Page 141 of Tangled with the Tight End

He shakes his head. “I know this is going to make me sound old and stubborn, but I don’t like shoving my work off on anyone. I’m a farmer. We do our own work. I’ve already got my nephew coming to help me in and out of the shower. It don’t get much lower than that.”

I study him, salt-and-pepper hair, wrinkled skin from a life lived outdoors, a sturdy frame, even after surgery.

“I bet you helped out plenty of your neighbors over the years,” I say.

“Sure did. Anytime I could.”

“Well. It seems it’s your turn to let them return the favor.”

He wags his finger at me. “I see what you did there.”

I smile. “And?”

“You drive a hard bargain, Winona. But I’ll do what you say. I’ll put in a call to the Lawsons.”

“Good. Now. Let’s go check your meds and I’ll unload the groceries I picked up for you.”

After another hour at Old Man Calhoun’s, I get another promise out of him to call the Lawsons and then I pull a three-point turn and head out the gravel driveway back toward Waterford.

My phone rings when I’m only a mile away from Mr. Calhoun’s farm. Unknown number. Probably a job.

“Hello,” I answer through my Bluetooth.

“Winona?”

“Yes.”

“Hi. It’s Zara. Zara Hill, Liam and David Goddard’s sister?”

“Hi, Zara. What can I do for you?”

“Well, we got some dachshunds recently. Three of them, to be exact.”

“So fun!”

“Fun. Yes. But also … Well, our life is more chaotic than when we had our first baby.”

“Puppies can turn a house upside down.”

“They aren’t puppies. They’re rescues.”

“Oh! That’s so sweet.”

“Marie said so many good things about how you handled her dogs. I just knew I could trust you with these three.”

“Thank you. I do my best.”

“Well, the one I need you to meet before you work with him is Slinky. He’s a sweetie, but he gets into the trash, unzips bags, climbs up onto the beds and couches and falls off. He basically self-destructs.”

“Like a bomb?”

“Sort of.”

“Oh my.”

“You’ll just have to keep an eye on him.”

We talk a little while longer. She tells me about the other two dogs, The Honorable Frank, and Ethel.