Jake’s grin was tired. Exhausted. She wanted to put her hand to his face and cup his cheek, bringing his face close to hers, which just about summed up how shattered she now was, if she was thinking that.
“Want to share a blanket?” He almost threw one at her. “Or have your own?”
“I should get back home. I thought I was past my sleeping in stables days.”
“Do you ever get past those?”
“I’m thinking you didn’t.”
His look was knowing, but he didn’t respond, instead watching the mare and her foal as they settled in the low light of the stable.
Lainey watched too, sleep starting to weave its magic, a blanket thrown over her and the hay feeling too familiar, too comfy. Jake Maynard’s presence somehow more soothing than any soporific.
Chapter Five
Snowdrops then daffodils broke through the cold ground, spring kicking winter out of touch with earlier sunrises and evenings that didn’t seem like someone had closed blackout drapes too early.
Each year, Jake forgot the work that went into waking up the farm, preparing the fields and ground as spring began, the longer days providing light that needed to be best spent. Broody pekins became the bane of his life, and the bantam rooster he’d got proved to be the most vicious thing with feathers. Two more horses turned up, courtesy of Lizzie the vet and another of her sob stories, and somehow, he ended up with a German Shepherd with a cat complex.
What he didn’t end up with was seeing more of his neighbour.
Lainey had been just as busy as him for the last few weeks. He’d heard more about what she’d been up to from the gossips – Gran and her coven – in the village than from her directly. There’d been architects and builders, more horses, and visitors, some of who he figured were her patients, others who looked like doctors or other medical people.
The busyness didn’t make him feel any better about Lainey having the land. When he knew it was coming up for sale, he’d planned how he would use it, how he’d increase output and grazing, expand on free range hens, take in more rescues – which was going to happen anyway. The buildings would’ve been great for holiday lets and some of the land could’ve been used to rotate with the fields where he could hold music festivals or re-enactments – which had all of a sudden become another income stream. It was a plan he’d built up in his head that had now come toppling down and although he knew Lainey hadn’t pissed him off on purpose, he couldn’t help but feel aggrieved by her.
“Quit the glaring.” His sister jabbed him in the ribs. “You should get to know her better. You have a lot in common.”
Yeah, they both slept well on hay.
The night the colt had been born had surprised him. There hadn’t been any bickering or trying to score one over him, or him over her. She’d known what to do with Raine, and the look on her face when the foal stood up had been worth a photo. It’d been hard to look away.
He wanted to look away.
When he’d woken just before sunrise after the birth, she’d been the first thing he’d seen. Her hair had tumbled from the messy ponytail it’d been in, and her face was peaceful with sleep. There had been a softness to her that he hadn’t seen before and when she’d eventually stirred, she’d smiled at him, at least at first.
Then she’d exited quicker than an alpaca leaving Zack’s care home when Zack chased it.
“I’m not glaring.”
“You are.”
“Why would I be glaring?”
“Because she has something you want.”
He could hear the smirk in her voice.
“Nothing I can do about the farm. She bought it.”
“She did.” Rayah patted his leg. “Move on. Come up with a fundraising idea.”
Because this was why they were here. The helicopter. The search and rescue team. This was the town’s response: an extraordinary general meeting to plan how they were going to make up the deficit to guarantee they got that ‘copter, chaired by Gran – because, who else?
“Where’s your baby daddy?” The best way to stop the bear from poking him was to the poke the bear.
Rayah snorted. “If he hears you calling him that he’ll use you as kindling. He’s picking Charlie up from his friend’s and bringing him here.” Her look gravitated to the corner of the room where her step-daughter was holding court quite literally. Sadie Grace had a crown on her head and was instructing two of her minions to go and steal sweets and biscuits from the treat table.
Jake suspected she’d have them massaging her feet next.
