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“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5

“Are you lost?”

Pepper jerked her hand off the gentle donkey’s face.

“I didn’t mean to startle you. Can I help you?”

The man’s pleasant baritone voice drew her gaze upward. His inviting smile held no malice or threat, only open curiosity.

“I’m Foxx,” he said. The warmth of his voice grabbed her attention as much as his words.

“Excuse me?”

“My name.” He grinned. “Foxx with two exes.”

She dropped her shoulders. Not a threat. Just Nebraska nice.

He waved a hand. The donkey pricked its ears, swiveled, and nudged the man’s side. He laughed and ran the animal’s ear between his fingers. “Please, no comments about my name. I’ve heard them all. Foxx Haven.”

Her head reared back and she denied her twitching lips their smile. “Oh, I like it. A pleasure to meet you. ”

“Really? Most people come back with Foxx den or ask if I’ve pounced on a mouse lately.”

She couldn’t fight the twitch of her lips, and offered a small upturn. “I’m not most people. I’m Pepper Rainwater, by the way.”

He patted the donkey’s neck. “This guy is going to bother me until I feed him. Wanna join me?”

Pepper looked for a gate.

“No gate. Come around to the door of the shed.” Man and donkey walked with her as she followed outside the fence. “Around the corner, to the back side.”

The donkey crowded Foxx from the fence and gained closer access to Pepper.

Another donkey, a female, was eating hay from a trough made of crisscrossed wood.

“Where’d you come from?” His voice welcomed her.

“Up the road.”

“What brought you here?”

“You ask a lot of questions.”

“How else am I going to get to know such a pretty lady?”

Had anyone ever called her pretty? “I was arranging decorations in my new place and heard the strangest sound ever. Followed by a hee-haw. I had to check it out to see if I’d imagined a donkey’s bray.”

“Understood. What―”

“Enough. You’re giving me the third degree.” She waited while he unlatched the wooden door and swung it open just enough for her to squeeze through. The donkey pair nudged her hands and thighs, clearly the reason Foxx hadn’t opened the door farther. “My turn. Why the name Foxx?”

His chuckle raised his shoulders. “That’s a question for my parents. Mom always said they were curious and cute with their fluffy tails as long as their bodies, their curiosity and their quickness. Why’d your folks call you Pepper?”

“I never asked.”

She gave each donkey a pat and headed into the fenced enclosure.

He nodded at the animals in turn. “Meet Rex and Rhoda.”

She acknowledged his nod. “My parents didn’t like questions. Pink and I learned early to stay out of their way as much as possible.”

He stalled her with a hand on her elbow. “Say again?”

“Doesn’t matter. My parents should have never had children.”

“Hunh. Did you say Pink?”

“My younger sister. Pink left Nebraska as soon as possible.” I’ve never been badgered for or so forthcoming with personal info. Except at job interviews, few as they were. The way Dad had drilled it into them not to trust anyone, especially the government, remained instilled deep within.

The donkeys ignored their fresh hay and stayed at her side. “Are they waiting for something?”

“Just to be near another being. They’re pack animals and crave company. I like to run a bit with them so they don’t stand like lumps. Come you two, catch me.” Foxx ran full out and burst into laughter when the donkeys sandwiched him.

Pepper soon caught up, and studied the masculine features. He must smile a lot, judging by the grooves near his mouth and lines fanned from his eyes. Was he happy? His face was more interesting than handsome, not that she’d ever noted handsome men other than on the TV or theater screen. Light brown, tannish eyes and dark brown hair with mahogany highlights.

“Your turn to take ’em for a romp.”

Running belonged to the past, but it felt great to stretch her legs. Pepper jogged the opposite direction. From the new perspective, she noted the patch of fallow earth between the donkey fence and her yard. Ownership made her smile. The smile turned to rare laughter as Rex and Rhoda vied for her attention. “Good thing there’s only two of them, one for each hand.”

Foxx approached. “When Fred introduced me to these two, I was thankful there weren’t three. Guess it’s a good thing God gave us two hands.”

