Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Pippa
“ T hank you so much for helping us out, Dr. Douglas.”
The fifty-something vet stroked a hand down his graying beard. “Of course. Happy to help. Shame about the puncture, but Seamus and his lads will see you both sorted tomorrow, I’m sure.”
The lone vet in the village we’d found ourselves in for the night happened to be all of two blocks down from the garage where our recovery driver, David—one of Seamus’s lads, I presumed—had taken our horsebox. Though it was unquestionably after hours, he was still gamely digging through their tires to see if they had one in the proper size hiding somewhere. I’d taken advantage of his occupation to make arrangements for Zodiac, which had been far easier than I’d feared.
Not that Zodiac or his rider had made it to town yet. Rain drizzled down outside. Because of course we needed that on top of everything else. I knit my hands together, worried about Zeke riding cross country. At night, in a place he didn’t know, to a place he didn’t know. My brain helpfully offered a multitude of ways the two of them could get hurt or lost in the dark and wet.
Dinna borrow trouble, girl. They’re going to make it.
“I’m just going to head back to the garage to wait. We’ll be by as soon as they make it to the village.”
“We’ll be here,” Dr. Douglas assured me.
I hurried back down the street, ignoring the gnaw of hunger in my belly. We were solidly in the midst of dinner hour. I hoped Zeke made it in time for us to actually go out to find something before closing.
At the sound of faint clicking, I jerked my attention toward the east end of the street. Were those hoofbeats echoing off the stone buildings?
As if I’d summoned them by my will alone, a single horse and rider moved slowly toward me at one side of the road. His hat was pulled low over his brow, obscuring his face. But I didn’t need to see those familiar features to know it was Zeke. He took my breath away, looking like some wild west fantasy. The loner cowboy come dragging into town, in need of a whisky and a warm bed… with a willing woman. In the moment, I was more than willing to be that woman, peeling him out of those wet clothes…
I blinked, shaking off enough of the lust to recognize that the pair of them truly were soaked to the skin. They had to be freezing. Raising an arm, I hurried forward, stepping into the road to hail him. “You made it!”
“So we did.” I could hear exhaustion and relief in his tone.
“The local vet has a place for Zodiac. It’s just down this way.” I pointed in the direction I’d come from.
Zeke paused, his hands folded over the pommel of the saddle. “I’d get down to walk with you, but to be perfectly honest, I’m pretty sure I’m frozen in this position.”
I tsked. “You poor thing. Both of you. Let’s get him sorted, then we’ll deal with everything else.”
Back at the vet’s barn, Zeke all but fell out of the saddle. I darted in, wrapping an arm around his waist to steady him, and felt the fine tremors wracking his body with cold.
“You’re frozen through,” Dr. Douglas observed. “My daughter loves horses. She’ll see your lad here taken care of. Go get dry before you catch your death.”
“I won’t say no.” Once assured Zodiac was happy under the attentions of Lacey Douglas, Zeke patted the gelding on the rump, and we headed back out.
The rain was slowing as we made our way back to the garage, where a light still shone in the window.
David stepped up to the counter as we came inside. “We definitely dinna have the right tire here, but I’ve confirmed with my supplier that one will be here tomorrow morning.”
“Fantastic. Thank you,” Zeke said.
“There’s just one potential wee problem.”
Beside me, Zeke braced. “Which is?”
“Our credit card machine is down.”
“Of course it is.” Zeke sighed and took off his hat, shaking off the water. “It’s fine. I’ll just get cash from the ATM, if you’ll let me know the total.”
“There’s actually no ATM in town. The nearest bank is up at [location].”
“There’s no bank?” Zeke repeated.
“Not sure it would matter if there were. There’s been reports that the Bank of Scotland has been having issues with their ATMs across the country for the past few days.”
Zeke only stared at the man, clearly at a total loss how to respond.
Recognizing he was absolutely at the end of what he was capable of handling, I stepped in. “Well, hopefully everything will clear up by tomorrow. We canna do anything before then, aye?”
“Right.”
“You’ve been so kind to stay open for us well after hours. Can you point us to somewhere that we can stay for the night? A bed-and-breakfast or an inn?”
“You’ll want the Glenside Guest House.”
Shouldering my backpack, I thanked David again and steered Zeke out the door. The guest house was only a ten-minute walk across the village, with a cheerful light burning at the wreath-covered door. The cold was getting to me by now, so I could only imagine how Zeke was feeling.
A cheerful woman with a silver-shot messy bun answered the door. “Can I help you?”
“I certainly hope so.” I smiled. “We landed in town because of a puncture, and we’re in need of somewhere to stay for the night. David from over at the garage recommended you.”
“You’re in luck. We’ve got one room left. It’s on the small side, but it’ll be a roof over your heads.”
“That’ll be absolutely fine. We’ll take whatever you have. Thank you.”
At her beckoning, we stepped into the warmth. The place was done up for the holidays, with a Christmas tree in the lounge and other festive notes scattered around.
“I can’t wait to change,” Zeke muttered.
“I bet.” Then I paused. “Wait… we didn’t get your bag out of the van.”
He just closed his eyes and sighed. “Of course, we didn’t. I was so worried about the horse, I didn’t think about myself.”
I should have, and I kicked myself for not thinking about getting his bag when I’d grabbed my own. Without question, the garage was well and truly closed by now.
The innkeeper noted Zeke’s sodden state. “You’re wet to the skin.” She eyed him from head to toe. “My late husband was about your size. A mite shorter, but I think I can round up something dry, anyway.”
“I’d be very grateful.”
“You just wait here.” A few minutes later, she came back with a stack of clothes. “C’mon. I’ll take you to your room.”
We followed her upstairs and down a long hall. She handed over the clothes. “Something in here ought to do.”
“Much obliged, ma’am.”
The innkeeper unlocked the door and handed over the key, stepping back so we could enter. “There will be towels on the bed. If you need anything, let me know.”
We thanked her again and stepped into the room, flipping on the light. Then we both froze, staring at the primary feature of the room—the single, full-size bed. The bed we’d have to share.
Suddenly, all those fantasies that had scrolled through my brain at the sight of Zeke riding into town began to play again in high definition. And though she couldn’t possibly know, I could’ve sworn I heard Saoirse on my shoulder saying, “See? This is absolutely the situation you should take advantage of.”
Zeke was the first one to break the silence. “I’m gonna go grab a hot shower and change. Then let’s go find some food. I’m starvin’.”
“Aye, right. Of course.”
He shut himself into the tiny en-suite bathroom, and I loosed a long breath. I could handle this. It was just a bed, and we were both grown adults. This wouldn’t be a problem. Once we were warm and fed, we were both tired enough, we’d probably go straight to sleep.
As the water kicked on, my imaginary shoulder Saoirse insisted that was a bloody waste of an excellent opportunity.
Wheesht. Nobody asked you.