A Home for Her Daughter by Jill Weatherholt

Author:Jill Weatherholt
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2020-06-12T01:39:35+00:00

* * *

“They’re here, they’re here!” Riley squealed like a baby piglet wanting free from its pen when Joe’s truck and trailer barreled down the gravel road, leaving a cloud of dust in its path thirty minutes later.

“Have you thought of any names, Riley?” Drew asked.

Riley placed her hands on her hips, crinkling her nose. “I need to see them first. You can’t give something or someone a name without seeing their face, Mr. Drew.”

Janie and Drew shared a laugh. “I guess you’re right.”

After the truck pulled up in front of the barn, Joe exited the vehicle. “Good morning, Drew. This is my buddy George.” He gestured to the man as George joined them.

Drew shook Joe’s hand, then stepped toward George. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. This is Janie and her daughter Riley.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Joe said while George nodded.

“Thanks for bringing over the animals.” Janie smiled.

“Yeah, I can’t wait to meet them,” Riley cheered. “Tonight I’m going to call all of my old friends from Maryland and tell them about my new pets.”

Drew’s heart soared when the little girl’s face lit up as George led one of the horses off the trailer. “This one is a male and Joe has the other. It’s a female.”

“This is exactly what I thought Buddy would look like!” Riley yelled.

Drew glanced in Janie’s direction and winked.

As Joe led the female out of the trailer, Janie looked down at her daughter. “Did you have a name for her?”

Riley ran toward the horse and gave it a closer inspection. “That’s Brandy!”

Drew nodded. “Buddy and Brandy. I like it. Great choices, munchkin.”

Minutes later with the horses housed in their new stalls, Drew turned to Riley. “Are you ready to name the goats?”

Riley rapidly nodded her head up and down without saying a word.

Janie gasped when Joe and George each lead a baby goat on a red leash. “They’re so adorable.”

The men approached Riley. She dropped to her knees, giving each goat a giant bear hug.

“These fellas are brother and sister. That’s the girl,” Joe pointed to the white one with brown markings, “and this brown one is a boy.”

“Riley, it’s your call again,” Drew instructed.

“I want to name the girl Fiona and the boy Phillip,” Riley answered without hesitation.

Drew thought Phillip was a little unusual for a goat, but it’s what Riley wanted.

“How did you come up with that name for the boy?” Janie lowered her gaze to her daughter.

Riley shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. It just popped into my head.”

All of the adults shared a laugh. “By the way, all of the animals were fed this morning, so you won’t have to worry about them until this evening,” Joe said.

“What about their lunch?” Riley tugged on Joe’s arm.

“They’ll graze on grass throughout the day.” He patted her head. “Don’t worry—they’ll be fine.”

Janie paid Joe for the animals, and he and George headed to his truck. “Wishing you the best,” Joe called out the window as the men drove off down the road.

Janie looked at Drew and ran her hand across her forehead.

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