Temporary Madness? A momentary lapse of reason? A rush of blood to the head? He was never sure afterwards, and in truth, he never had any regrets.
Just how it was that Dr. Anders found the ad that nobody else had ever seen, he never knew. He'd done a search of the Nexus 'net to see about finding places to go riding, since that was the new passion Ellie had helped him discover. And there it was, the "for sale" ad for the Nexus Stables. The prior owner wanted to retire, and put the place into good hands... and the price was astonishingly low.
In spite of his better judgment -- which said that, at that price, the place was undoubtedly a rat-trap -- Michael headed out there on his lunch hour, while ostensibly getting food. Instead he found an extraordinary place that only lacked value because most of the stalls stood empty, and almost nobody in the Nexus knew it existed or bothered to come by. The owner had never managed to draw people in, and was tired of trying.
But for Michael, the place was perfect. Even if the other stalls continued to stand empty, the grounds were amazing, and the horses he was introduced to were all mild-tempered and friendly, perfect for riding. And the price was one he could afford, something that still amazed him. The owner, apparently, had been trying to sell it for a while now, and was ready to give it away if it meant an end to operational costs coming out of their pocket. In fact, he was perfectly happy to stay on and manage the place for a small retainer; he just simply couldn't afford to own it anymore.
Michael Anders was the son of a powerful Chicago businessman, and had been saving and investing money, under his father's direction, since before puberty. He had the funds, both for the purchase and for maintenance. And unlike the person he was buying the place from, he knew he could draw in people from the Nexus. There were, in fact, a great many he knew might just enjoy this...
But even if nobody else ever came, it would still be worth it. Because even though he hadn't unmasked to her yet, this would be the first of his investments in his future with Elise. He suspected that she'd like it far more than any engagement ring he'd one day put on her hand.
PINpointing to his bank, he got the necessary funds. Long before the lunch hour was over, Dr. Michael Simon Anders was the owner of a horse farm.
As he walked back into his office, with food for Elise and himself, he found himself humming...
The farmer takes a wife, The farmer takes a wife...