She shot a Look at the little girl. “Ginny.”
The little girl grinned like an imp. “What?”
“You said it was Saturday! And you didn’t contradict her,” she said to the boy.
He shrugged. “It’s nothin’ but stupid parties at school today. We’re not missing anything important.”
Something flickered over Tara’s face. Distress? Some kind of understanding? Jace wondered what was going through her head.
“Well then, I guess we’re playing hookey today.” She turned back to him. “But you’re not open until four. I’m sorry. I’ve been running around all morning thinking it’s Saturday.”
“It’s not a problem,” Jace assured her. “You’re already here. Might as well pick a tree.”
Ginny bounced. “It’s our first real tree ever! We have to pick the best one!”
“First one, huh?” He looked to Tara. “You in a hurry?”
“No, I don’t suppose so. I need to call in to work, though.”
“In that case, y’all should have the first timer’s special. Come on into the barn out of the cold and make your call, while I get things set up.” Without waiting for agreement, he went on inside.
Ginny’s eyes got huge when he led Pepper out of the stall. “Ohmygod. It’s a horse!”
“This is Pepper. She helps pull the wagon for our hayrides.” The chestnut mare bumped her nose at his jacket where she knew he had some carrots. Jace scratched between her ears. “Want to feed her?”
“Can I really?” Ginny whispered.
“If it’s okay with your sister.”
Tara, who’d just finished her call, looked sharply in his direction.
Jace pretended not to notice.
“Be careful,” she said.
He showed Ginny how to hold her hand flat and placed a piece of carrot on her little palm. She giggled as Pepper carefully picked it up. “Her whiskers tickle. Austin, you gotta try this!”
“You can treat Rupert. We have to be fair or I’ll hear about it.”
Rupert stuck his head over the stall and nickered.
“See?”
Jace led the gelding out as well and tied him to a ring mounted on the wall. He repeated the demonstration for how Austin should hold his hand and handed over a piece of carrot. Some of the apathy slipped from the boy’s expression as Rupert mouthed up his treat. He ran a hand down the horse’s glossy brown coat.
“Austin, you want to help me carry the harnesses?”
“Sure.”
As he went through the process of getting both horses hitched to the wagon, Jace was aware of Tara watching him. But he kept his attention on the kids, the animals. She didn’t want flirtation; he’d try another tactic. Besides, he got a kick out of Ginny’s enthusiasm. He lifted her in to the wagon bed. “Up we go.”
Austin climbed in himself.
Jace turned to Tara. “You want to ride in the back or up front with me?”
“I don’t much fancy hay poking me in the behind, so I’ll take the seat.”
He leapt up and held out a hand for her. After a moment’s hesitation, she took it, seeming to flow almost like water as he pulled her. For a couple of long seconds they stood a handspan apart. She was tall, only a few inches shorter than him, and he was very aware that it’d take almost no effort to close the distance between them. He was also aware of her two younger siblings less than five feet away, so though he wanted to linger, Jace released her as soon as she was steady.