Chapter Nineteen
Evie
Liam had somehow settled into my mind, making himself at home in the quiet moments I used to spend fretting over my never-ending to-do list.
It didn’t hurt that I had Honey Leaf Lodge on my calendar today, either. It made my job even more fun.
I finished my coffee, grabbed my tools, and packed them into the truck before coming back inside and calling out to Hayden.
He was busy building a towering structure with his LEGOs in the living room, while Lance watched like a foreman inspecting a job site. It was teacher-planning day, so I got our favorite sitter, Tami, down the street to watch him while I went to my clients’ appointments. Tami was poring over schoolbooks in the recliner and gave a quick wave.
“I’ll be back before you even miss me,” I said, kissing his head. “Remember, no carrots in your nose while I’m gone.”
He groaned, rolling his eyes. “Mom, that was one time!”
Chuckling, I headed out the door, the cool morning air waking me completely as I climbed into the truck.
As I drove to Honey Leaf Lodge, the frost clung to the trees, glittering in the sunlight like a scene straight out of a postcard. Buttercup Lake never failed to look its best in the winter, even though it was known most for its summer beaches.
When I pulled into the gravel driveway at Honey Leaf Lodge, I spotted Liam waiting near the barn. As if on cue, he walked toward me with two mugs of steaming coffee.
I hopped out of the truck and he slid a kiss on my cheek, which immediately warmed me from the outside in.
It didn’t hurt that his easy smile and that perfect flannel jacket were enough to make my heart do a little flip.
“Morning. Thought you might need this.”
I took the mug with a grateful smile. “You know, if you keep this up, I might start expecting this treatment everywhere I go.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said, his grin widening. “You’re just lucky you’re my favorite farrier.”
“Oh, don’t let the horses—or Barcode—hear that,” I teased, sipping the coffee. It was perfect—hot, rich, and just the right amount of cream.
“Although she prefers Macy,” I added under my breath.
“Macy?” Liam asked, his brow arching. “Oh, the zebra told you that, did she?”
“Yeah, in not so many words,” I said with a shrug. “I don’t know why you and Beck keep insisting on calling her Barcode.”
He cocked his head. “Do I really have to explain how clever that is?”
I chuckled. “You tell me.”
“And here I was, hoping to bribe you with breakfast, too. Cinnamon rolls,” he teased, gesturing toward the Lodge. “But it seems you’re already a little prickly.”
“No, I’m holding you to that.” I set the coffee on the tailgate. “But first, you’d better get out of my way so I can get to work.”
Liam laughed and held his hands up in mock surrender. “All right, all right. I’ll leave you to it.”
I watched him walk toward the Lodge, his confident stride making it clear he knew exactly the effect he had on people.
People being me .
Shaking my head, I turned my attention to the first task of the morning: the Lodge’s resident zebra.
“Okay, Macy,” I murmured, pulling out my tools and approaching the striped escape artist. “Let’s see what we’re working with.”
Macy eyed me suspiciously, her ears twitching as I crouched to inspect her hooves.
Despite her knack for sneaking out of enclosures and causing chaos, she was surprisingly cooperative when it came to hoof care. I used my hoof pick to clean out each hoof, removing bits of dirt and debris that had built up. Once they were clean, I grabbed my rasp and began smoothing the edges.
“You know,” I said to the zebra as I worked, “if Liam were half as charming as you are, he’d probably have his own fan club by now.”
Macy snorted, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t let it go to your head.”
After finishing up with Macy, I moved on to the horses.
First up was Duchess, a sweet mare with a gentle disposition. I tied her to the hitching post and began the process again, cleaning and trimming her hooves with practiced precision.
By now, farrier work was second nature to me—the rhythm, the attention to detail, and the quiet satisfaction of knowing I was helping these animals stay healthy.
As I worked, I couldn’t help but let my mind wander back to Liam. He was easy to talk to, quick to laugh, and so genuinely kind that it was almost disarming.
By the time I finished Duchess and moved on to the next horse, Toby, the sun had climbed higher in the sky, warming the frosty air. Toby was a bit more stubborn than Duchess, shifting his weight and testing my patience as I cleaned his hooves.
“Come on, Toby,” I said, holding onto his leg firmly. “Work with me here.”
It took a little coaxing, but eventually, he settled down, and I could trim and file his hooves without further incident.
When I finally packed up my tools, I felt the satisfying ache of a good morning’s work settling into my muscles. I glanced toward the Lodge, and sure enough, Liam was standing on the porch, waiting with a fresh mug of coffee.
“How’d it go?” he called as I walked toward him.
“No injuries, no escapes, and Macy didn’t try to bite me this time,” I said, taking the coffee he offered. “I’d call that a win.”
“Sounds like you earned your breakfast,” he said, holding the door open for me. “Come on in.”
