Chapter 37
37
JOE
All Joe knew was that he didn’t want this moment to end. He and Skye might have lives to get back to but right now he wished that wasn’t the case. Everything about her was perfect. From the way she kissed, to how her green eyes sparkled every time she laughed at something funny, her love for the animals and well, just everything about her. If only she didn’t worry so much about how he earned his living, or even if she lived here and wasn’t going back to Edinburgh when this was all over.
He reminded himself that she did have a family here now and would more than likely be travelling over to spend more time with them, getting to know each of them. It wasn’t perfect, but it was something, he supposed. And, he realised, there was nothing to stop him going to visit her. But would that be enough? He doubted it would be for him.
Joe felt a nudge against his thigh and glancing down, saw Spud pushing his head against him. Reluctantly he moved back from Skye and peered at the dog. ‘What’s the matter, boy?’
Derek sidled up to Skye’s leg and pushed against her, his eyes gazing up at her as if he was trying to tell her something.
‘Something’s wrong,’ she said thoughtfully. ‘His tail is down and Derek’s tail only does that when he’s unhappy, or worried.’
Joe bent to stroke him. ‘What’s wrong, little guy?’ he asked, cuddling Derek whose tail rose, he was relieved to notice.
Skye gasped. ‘We forgot to feed the dogs,’ she said guiltily. She looked at the kitchen wall clock. ‘It’s an hour and a half after their usual breakfast time. Oh, you poor boys,’ she said, stroking them both before looking at Joe again.
Unable to help himself, he gave her a quick peck on her lips. ‘This means that we’re also late to feed the other animals.’ He bent to stroke Spud and then Derek who was now wagging his tail, letting it tap noisily against the cupboard door where their food was stored. ‘Clever chap.’ Joe laughed. ‘All right, we get the message. I’ll feed you right this minute.’
‘How selfish of us,’ Skye said, picking up the plate and tea towel to dry up. ‘I feel really mean now.’
‘Not as bad as me.’ Joe fetched the bag of kibble and a new tin of dog food from the utility room and returned to the kitchen. ‘All I was thinking of was our food.’ He smiled at her, wishing she was still in his arms and recalling how it felt to hold her, kiss her.
Spud nudged him again and Skye laughed. ‘You need to pay more attention to him, at least until he’s eaten.’
Joe groaned. ‘Sorry, Spud. I really am being useless this morning.’
‘Oh, I wouldn’t say that exactly,’ Skye teased, making him laugh.
‘I’m glad you think so.’ He opened the tin, placed the two dog bowls down, poured in the required amount of food and spooned in some of the tinned meat, mixing them together. ‘There you go, lads. Enjoy.’
Hearing vehicles outside, Joe put the food away and went to see who was there. ‘It’s some of the lads from Leonard’s farm come to help finish harvesting the Jersey Royals.’
‘Right,’ Skye said. ‘I’ll go and greet them and meet you in the field.’
‘Won’t be long.’
He watched her go, waiting for the dogs to finish eating so he could wash up their bowls rather than leave them to attract flies. Skye really was always diligent and he didn’t wonder why Melody had thought her the perfect person to suggest for coming over and running the farm.
And he was very glad that she had done. It had been a refreshing time staying here at the farm and getting to know Skye. He had thought himself settled until his mother’s arrival and moving to the farm. He’d presumed he was happy with his lot and that having a job he loved and his home meant that there wasn’t anything missing. He hadn’t noticed anything missing – not before coming here and getting to know her. Now, as he thought of the time they had spent together on relaxed walks on the beach and in the fields, sitting up late chatting; chilled, pleasant times he’d spent in her company, he realised there had been a gaping hole in his life that he now felt an urge to fill.
If only there was a simple solution to making that happen. Even if Skye came over to visit Jersey and spend time with Carlos and Paul, they also had their own lives, and how long could Joe realistically expect her to spend here? He could visit her in Edinburgh, and assumed that as her grandmother lived there that would be where Skye would want to live. Unfortunately, he knew from past experience with his ex that meeting someone under one circumstance rarely ended up working long-term when both parties had to get back to their daily work routines. However he looked at it, a relationship between them would take some thought and a lot of compromise if it was going to work in the long term.
Maybe he wasn’t meant to expect this amazing time with Skye to continue after the Torels returned and he moved back home and Skye returned to live with her gran. He was probably being fanciful, romantic even, hoping that they could find a way to make this work.
Hearing the dog bowls clanging against the tiles as Spud and Derek licked them clean, he picked them up and washed them. He caught sight of Skye out of the window striding up from the lower meadow and leading the three rescue alpacas to the field where they would spend the day. She didn’t seem to have a care in the world but he now knew her better and understood that there was a lot for her to contend with and get used to, especially after all the recent changes in her life, meeting her father and discovering she had half-brothers. It couldn’t have been easy for her meeting Carlos for the first time, discovering more about her mother and learning of experiences her mother had chosen not to share with her.
He dried the bowls and put them away in the cupboard, then went to join Skye in the field. If they only had a short time left together then he needed to make the most of every second with her, because it wasn’t long now until Lettie and Brodie would be back.