Chapter 7
SEVEN
FRASER
“So that’s mostly it,” I say, leading Summer out of our small orchard.
I’ve already shown her the main features in the centre of the farm—the chicken coops, the veg patches, and the barn housing our dairy cow.
I cross my arms, looking out over the landscape.
The emerald-green hills of the Highlands stretch up around us, wreathed in clouds.
No matter how long I live here, I’ll never really get over the view.
“Land spans about a hundred and fifty acres.” I wave over our fields.
“Alec owns everything from this side of the forest to Loch Thara. Gives the sheep plenty of space to graze.” I point at a cluster of grey houses in the distance.
“Nearest village is Dalbrae. It’s where Cameron, Alec and I grew up and went to school. ”
“Dalbrae,” she repeats seriously, as if I’m going to quiz her later. “And—oh my God!” Some ducks waddle by with their babies, and she pulls her phone out and starts taking pictures of them. The wind whips her blonde hair around her face, and my fingers itch to tuck it back.
She really is too damn pretty. Everything about her. Her wee purple shoes. Her pretty pink leggings. The heart-shaped earrings sparkling in her earlobes. Even her nails match her outfit. She looks like a damn pastel dessert. It’s adorable.
I have to admit that it was a very pleasant surprise to walk in on her this morning. I think back to how I found her—rumpled and just in a shirt. Full hips. Creamy thighs. The peep of pink lace between her legs.
Lovely.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been with a woman.
We’re pretty isolated up here, but we head down to the city every so often to make deliveries, and I sometimes stop by a bar and find someone to stay overnight with.
But lately, I don’t care enough to. Things at Lochview have been feeling pretty crappy the last couple of years.
Alec’s always stressed, and Cameron is always mad at him.
The tension between them has leached into the place, making it dark and grey.
And now Summer’s breezed in like a ray of sunshine.
This morning, things feel…different. More alive.
Even if Summer is clearly lying about why she’s here. Travel blogger, my behind.
“Gotta admit,” I say leadingly as we start trudging back up the hill, “I never heard of someone coming up to the Highlands and not packing to be outdoors. You not a nature person?”
She wobbles over a bit of grass, and I reach out to steady her. Her cheeks go pink. “I don’t know. I work a lot, so I don’t really have the time.” She rubs her eye, and I suddenly see a crack in her sunny personality. For just a second, she looks very, very tired.
I nod sagely. “Aye. Right. Hard being a travel blogger, I suppose.”
“Yes,” she says firmly, and the moment of weakness is gone. “It totally is.”
God, she’s a terrible liar. “Well, feel free to take some pics for your blog while you’re here.”
She perks up. “Really? That’ll be so helpful.”
“Nae bother. Hey, what’s your blog called? I’d love to look it up.”
She freezes. “Oh. Er.” She twists her hands together. “I’d rather you didn’t, if that’s okay.”
“Oh. Why not?”
“Just… Er… I’m too shy,” she blurts out and quickly looks away. “Anyway. Um. You’re a sheep farm. Do you raise them for meat?”
“No, no. Lochview is a fibre farm. We sell sheep wool and cashmere and a wee bit of produce to the local villages, but the animals aren’t for eatin’.” Alec’s far too soft-hearted for that. Summer nods, crossing her arms over her chest. “You cold?”
“No, I’m fine.” She gives me a bright, sparkly smile that doesn’t meet her eyes. Then she shivers.
Terrible liar.
“Here.” I unwind the scarf around my neck. Summer goes still as I wrap her up in it. My fingertips graze the soft curve of her throat, and I can feel her pulse pounding under the sensitive skin.
“Thank you,” she whispers.
I suddenly want to pull her into my arms to keep her warm. I want to buy her a proper coat. I want to know why she’s really here.
I clear my throat, pulling my hands away. “I need to check in on one of the lambs. Want to see the babies?”
“Um, yes!”
I laugh at her enthusiasm. “Right this way then.”
As per usual, as I step inside the barn, something tight unknots in my chest. I breathe in the scent of hay and wood, listening to the low baas of the sheep and the rustle of straw.
Being around animals has always settled me.
I remember back when I first came to Lochview.
I was six years old, my sister was sick, and my mum couldn’t handle a rowdy boy in the house anymore.
Alec’s mum had offered to take care of me after school, and I was fuming at being passed over to some other family like an unwanted Christmas present.
Alec used to sneak me in here when I got upset.
I still remember his serious six-year-old face.
You can play with animals whenever you like. It’ll make you feel better about your sister. Just don’t tell my dad, okay?