“Who’s Fred?”

“Their owner, Fred Olmsted.”

“Oh, so you aren’t my neighbor?”

He chuckled. “We’re all neighbors in Garland. But, no, I live toward the center of town. I’m spending a bit of time with these fine beauties while Fred is fishing in South Dakota.”

She wasn’t used to casual conversation, but turn-about seemed fair. “So, who are you, Foxx Haven? Why don’t I see a vehicle?”

“My house is at the other end of Main Street. My dad—well step-dad, but he might as well have been my real dad—he just passed, and now the place is mine. I rode my bike over. I work as facilities maintenance tech for over a thousand apartments in several buildings in Lincoln.” He took a breath. “I also attend church in Lincoln. I love animals, but never had any, especially after what they can do to living quarters.” He gave that heh huh chuckle from his chest that she already identified as unique to him. “I’m single. No significant other, nor has there ever been one.”

Good grief! She’d asked for all that? Ask a question and expect to receive information.

A buzz sounded from his pocket. He held up a finger and answered. “Got it. Be right there.” He returned the phone and walked backwards. “That was work. I’m on call this weekend. Stay with our friends as long as you like. Make double sure the door hinge locks. See you around.”

Pepper nonchalantly followed him, running her fingers over two soft, long ears. The heat of the animals at her sides warmed her with four-legged welcome. A moment later, Foxx whizzed by on a sleek yellow bicycle, which explained why no motor sound had passed earlier. She kept him in sight until he turned onto another street.

“Nice to meet you two.” The donkey’s backs were warm underneath her sliding, farewell hands. “I’ll be back.”

What a day of intrigue. By early evening, all the moving boxes were in from her car. Most of the Christmas garlands of greenery and ornaments were sorted. Ready to grace doorways and enhance her meager furnishings. She’d met a man who triggered her attraction meter, and made friends with miniature donkeys that were bound to be a comfort in her new residence.

Could tomorrow, Sunday, be nearly as interesting as today?

~*~

Foxx pedaled hard the few blocks to Dad’s―no―his home now. Pepper was a beauty. He relived the meeting with her. Pert and pretty, but way too serious. And secretive. He grinned. She hadn’t liked it, but he’d drawn her out to talk about herself. Her caution made him more curious, but he wanted to know all about Ms. Pepper Rainwater. Unusual, the way both their names weren’t common to the human race.

His life had been so crazy lately, following all those months of caring for Dad. Lack of sleep and more apartments to clear before the next tenant. He almost regretted that Dad hadn’t lived in Lincoln, where proximity and traffic kept his driving thoughts turned to his surroundings. Traveling the bike trails in the city, he concentrated on the exercise. Greeted others with a nod, and gloried in the passing air currents he created.

He secured the house and garage, hopped in his oversized SUV, and left for the job. During the commute from northwest of Lincoln, life and people and the past kept hitting him as distractions. Where did Pepper work? Somewhere on this side, or did she head into traffic for a busy commute?

It was much easier to let his mind go blank while on two wheels. Thoughts wove from Fred’s donkeys back to pretty Pepper. Where had she come from, what was her story? Why was he so drawn to her?

And all those months with Dad. Mesothelioma was a killer. Watching him go downhill hurt. It was over. Why relive it? But his memory was relentless. Shortness of breath had led to oxygen tanks. The pain in Dad’s chest hurt Foxx as his elder fought for life. The cough, fatigue, weight loss, swollen abdomen.

“Stop!” He loosened his grip on the steering wheel. “Oh, Lord, take it away. It’s over. Dad’s full of joy in Your presence now.”

No sooner than he’d asked, a racing motorcycle cut into his lane from the right. And the light changed. He hit the brake pedal. From then on, Foxx concentrated on his surroundings as he pictured his route to the apartment building where a water heater element needed reset.

Yet Pepper returned to the foremost presence of his mind. The serious woman was a mystery he wanted to unfold.