Page 26 of Dragon Her Heels

Chicks and pullets tended to be a little more challenging to get through an illness compared to a fully grown chicken. “I’ll take the whole lot off your hands. What do you want for them?”

“Nothing. I can’t sell them as is. Don’t bother ringing them up, Theresa. I’ll adjust the store inventory manually and mark them as losses. Does your vet handle chickens?”

I nodded. “The clinic I use does, yes, and I keep my coops nice and clean. How many pullets am I taking home?”

“I’ve got fifty-two. They were shipped in poor condition in a truck with bad flooring, which is why they all got the infection. I’ve removed that supplier from my chain. They offered replacement birds but refused to guarantee better care for them in transit.”

Well, that would make my day interesting. In good news for me, I had a truck and would have a trailer soon enough. “Do you have my previous coop acquisition in the system? I’m going to need everything on it twice for that many birds coming in.”

I would be swimming in eggs, and I’d end up delivering an obscene number to my neighbors to keep myself from going mad.

Mr. Grinnold claimed the lead line for my new cow and said, “Earl, go find Arnold and ask him to bring up Crystal Culling’s file; there is an order from two months ago for a coop kit with modifications. We should have everything in stock, and I’ll need two of that order gathered and brought out to her truck. Bring an itemized list here so we can get it rung up.”

The kid ran off to do as told.

Mr. Grinnold frowned, and his brows furrowed. “Are you going to need any help with the assembly?”

“I should be all right. It’ll just be a long day getting everyone settled, calling in the vet, and applying some elbow grease. The setup only takes two hours each, and I already have the land prepped.”

I hadn’t been planning to expand my chicken habitat right away, but it worked out. I expected to lose a few of them with so many ill, but losing a few beat losing all of them.

Death happened on farms, but I did my best to make certain all my animals had happy, healthy lives while I had them.

“Give us a ring if you need any help with the assembly, and I’ll send someone over,” he promised.

“If I need any help, I’ll do that. Thanks.”

With the rest of the store employees scattering to grab my unexpected acquisitions, Theresa moved to the register next to hers to ring the tall, dark, and handsome up. In more than a few ways, I envied the horse he’d be riding.

How unfair.

Lucifer picked that moment to make his appearance, and he had Isaac and Ashley with him. “The trailer is here, and I took the liberty of stealing your extra keys and hooking it up.”

I scowled, checked my purse, and sure enough, I was short a pair of fobs, which the Devil gave back to me. “You’re sneaky. How do I proof my purse against theft from you?”

“You don’t,” he replied with a grin. “Try not to worry. I’ll only steal from your purse when it directly benefits you in an immediate fashion.”

That left a lot of wiggle room for him to inconvenience me, but as he’d limited his maliciousness to directly benefiting me without a wait, I’d tolerate the abuse of my person. “I appreciate that.”

His grin widened. “I knew you were a smart one.” His attention drifted to the tall, dark, and handsome nearby. “How are you liking Florida so far, Yuless?”

What an interesting name. That Lucifer knew the man would cause me trouble, of that I was certain.

I already had trouble in plenty, including the threat of a dragon looming in the distance.

Rather than sigh, I accepted I would need to keep on my toes to make it through the next few months unscathed.

“It’s to my liking.” He held up the bridle he’d selected from the brand I’d recommended. “I’m taking riding lessons.”

“Why are you buying your own tack for riding lessons? They provide the tack.”

Yuless sighed. “I am being educated regarding horse care and ownership, and the cost of my first lessons involves purchasing my own tack. If I get along well with the horse, he’ll sell to me, and that includes better tack in the price. I do not know why Hagnar talked me into this. He’s going to be riding, too.”

Lucifer chuckled, stepped forward, and patted Yuless’s shoulder. “Hagnar likes his games, that’s why. You’re in Florida. There’s a shocking number of horse owners here, although most of them favor thoroughbreds like the little boy Crystal has here. Cute, isn’t he?”

Yuless stared at my colt, and after a few moments, he nodded. “I can understand why people hoard horses. The little one is quite cute.”

“He’ll grow up to be a beauty, too.” Lucifer reached over and scratched my colt’s rump, which the baby animal seemed to appreciate, stretching out his neck and flapping his lips. “Are you going to be sticking around?”