Page 30 of 40 and Flirting (with Disaster)
Jamie slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. “Of course I did. You’re the only flower I know.”
“But Jamie…” She shook her head. “What if—”
He knew what she was thinking—what if they weren’t together for long? What if she never got over her divorce? To him, none of that mattered. Leaning close, he put his mouth to her ear. “Don’t you know I’d never want to forget you, Iris?”
And despite any reservations she might have, Iris relaxed against him. A soft sigh left her lips. “You’re too good for me.”
He chuckled. “No, I’m definitely not. I have all the faults other guys have.” He eased back from her. “But you’re worth working for.”
He tangled their fingers together and led Iris out the back of the barn, back into the sunshine. A few feet away, leaning against the fence that surrounded the pasture, stood the rest of the crew, most of whom were focused on Baby grazing in the sunlight, Blossom at her side. All except Krista, who was staring their way. Jamie couldn’t read her face behind the glare of the sun and her hat and sunglasses, but he figured if looks could kill, he’d probably be laid out on the ground by now.
Which was exactly why they ended up next to her at the fence.
Baby’s sleek black coat gleamed in the morning light. Blossom was a reflection of her mother in every way aside from the blaze of white down the center of her forehead and the white socks on one front leg and one back. At Jamie’s appearance, Baby knickered softly and began a slow walk over to the fence, Blossom following. Despite the crowd of people, she ambled straight to him and tucked her head over the fence to rest against his chest.
“Morning, Baby.” He rubbed her cheek for a long moment, listening to the others chat about how beautiful Blossom was. Michael filled in the details of how they raised their foals until Baby snorted and lifted her head. Jamie took a step back. “Say hi to Krista,” he told the horse.
Krista caught her breath as Baby swung her big head in that direction. “Hold your hand out flat,” Jamie murmured to her. “Let her catch your scent.”
“Like a dog?”
Jamie ignored the irritation in her voice and instead nodded. “Just like that. Speak to her softly. You can watch her ears—if they are put back, she might be aggravated, but see how they are pointed right at you? She’s curious.”
Baby sniffed Krista’s hand, her nostrils blowing hot streams of air with each breath. She brought her mouth to the tips of Krista’s fingers and lipped at them but didn’t attempt to bite.
Krista forgot her irritation long enough to giggle.
“It’s okay to pet her neck.”
As Krista became comfortable with the horse, Jamie stepped back, letting her have this moment. If anyone could win the young woman over, it was his Baby.
Smooth fingers surrounded his, and he looked over to share a smile with Iris.
Blossom, seeming not to want to be left out, had already gone over to Michael for attention. “She’s so soft,” Chloe said, petting the foal’s neck.
Michael snorted. “Just be glad it hasn’t rained in a couple of days. She discovered mud last week, and I had to give her a bath. She was coated in it.”
“Kids do love mud puddles,” Iris said. “I think Adam found every one within a mile radius around our house each time it rained. He was the king of mud pies.”
“Good thing I didn’t grow up to be a chef,” Adam said.
“I can testify that mud pies are not a huge seller,” Jamie put in.
They all shared a laugh, even Krista.
Blossom went back to nursing, and they decided to head down to the water. The dock had been present when Jamie bought the farm, but he’d added a boat house a few years ago to house the small boat they used for occasional fishing or skiing on the lake. Michael readied the boat and took the younger visitors out for a ride. Iris made herself comfortable on a lounge chair, and Jamie, intent on cooling himself off after the sight of Iris in her black swimsuit, dived into the water for a quick swim. They alternated activities until Jamie decided it was time to heat up the grill for lunch.
Michael took the ladies up to the house to grab sides and fixings while Jamie worked on hamburgers and steaks at the grill. The smell of charred meat and smoke had his stomach rumbling, but it was amusement that took over when Adam approached him, rubbing a towel across his dark hair. Though the look on the young man’s face was friendly, Jamie could sense determination beneath the surface.
“How do you like your steak, Adam?”
Adam settled into a wide-legged stance on the other side of the grill, his big hands gripping his towel to hold it in a loop around the back of his neck. “Medium, usually, though Dad always burned them, so whatever you can manage that’s edible is good for me.”
Jamie let a bit of his amusement show. “I couldn’t keep the Carousel open without knowing how to cook a steak to order.”
Adam cocked a hip to one side. “Mom usually took over the grilling duties.”
Jamie nodded. He had a feeling she’d taken over a lot of things to keep the house running smoothly during her marriage.
