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‘You have such a great eye for detail.’ Rhys raised his mug to his lips and grinned at her after he’d tasted it. ‘Exactly how I like it.’
Tasha shrugged. ‘I think it’s an important part of the job. Taking note of what people like and doing my best to make them feel appreciated goes a long way.’
Rhys looked at her for a long moment. ‘You are full of contradictions, Natasha Blake.’
‘Why? Because I set boundaries between my work and my personal life? That’s the normal way of doing things.’ Too defensive, Tasha, you need to tread carefully here and not offend him.
‘I suppose that’s true, but I wouldn’t know because I’ve never worked with anyone other than my family so there’s no difference to me. It’s up to me to do a good job because that means the people I care about get to keep on doing the things they love as well.’
‘It’s not all down to you, though. I see the same ethos in everyone else here at Juniper Meadows.’ It was what made things work so well, even if the assumed intimacy between everyone made her a little uncomfortable. She needed to remember she was the odd one out here and try and negotiate a happy medium. But that was easier said than done.
‘True, but it’s not the same.’
He’d mentioned before about feeling that sense of responsibility for everyone. What was she missing here? Because it felt like something important… ‘Why no—?’ Tasha cut the question off with a wry smile as she saw the trap just in time. A kind and cosy trap, one that would envelop her in the warm embrace of life at Juniper Meadows, but a trap none the less. ‘You almost sucked me in then, Mr Travers, but I’m wise to your moves.’ She wagged a finger at him.
There was a hint of smugness in his smile as Rhys sat back in his chair. ‘Not so easy to stick to those boundaries, is it?’ His expression grew serious. ‘I’ll try not to poke my nose in where it’s not wanted, but am I at least allowed to ask if everything is okay? If there’s a personal problem you need to sort out, then please don’t be shy about asking for the time you need to do that. I know you’re flat out trying to make sure everything is perfect for next weekend, but things have calmed down around the farm enough that I have capacity to step in if you need me to.’
Gosh, why did he have to be so nice? ‘I was talking to my mum. She called me unexpectedly,’ she added quickly, in case he thought she’d been skiving off.
‘You’re not on the clock here, Tasha. As long as the work is done, that’s all that matters. And as I said before, if there’s a problem at home then that should be your priority.’
The urge to tell him about her conversation with her mother was almost overwhelming, not because she wanted his reassurance, more to reassure him that everything really was okay, because he had enough on his plate without worrying about her. It would be too humiliating and too personal to tell him the full story so she settled on a compromise. ‘She’s not very happy because I’ve told her I won’t be home for Easter.’
Rhys frowned. ‘I hadn’t thought about that. If you need to take some time off…’
‘No! I mean, that’s very kind of you but it’s really not that big of a deal. She just likes an excuse to complain that I prioritise my work over everything else. Not being home for Easter is just her latest in a long line of reasons to be disappointed in me.’ Her phone alarm sounded, a reminder about her meeting with Penny and Sandra at the café.
Saved by the bell.
Rhys was still giving her a doubtful frown. ‘Well, as long as you’re sure you’re okay with staying here and not going home?’
‘I am absolutely 100 per cent sure, I promise.’ She stood and gathered her things. ‘I’m sorry to rush you away, but I’ve got a meeting at the café in a few minutes.’
Rhys insisted on walking back with her to the car and she did her best to distract him with an endless stream of chatter about what she was planning to put into the activity packs. He still didn’t look altogether convinced but he got into his car and drove off without any more mentions of her taking time off. Tasha waved until he was out of sight before slumping against her car in relief. Next time she felt the urge to scream she’d have to make sure the doors were locked and she had a big pillow handy to muffle the noise.
