those eyes. He drank in her smooth skin, the faint sprinkle of freckles she always tried to cover with makeup and her parted bare lips.
The wind toyed with the stray hairs, brushing them across her cheek.
He fisted his hand to keep from touching her.
Westley nickered and pawed the dirt, jerking Jake’s attention away from Tori.
He scrubbed a hand over his face and reached for the saddle pad he’d laid over the fence. He carried it over to Buttercup and smoothed it over her back. He ran a hand over her neck, and then he looked at Tori. “Mind checking out the farm on horseback?”
“Kind of late to be asking that, aren’t you?” She tossed him a grin and reached for the saddle. She carried it over to Buttercup, rested it on the horse’s back, then made quick work of cinching the girth straps. She dusted off her knees and petted the horse. “Thanks to the summer camps my father sent me to, I can hold my own.”
Jake checked the tightness.
Tori rested a hand on his forearm. “Jake, I’ve been riding since I was a kid. I know what I’m doing.”
Reaching for the pommel, Tori put her foot in the stirrup and pulled herself into the saddle. The leather creaked as she seated herself. Buttercup back-stepped and nickered against the weight, tossing her mane. Tori leaned forward, whispered something in the horse’s ear and patted the side of her neck.
Jake saddled Westley and mounted the horse. “Westley and Buttercup were my parents’ horses. Dad can’t ride anymore and with Mom gone, they don’t get exercised as much as they should.”
One more thing to add to his growing to-do list.
“Princess Bride fans, huh?”
“Mom’s favorite movie.” Leading them out of the barnyard, Jake guided them to the side of the road. Traffic wouldn’t be a problem. Another reason he loved Holland Hill.
As they passed a worn, weathered red barn that sat between the farm and Tori’s property, she slowed Buttercup.
“Problem?”
She shook her head and pointed at the barn. “What’s that used for?”
“Nothing anymore. Well, not livestock. It’s the first barn my grandfather built and the only one to weather the tornado. Now it’s used mainly for storage.”
“Can I see it?”
Jake shrugged. “Sure.”
They dismounted, then he opened the fence to the pasture behind the barn for the horses to graze while he and Tori walked up the barn bridge and stood in the expansive doorway. Wings flapped from the rafters. Streams of sunshine beamed through the open windows to shine spotlights on the old wooden floor.
Tori stood under the loft and checked out the rafters. She turned to him with a grin. “What would you say to an old-fashioned barn dance?”
“Barn dance? For what?”
“A fund-raiser for your program. The best place to host an awareness campaign for your program would be on the property where it’s going to take place. Let’s bring people to Holland Hill. I’m picturing a small petting zoo for the kids, hayrides, a barbecue, perhaps an auction of items donated by local businesses, and end the evening with a barn dance right here. And if you were feeling adventurous, we could look into fireworks.”
“No fireworks, especially with veterans who can still hear the artillery fire in their heads when the rest of the world is quiet.”
“Sorry. I didn’t think of that.”
“And people would be willing to pay to attend?” Jake shot her his best “you can’t be serious” look, but she merely grinned.
“Of course, especially once they hear about the program. We’ll presell tickets so we have a general idea of how many people to expect. We’ll get vendors to give us discounts or even free products in exchange for advertising.” As she talked, Tori continued to examine the barn. “If your family wanted to branch out, this barn would be perfect for rustic weddings and receptions. Brides are into that kind of thing these days.”
Jake gave her a look like he had no clue what she was talking about.
“Just think about using the barn. Aunt Claudia mentioned how much you valued your privacy, but I believe hosting the fund-raiser here will give people an authentic view of your vision. People will invest in programs they can get behind.”
“After the tornado, we had all kinds of news crews up and down the hill. So, yeah, we do like our privacy, but I do hear what you’re saying. I’ll have to talk to Dad and Tuck.”
They headed to the pasture. Jake opened the fence and whistled. Westley and Buttercup trotted over to him, and he grabbed their reins.
“Let me know what you decide. In the meantime, I can put together some notes for you to share with them.” Tori mounted Buttercup and nodded down the road. “My house is right there. Want to stop by and see what needs to be done?”
The way Tori sat in the saddle released a memory of when they rode together on the beach during their weekend honeymoon. Did she remember? He wasn’t about to ask and head down that path. He glanced at his watch and shook his head. “Sorry. Can’t. I need to get some stuff done in the barn before heading to the fields. Another time?”
“Sure. No problem.”
Despite her smile, Tori’s voice sounded like she didn’t believe him, but she could think what she wanted. He had chores to do, but he could’ve pushed them back another hour. Truth was, he needed a break. Even though they managed to spend time together without bickering, he realized how easy it would be to get caught up in her charms. He couldn’t risk that again. Not when there was much more at stake this time. He needed to keep his focus on the program.
* * *
Tori was in over her head.
What made her think she could give up the city life and live in the country?
Sure, she could handle the ten-minute drive into Shelby Lake for a good cup of coffee. And she certainly didn’t mind the lack of traffic. Or even the smells that drifted downwind from the Holland Farm.
But, seriously, could she spend a lifetime living down the road from a man who wanted nothing to do with her? Again, she had no one to blame but herself. And it didn’t help that she’d sat up half the night making notes about Jake’s program. Maybe once he saw what she was capable of doing, he’d see the value in having her around.
But she needed to stop dwelling on Jake and make good use of the two kid-free hours she had to work on the house.
When Aunt Claudia offered to take Annabeth to the park with her grandchildren, Tori wasted no time in making a list. She always worked better with a plan.
Grabbing her phone and water bottle, she headed for the staircase to check out the second-floor bedrooms. If she could get those, the bathroom and the kitchen in working order, then she and Annabeth could move in sooner, then work on the other rooms as time and money allowed.
Aunt Claudia confessed to lacking the motivation to keep up the house once her husband had gotten sick and they moved into town. Hopefully, any work needing to be done was cosmetic and wouldn’t eat up her entire savings.
As she climbed the steps, Tori sucked in a breath as her thigh muscles quivered and protested each movement.
Did Jake suggest a horseback farm tour to see if she could handle it?
She’d ridden horses before. Lots of times. But she hadn’t been on one since...well, their honeymoon and the ride they’d taken on the beach.
Had he remembered? If so, he’d given no inclination.
Not that she expected him to.
At the top of the stairs, Tori scanned the small sitting area