‘If there was a way I could stay for longer,’ I began, watching as Lottie’s eyes widened, ‘would it be a pain in the ass for you? I’d have to sort stuff out with Cal and see if he can cover my clients, but . . . I just don’t know if I can leave. Not just yet.’
Lottie launched herself at me, her elation forcing a smile despite everything as I hugged her back as tightly as I could, closing my eyes as I was deluged by dark curls.
‘Are you fucking kidding me? I’ve been dreading you leaving . . . ohmygod! Yes! Please stay, as long as you can.’
She rattled through some of the practicalities, talking more to herself than me, allowing me to look away, straight into Jesse’s waiting gaze.
The same feelings as in the truck came rushing back, of a kind of safety and peace that I’d rarely known before. There was little trace of the flirtation so readily at the surface, a serious undertone in his eyes, maybe even . . . worry?
‘Thank you,’ I said to him, suddenly keen to break the intensity as Lottie suddenly caught our stare, her monologue coming to an abrupt halt. ‘For everything. I’ll transfer over the money – just give me your details.’
‘Um . . . I’ve got to prep some guest stuff,’ Lottie said, squeezing my arm before stepping back. ‘See you at dinner?’
I nodded, smiling as she turned and walked out of the barn.
‘You really do love that girl, huh?’ he said, stepping out of the stall and checking the catch was on firmly.
I nodded fervently.
‘She’s family.’
He came closer, forcing me to look up, and I could almost hear the questions swirling behind his eyes.
‘I’m glad you’re staying,’ he said, scuffing his boot against the floorboards. ‘And I don’t care about the money, I’d pay it a hundred times over to stop you crying.’ My breathing hitched as he reached out, brushing my cheek. ‘Although . . . there is one thing you could do in return, if you like.’
He broke into an achingly beautiful smile, the tiniest hint of mischief in his tone switching the situation onto more familiar ground. One I knew, one I could navigate.
I raised my eyebrow.
‘If it involves fireballs, I’m going to need three to five business days to prepare,’ I replied, glancing into the stall as the horse snorted, steadily working her way through some hay in a net.
His smile became a grin.
‘I’m going over to see my mom and sisters later this week, over in Driggs. It’s about an hour away, across the border in Idaho. Come with me, I could do with the back-up.’
I almost took a step back, confused.
‘You wantmeto meet your family?’ I clarified, waiting to see if this was some kind of joke.
‘I want you to come help me even up the odds of surviving the visit,’ he replied, his voice still light, but the look on my face clearly bothering him. ‘My mom’s sick, she doesn’t get much of a chance to meet new people, but she loves to talk and chew things over. I know she’ll lo—’ He paused, correcting himself. ‘She’ll really enjoy talking to you, if you wanted a break from the ranch, all this.’
His vulnerability was laid out in front of me, the weight of his feelings in my hands.
‘Sure, course I will,’ I replied quickly, an unfamiliar swooping sensation in my chest as his face lit with surprise, then pleasure.
‘Well, all right then,’ he smiled, putting a hand to the back of his neck and holding it there for a moment along with my gaze before turning towards the other end of the barn. ‘I’ve got to go help Cole with something. Why don’t you stay for a while, let her get used to you? The vet’s coming first thing in the morning. Bailey’s patched up the worst of her cuts until then.’
‘But I don’t know what to do with her . . . I don’t even know her name,’ I called as he walked away.
‘Ah, yeah. If she had one originally, those assholes didn’t know it or wouldn’t share it. Sure you can come up with something better, anyway.’
He shared one last smile before disappearing through the open gap, leaving just me and the sounds of the horses, the smell of warm hay.
Before I could turn to look at her, I felt something soft brushing my shoulder. Making sure to move slowly, I glanced up to find her inquisitive eyes on me, her nose searching my coat, huffing a breath as she found no food. Tentatively, I reached out and stroked her nose, only realizing how close the colour was to my own hair when it tumbled forward over my shoulders. Her coat was soft, the skin around her muzzle turning to fine velvet.
‘Which is more dangerous?’ I murmured to her, watching as her small ears both pricked forward towards me, listening. ‘A natural redhead like you, or one that chooses it like me?’
As if offended, she threw back her head from my touch, ears flattening in a way that gave her an utterly ominous expression, and turned a full 180 in her stall, presenting me with her ass instead.
