Page 19 of The Bear's Blooming Mate

Ugh. Since when had she become the kind of woman who waited around for a man to help her? Finn had confirmed what she already knew: that the irrigation system was a priority. So today, she would make a start on it. If Philip came back, if he found the spring, that would be a bonus. If not, she would search for it herself. And, if she didn’t find it, she’d simply return to her original plan of using water from the well.

However things turned out, she needed to get the pipes in place.

Turning to a fresh page in her notebook, Elsbeth sketched out a rough outline of the property and then carefully added dotted lines where the main irrigation pipes would run, branching into the future flower beds.

As she stared at the sketch, her stomach lurched. It was a big job. And she was only one woman.

In an ideal world, she would pay someone to do the work. But this was not an ideal world, and her funds only stretched so far.

You can do it,her mom’s voice said in her head, repeating the same advice she had always given her daughter in life, when challenges seemed too great.

“Icando it,” Elsbeth whispered to herself, taking a sip of her coffee.

She’d watched her mother tackle far bigger problems on her own. Elsbeth wasn’t always sure if that stubbornness was admirable or foolish, but she’d inherited it all the same.

So, she set to work. By midday, she had crossed the smaller jobs off her to-do list. After a lunch of freshly picked tomatoes from the garden, coupled with locally made cheese and freshly baked bread, Elsbeth stood at the edge of the field, surveying the land that would soon—hopefully—be awash with color.

Hers.

With a satisfied smile, Elsbeth headed to the shed and opened it to reveal an array of pipes and other equipment. Time to get to work.

The first roll of tubing was heavier than she’d expected, and she paused to catch her breath. Maybe she should hire some help after all. But no, this was her farm. Her dream. She could handle a little manual labor.

As she stood wiping her brow, the distant rumble of an engine caught her attention. A familiar blue pickup was making its way up the winding dirt road toward her property.

Her heart skipped a beat. Philip.

She watched as the truck pulled up beside the barn, and Philip got out. He wore a simple white T-shirt that contrasted with his tanned skin and faded jeans that had clearly seen their share of manual work.

“You started without me,” he called out as he strode toward her.

Elsbeth straightened, suddenly conscious of her appearance. Her hair escaping from her braid, dirt smudged across her cheek, her mother’s flannel shirt damp with sweat.

“I wasn’t sure you’d come back,” she admitted, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

Philip’s expression grew serious. “I said I would, didn’t I? A Thornberg always keeps his word.” He gestured toward the tubing. “Besides, this is a two-person job, at minimum.”

“I was managing,” she said, though the ache in her shoulders suggested otherwise.

“I’m sure you were,” he said, with no hint of teasing. “But why don’t we go look for this spring first?”

“Sure,” she replied. She could come back to the heavy pipe later in the day when the heat had eased.

“Do you have a map of the property?” Philip asked, his eyes scanning the landscape with practiced ease.

“I do,” Elsbeth nodded. “It’s in the house. Let me grab it.”

She hurried inside, grateful for a moment to collect herself. Her heart was racing, and not just from the physical exertion of moving pipes. There was something about Philip’s presence that made her feel both unsettled and completely at ease. A contradiction that both confused and intrigued her.

And there was something else. Something she wasn’t sure she was ready to admit.

When she returned with the map, Philip was still scanning the farm, his hands on his hips. For a moment, she stood with the map in her hands, staring at him. Then he turned to face her, a broad smile on his face.

“I have the map.” She held it up, hoping he hadn’t noticed her staring.

“Okay, let’s take a look.” He nodded toward his truck.

“Sure.” She opened the map and spread it across the hood of his truck.

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