Page 21 of Eyes Like a Hurricane

I shoulder-check Noah, and he loses his balance against the wall, knocking over a broom in the process. He starts laughing uncontrollably, so I place a bored expression on my face.

Ignoring his last comment, I ask, “Are we ready to go? Sam and Erik should be here any minute. Emma is at the front desk. She came and found me when she arrived about half an hour ago, saying she would bring Sam to you and Erik to Tucker. Have you seen Tucker? I wanted to ask him a quick question.”

Noah sobers and shakes his head, not pushing me about Aislinn. “No, I haven’t seen him, but you may want to check the office. I immediately went to Sunny’s stall when I arrived this morning. I haven’t had a chance to go to the office yet.”

I thank him and make my way to the far end of the barn. I give a small whistle to get Finn’s attention. He trots up next to me.

I give a light knock before opening the door. Inside, Tucker is bent over a file, making notes in the side column. He started the program with us and has been a valuable member of the team.

“Morning, Tuck, you got a minute? I want to run something by you,” I say as I enter. Finn wanders over to the corner and flops down.

Having been deep in thought, he startles, “Hey, Lachlan, what can I do for you?”

I cross my arms over my chest and rest my left hand under my chin. “I was wondering if you thought Erik was ready for walking Puddles in the open pasture. I don’t want to rush him, but last week he looked really solid on the dirt arena. I was just curious if you felt he was ready to try more uneven ground with the open environment yet or not.”

He slowly nods and sucks in his upper lip. “Yes and no. I think he is physically ready to try pushing his prosthetic to uneven terrain. But I would like him to build up his confidence mentally a little more. He likes the safety of the enclosed arena, and I’m not sure he is psychologically ready for the openness ofthe field. Also, I know he still has a tendency to look down at the ground. We are working on looking forward to guide Puddles through the arena. He doesn’t trust that his foot will catch his weight when he plants it. I want to stay in the area another week or two until I see him trust himself to step and lead while looking forward. I know he can get there. He has the will.”

I put my hands up and smile, “You’re his trainer. I trust your opinion. You do what you feel is right. He is making such great progress. I’m excited to see his development. I understand you don’t want to risk one step forward and then two steps back. You better stick with your schedule. It seems to be working for him. I’m going to head into town to get a coffee with Callum and go over the schedule for the rest of the week. Do you mind letting Finn hang in here for a while? Also, when you see Ingrid, will you ask her to prep Splash for our 11 a.m. client?”

He nods as I pivot and head out the door. I text Callum to let him know I’m ten minutes out from Sleepy Mountain Roasters. In the back of my mind, I hope a blue-eyed girl might be getting coffee, too.

Chapter 22

Aislinn

Ireach my hands high toward the sun as it appears above the trees around the house, throwing long shadows across the lakeshore. It looks like spears are guarding my dock. I finish my third sun salutation to cool down after my run with Chloe. We made it just under a mile and a half north, toward the top of the lake, before we turned and ran back home.

I roll up my yoga mat and tuck it under my arm just as my phone alert goes off, letting me know it’s 8:15 a.m. and I have forty-five minutes to be at the new office. I call for Chloe, and she comes trotting out from among the trees without a care in the world.

I turn to open the sliding glass door and feel her head connect with the palm of the other hand I have resting against my side. She nuzzles me, then continues into the house to find her water dish. While she hydrates and relaxes, I make my way upstairs for a shower and change of clothes.

At 8:40 a.m., we are out the door. I lock the house, then click my car key to unlock the Jeep. I open the trunk, and Chloe jumps inside without hesitation.

“Ready to go to town, sweet girl?” I ask.

She turns to face forward and plops down, thumping her stub of a tail against the rubber mat. I take that as a yes and make my way to the driver’s seat.

I slowly pull out of my driveway, enjoying the serenity surrounding my property. As we follow the pine-wrapped roads back toward Main Street, I only pass two cars. Both drivers lift a hand and wave as I drive past.

Within a few minutes, we are driving through the center of town, and I spot Sleepy Mountain Roasters. The town clock shows I have ten minutes before I need to be at the clinic, so I pull into a spot right in front of the coffee shop.

As I hop out of my Jeep, I glance down the street at the sound of a diesel truck pulling into a spot a few slots down from me.

My breath catches as I notice Lachlan’s truck parking. Like two magnets, I’m pulled toward him. My feet move without conscious thought, moving closer and closer to his presence. I feel like I’ve lost control of my body. I take slow breaths to calm my heart rate. I’m sure everyone can see my heartbeat pulsing beneath my shirt.

I hear his car door open and watch as his large frame angles out of the driver’s seat. His boots thud against the concrete, and with purposeful heel strikes, he strides toward me on the sidewalk. His hat is tipped down as he scrolls on his phone. I can’t see his face behind the brim.

In one slow motion, his head angles upward as he pockets his phone, and our eyes connect. His legs pause mid-stride, and a slow smile breaks across his handsome face. As he reaches up and pulls at the back of his neck, his eyes twinkle like jade stones in a beam of sunlight.

With a breathless voice, I utter, “Hi.”

Idiot, say something. Say anything. Hi. What kind of a greeting is that? I stand there at a loss for words as he continues to stare at me.

His baritone voice registers deep and clear. “Hi, Hurricane, how’d you sleep? Did your new house treat you well?”

A small giggle breaks past my lips before I can stifle it, and mortified by the sound, all I can do is press my lips together and nod. Twin blooms of pink erupt across my cheeks as I try to regain my composure. I clear my throat and rub my palms against my jeans. “I slept great. I was pretty tired after having so much fun with you last night. You wore me out.”

His lips twist into a smirk. “Hopefully, we can think of other ways I can tire you out next time.”

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