The Red Flagon

Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

Sasha Devries cursed audibly and pushed her shoulder into that of the thousand-pound Thoroughbred who stood, resolute and almost triumphantly, upon her foot.

"Austin, you big oaf! Get off my toes!"

She gave him another shove and the horse suddenly seemed to have realized what he had done, for he politely sidestepped and freed her, and then lowered his muzzle to her pockets in search of treats. Sasha scoffed and plopped down on the nearby tack box to pull off her shoe and examine her already bruising toes. Meanwhile the gelding, looking sorely offended by her lack of attention, swished his tail and turned his head away to sulk.

"Don't you give me that look," the young woman scolded from where she sat holding her foot in her hand. "You should pay more attention to where you're stepping."

Another voice at the end of the barn aisle caught the attention of both horse and rider, and Landon Ellis strode in.

"That's just what you need," he said with a grin, "a nice cast on that foot to go with your new-teacher-on-the-block image." He unclipped Austin from the cross-ties and led him into one of the two stalls in the barn. Sasha shot him a glare and then slipped her sock and boot back on and stood up.

"I'll be alright, but thanks for your concern Landon."

After he had latched the door and given a very enthusiastic Austin a piece of a carrot, the man came to stand beside his girlfriend. He shook his head to clear the black bangs from his eyes and then draped an arm across her shoulders as they walked out of the barn together.

"You'll make a great teacher Sasha, and you know it. You're one of their own graduates for goodness' sake! They'll love you."

Even though she had decided mere seconds ago to remain annoyed with him, Sasha couldn't help the smile brought on by Landon's reassuring words. When she noticed he was looking at her though, she swiftly dropped her face back into a frown and gently jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow.

"Just because you said a few nice things to me doesn't get you off the hook Landon. I'm not falling for your crap."

"Will you fall for it if I promise you the romantic dinner of your dreams tonight around, say, seven o'clock?"

Sasha studied him as they walked.

"What's the occasion?"

"To celebrate your new job."

The woman rolled her eyes but finally relented. Landon squished her against his side and she giggled.

"Alright, you win. But first, I need to take a shower and get to the school and find out who I'm sharing a classroom with. Plus I need to have my lesson plans approved."

Landon chuckled.

"Watch you be paired up with someone you knew from when we were in school," he laughed, and then gave her a quick peck on the cheek before turning her loose to the Jeep Liberty parked in the lot in front of the barn. "I'll see you later."