Page 23 of Ajax

“Have we got enough for one more?”

His gaze drops to our joined hands, and his smile widens. “Of course we do. You know I always have more than enough.”

“Thanks.” Ivy leans against my bicep.

“You’re welcome, Ivy. Take a seat as it’s nearly done.”

I lead Ivy to the dining table, and pull out her chair. She smiles as she sits, and I take a seat beside her.

“Is this what lunch is like every day?” she asks.

I shrug. “Pretty much. Cookie makes food for the farm hands, but they eat in another building and we have privacy here.”

“I’ll be able to help him if he wants it,” she whispers.

I glance toward the kitchen. “He’s a bit territorial.”

Digby walks into the room, scratching his neck. He looks as shattered as I felt earlier. Some days on the farm are harder than others. “Ivy?”

“Hey, Digby.” She smiles.

He flicks a glance between us. “So …”

“Let’s have lunch and we’ll tell you all about it.”

He grins, and takes a seat. “I can’t wait to hear this.”

“Here we go.” Cookie places a platter of carved lamb in the centre of the table. It’s surrounded by roast potatoes, and he follows it up with a large bowl of steamed vegetables and a big gravy boat.

“Is this the kind of thing you usually have for lunch?” Ivy asks.

“Only during the weekends. Most days it’s toasted sandwiches or I’ll make pies or something. We usually have something simple and fast for dinner and then work out what we’re doing for the rest of the evening.”

“It’s so nice to have someone else cooking. It’s been … I don’t even know when the last time that was.” Ivy smiles.

“Cookie does all the cooking—it’s his thing.”

She laughs. “I kind of guessed that. I knew where the name came from. You guys told me once.”

“We did?” Digby asks before shaking his head. “Damn. Now we’re gonna get in trouble for any drunken confessions we made over the bar.”

Ivy grins. “I’ll never tell.”

I love this. I love how at ease she is with my friends. She’ll fit in perfectly around here—there’s only Shane and Jessie to go, and they’ll be fine with it, I’m sure.

“Ivy’s moving in with me.” I reach for her hand. “And we’re giving her a job.”

Ivy bites her bottom lip. She’s scared of what the others think, but she doesn’t know them like I do.

We’re family.

Digby nods. “It’ll be good to have another pair of hands in the mornings with the cows. Especially when Shane and Jessie aren’t here.”

She stares at him before turning her gaze to me. “Really?”

I grin. “Told you.”

“Honestly, Ivy. We know what a hard worker you are. It’d be great. Shane and Jessie split their time between here and the states, and we’re used to managing without him, but he’s away a lot more now,” Cookie says.

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