Hi everyone! Here’s the third and final part to chapter 2 of B and B. By now you should have had a chance to read the whole of the first two chapters – feedback welcome!
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Ben realised there wouldn’t be any getting out of it now. He internally sighed, thinking he had enough to do each day without trying to fit in another trail ride so that Jake could flirt with Brooke.
“Well that’s sorted then! I’ll look at our roster for the rest of the week, but is there a day that suits you best, Brooke?”
Brooke looked to Jake, amusement crossing her features.
“Do I get a say in the matter?” she asked, teasing.
Jake grinned.
“Of course! I did ask you which day suited you best,” he joked, causing her to laugh.
“Whichever day is easiest for you two. I know it’ll be one extra task for you, so I don’t want to make it at an inconvenient time.”
Ben was thankful for her thoughtfulness. Jake shrugged it off.
“I’ll check the roster when I get in tonight,” Jake said and Ben knew it would be the first thing he did when he got in the door of his cabin.
Ben was thankful for Jake’s interception today with Janine, but he couldn’t help but wonder if Brooke perhaps felt the same way he had with Janine’s interest – like a deer in the headlights. He glanced at Brooke. She was cutting up the meat and potato into little bite-size pieces for Ella. Ben concluded that even if the redheaded woman was single, maybe she had enough on her plate without the interest of a high-strung male like Jake. He also concluded that he was going to stay out of it.
Over coffee and dessert – a lovely apple pie – Margaret and Peter were keen to hear Jake and Ben’s take on how the season was turning out. They’d been getting progressively busier over the past few weeks and were well into the swing of the spring season.
It was October and things weren’t expected to quieten down until late January. Ben knew he’d be well over the season by then, but for now things were more often than not appealing and refreshing.
He was a fan of spring – the changeable weather that wasn’t too hot and afforded some incredible storms to watch – and a day or two’s break from a barrage of clients. He was sure the horses appreciated the spell that inclement weather brought, too. Of course sometimes that same unpredictable weather resulted in a ride with clients starting with warm sunshine and ending with drenched horses and riders.
Ben let Jake do most of the talking, adding a comment or two about how the horses were faring as Margaret asked about client numbers and which ride time was the busiest. Peter got back into reading his paper at the table even though his wife insisted that he didn’t.
Brooke was focused on Ella and Ben found himself envious of the two. He’d happily be in his cabin with the heater on and a good book right now. It was with relief that the evening came to a close and Ben was able to make his escape. He didn’t bother to wait as Jake dragged out their goodbye as they headed down the hallway. Honestly, it wasn’t like Brooke was walking them to the door, so why did Jake need to drag his heels?
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