was a feeling she relished because it confirmed that she alone had the strength to make this old ranch work. Yes, satisfaction indeed. Ava, my dear, you can do anything you set your mind to. Climb the highest mountain, become CEO of the largest corporation in America, row a boat across the Pacific Ocean carrying nothing but a ration of Tang and saltine crackers. Ava snickered over the image of her sailing across shark infested waters, offering peace with the deadly beasts by throwing crackers in the water.
Giving herself a mental shake to bring her mind back to the real world, Ava started mulling over the rest of the chores that she needed to complete before sundown. Walking over to a cooler sitting by the paddock gate, she itemized in her head what else awaited her attention today. She had to move the pile of poop to the north field. Thank goodness I’ve got a front loader. She also had to bathe her two mares, Macy and Beastie Girl. Oh, and she had to replace that loose board on the gate to the entrance of the ranch. Her muscles were already screaming in protest.
Opening the cooler revealed a large supply of ice and bottled water. Grabbing another bottle and discarding her empty, Ava removed her Stetson hat and wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her arm. Looking at the streaks of dirt left behind, Ava grimaced. Oh well, nothing a hot shower later on won’t take care of. Just as soon as I finish saving the world.
Another chuckle slipped out and she took a long drink from her water bottle. She really had a lot of pride in her ability to run her horse ranch, small though the ranch may be. Being a woman in a male dominated field of horse breeding was full of trials and tribulations, no doubt about that. But in the past few years, Ava had proven to everyone that she could do it on her own without needing a big, strong man to help her out…or any employees to help her out for that matter. So, if she wanted to equate that to “saving the world”, she would. She was darned proud of her accomplishments.
Ava thought of her parents. God, I’d give anything for them to see what I’ve accomplished. Ava’s parents had been killed almost four years ago in a car crash while she was in college. Whenever she thought of them, she felt a hurt so deep in her chest, it took her breath away. She missed them so much and without them, she was truly alone in the world.
Ava had no other family members, and while she didn’t think it totally weird, she really didn’t have any close friends. Oh, she had acquaintances in the horse community, but no one with whom she really could share her inner most thoughts. No, Ava didn’t have that luxury, unless she counted Bing. Bing—short for Bada-Bing—was the fluffiest, most awesomest —was that even a word?— dog in the entire world. He was a Golden Retriever of the utmost variety. He was smart, and mischievous, and handsome, and warm, and he just made Ava gooey inside. When he turned those big chocolate-drop eyes her way, she was a sucker for anything he wanted.
So outside of her horses and dog, Ava didn’t have much of a social connection in Moose Gap. Being a woman in a man’s world of ranching was a little bit isolating. Her dating prospects had been a little slow lately too. Still, the solitude of her life seemed to fit Ava. She felt most at peace on the ranch, nestled and protected in the shadows of the Tetons, surrounded by raw beauty and the soft nickers of horses happy to see her every day.
Bing was usually by Ava’s side throughout the day but he was apparently off chasing a rabbit, or a chipmunk, or some other creature that would dare take his attention away from her. Oh, I’m so pathetic. She missed him already and he’d only been gone from her side for about half an hour. Can you say “co-dependent” Ava? Draining the remainder of her water, Ava put her Stetson back on and headed back to her poop pile. It was time to get those vocal chords working and sing her way through the rest of her chores.
By 8:00 p.m., Ava had everything finished outside and had polished off two microwave meals. She’d just finished a hot,