17. Chapter 17
Erik
I prayed for the universe to give me a break from all the paperwork on my desk, and it sent me sheep. Fifty, to be exact.
I retrieve my rubber boots from the back seat and pull them on before I jump out of my car. It might be sunny today, but who knows what kind of terrain we get to wade through as we lead them back?
"Erik!" Henry waves me over.
It's by far not the first time we're teaming up to retrieve animals that escaped their enclosures. Though I'm kind of surprised we're the only ones today. This particular herd usually warrants a five-people minimum group to herd back.
"Henry." I greet him curtly with a firm handshake.
"As far as I can tell, they've stuck together." He points at the flock blocking the road. "Right now, we just have to keep an eye on them. Joseph finally got more dogs who are supposedly trained well enough to do most of the herding."
"Okay, good." I lean my back against my car, parked sideways to block the road. No wading through mud and excrement today? And I get away from my desk? I’m thrilled.
"It's a lucky day for both of us, man." Henry claps my shoulder and leans next to me.
His car blocks them in from the other side and we caught them on a piece of road with guardrails.
Since my main job here is to make sure no animals are in harm's way, and no driver speeds through the flock, I think we're set.
"How's Anthony doing?"
I glance at him from the corner of my eyes. Right. It’s not the first time I forgot our dads know each other. "Oh, you know, he's doing all right.” I nod absentmindedly. “Counting down the days he has left in there."
"He should be making it to three-digit numbers soon, no?"
"I think so. I’m not the one counting." We watch the sheep, and I hide a yawn behind my hand. The result of spending many nights counting sheep to fall asleep. "Did your dad go visit him?"
"Yeah." Henry nods and puts his hands in his jacket pockets. "Just went last week."
"Great, that's good." Apparently, before my dad got married, they used to be best friends. They drifted apart for a while and when Henry and I got sent to the same kindergarten, they ran into each other rekindled their friendship.
"Where's Nic?" I try to keep the awkward small talk going, my eyes following a lamb as it searches for its mother.
"They're decorating for the autumn fair today."
The corners of my mouth twitch as memories of last year flood my mind. Putting handcuffs on Nic’s arrogant older sister and her ex-fiancé was the highlight of my year.
"And don't worry, this year we're not expecting her family to make a surprise appearance that would warrant your intervention."
"Shame." I chuckle and shake my head. "It was actually kind of fun."
"Trust me, you're not the only person who enjoyed it. Once they were gone for good, Nic kept looking up articles and photos of it.” He lifts himself off my car and runs to our right, where a sheep is trying to squeeze past my car.
“Not a chance, Shaun. Back you go.” His sheer presence is enough to make the sheep return to its herd.
“Where were we? Right. Kylie is there too." He shoots me a knowing glance, the corner of his mouth twitching.
"Okay?”
“Just in case you're interested." He keeps watching me from the corner of his eyes. Finally I have enough and fully turn to him.
"Gossiping doesn't suit you, Henry."
"Can't blame a guy for trying." He shrugs and nudges a wet leaf in the road with the tip of his shoe.
"I'm just saying, the last time a pretty woman moved to Wayward Hollow I got a girlfriend.
And then Caleb got a girlfriend. So maybe...
" He puts his hand on my shoulder and gives it a squeeze. "It's your turn."
"Maybe," I mumble, running my fingers through my hair and turning my face the other way. But it’s too late. He saw the smile I couldn’t contain.
"Aha! I knew it."
"We might have been talking and hanging out. I'm not opposed, but I’ll have to let it play out. I'm not sure she's even looking for a boyfriend at this stage."
"At what stage?"
"The freshly divorced stage."
"Oh well." He chuckles and clasps my shoulder again. "I don't think any of us were actively looking for it. But sometimes the universe has a funny way of working out." A car engine approaches from behind us and he lets go of my shoulder. "There he is. Come on, let's get these sheep home."