Sure Thing by Ashe Barker Read Free Book Online Page A

attention, and certainly not for these sorts of reasons, I can only mumble my thanks—that it was nothing really…
    “Not nothing, love. A whole lot of something. Like you.” Tom has come back alongside, his arm once more casually over my shoulders. “We’ll go for a spin together later if you like.”
    I nod, still struck dumb, but already anticipating the thrill of riding my own machine. And what a superb beast it really is—Nathan Darke has done me proud. I remember my manners at last.
    “Thank you. Thank you very much. It’s beautiful. A lovely present. So thoughtful, it’s just what I needed.”
    Nathan’s smile is warm, friendly. He lifts an excited Rosie up to sit on my new pride and joy. “No problem, least I could do.”
    “My presents are inside.” Tom’s voice is low as he murmurs in my ear. “Are you ready for more excitement?”
    “More presents? Really?” I realize I sound like an excited little girl, but I can’t help it. I turn and fling my arms around his neck. “God, can this day get any better?”
    “I think it probably can, love. Come on.” Tom takes my hand and leads me back into the kitchen, the rest of our entourage trailing behind us.
    I’m still clutching the key to my wonderful new quad bike and imagining the fun I’m going to have on it as we all seat ourselves around the kitchen table again. Tom kisses me on the forehead before stepping over to the Aga. Crouching down, he reaches around the side of it, pulling out a large cardboard box. The flaps at the top are open and he peeps inside before lifting the box up and placing it gently on the table in front of me.
    “You can have either or both of them,” he says softly. Intrigued, I stand up to peer over the top of the box. And squeal with delight when I see what’s inside.
    Two pairs of wide blue eyes stare curiously back at me. Two beautiful kittens, one gray and white, the other coal black, are sitting nervously in the box, and they start to squeak and yowl as soon as they realize there’s daylight out here. The gray and white one, the most daring, stands on its hind legs and tries to scramble out of the box and I reach for it instinctively to haul it out, clutching it to me. Awkwardly, juggling one kitten I reach back, pull the other one out too and sit there, both kittens squirming against my chest. Tears roll down my cheeks. How did he know? How did he ever know what I most wanted? How lonely and empty my cottage had felt?
    “Thank you. Thank you,” I whisper the words, overcome by emotion. Thankfully, no one speaks, allowing me the precious moments I need to collect my scattered wits.
    Tom crouches in front of me, looking up into my wet gaze. “You’ll be keeping both, then, I guess?”
    His lopsided, wonderful smile fills my vision and I lean forward to hug him, burying my face in his shoulder. “Yes, yes please.”
    “Good. Do you recognize them? Chloe’s kittens? She hid the other two before I could rescue them and they’ll probably be running wild round my barns for years to come. But I managed to get these two away before she disappeared with them too. They’ve been hand reared since they were about four weeks old—keeping me up at nights—and seem very tame. You should have no trouble domesticating them. The black one’s female, the gray and white is a male. If we talk nice to Dan he’ll probably neuter them for you.”
    “Oh, Tom…” It’s all I can manage for now, but it seems to be enough. He gently takes the kittens, handing one to Rosie and the other to Grace before wrapping his arms around me. I hug him, still blinking back tears. Eventually I manage to raise my head enough to look around the room again.
    “Oh, God, you must all think I do nothing but cry…”
    “There’s nothing wrong with showing how you feel, love”—Grace pats my hand reassuringly—“and I don’t think you’ve done nearly enough of it before. So you’re making up for lost time. You just let it all