“Morning.”
Chelsea let out a soft shriek as Ethan’s greeting surprised her out of her thoughts.Her face flushed as she took him in, standing in her kitchen wearing a tight-fitting T-shirt and knee-length shorts.He held up a mug.“Coffee?”
“Yes, please.”She placed a hand on her chest to calm her heart rate, but the vision of him standing in her kitchen at this time of the morning only inspired thoughts that increased it.
“I hope I didn’t wake you.”
She shook her head as she sat on a stool.“No, that prize went to the magpie outside my window.”She smiled.“How’s your pelvis?”
He glanced at her with a smirk, but said, “Not as sore today.Those tablets are pretty strong.I didn’t wake once all night.”
“I’m glad.”She took the coffee he handed her.
“What’s the plan today?”
“I want to check the road to the cottages, make sure there are no potholes which need filling, and check the gate is in good condition.If it’s too difficult to open, I’ll need to fix it.”
“I came in that way,” Ethan answered.“The gate squeaks and is stiff.Could probably do with a coat of rust inhibitor, some lubrication and then paint.”
Of course.She’d forgotten his car was still parked in the barn.Chelsea unplugged her phone from where it had been charging, added the items to her list, and then flicked to the new social media channels she’d set up.A few interactions and comments, but not many.She’d finish scheduling the rest of the posts today and add some videos as well.
“I need to buy a few things for the cottages, so I’ll buy paint then.”Her finances weren’t endless, but if Darren paid back the money her mother had given him like Ethan had asked him to, she would have sufficient funds.
And if he didn’t, it just meant she had to get the cottages profitable quickly.“I want to buy a few annuals for the garden beds in front of the cottages as well, to bring some colour to them.”
“I can weed them while you’re gone.”
Chelsea hesitated.“Should you rest today?”
Ethan glared at her.“Don’t you treat me like an invalid.”
She touched his arm.“I’m concerned.You were hurting last night, and you always had to prove yourself.”
He squeezed her hand.“I’m fine, Chels.I’ll sit on the grass while I weed.”
Though she would still worry, he knew his body best.“All right.”She finished her coffee.“Before I forget, I’m going to take the linen out and make the bed for Barry.”
“Let me.I’ve seen the way you make them.”He winked.
“You can help.”She grabbed the linen from the cupboard and departed out the laundry door.
As she approached the cottages, the smell of manure tickled her nose.She frowned.There weren’t any farms nearby and there was no breeze.She pushed past a hedge and her footsteps faltered.Ethan bumped into her and steadied them both, but she hardly noticed as she stared at the mess of the small cottage.
Both front windows had been smashed and chunks of manure were stuck to the wall.
She moved forward, but Ethan stepped in front of her.“Let me check it out.”
The hardness of his tone and his alertness halted her automatic retort.Instead she said, “Do you think they’re still here?”
He shook his head, but still he moved cautiously forward, scanning the surroundings.
He peered through the window, swore and turned back to her.“Call the police to report this.I’m going to check the others.”He moved down the path to the other cottages while Chelsea approached the building, taking stock of what needed to be fixed.The manure was dry but shouldn’t be difficult to wash off.The windows needed fixing.She peered through as Ethan had done and spotted an open bag of manure on the floor.The table next to the window was also covered in flecks of dung.
Damn.
She called the police and followed Ethan.More dung covered these cabin walls, but the windows remained intact.
She screwed up her nose as the smell reached her.
