Page 52 of Barn Burner
He shrugs, then yawns again. “Tell me what you’ve been doing today.”
Sitting back against the wall, I tell him about how I’m going to fix the barn roof and the snow that’s due to come later.
“When do you fly back?” I ask, my mind reeling at the thought of him driving through snow.
“We’re flying back straight after the game, so I probably won’t get home until the middle of the night.”
“Make sure you drive carefully, and text me as soon as you get home.”
The corner of his lips kicks up in a smirk as his eyes sparkle with mischief. “Yes, daddy.”
I cover my face with my hand and groan. “Brayden.”
“What?” He laughs. “You just went very daddy on me then.”
I try to give him my most menacing glare through the camera.
“God, don’t give me that look like you’re about to spank my ass because I’m in trouble. You’ll make me hard.”
“Jesus Christ,” I grumble, shaking my head before laughing at Brayden wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
He laughs, too, and then the sound trails off into a soft hum.
“I have a day off in two weeks before I head to Chicago. I was thinking about coming down for the night,” he says. He rolls onto his back and holds the phone above him. “If that’s alright.”
“You know you don’t need to ask. I can even give you a key so you can come whenever you want.”
His eyes widen slightly. “You’d cut me a key?”
I nod. “Mhm.”
“Damn,” he says barely above a whisper, running his hand over the center of his chest. “I… I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t need to say anythin’, Brayden. Just make sure you use it anytime you want.”
We talk for a little longer before hanging up when Brayden needs to head into the shower and my stomach audibly announces it’s time for some food. Heading back downstairs, I find Angela in the dining room, setting down bowls and spoons.
“Bein’ in love suits you, Jesse,” she says so casually I freeze on the spot.
“What?”
“Don’twhatme, Jesse Huxley.” She shakes the dish towel at me. “That British boy. He’s your sunrise. You have this glow about you. It radiates from you whenever you walk into a room, and it’s been since he came along.”
I look down at my boots, unable to meet her eyes. I’ve kind of been ignoring how big my feelings for Brayden are. They’re bigger than anything I’ve ever experienced before. They’re all-consuming. I’m pretty sure he feels the same, but both of us are too nervous to make that next step while we’re still learning how to navigate being together when our lives are so different.
When I don’t speak, she closes the distance and gives my elbow a gentle squeeze. “Don’t be scared of love, Jesse. I know you’ve had a rough time over the years, but you deserve to be happy, too. And that boy? I think he makes you happy.”
“He makes me so happy,” I confess.
Her bright smile causes the lines around her eyes to deepen. “I know. So tell him. I think you’ll find you make him very happy too.”
All throughout lunch, I watch out the window as the sky becomes more grey and gloomy. The forecast didn’t predict it would snow until later, but I have a feeling we’re going to see it much earlier.
“Are you ready to do this?” Cooper asks, zipping up his jacket as we step outside. The wind has picked up, too, bringing the bitter cold air down from the mountains.
“Yeah,” I grunt, pulling my gloves from my pockets. I’ve switched out my hat for a toque, tugging it low over my ears. “It shouldn’t take me long. I’ve just got to replace a few of the panels.”
We head over to the barn, and I get the ladder into position. I climb up onto the roof, using my body weight to anchor myself on the slope. I work on removing the cracked panels first before Cooper passes up the replacement. Despite wearing my gloves, I begin to lose the sensation in my fingers as the gusts of frigid air get stronger.
