had to be mad.
‘I didn’t really do anything.’ She watched mesmerised as Charlie threaded long fingers through his dark curly hair and tentatively rubbed the spot that had been in collision with his car. ‘That horse of Holly’s bolted again, and, er Lucy was in their path. I just nudged her out of the way.’
Their gazes met, a slight quirk of humour tugged at the corner of his mouth. The feel of his solid, warm hand at her waist seemed to be imprinted into her body. She could feel it now, smell the smoky, earthiness of his scent. It was almost intimate. She folded her arms around her body to stop the shiver of awareness, then realised she was being defensive and dropped them to her sides. Stared at his left ear, which was much safer than looking into his eyes or at that sexy mouth.
‘Ah, thought I heard a bit of a clattering through the square earlier on, them cobbles don’t half ring when she belts over them.’ Jim smiled broadly. ‘Well you two will be seeing a lot more of each other, I’m sure.’
Charlie looked warily from Lucy to Jim, then back again. ‘Nice, to erm meet you properly, Lucy. Welcome to Langtry Meadows.’ He held out a hand, there was the briefest touch of warm fingers then it was back safely in his pocket. ‘Sorry Jim, but I’m in rather a hu—’
‘Now then, not so fast lad, our Lucy has a favour to ask, haven’t you Lucy?’ Jim prodded her in the ribs. She’d always thought she was pretty direct, but Jim would beat her hands down any day.
‘Well I’m sure it can wait if Mr Davenport is busy.’
‘No time like the present, if you don’t mind me saying.’ Jim folded his arms as though he was here for as long as it took, then jerked his head in Charlie’s direction. ‘Go on, ask him, lass.’
She did mind him saying. But it seemed rude to say so, and there really wasn’t any harm in sorting it out here and now. That would be something to tick of the list, even if it was a minor accomplishment. ‘We can discuss it properly when I’ve moved in, but, well we, I, well I understand the practice sends somebody in to the school to chat to the children at this time of year.’
‘And?’ He was looking at her blankly.
‘Well, if we could arrange a day?’
He frowned.
‘Early next term? For you to come…’
‘Oh, no.’ He held a hand up, a barrier between them, and if she hadn’t been so aware of him she wouldn’t have noticed the slight tremble. He shoved the hand back in his pocket. ‘Sorry, that’s Eric’s domain, I’m afraid I—’
‘Oh well fine, we can wait…’
‘They look forward to it.’ Jim rubbed his beard and gave the vet his ‘governor’s look’.
‘I’m sure as soon as Eric returns to work…’
‘Aye, I’m sure he will, he’s a generous man is Eric.’ He gave the vet a pointed look. ‘But Spring’s the time we like to do it, and,’ his eyes narrowed, ‘after Easter, I’m sure your old man would expect you to do the right thing.’
Charlie’s lips tightened, along with his jaw and Lucy was pretty sure he was gritting his teeth to stop himself saying anything. He folded his arms. Showdown in the car park, maybe this wasn’t going to be such a minor accomplishment after all.
She would have quite liked to have told Jim to be quiet. ‘Maybe if you leave us to chat?’
‘Ah, yes.’ He grinned and winked. ‘Whatever you say, I’ll leave you two youngsters to it then.’
The heat rushed to Lucy’s face, and she was just about to launch into an explanation when the vet held up a hand.
‘Look I am sorry, but before you start, the answer is no.’ He glanced at his watch pointedly. ‘I’ve got an emergency call to tend to.’
‘We could walk and talk?’ She was curious as much as anything, he’d recovered now but his reaction had been weird to say the least.
‘I’m driving.’ Obviously. He threw his bag into the back of the car and closed the door firmly. ‘Nothing personal. Nice to meet you, I hope you enjoy it at the school, Miss er.’
‘It’s just that Jim, well the school, well I, well we just wanted you to spare an hour to talk to a group of kids?’ He was opening the driver’s door, any minute now he’d be driving off. ‘Please, could we at least have a chat about it?’ She wasn’t quite sure why it was so important to the school, or why it was such a problem to the vet, but she at least had to try. Failing at the first task she’d been given wasn’t a good start. And he’d looked shocked, mildly horrified, at the thought of going into school, which seemed off when he appeared so level-headed and adrenaline-free. Bolting horses seemed to be a daily hazard, so why would a group of kids pose such a threat?
‘This really is a matter of life and death.’ His tone was firm, she could quite imagine him using it when a dog was misbehaving. Before she could say another word he’d started up the car engine, and was easing the door shut so that she had to skip out of the way, or get squashed. For a second his gaze met hers through the glass, and she sensed a genuine regret, then he put the car into gear and looked away.
Jim sidled up as the vet’s car, and her opportunity to fulfil her first task, slipped away.
‘Ah well, I told you he was a tricky one, slippery as an eel, but I’m sure you’ll sort it.’ He winked. ‘A woman with your resources.’
‘But he really doesn’t seem to—’
‘You’ll talk him round.’
She wasn’t sure she wanted to talk him round, his response had been so genuine it almost seemed wrong to ask. ‘Isn’t there anybody else? Another vet?’ If the man didn’t want to do it then surely there was somebody else who could do it?
‘Only the one in the next village, and we won’t be asking him now, will we?’
‘We won’t?’ Oh God, even Jim was showing a steely side, another stubborn male.
‘Over my dead body, and those of most of the other governor’s.’ He rubbed his hands together as though that settled the matter. ‘We’re relying on you my dear. Right, I better not keep you, got a fair drive haven’t you?’
Lucy nodded. Hoping the journey home would be less eventful than the one here. At least she was heading back knowing she had a job, even if it was only for a few weeks.
‘I’m sure you’ll love it here, fit right in you will.’ He smiled and just as she was putting her hand out to shake, he clapped both hands on her upper arms which she guessed was one step down from a hug.
She watched him stride off down the lane, then gazed back at the cottage that was going to be her temporary home.
It would be a long drive back. In fact her home seemed on a different planet to this little village.
***
She deserved a celebratory glass of wine. Even if it was a temporary, very unsuitable, job. Lucy closed her front door, kicked her shoes off and headed straight
