“It’s a very distinguished name.”
God, Alec is going toloveputting that on the breeding documents. He usually names the sheep after classic literary characters, like a nerd. I sit back and watch as Crumpet trips back to Summer and flops onto her lap again.
It’s not unheard of for an animal to immediately bond with someone. Very occasionally, I meet a new sheep or a puppy or a duckling, and something just…clicks. The bond is instant.
Same thing happens with people. The first time I met Alec and Cameron, I felt it. A click. Like my brain going,These two will be important.
Felt it the first time I set foot in Lochview.This will be your home.
And now, as I watch Summer, this strange girl who’s lying about where she comes from, I swear I feel it again. That click in my chest.
Huh.
Rubbing Crumpet’s side, Summer looks up at me and smiles. Not the bright fake smile she’s been giving me all morning, but a massive grin. There’s a bit of hay in her hair, and without thinking, I reach up to brush it out. Her lips part.
The urge to lean in and kiss her hits me like a truck.
Christ. What is happening to me? I’ll admit I like a flirt, but I’m not usuallythismuch of a goner for a pretty face. There’s just something about this girl…
The door to the barn suddenly flies open, and we both jump apart as Cameron strides in.
EIGHT
FRASER
“Fixed the length of your stay on the website,” Cameron tells Summer without preamble. “And I put an old Wi-Fi router in the cabin.”
I’m surprised. That’s…unusually helpful of him. Cameron is a good man, but he has a list of roughly two people that he cares about, and he’s happy to be a bit of a twat to everyone else.
Summer’s eyes widen. “You did? That’s so kind!”
“Figured you won’t keep bothering us up at the farmhouse that way,” Cameron mutters. “Signal’s not great. Don’t want to hear you complaining if you can’t watch your shows, or whatever.”
“No,” Summer says. “Of course not.” She offers me a smile, reluctantly peeling Crumpet off her. “Thank you for the tour, Fraser. I should get some work done.”
“Some bloggin’?” I ask innocently.
She stands. “Yes! I have, er,somuch to blog about! See you later? Oh—” Her fingers go up to my scarf around her neck. “I should give you this back.”
I shake my head. “Keep it until you go, lass. Don’t want you freezing up here.”
Besides. I think I like seeing my clothes on her. She gives me a grateful smile. I watch her leave, a warm feeling inside me.
Okay. Yes. I like her alot.
Cameron opens the door to the pen and sits at my side stiffly. “How’s the babe.”
I shift so he can stretch his leg out. Now that Summer’s gone, the lamb—Crumpet—has gone limp again, huddled in a pile of straw. I pick her up and give her a clap. “She loved Summer, you know?” Cameron huffs. “She did! Seriously, ten seconds ago, she was bouncing about all over the place.”
“Right.” He reaches over, takes the lamb, and tries to tuck her against Viola’s side. The big ewe just turns her bum away. “Will you please acknowledge your bairn?” he demands. Viola doesn’t move, and Crumpet shivers in his hands.
“So,” I say, watching him closely, “what do you think of our new guest?”
He harrumphs. “Don’t like her.”
I gasp. “No! But you’re usually such a friendly guy.”
“She’s a liar,” he mutters. “And a flirt.”
