Page 49 of The Bear's Blooming Mate

“You’ve found more than just me,” Philip assured her, kneeling to examine the section of pipe. “This coupling seems loose. Do you have that regulator I gave you yesterday? We’ll need it to properly connect these sections.”

“It’s in the shed,” Elsbeth said, already backing away. “I’ll go get it.”

“Perfect,” Philip called after her retreating form, watching as she jogged toward the weathered outbuilding.

We’re helping her build her dream,his bear rumbled contentedly.

Elsbeth has already made our dreams come true,Philip murmured, examining the irrigation layout.

She’d made decent progress on her own, but some of the connections needed adjusting to ensure proper water flow.

Elsbeth returned moments later, slightly out of breath, the regulator clutched in her hands. “Found it!” she announced triumphantly.

“Great,” Philip said, taking it from her. Their fingers brushed, sending that familiar spark through his body. He noticed her quick intake of breath and knew she felt it, too.

Together, they worked side by side, fitting the pipes together with the regulator as the central connection point. Philip guided her hands with his own, showing her how to tighten the fittings just enough without stripping the threads.

“Like this?” she asked, her face inches from his as they both crouched over the pipe junction.

“Perfect,” he said softly. “You’re a natural.”

“I am not planning on doing anything on this scale again,” Elsbeth told him. “But thanks for the compliment.”

“Ready for the next phase?” Philip asked, wiping sweat from his brow as he grinned at her.

Elsbeth nodded eagerly. “Let’s do it.”

They gathered the remaining sections of pipe and hiked up toward the spring, following the path they’d discovered together. The climb was steep in places, but Elsbeth kept pace with him effortlessly, her determination to see this through evident in every step.

At the spring, Philip set down his tools and surveyed the area. “We’ll need to create a small dam to collect the water before it enters the pipes,” he explained. “That way, we can control the flow and filter out any debris.”

“I’ve never built a dam before,” Elsbeth admitted.

“First time for everything,” Philip grinned, rolling up his sleeves. “Watch and learn. And help, if you want.”

“I do want,” Elsbeth said, watching him dig with a small shovel he’d brought.

The earth was soft and rich, yielding easily to his efforts. As he worked, he became increasingly aware of Elsbeth’s gaze following his movements. Her eyes traced the flex of his muscles, the set of his shoulders as he dug deeper into the earth.

She likes what she sees,his bear teased.

“Want to give it a try?” Philip asked.

“Sure,” Elsbeth said, and he handed her the small shovel.

“See how I’ve sloped it slightly?” Philip explained, forcing himself to focus on the task rather than the heat of her gaze. “That creates a natural filter as the water settles.”

“It’s fascinating,” Elsbeth nodded. “Like this?”

“Just like that,” he replied, sitting back on his heels to inspect their work. “Now we need to line it with stones to prevent erosion. Mind helping me gather some?”

“Absolutely.”

They worked together, collecting smooth rocks from the surrounding area and placing them carefully along the edges of the small depression. Philip’s hands moved with practiced precision, arranging the stones to create a natural-looking basin.

“The rocks help filter the water, too,” he explained. “And they prevent soil from washing into your irrigation system.”

“So the pipes don’t get clogged,” Elsbeth added more flat stones along the base of the dam.

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