I stare at Summer. In the low light of the barn’s lanterns, her blonde hair is lit up like gold around her head. She shifts from foot to foot.
“Summer,” I say slowly. “Did you name a pedigree Bluefaced LeicesterCrumpet?”
“It suits her, don’t you think?” She pushes open the door to the pen.
At the sound of her voice, the lamb—Crumpet—perks up. I watch in astonishment as Summer kneels on the straw-covered floor and pulls her into her lap.
“Hey, baby.” She laughs. “Did you miss me?” She cuddles the lamb to her and then reaches out for the bottle. “Are you gonna be good and eat your dinner?” She offers the bottle, and Crumpet immediately latches on and starts to drink. “Aww, yes, you’re hungry, aren’t you? You cutie-pie.” She presses a kiss on the lamb’s ear. Crumpet wriggles, and Summer almost drops her.
I’m reaching across before I know it. “Here,” I say, adjusting her grip on the sheep. Her wrist is easily swallowed by my fingers.
Summer shivers. “Thank you,” she murmurs. “Um. Sorry for naming your sheep. You can change her name if you want.” She blushes. “Obviously. I mean, she’s yours.”
I sit back and watch as Crumpet paddles her feet against Summer’s stomach happily. “I was worried she might starve to death,” I say flatly. “And you can feed her. I think that gives you naming rights.” I guess Fraser wasn’t exaggerating their bond after all.
She gives me a shy smile. “I don’t know why she likes me. It’s weird.”
“It’s not uncommon,” I tell her. “Animals have their preferences like people do. Some prefer women.” Sheoohs, and for some reason, my mouth keeps talking. “My family used tobreed horses at the farm. My mother was always brought in when my father was struggling to break one. Nine times out of ten, they’d respond to her far better.”
“Does your mum live in the village?” Summer asks, struggling to hold the squirming lamb. “I went last night, it’s so cute.”
Everything inside me stills. Turns to stone. “She passed,” I say quietly.
Summer’s mouth falls open in a little pink O. “Ohmygod,” she says. “I’msosorry.”
I adjust the lamb’s face closer to the bottle with a finger. “It’s hardly your fault. She died when I was sixteen. Car accident.” She’d been on her way to pick me up from a tennis lesson. To this day, I’ve not forgiven myself for not insisting on taking the bus.
My father never forgave me either.
Summer takes my hand. Her fingernails sparkle prettily against the rough scars crossing my palm, and I stare at them numbly.
“I’m sorry,” she says again, her deep eyes soft with sympathy. “That’s horrible.”
I don’t respond, just look at our joined hands. My mouth is dry, and blood is thudding through me. It’s not until I shift my weight and feel the tightness in my jeans that I realise what’s happening.
I’m getting hard.
Jesus. Summer’s just holding my hand, and I’m getting turned on. What is wrong with me?
I yank my hand away and close my eyes, collecting myself. “Summer,” I say firmly. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something. Spring is our busiest season. It’s when we do most of the shearing, we’re taking care of the mothers and their young, and we have to deal with a lot of storms.”
“Okay,” she says. Crumpet finishes her bottle and snuggles into her chest.
“I need my farmhands in top form,” I continue. “We deal with a lot of heavy equipment. It could be dangerous when the weather is temperamental.”
“Mhm.” She shifts, and her skirt hem reveals a few more inches of creamy thigh.
I force the words out. “I overheard Cameron and Fraser arguing. Over you. It sounded like you’ve kissed them both?”
She goes still. “Oh my God,” she whispers.
“Of course, I don’t want to tell you what to do with your body,” I say carefully. “But I need them to be able to cooperate right now. If you could at least…make a decision between the two of them, that would be incredibly helpful.”
Or maybe refrain from flirting with my friends altogether.
Summer looks absolutely horrified. “I am so sorry, I’m so embarrassed. I’m pretty sure they’re not fighting over me, though. Cameron didn’t seem that interested?—”
I cut her off. “Did you kiss them both?”