Stepping into Honey Leaf Lodge always felt like stepping into another world. From the moment the wooden door swung open, the warmth of the place wrapped around me like a cozy blanket.
First, the scent of fresh coffee, baked goods, and faint traces of pine hit me and then came the low hum of friendly chatter.
The wide entryway gave way to a grand yet welcoming space. It was always easy to see why this lodge was such a popular destination place.
The polished wooden floors gleamed under the soft light streaming through the tall windows, showcasing the view of the lake and snow-covered trees beyond.
The stone fireplace at the heart of the room crackled with a soft, inviting glow, its mantle adorned with simple greenery that blended perfectly with the lodge’s rustic charm. Honey Leaf Lodge wasn’t trying too hard to impress anyone—it just did effortlessly.
I barely had time to take it all in before Beck’s voice broke my thoughts.
“There she is!” He smiled and glanced at his brother. “You made it. I was starting to think Liam was fibbing about having a girlfriend.”
Liam’s head looked like it was about to explode.
“Girlfriend?” I choked out.
“Oh, sorry.” Beck grinned. “Have you two not had the talk yet?”
Liam patted his brother’s back and nodded. “Thanks for that. Appreciate it.”
“I just assumed…” Beck shrugged and wandered out of the room, leaving Liam and me staring at one another.
“You’ve told them I’m your girlfriend?”
“I think they assumed it. You sound surprised,” he said softly, winking at me before sipping coffee.
“Well, I just…” I glanced at the ceiling and then over at the fireplace. “I don’t know what to say.”
“I don’t go around kissing a lot of women,” he said, his gaze catching mine. “It’s a fair assumption.”
I folded my arms over my chest. “Is that so?”
He nodded and took a step closer. “But I didn’t want to scare you off and try to define…this. Besides, I wasn’t sure if I’d already scared you off with all my, you know, charm.”
“Charm? Is that what we’re calling it now?”
“Absolutely,” Liam said, crossing his arms with a mock-serious expression. “It’s a special skill. Some people build houses or cure diseases. I charm the pants off people.”
He realized what he said and laughed. “I mean, not literally.”
“There’s always a first.” I smiled at Liam, who looked to be in heaven.
And it made me wonder.
“Well, you’ve certainly got a gift.” I reached for his hand and squeezed it.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Honey Leaf Lodge always seemed to buzz with life, no matter the time of year. It was easy to see why people loved it here. A couple quietly walked up the staircase.
“Busy morning?” I asked, turning back to him.
I caught a few guests wandering out the front door.
“Always,” he said. “But never too busy to make coffee for my favorite farrier and dole out fresh cinnamon rolls.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere,” I said, though I couldn’t help but smile. “But food…”
Before he could reply, the door swung open again, letting in a gust of cold air. I turned to see Violet walking in with Owen behind her.
“Hey, Vi,” Liam said, giving her a nod. “Owen, good to see you.”
“Same,” Owen said, smiling.
“Came to drop something off for Beck. Didn’t realize you were—” She stopped mid-sentence, her gaze darting back to me and Liam.
“Didn’t realize I was… what?” Liam prompted.
“Nothing,” Violet said quickly, shaking her head. “Never mind.”
I watched the exchange with interest, my fingers tightening slightly around my coffee cup. Something unspoken was happening here, and I wasn’t sure what to make of it.
“Anyway,” Violet said, turning toward the desk where a neatly wrapped package sat. “I’ll just leave this here. Tell Beck it’s for him when you see him. Now, to enjoy my day off.”
“Will do,” Liam said casually.
Violet paused at the door, glancing back one more time. Her gaze settled on me briefly before she grinned widely, pulled the door open, and stepped out into the snow with Owen.
“Well,” I said, breaking the silence that followed. “That was... something.”
Liam laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Vi is just… Vi. Don’t mind her.”
“Seemed like she minded me,” I said, tilting my head. “Or, more accurately, us.”
Liam leaned against the counter again, his grin returning. “You think so?”
“Don’t act like you didn’t notice,” I said, raising an eyebrow. “She practically gave you a full interrogation without saying a word.”
“She knows I’ve already…
“Already what?”
“Fallen hard.”
His words jolted me to life.
“Fallen hard?” I repeated softly.
“I thought it was obvious.”
I quickly turned back to the coffee, hoping he didn’t notice the faint blush creeping up my neck.
“So,” I said, clearing my throat. “About those cinnamon rolls…”
“Coming right up.”
As he walked away, I couldn’t help but smile. Maybe it was the magic of the Lodge, or maybe it was just Liam himself.
Either way, I wasn’t in any hurry to leave, but I had another appointment a town away, and that would hopefully give me some time to think.
And to believe that maybe this just might work.