“Go and speak to her.”
“No. She wants to play it this way. I’m not looking like some lovesick teenager.” He shook his head and stood up. “She’s either interested or she’s not.”
“So what are you doing now?”
“Joining Olly for a tequila shot.”
Rayah shook her head. “That’s a really good idea, Jake. Nobel prize worthy.”
He ignored her. Even though he knew he’d regret it later.
Chapter Fourteen
“Can I get you a coffee?” Lainey peered through the gate to where Jake was standing with three of his team, discussing the last-minute logistics for Severfest that was due to start at the end of the week. They’d been working what looked like twenty-four hours to get everything set up; some of the bands had already arrived, staying at Sorrell’s or in camper vans that looked more like mini hotels, or in the additional pods that Jake had set up. Lainey had cancelled any clients for the week, one because she knew that it was going to be busy and noisy, which wasn't always the best atmosphere to have people who are already traumatised around, but also she wanted some time off herself, having worked what felt like pretty much non-stop since she moved to Severton.
“We're good, thanks,” Jake said, barely looking up at her.
This was how it had been for the last couple of weeks. It felt as if he was trying to avoid her at all cost, staying out of her way and when he did have to see her, he always seemed to have somebody with him. There had only been one time when they'd been on their own together since he cooked her breakfast, and that was when one of his horses had been in distress one night, and the vet had been unable to get there.
She’d thought that he would have asked her to stay afterwards, once the horse started to improve. Instead, he’d been friendly, but there hadn't been the usual banter between them and any of that chemistry that she decided she more than liked seemed to have been turned completely off.
“No worries. Just give me a shout if I can get you anything.” She backed away from the gate and locked it behind her. Since Abby had been followed home by what seemed to be a stalker, Jake had been messaging her every night, reminding her to check that her door was locked. She was pretty sure that he checked himself, too, a couple of times, having heard footsteps walk up to her door that sounded just like him.
“Top o’the morning to you.”
Lainey managed to stifle a groan. Ever since Dylan had found out that she'd spent a lot of her summers over in Ireland he'd been greeting her in a very bad, fake, almost insulting Irish accent. The cottage renovation was almost finished and it had definitely been worse having to tolerate Dylan for the best part of the last three months. As irritating as he was, he was definitely good at his job. She was pretty sure he'd worked most weekends in order to get the project finished on time, or even ahead of schedule. In another couple of weeks, Holly would be moving in there and the cottage where she was currently staying would be the next project.
“You do realise what time it actually is, don't you?” Lainey frowned at him. It was almost half past four in the afternoon, nowhere near the morning, and she felt like she'd already packed at least three days’ worth of stuff into today, so she could have the next week off.
Dylan beamed at her, his nose and cheeks reddened by the sun, or possibly from drinking a little too much. She knew he spent most evenings in the pubs in Severton; she'd also heard that he’d been barred from one or two for starting fights. But he hadn't brought any trouble her way, so she supposed she couldn't complain.
“Just a saying. Thought it might make you feel more at home, unless you know what the Irish say for the afternoon.” His eyes climbed from her ankles up to her breasts, something he did every time he saw her to the extent where she didn't think he realised he was doing it.
Lainey had no idea what a Gaelic greeting would be, and she also had no idea how to say fuck off in that language. “I only stayed over there with my grandparents for holidays. I can’t say that I actually lived there.” She must have told him this at least hundred times since he'd been working for her.
Dylan shrugged, clearly not giving a fuck. “What day did you say you've got your furniture arriving?”
She hadn't actually told him what day, mainly because she wasn't entirely sure herself except it was after the festival had finished. “I'll let you know when I know,” she said. “Do you want a coffee?” She might as well make someone a drink while she was doing one for herself and part of her wanted to keep busy, not wanting to spend too much time thinking about why she'd seen so little of Jake in the last few days.
“No, thanks. If it's half four in the afternoon I'm only interested in one type of drink.” His wide grin left her in no doubt as to what he meant. “In fact, I think I'm going to knock off slightly early – you know, make the most of the weather. We’re ahead of where we should be up to, so I've told the lads that it's alright for them to go to the festival over the weekend.”
Lainey had no problem with this; in fact, she was glad that for once she wouldn't have anybody else knocking about the farm. Although that did mean she'd have more time on her own trying to work out exactly why she'd seen so little of Jake, which she wasn't sure she actually wanted to do.
“Enjoy.” She gave him a plastered-on smile and retreated back into her kitchen, not bothering with the coffee and going straight for the wine instead.
In the last couple of weeks her team had expanded, she had another two stable hands to help out, plus a part time therapist who was doing almost full-time hours. One consultant had pretty much pleaded with her to consider opening up a residential offer, so that patients could be admitted for a period of time where they could have intense therapy, or even assessment visits.
Lainey was thinking about it, like she’d done before. So far, she'd grown quicker than she'd anticipated, although she wasn't surprised at the demand that there was for what she could provide. However, she wasn't sure that she wanted to take on the responsibility of having even more complex cases, who were inpatients. There was something about the small town life that she became fond of very quickly, and as well as looking after other people’s mental health she wanted to look after her own and spend more time riding, being with friends, and enjoying what she could.
Unfortunately, at this moment in time, that didn't include time with Jake Maynard.
With her new bifold doors wide open she could hear what was being said from Jake's backyard. The two houses really had been built too close together, and Lainey had wondered what the reason was behind that. She could hear laughter, an odd couple of curses when something wasn't going as it should be and then she heard her name said.
Lainey froze, glass in one hand, bottle of white wine in the other. She’d promised herself she wouldn't let anybody else get under her skin in the same way that Hugo had. She’d told herself that Jake Maynard would just be one night, but after that second night and that morning over breakfast, she’d wondered exactly what was true about his reputation, and whether she should let him continue to crawl his way into something other than her house.
Because let's face it, he'd done a very good job of crawling into her vagina.
“So she's single, the girl that lives next door?”
