Over a decade of not knowing her name and now the woman I spent months admiring from afar–and who I missed my chance to speak to–is our first farm stay guest and she’s here for the next six. months.What are the chances?
Suddenly her words from before register in my brain. “Wait, you said the donkey stole somethin’?”
“He sure did. I thought I’d wash some clothes and hang them outside to dry. I swear they’d only been there for ten minutes when there was a snap and a crash, then a stampede of hooves running away. I chased after the mohawked menace, but he was too fast and disappeared through the trees.” It definitelysoundslike Grumps. “I know you warned me about him, but I didn’t expect to see him running for his life with my underwear in his mouth!”
I press my lips together, trying—and failing—not to laugh. Unfortunately, my shaking shoulders give me away.Wait… how did I warn her about him?
Blair’s lips twitch as she shakes her head and giggles. It sounds like bottled sunshine pushing its way through the darkest clouds and just like when I used to watch her, her goldenhair bounces in the breeze. And just like before, I have to fight not to be distracted by the sight.
“Sorry to say but this is not Grumps’s first time puttin’ his nose where it doesn't belong and taking a memento for his troubles.”
“You’re telling me you’ve got a donkey who’s a kleptomaniacanda menace. Great.”
I wince. “Look, I’d like to tell you he’s well-behaved most of the time but that would be a lie. He’s good-natured though, if that helps.”
“If you mean sticky-fingered thensure, I believe you. Many wouldn’t though.” The twinkle in her eyes is just as bright as her smile, making it impossible to look away. She smiles, her eyes twinkling with it.How can she still do this to me after all this time?
Before I can reply, the bamboo stalks shake again, the leaves rustling as the problem animal of the house stomps his way inside my previously peaceful oasis, the peaceful serenity disrupted with his mere chaotic presence.
Blair jumps back in surprise, her eyes as wide as saucers as she glares at the mischievous donkey who still has a strip of bright pink fabric hanging out of his mouth.
She steps closer to him with her hand outstretched. “They’re not yours Mr. Grumps. I would appreciate you giving them back to me.”
I stare at her in wonder. “Do you find talkin’ to animals like they’re a human usually works out for you?” I say before I can filter myself. I am genuinely interested though since animal therapy–equine, in particular–has proven to be an effective therapeutic intervention tool with patients in my line of work.
Blair’s head snaps my way, her narrow eyes softening when she sees the sincerity on my face. “Are you a doctor?”
“Psychologist. I work at the hospital too.”
Confusion clouds her expression just as the donkey blows a raspberry, letting us know he’s already bored of this situation.
Grumps looks down at the open palm in front of him before lifting his muzzle my way and shooting me a suspicious expression that says, “Is she for real?”
Blair sighs, Grumps whiffles and throws his head back with a loud bray in response. This whole donkey - Blair standoff would be hilarious if I wasn’t still in shock about her being here.Her.Of all people…
“You think this is funny, do you?” Blair asks me, a smirk playing on her lips. “The least you could do is help me get them back, Case.”
This is when I decide to tell her–and not just because I’m sick of the woman who changed my life without knowing it calling me by mytwin’sname. “So… about that–” I say just as said twin brother rushes into the now half-crumpled garden to join us, turning our three-way standoff to a square.
That's when the world stops–or it feels like it–and Blair’s stolen undergarments are the verylastthing on her mind if her shocked gasp and ping-pong gaze between me and Case is anything to go by.
“Wait…twins?”she shrieks, her gorgeous green eyes wide as she pins me with a stare so intense it has me shaking in my boots. “You could’vetoldme.”
I hold my hands up in surrender. “To be fair, I didn’t get a chance after you told me about Grumps here and his penchant for satin panties.”
Blair’s cheeks flush pink, her head turning to Case who has his arms crossed over his chest and looks like he’s enjoying the show.
“You didn’t tell her we were twins?” I ask.
“Hey. I said she’d meet everyone at lunch. I didn’t expect Grumps to cause havoc at dawn and ruin her day,” he glances around my Zen Garden and winces, “or yours. Sorry, brother.”
I stare at him, hoping that this is one of those moments where hecanread my mind. Then something tells me to turn my head and when I do, I lock eyes with Blair’s curious ones flicking between me and my brother. ““Well, huh. Now I see it,” she murmurs somewhat nonsensically.
“See what?” I ask a little curtly.
“The differences between you two. I don’t know how I didn’t figure it out earlier. Are you two even identical?”
Case and I gasp in unison. “Yeah.Sutton’s a few minutes older than me. Do you really not see it?”
