Page 8 of In Full Bloom

“Alright then. I’ve got to get Sadie back to the house, then meet a new employee who’s starting today.”

She crosses her arms and cocks a hip, staring me down. “I’m the new employee, cowboy,” she says.

What? No. This can’t be right.

“Are you helping Olivia with the event venue?”

“No. I’m working right alongside you.”

“But … but aren’t you from the city? Last night you said you’re from the city.” The memory of her house comes to mind. The house that is clearly hers. I should have bailed when she took me there, not to a motel room like I expected. Because a house means she lives here. I let out a long breath.

“I said no such thing. You made an assumption.” She scowls at me, clenching her jaw and straightening her posture and resting her hands on her hips. “Yes, I’ve been living in a city for the past few years, but I grew up rural. I can guarantee you I know this farm better than you do.”

I can’t help it. I scoff. Yeah, I’ve only been here six months, but I’ve spent hours on this land, learning every inch of it. Every hillside, every area of bush, every stream and drain and contour.

“Look,” she says. “I’m no happier about this than you appear to be. Frankly, it’s a huge fucking fuck up. But we’re stuck working together, because I am not letting Vi and Liv down. You’re going to have to suck it up. You remember the rules?”

“Yeah, of course I do,” I say with a grumble, because what she’s saying, I have to agree with. I’m not letting anyone down either.

“They still stand. We pretend like nothing happened. I metyou here this morning. We get on with this because Vi and Liv deserve that.”

I let out a sigh. “Alright, fine. But I’ve got a tonne of work to get through today, so try not to slow me down.”

She visibly bristles and memories of last night assault me again. Moments when that fire took hold of her, when her passion was fuelled by anger and rage. “Go take your daughter back to the house, cowboy. I’ll wait for you here.”

I scowl at her giving me orders, even though that sass makes her hot as hell, then I turn and walk away.

God, what have I got myself into?

This job was perfect. Steady, reliable, a good house for Sadie, people around to support us.

Now everything feels like it’s up in the air. How can I work with Katie when she so obviously can’t stand me? And when memories of her body haunt my brain every time I think of her?

I climb into the side-by-side where Sadie is already buckled. She chats away as we head back up the hill towards the house, telling me all about how Violet said she could help make a cake today. I offload her into Violet’s care then spin around and head back to the arena where I left Katie and my motorbike.

Katie is mounted on the horse now, looping around the arena. She urges the horse faster, then stands in the stirrups as they increase speed. Her hair streams out behind her and she looks like she was born on a horse.

I may have made a hasty judgement when I told her not to slow me down and when I assumed she was here to help run the function venue in the refurbished old barn on the other side of the property.

Katie sees me coming and slows the horse, but she doesn’t head for me.

Instead, she brings the horse to a halt beside a flag set into the arena surface. She gives me a mocking salute, then kicks the horse forward. It leaps into a gallop, flicking up dust with its hooves and speeding toward a barrel.

I’ve seen Olivia practising her barrel racing in the arena, and even competing in a local race, but she has nothing on Katie right now. Her and the horse move as one, galloping, spinning, racing for the next barrel and once they round the third and final one, they gallop straight back down the line, sliding to a neat stop directly in front of me.

Katie’s eyes are sparking with that same energy from last night when I’d called her a prissy city princess, but there’s something else there too now. Freedom, or joy, or something I can’t quite recognise. Her cheeks are flushed and a grin spreads across her face as she looks down at me.

“Who’s slowing who down now, cowboy?”

I grind my teeth. Fuck, she’s aggravating.

I’ve never seen anything hotter.

I’m so truly screwed.

5

KATIE

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