He watched Liam’s chest move up and down with the contented breaths of post-sex napping. The bed sheet rested just below his waist, blatantly teasing Nathan. Liam was all hot ruggedness on the outside and sweetness on the inside. He was a good guy, and he deserved better than some wild fling. He was not built for one-night stands. Which was going to make the rest of today very uncomfortable.
“Where are you going?” Liam asked in a scratchy voice, a foot still in his dream world.
Nathan put on his pants. “I should check on the ewes. See if any more of them are popping out lambs. Like you said, it’s a chain reaction.”
He found his shirt stuck under the nightstand, curious as to the aerodynamics that led it to that spot. This was what Nathan did best. He knew how to beat a quick retreat, even if this time, he wanted to get back in bed and rest his head against Liam’s chest.
“Nathan.” Liam grabbed hold of his hand. His milky blue eyes fixed him in place, but Nathan had to be stronger. “The sheep will be fine for a few more minutes.”
Liam held his hand like he had held Nathan a little while ago: with confidence and surety.
“I suppose there’s some policy in place against the boss shagging his farmhand.”
“I’ll have to check with human resources.”
Nathan reached for one of his shoes, but Liam gave his hand a little tug.
“You don’t have to run out so fast.”
“We both know this can’t happen again.” Nathan made sure there was levity in his voice.
“Nah yeah, I wasn’t even planning for it to happen at all.”
“Same.”
“And you’re leaving soon anyway.” Liam said it with a matter-of-factness that startled Nathan. He wasn’t wrong, but it didn’t sound right either. “When does your movie start shooting?”
The movie. Fucking Babe the fucking pig.The lie was like a virus, spreading and growing.
“Soon.” There was no use getting attached to Liam, to anyone. They could ditch you on a doorstep at any moment.
“I hope you’ll stay through lambing season. I can’t get it through it without you.”
The words hit Nathan right in the gut. Before he could stop himself, he returned into the warm bed and let Liam’s arms curl around his body.
“I’ll be here,” Nathan said.
* * *
One more ewegave birth during the day. It was just as amazing as it had been yesterday. The lambs came out and were walking and bleating within hours. It was a miracle, Nathan thought. And again when the ewe took care of her newborn lambs, the scene tugged at Nathan’s heartstrings. He couldn’t imagine an ewe abandoning one of her lambs, just pretending it never existed. How could humans do that? It didn’t make sense to him, and he liked to hope that his mum thought about him even after she gave him up.
That night, he and Liam went to dinner at Mark’s. As soon as they opened the door, Franny ran up to Nathan and enveloped him in a hug.
“And a good evening to you,” he said.
She pulled back. Her face was bright and eager. “I’m Cinderella!”
“In the play?”
She nodded over and over like she was a bobblehead. “I’m Cinderella inInto the Woods! I can’t believe it.”
“Franny, that’s wonderful!” Liam gave her a hug.
“You’re barely going to see me these next few weeks,” she said. “I’m going to be busy with rehearsals. The show goes up in five weeks!”
“And you will stay busy with rehearsal so long as this doesn’t negatively impact your schoolwork.” Mark came out of the kitchen and put a casserole dish on the dining table. He pointed at his daughter with his oven-mitted hand. “I mean it, Franny.”
“Dad.” She sighed, embarrassed. “I know.”