16
Rhys was still puzzling over his conversation with Tasha when he walked into the kitchen that evening. Ziggy was at the hob, a tea towel draped over his shoulder as he stirred the contents of a cast-iron frying pan. Daisy was setting the table while something soft and classical played on the digital radio sitting on the windowsill. It was a scene of quiet domesticity and it was easy to forget the pair had only been together since the previous Hallowe’en weekend rather than married for years. Rhys hadn’t quite got to the bottom of what had happened between them other than that they had once been childhood sweethearts before breaking up and Daisy had gone on to marry the man who ended up being Amelia’s father. It had been an unhappy time for everyone involved and he hoped that his uncle and Daisy were finding some peace at last.
Rhys’s arrival rather spoiled the mood as both Samson and Delilah abandoned their spot by the radiator and came to greet him. He’d left Samson behind that morning after the dog had started limping the previous day, having picked up a thorn in his paw. Rhys crouched to lift the Border collie’s leg and examine the pad. It was still a bit red, but not looking too inflamed. Another couple of days off it and he’d be good as new. After making a fuss of them both, he sent the dogs back to their cushion, watching their progress carefully. Yes, Samson was definitely walking better, which was a relief. He adored all the animals on his farm, his dogs first and foremost, but he’d already had the vet’s bill in and didn’t much fancy calling him out again unless it was absolutely necessary.
‘Hello, darling. Had a good day?’ Daisy asked him as he straightened up.
Rhys had always had a real soft spot for Daisy from the days when he and Amelia had dated as teenagers, and he paused to brush a kiss on her cheek on his way through. ‘It’s been good. I’m just going to have a shower and get changed and then I’ll do whatever needs doing.’ Dinner was always a communal effort. Though they took it in turns to each oversee the meal, everyone else chipped in to lighten the load. Rhys was conscious he’d not been pulling his weight the past couple of weeks.
‘There’s nothing to do,’ Ziggy assured him as he placed a lid on the pan and used the tea towel to slide it into the oven. ‘Daisy’s already made a salad and there’s a fresh loaf that I’ll slice just before we sit down.’
‘Take your time,’ Daisy added as Ziggy came and put his arm around her shoulders.
‘You mean you want me to go away so the two of you can have a smooch,’ Rhys teased. ‘Message received!’ He laughed as the balled-up tea towel hit him in the chest.
The hot blast of the shower felt good between his aching shoulders and Rhys took his uncle at his word and spent an extra few minutes letting the heat of the water work its magic. He’d had what had been the main family bathroom to himself since Hope had moved out last year. His parents lived on the top floor of the three-storey farmhouse, his aunt Stevie was on the middle floor with Rhys but she had a little en suite, and Ziggy and Daisy lived in the ground-floor extension at the rear of the farmhouse, where his uncle also had an office. His mum had suggested he turn Hope’s old bedroom into a sitting room so he had a private space other than his bedroom, but Rhys didn’t feel as though he spent enough time in the farmhouse to justify that. It wasn’t as if he had anyone he wanted to entertain away from the rest of the family, even if he could find the time or energy to think about it. He could eventually move into the second lodge once Hope got her house-building project back on track, but living next to the farm made the most sense. Besides, it might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but he loved living in the heart of his family and if the time came when he did feel the need for more space, there was room to extend.
How many women would be willing to accept this kind of living arrangement, though? He adored his family, but they were a lot for someone to take on, especially if they weren’t raised in a similarly close-knit environment. It had been clear to him that Tasha had found dinner with everyone a bit overwhelming. Although she’d grown more relaxed as the evening had gone on, he hadn’t missed the relief on her face when they’d first stepped out into the yard.
He hadn’t liked to pry, but it was clear from the little she’d told him that things between her and her mother were difficult. The memory of that blood-curdling scream hit next, sending an echo of the chill he’d felt in his bones when he’d heard it. He’d known the bug story was a lie, and not just because she hadn’t been able to meet his eye when she’d said it. There’d been no fear in that scream for a start, more a deep, visceral anger. No, anger wasn’t quite right either, more frustration perhaps. He hadn’t missed her comment about being a disappointment. He shook his head, wondering how any parent could be anything other than proud of Tasha. She was smart and caring and a bloody hard worker, all attributes to be deeply admired.
Pretty, too.
