The nanny

3. New contacts

I jumped, startled at the voice. I didn't know why I thought I was alone, but I obviously didn't turn out to be. I spun towards the voice. A guy from around my age was looking at me, a lopsided smile on his face. He was carrying a fork filled with hay, which he deposited on a stack with more of it. I never realised I had an idea of what a stable boy looked like until then, when I realised he fit the bill perfectly.

He was wearing a cowboy hat, a red and white checkered shirt over his clearly strong upper body. His legs were covered in wide jeans, the only thing missing were the cowboy boots with spores, but maybe they were considered animal abuse these days. His face was a bit dirty, though it was still clear he had nice features, his eyes green and his hair a dirty blond colour. He even had a stupid grin I assumed all cowboys practiced plastered on his face.

I shook myself out of my thoughts, this stable was probably his responsibility and I'd just kicked it for seemingly no reason. "I'm so sorry."

He laughed, sticking his fork in the rest of the hay and tidied up the mountain of dried grass. I noted that he didn't take my presence as an excuse to stop working, I might've. "Don't worry about it red, I get it. Doors can be dicks sometimes."

He said it so seriously I might've believed he meant it if it wasn't for that cheeky grin. I was quite naive myself in that sense, if someone told me something like they meant it, I'd believe it in a heartbeat, no questions asked. It had gotten me in a lot of trouble before. "The door was more so a replacement for the person I was on the phone with."

"Ah, classic misdirected anger. Boyfriend?" Wasn't it interesting people often assumed boyfriends were dicks? Exactly my point on not dating.

I collected myself. I had my qualms with her, but I wouldn't speak ill of the woman who raised me to a stranger. So all I said was: "Mother."

"Sounds like we have a lot in common." He grinned and leaned the fork against a fence to extend his hand to me. I wondered what he meant by that, but he clearly wasn't about to explain himself either. "Flynn Woods."

"Samantha Moore."

Flynn... oh right!

"I was looking for you." He leaned on the fence then, a grin playing on his lips.

"Must be my lucky day." I chuckled, flattered, and gave him a once over. He was an inch taller than me and I noticed now his cheeks were red and stamped with freckles. He was cute, I didn't do cute. Though in conversation, he was really easy going. I could see myself talking to him for hours.

"Actually I'm here to deliver a message from ms. Peterson, so I don't know if you could count yourself so lucky..." I gave him a look, gaging him to discover whether he felt the same—

"Oh God of course that hag sent you, this was too good to be true."

"Ah, you don't seem to like her very much." I had started to think maybe I was just being mean in my head because she taught Aurora some discipline, but I already figured that theory was far-fetched. This confirmed it, miss. Peterson wasn't just someone I had a problem with. I desperately wanted to gossip about her, she was the worst person I'd met in so long, but I couldn't let myself go. It would speak ill of my character.

He gave me a look. "Sounds like you haven't talked to enough people, I don't know a single person here that does like her."