Two years after a horrible accident, Kinsley's determined to make it through vet school, but she didn't expect to meet country boy Noel McLean who's just as mysterious as he is charming.
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Kinsley Hastings suffers from PTSD. After surviving a fata...
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Noel
Cole and I finish work on the roof by dusk. We're relieved to see dinner's ready. Gramps has made burgers, corn-on-the-cob, and fruit salad. The scent of barbecue and melted butter combined with the sweet summery breeze makes me feel content. It's almost the end of May. If we're already facing temperatures like this, I'm excited about August. With these temperatures, I'll be at the lake most of the time. I love hot weather.
In the kitchen, I snag a halved strawberry from the fruit salad and pop it in my mouth.
"Hands away, Noel," Gramps warns. His voice is gruff. "The oranges haven't been added yet."
I swipe another strawberry.
He whacks my hand with a wooden spoon.
"Jack," Cole says. He joins my side. "There's only one way to stop Noel dead in his tracks."
I cock an eyebrow at my best friend. "Enlighten me."
Cole pats me on the back.
I flinch, swatting his hand away. "Don't do that."
A grin appears on his face. "Looks like somebody burnt themselves."
"Shut up," I mutter.
Kinsley was right. I need aloe vera. Painkillers. A bath in oatmeal. Whatever the hell can help me combat this sunburn.
Gramps cocks an eyebrow. "No sunscreen?"
I direct my gaze to the window. The sky is a deep indigo. The trees are swaying with the wind. It picked up near the end of the day, bringing rain clouds with it. With the strange weather patterns we've had, I wouldn't be surprised if a thunderstorm struck overnight. I hope one does. Sitting on the deck with a cup of tea and watching them is relaxing.
"I was busy," I murmur.
Gramps sets down the wooden spoon he's using to stir the fruit salad. He stares at me. "Kid. You're gonna overwork yourself."
Funny enough, his words remind me of Kinsley and our discussion on the roof. Her presence shocked me. To be honest, I didn't think she cared about my well-being.
Speaking of Kinsley... I glance at the clock. It's six. Lunch was fun, but I feel like I should invite her for dinner. To thank her for making me relax. Not gonna lie, it felt damn good to take a break and socialize with my friends.
Catching up with Daisy and informing Kinsley of everything she didn't know was enjoyable. Cole and I also snagged an invitation. Tomorrow, we're going out to the pub with Kinsley and Daisy. I think it'll be fun.
"I'm gonna go see if Kinsley wants to join us."
She'll deny my invitation, but I may as well try. It'll give me something to do. Right now, she's my escape route. I know where this conversation will go if I stick around. Ruining my decent day isn't favourable.
