Page 40 of The Geography of Happiness

He laughed. “Fair enough.”

“So, how’s your brother doing?” I changed the subject. “Is he still up in Auckland?”

Alek’s lips set in a thin disapproving line. “That one has rocks in head. Done with farming, he says. Says Auckland way better. More dick.”

I snort-laughed. “Well, he’s not wrong there.”

Alek grimaced. “Not funny. He’s too young.”

“I thought he was twenty-five?”

Alek narrowed his gaze. “Our farm back in Russia... nothing for miles. No towns or cities. Andrei knows nothing of how world works.”

I bit my tongue. Six months immersed in the Auckland gay scene and I suspected that situation no longer applied, but I kept my opinion to myself. It wasn’t my battle. “We should probably get back to the woolshed before Holden comes looking for us. You want a lift?”

Alek shook his head. “Nah. Come on, boy,” Alek patted his thigh and headed up the track with Thor at his side.

The woolshed reverberatedwith the familiar thrum of station activity—ewes bleating, Holden’s team calling to each other over the pens, dogs barking as they pushed the mob through the races, and the melodic voice of Bob Marley singing in the background. Tom was on the sorting gates, Sam was busy with the lambs, and Alek was making his way over to Charlie, who was working with the anxious ewes bleating to their babies.

In charge of the chaos was Holden, directing operations from his position atop a wide plank straddling the races. Shirtless and sexy, he commanded attention, and for a second, I couldn’t look away. Then a certain cute storekeeper sprang to mind andHolden’s charms suddenly fell way short by comparison. And exactly when had that happened? Good God, I was in so much trouble.

An elbow caught me in the ribs, and I turned to find Gil grinning from ear to ear with Spider glued to his side. He shoved a steaming mug of coffee and a huge slab of chocolate brownie into my hand. “Here, I saved you some.” Then his gaze locked on Holden and an appreciative sigh fell from his lips. “Lordy, he’s a sight, isn’t he?”

“That he is.” I took a long swallow of coffee and sighed happily. “You’re a lucky man.”

Gil’s attention remained fixed on Holden. “And don’t I know it. I make sure to time my morning tea run for when I know he’ll be all hot and bothered... like now.”

I chuckled. “You’re a bad, bad man, Gil Everton, but I like the way you think.” I pulled the stack of vaccination certificates from my overalls and offered them to him. “You want these?”

He snatched them from my hand. “Hell yeah. Lord knows where Holden would stash them if it was left up to him. That man’s brain works in strange and mysterious ways. Did you vaccinate Spider as well?” He stroked the huntaway’s furrowed brow.

“Yep. All done. I caught him strolling to the woolshed as I arrived.” I elbowed Gil gently. “You might want to keep an eye on his weight. He’s up a few kilos from last year.”

Gil sighed and scratched the dog’s ears. “Back to the diet kibble for you, little man.”

Spider cast an accusatory look my way and I raised my hands in defence. “Hey, don’t blame the messenger. The numbers don’t lie.”

The creak of the woolshed door had us both glancing around, and I blinked at the sight of Terry looking all kinds of delicious in a pair of faded blue jeans, a crisp apple-green T-shirt, and apair of black sneakers. His choppy blond hair hung in damp wild strands around those crystal-blue eyes, and a blush ran over his cheeks when his gaze landed on me. “Hi.”

I grinned in reply. “Hi yourself.” I added a wink, knowing Gil couldn’t see, and Terry’s lips twitched.

His fingers fidgeted at his side. “I hope it’s okay for me to drop by.” He switched his focus to Gil, which gave me a few seconds to simply drink him in. Lean, guarded, sexy as hell, and smelling fresh from the shower, I wanted nothing more than to lick him from his toes to the top of that pretty blond head... slowly. “Zach suggested I come take a look if I had time.” Terry’s gaze slid back to mine, then off again just as fast. “And whaddya know, I had time.”

He really was too fucking cute.

“And that salted caramel is to die for, by the way,” he added. “I’ll take some back with me if I can.”

Gil’s smile broadened. “I’ll put a couple of bottles aside. I’ve been trying to get Helen to sell it commercially for ages.”

Terry’s eyes lit up. “Tell her I could stock some in my store if she wants to give it a go. I have a table next to the cash point devoted to boutique products. I guarantee people will love it.”

Gil nodded enthusiastically. “That’s what I think too. I’ll put the idea to her. Have you got plans for the day other than watch the best station team in the Mackenzie?”

Terry chuckled. “Nothing yet. I do have accounts I need to finish.” He threw a wicked smile my way and I couldn’t stop the groan that fell from my lips.

“Oh, for Pete’s sake, say it isn’t so,” I grumbled. “What did I tell you about trying to pass off work as play. It doesn’t and will never count as fun, no matter what you tell yourself.”

Terry laughed. “Says you.”

---