I smiled at him when I saw his eyes were still closed, sleeping peacefully on the pile of hay I left him on.
Walking in, I reached down and gently scratched the space between his ears—his favorite place to have me pet him. When he still didn't open his eyes, I shook my head and sighed.
Reaching over for the bag of dog food in the corner, I picked it up and filled his bowl with his favorite kibble. Eventually, Scout would wake up, and when he did, I was sure he'd be famished.
"Then things will be like old times," I promised him softly before I set the bag down and walked out of the stall.
I'd worry about Scout later; for now, it was time to wake up Daisy and begin to show her the ropes.
Chapter Five
Breakfast seemed to be one of her strong points.
After I gave her a couple of gentle shakes and told her that we would have to get started soon, she offered to make the most important meal of the day for us.
I observed her carefully for a little bit. She seemed to be handy with a knife as made apparent by the way she made quick work of the steaks. Another thing I noticed about Daisy was her discipline—she took to one task at a time and made sure it was to her liking before she moved on to another.
Once I was satisfied that she had no reason to want to leave yet, I walked into my small dining room and took a seat at the head of the table.
Normally, I would eat my meals wherever the hell I felt like, but I knew that if I were going to play the part of the dutiful stranger, then I would have to behave in a normal manner.
And honestly, I still felt that annoying little feeling still lingering inside of me, so I knew that the only way to get it to leave would be to devour it whole.
Days like today would be a reason for me to have sat in the bunker, but it was too late for that. The lessons were going to begin soon, and I had a wildflower to tame.
"Breakfast is served!" Daisy cheerfully announced as she walked into the room and placed a plate in front of me.
"Looks good," I told her with a nod. "Thank you."
And I wasn't lying.
Everything on the plate looked mouthwateringly amazing. She made steak and poached eggs, hash browns, with a couple of slices of buttered toast to complete the meal.
"Of course!" she replied as she sat down in the chair diagonally to my right. "I figure it's the least I can do for someone willing to take on a newbie."
A low chuckle escaped me as I picked up a piece of toast and bit into it. It felt good to be appreciated for the things I had planned on showing her, even though she didn't know exactly what they were yet.
"How old are you?" I asked as I picked up my fork and knife. I decided that it would be best not to look at her while I asked questions because I needed her to start understanding how things went around my farm. Something as menial as looking at someone when a conversation was being initiated is often taken for granted, and I needed her to start realizing how alone she truly was now.
As I began to cut away a small square of the steak, Daisy sat in uncomfortable silence.
"Does that really matter?" she asked in a quiet, nervous tone.
"Not to me, no. I just like to know because then it gives me an idea of what you can and can't be shown."
As I placed the steak into my mouth and began to chew it thoughtfully, Daisy shifted nervously in her chair. I knew it because I heard the creak of the old, wooden legs on the fucking thing reminding me that I still needed to fix it.
"I'll ask one more time; then I won't bother again," I told her after I wiped my mouth with a napkin. "How old are you?"
Daisy mumbled something I couldn't quite make out. It seemed that she was finally answering my question but wasn't sure if I would approve. One thing I knew from attending the gatherings at the corral was that if a purchase seemed too young, it would be an easy trade for a set amount of years before you could purchase the livestock back at a reduced price.
When I cut another piece of the steak off and popped it into my mouth without responding, Daisy tried again in a clearer, more concise tone.
"I said I'm nineteen."
I rolled my eyes.
I was twenty-two when I met Posy, who was seventeen at the time. I had traded her off to Denton because I didn't want to deal with someone as young as she was. I managed to get her back seven years later. She was much angrier, full of spite and discontent for the man that let her go so easily, and I appreciated the fire it had lit inside of her.
But she had been gone for about three years now, and at thirty-two years old, I wasn't entirely sure if Daisy would be worth the hassle.
"And what made you want to become a buyer?" I asked as I swallowed my food, then reached for my glass of orange juice.
"Honestly? I was looking for someone to keep me company," she answered softly.
Maybe she's not the dangerous girl I pegged her for.
Perhaps I chose poorly.
At the very least, I hadn't spent any money to find out, and only time would tell.
Chapter Six
Half an hour after we finished our breakfast and Daisy cleaned up, I was standing on the front porch of my home. I wanted to get started today with the simple things.
Hard labor wouldn't come until later because if I broke her body before I broke her mind, then she'd be of little to no use for me.
My eyes scanned the horizon while I waited for her to find me. I left the front door open, so I knew it wouldn't have taken much for her to do so, but in the quiet moment that I was having, I wondered if I'd see Posy running along the outskirts of my property.
Still afraid, still confused, and possibly still so full of a fucking hope that never existed on my land.
Not for any of my flowers, though it didn’t stop them from holding onto it. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like the fights they would put up, but after a while, it became nothing more than a chore.
That was when I’d put them in the barn, dress them up in the best getups I could find, and leave them there until it was time for them to water the farm.
I shook my head as I gave up that fickle feeling of hope that I would see Posy again.
By the time Daisy stepped onto the front porch, I had been so lost in my thoughts about my favorite flower that I had almost forgotten she was here.
"So, what's on the agenda for today?" she asked as brightly as she could.
Her tone was forced, and while it may not have been blatant to her, it was to me.
"We're going to go for a walk around the property," I began in a soft tone, "and once that's done, there are chores waiting."
"Huh?"
I finally managed to tear my eyes away from the property line in the distance and looked down at her. Her beautiful face was scrunched up in confusion, but I still couldn't see her clearly. That's something that would never really come until later.
It was always a waiting game, and the result almost always was the same. Though I did have a feeling she might be different, I knew that the only way to tell would be to wait it out.
"How does that help me with bidding at the corral?"
I took a deep breath, told myself to be patient with her, and to think before I spoke. That she was new to this life and that questions could be asked, but after too many, I’d show her what happened to disobedient little flowers.