felt silly about the sleeping bag. Did she really plan to lie on the ground next to a twisting, kicking horse through the night? Even in August, in the mountains or surrounded by them, it was cold after dark. "I'd be willing to share the sandwich," she said. "Who knows, you might not get pot roast delivery for a long time."

"I don't know. I feel like I'm taking a chance on a mushroom sandwich."

"You might actually like it. Hey, you aren't planning on leaving this horse in the pasture, are you? Because, if I remember, she can't be grazing. Isn't she off food?"

"I'm on top of it, Lilly. The barn and corral where she was kept--Nathaniel looked at it and it's out of the question. It's filthy, cluttered, the fence in poor condition. Once she takes a turn for the better, I'm going to take her to Nathaniel's clinic. And until she's feeling a lot better, believe me, I won't let her graze. She's miserable."

"Yeah," Lilly said, connecting with the mare's eyes. "Be right back," she said. She jogged toward her Jeep. With her hands on a fence post, she put one booted foot on the top barbed wire, pressed down and jumped over. Getting back over the fence was slightly more difficult--her hands were full of food and drink. "Bottled water or apple juice?" she asked him.

"You first," he said. "I have a couple of warm colas in the truck."

She smirked and handed him the apple juice. "This is much better for you. And hold these, please."

"Nuts?" he asked.

"Also good for you, as is the half sandwich."

"I don't know...."

"Be a big boy," she said, and then thought, he is really such a big boy! But she kept her eyes cast down and opened the wrapping of her sandwich. She'd already cut it in half, thankfully. She put her water on the ground and traded with him--sandwich for bags of nuts. "Think she'll let us sit down?" she asked.

Clay dropped the rope and backed away. "Better give her space. She isn't thinking about her human friends right now. She could drop on you and grind you right into the pasture."

Lilly followed him about ten feet away from the mare, then carefully sat. "I probably have a...a blanket or sleeping bag in the Jeep...." She still couldn't admit to planning to sleep beside a sick horse she had no real connection to.

"Yeah, me, too," he said. "But the ground is dry enough." Down he went, crossing his legs. "And so. We have a mushroom sandwich."

"One of my favorites," she said. "What brought you to Nate's practice?" With the question, she bit into hers.

"I have family nearby. A married sister with a family in Grace Valley. And if you come from the mountains, the cold mountains at about seven thousand feet, Los Angeles County is a little low, hot and smoggy. Even out in the hills."

"Why don't you just go back to Flagstaff?"

"Because there's no opportunity in Flagstaff. Do you know how many Northern Arizona U PhDs are waiting tables there because they just can't make themselves leave? And God knows there aren't any rich horse breeders looking for help on the reservation. Nah, this is pretty, around here, and close to family, and Nathaniel is good people and he's offering me a terrific opportunity to help grow his business. How'd you end up here?" he asked. And then he bit into his sandwich. He chewed a bit, then winced and made a face.

She couldn't help it--she laughed and covered her mouth with her hand.

"How do you eat this?" he asked.

"I like it," she said, still laughing. "Give it to me. Eat nuts, that'll hold you awhile."

"So?" he asked, passing the sandwich back.

"So my grandma died and a few years later my grandpa heard through a friend that the feed company was for sale and he thought he could make it work. He'd always wanted his own business. And it was just him and me, so..."

"Where are your parents?" he asked.

"Anyone's guess," she answered, filling her mouth again.

He let her chew. He piled nuts in his mouth while she worked on her mouthful. When she had finally swallowed, he asked, "So, are you...?"

"Grandpa and I moved here when I was thirteen and I think it was the right move," she said, cutting off his next question. "Because I did well in school, made new friends, and although Yaz will never admit it, he's making money on silage and hay." She laughed and shook her head. "Don't try to trick an old Hopi into telling you what he's got in his pocket. He's crafty."

Clay studied her for a moment, really wanting to know a lot more about her and fully aware she was keeping her answers impersonal. "I think maybe you're crafty, too."

She smiled as though she had a secret. "I have been trained by the best."

She bit into her sandwich and the mare farted.

"Well, that was nice," Lilly said. "Very ladylike."

Clay laughed at her. "Music to my ears," he said. He stood up. "I think she'll be going in the trailer real soon. I think what you call that in veterinary medicine is progress."

Lilly hated the idea of ending the conversation even if it was getting a little close for comfort for her. "Shouldn't you wait until you're sure that blockage clears?"

"As long as she's not in pain and there's progress, I'll be more than happy to hose out the trailer when I'm back at the clinic." He stood and went to the mare, took the lead rope and led her to the fence. He pulled a small wire cutter out of his back pocket and made fast work of the barbed-wire fence. Once cut, the wire sprang away and gave them an exit. Why worry about the pasture's security now? The owners had clearly fled.