Chapter 35
THIRTY-FIVE
SUMMER
“He wasn’t here, didn’t get back ‘til about an hour ago, and came to find us right after he saw the damage.” Mr. Harris says, stepping between Indy and Jarrett. “I’m not sure I like what you’re insinuatin’.”
I can tell Indy’s brain is firing on all cylinders, possibilities and whatnot popping up in her head. I don’t think she really believes Jarett could’ve done this, but at this point her perfectly tidy edges are fraying, and she’s just grasping at any possibility.
“Have you checked your living area?” Hartley asks the stablehand.
Jarrett shakes his head. “Whoever did this must’ve heard me come in, cuz they tore down the stairs I use to get up there and shoved me to the ground.” He lifts a hand to rub at the back of his head, and I assume he must’ve hit it on one of the stall doors.
“Did you see their face? Can you confirm approximate age, gender, hair color? Anything?” Hartley pelts Jare with questions and he just shakes his head, an angry frown pulling his usually smiling lips down.
“No.”
Hartley nods, eyeing me while I stand here in the middle of this family with nothing more to say, before she’s barking more orders and asking the rest of us to leave.
I can tell Indy wants to go to wherever the horses are.
She needs to see for herself that they’re alright.
So, offering her my hand, I whisper, “Let’s go check on the horses. ”
She nods, sniffling a little and walks us around the barn to the pasture I’ve seen from behind my cabin. Despite the shitty situation, it’s a nice day. There’s a breeze which takes a bit of the heat off of the sun, the sky’s clear, and the horses look unharmed, if a little spooked.
There’s about twenty of them here, and checking each one over feels like an impossible task, but Mrs. Harris and Mrs. Turner do it without so much as a stumble.
Indy and I take a look at the ones that haven’t been examined yet. They’ve got a sort of system that Indy must understand, because she walks me over to a cream colored horse, and begins showing me where to look for marks.
Before I know it we’ve finished and the horses all look good, unbothered really.
“They’ll figure this out, Honey,” I tell her once we’ve finished, and her Mom and Mrs. Harris walk to the Harris’s house.
“What if Jare had been home? I couldn’t bear it, I don’t want anyone else to get hurt,” she admits, sniffling and stepping into my arms like she’s always belonged there.
My chest seizes with the thought as I realize how badly I want that to be true. I haven’t allowed myself to be present with her, not really, but this feels so natural. Like it was always supposed to happen.
“Maybe we can look at the notes together tonight, and see if there’s something I missed?” I offer. The thought makes my skin crawl, but if it will help Indy feel better, I’m willing to try.
“You kept them all?” She asks, looking up at me with her big green eyes.
I nod, and she lifts to her tippy toes to place a swift kiss to my lips.
“Yes please.” Stepping out of my embrace, she trails her hand down my arm and gently grips my hand. Leading me to the buggy, we hop in and she drives us down to her parents house, where we get out and I trail after her to the Honey Hut.
“The bees always give me a sense of calm,” she says, walking through the overgrown weeds and wildflowers to the small building. “I figure you could use it too.”
“I’m not sure the possibility of getting stung really gives me a sense of calm,” I quip.
She turns to look at me, her braid swinging over her shoulder making her look cheeky as fuck, and she smiles. “Oh, you aren’t touchin’ my bees.”
I look at her with confusion splashed across my face as we walk over to the work table. She turns on a big silver pot with a spout, setting a dial to whatever temperature she deems best, and turns to look at me with her hands on her hip.
“You’re in charge of cannin’,” she smiles, then walks over to the combs she must have collected earlier and sets up a station for herself. “When the pot warms, I’ll show you how to pour it into the cans and then properly seal them.”
Walking up behind her, I loop my arms around her belly, taking the opportunity to squeeze and knead her beautiful body. I fucking love how soft and supple she is, how her breath catches and chest heaves.
“Aren’t you gonna offer me a taste, Honey?
” I whisper, letting my lips brush the shell of her ear and enjoying the way her body shudders as she leans back onto me.
Her eyes close, and for a moment in this bubble, I wish I could tell her I’m in love with her.
That somehow, in the small amount of time we’ve known each other, she has slipped inside my heart and planted roots so deep that I couldn’t dig them out even if I wanted to.
Pulling me out of my thoughts, she dips her finger into the comb she’s working with and turns around, offering it to me, the golden liquid running down her fingers and around her wrist. Watching her face as my tongue licks the honey from her wrist before I suck her fingers into my mouth, I groan at the way her eyes turn molten.
Her pupils are blown out, and her lips have gone slack.
“Mmm,” I rumble, “sweet.”
She clears her throat and nods, pulling her hand back from my mouth, “Good, right?”
“I prefer sucking something else off your body, but it’s a close second,” I smile, capturing her chin and placing a gentle kiss on her lips.
Turning her head, she breaks the kiss and looks up at me, nothing but earnestness in her gaze.
“I’m done denying how much I want you, Summer,” she starts and my whole body lights on fire, “but I’m also done pretending that’s all this is.
I want all of you. I want to know what your favorite breakfast is so I can have it ready for you before we get to work.
I want to know if you prefer coffee or tea in the mornin’s.
I want to know which side of the bed you sleep on, and the toothpaste you prefer.
I want to know everythin’, the little things, and the big things. ”
Swallowing down the urge to kiss her again, I nod. “I’m still learning how to let someone in again, but I want all of that too. Just…be gentle with me, Honey.”
Her smile could light up the whole universe, and she jumps at me, wrapping her thick legs around my waist while she giggles into my ear.
“Always.” She says, nuzzling into my neck and inhaling. “Fuck, I love how you smell.”
Her mumbled confession makes me laugh, and I squeeze her plump ass for good measure. “Oh, yeah?”
“Mhmm. It’s like the most crisp green apple on the tree, and I want to take a bite to see how juicy it is.”
“Don’t go talking dirty to me, baby, we’re having a moment,” I tease.
She throws her head back and laughs, so carefree and unlike anything I’ve ever heard before, the sound like a balm to my lonely heart. Or a key, waiting to be used in the rusted lock I’ve had circling my heart for far too long.
“Let me show you how to can,” she says, jumping down and washing her hands in the little sink by the door.
When she’s done, she grabs a glass jar and places it under the spout on the pot.
Unlatching the spout, smooth thick glossy liquid slowly pours into the jar until it’s almost completely full.
Locking the spout back up, she turns to look and make sure I’m paying attention.
“Grab that lid,” she says. I pluck one of the tin lids from a stack and hand it over, watching as she secures it and places the can into another pot of water. “Once all of these are full, we’ll boil them for ten minutes and they’ll be ready to cool and label.”
“I think I can handle that,” I reply, smiling down at her, and I do exactly as she did until the pot of water can’t hold any more jars.
“How high do you need the burner?” I ask, but she’s so busy straining the combs and humming that she doesn’t answer. I could watch her all day, as her hips sway to whatever melody is in her head.
This is her happy place, and I’m grateful she’s invited me in.
She turns, filling the silver pot with the honey she’s been spinning, and looks up with a shy smile.
“Did you finish already?” She asks, looking into the pot of water at all the jars before turning back to me with a soft blush dusting her cheeks. “Well, why didn’t you stop me?”
With a shrug I chuckle, “Because, Honey, I really enjoy seeing you so happy.”