The memory makes me smile. Even as a kid, Alec was looking after everyone.
I lead Summer through the barn, showing her the pens we set up every spring for the ewes and their babies. “This is Darcy,” I say, pointing to a ewe surrounded by grey lambs. “And that over there is Ophelia with her babies.”
Summer’s practically vibrating with excitement as she peers at all the sheep.
“Oh my God, they’re so cute,” she whispers, and I have to fight not to laugh.
We reach the last pen, and I open the gate.
“And this is our newest mum, Viola. She gave birth last night. She has a wee girl I need to check on, if you don’t mind. ”
Summer follows me inside as I bend down in the straw next to Viola. She’s a big ewe, her belly still swollen from pregnancy. “How are you doing, honey?” I whisper to her, rubbing her flank. “You feeling okay?”
Viola baas at me serenely, butting my palm. I rub under her chin. “Oh yes, you are a good girl, aren’t you,” I mumble. “You did such a good job, you know that? Are you gonna let me see your babies?” I give her bum a gentle shove. Behind her, two little black rams are piled on top of each other.
“Viola had two boys and a girl,” I tell Summer as the boys skip over to me, running around my legs. “This is Oliver and Dodger. And…” I look around for the girl, but she’s nowhere to be seen. “Crap. I lost her.”
Dread suddenly crunches me. I was up half the night bottle-feeding the runt, but she’s so small. It’s possible the poor thing didn’t make it to dawn.
God, that’ll be a nice intro to the farm for Summer, won’t it? Bringing her to see a dead lamb. “Er. Summer. Maybe you should step out—”
“Is this her?” Summer asks behind me. I stare.
The little white lamb has appeared out of nowhere and is sitting on Summer’s foot. As I watch, she baas up at Summer plaintively and headbutts her ankle.
“Wow, she’s so friendly,” Summer says, bending down. “Can I pet her?”
I’m too shocked to speak. A few hours ago, this lamb was a pile of warm wool. I didn’t even know she could walk.
Summer looks up at me. “What?”
“Nothing,” I say slowly. “Ah. Yeah, give her a clap.”
Summer squints, then looks at the lamb and starts clapping uncertainly.
I snort. “No, I mean—yes, you can pet her. Sit down.” Summer plops onto her butt, and I crouch next to her and take her soft hand in mine. “Try stroking her like this.” I guide her gently over the lamb’s flank. “They like ear rubs too.”
Summer does as I say and pets the lamb, who flops over happily in her lap. “She’s like a pet,” she says, amazed. When I don’t answer, she looks up at me. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
I sit back on my haunches. “Summer, that lamb was half dead a few hours ago. She’s a runt. Born way too small. Her mum refuses to feed her, so we’ve been giving her bottles.” I laugh incredulously. “Shit. I’ll have to tell Cameron. He won’t believe this.”
As I watch, the lamb bounces off Summer’s lap and runs a little wobbly circle around her. Summer chases her with her hand. “What? But she’s so playful. What’s her name?”
“Doesn’t have one.”
“What?”
“We don’t normally name ’em until we know they’ll survive. They just get numbers.”
She looks horrified. “But that’s so morbid. You have to assume she’ll survive.” She scoops up the lamb and looks her in the face. “I think you should be called…Crumpet,” she decides.
I choke. “Crumpet?”
“It’s a very distinguished name.”
God, Alec is going to love putting that on the breeding documents. He usually names the sheep after classic literary characters, like a nerd. I sit back and watch as Crumpet trips back to Summer and flops onto her lap again.
It’s not unheard of for an animal to immediately bond with someone. Very occasionally, I meet a new sheep or a puppy or a duckling, and something just…clicks. The bond is instant.
Same thing happens with people. The first time I met Alec and Cameron, I felt it. A click. Like my brain going, These two will be important.
Felt it the first time I set foot in Lochview. This will be your home.
And now, as I watch Summer, this strange girl who’s lying about where she comes from, I swear I feel it again. That click in my chest.
Huh.
Rubbing Crumpet’s side, Summer looks up at me and smiles. Not the bright fake smile she’s been giving me all morning, but a massive grin. There’s a bit of hay in her hair, and without thinking, I reach up to brush it out. Her lips part.
The urge to lean in and kiss her hits me like a truck.
Christ. What is happening to me? I’ll admit I like a flirt, but I’m not usually this much of a goner for a pretty face. There’s just something about this girl…
The door to the barn suddenly flies open, and we both jump apart as Cameron strides in.