Page 27 of Sunny Skies Ahead
I tried not to perk up at the promise in her statement.
“Glad to know I haven’t run you off entirely, if you’re already making plans to come back.”
Imogen simply brushed past me, looking back at me over her shoulder. I saw it then, the moment she slipped back behind that mask she wore. It was the mask I’d put on myself after a vulnerable moment, where I wasn’t sure how to act or what to say to the people who’d seen me unguarded.
“You coming, cowboy?”
I rolled my eyes, even as heat flared beneath my skin.
Two could play at this game.
Chapter nine
Imogen
My day at Winding Road was largely uneventful after we toured the pasture. Kam showed me the orchard and some of the crop fields, and took me to visit the hen house, where I got to meet Old Gram and Rambo in the flesh. I still couldn’t believe Kameron would name one of his hens Rambo, but when I thought more about the company he kept, I supposed it made sense.
Kameron and I parted ways at my car, with me promising to text him when I left on Friday night to head back here. We’d worked out a schedule where I’d spend the weekends here at Winding Road, and most of the work week back in Watford. Given that this was supposed to be a part time position, and that most of the work that needed doing around Winding Road took place on the weekends, that arrangement made the most sense.
The moment I walked in the door of my farmhouse, I dropped my bag, flopped onto my couch, and let out a long sigh of relief.
It was good for me to get a change of pace. But nothing compared to the comfort of this couch, and being back in my safe place.
I only had a few minutes of peace before my phone rang. When I saw it was Abbie, I quickly sat up, smashing the answer button.
“Hi Abbie!”
No answer.
“Abbie?”
Just as I was about to panic, believing my friend had been kidnapped in a foreign country, I heard the faint rustling of sheets in the background.
“Hellooo,” I said, rolling my eyes when I heard giggling in the background.
“Hi, sorry,” Abbie said, out of breath.
“I know you are not calling me while you’re in bed with Connor.”
“We just woke up!” Abbie insisted. “I know it’s getting late there, and it’s almost time for your evening ‘me time.’ I wanted to hear your voice before you went to sleep. How are things?”
I smiled, leaning back against the couch cushions.
“They’re good. I just got back from Winding Road a few minutes ago, actually.”
“Oh?” Abbie said, intrigued. “Did you have fun?”
There was a muffled sound against the receiver, as if she’d covered the speaker phone with her hand while discussing something she didn’t want me to hear.
I let out a long sigh.
“I’m there to work, Abbie. As nice as it is working for friends, I do still have to work.”
“Of course,” Abbie said. “I don’t mean to downplay that part of it. I guess we’re all still adjusting to the change in dynamic.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, not to get too deep into the romance novel weeds here, but isn’t Kameron technically your boss now?”
