“Good morning, baby.”
“Is the prince still here?” Arella asked with rounded eyes in anticipation.
“Probably,” Kristy said with a frown. She didn’t want her daughter to get attached to Kashif. “But he’s only going to be here for a few days. Do you want to help Henry work with the pups today or would you rather help me with the horses?”
Arella narrowed her eyes as if she were deep in thought. Finally, she shook her head. “I want to cook!” she declared loudly.
Julia would love that. Kirsty picked out Arella’s favorite pink shirt with the matching purple pants and helped her daughter get dressed. “Why don’t we have breakfast, and you can help Aunt Julia around in the kitchen while I get started on the morning chores. Does that sound like fun?”
“Can Dusty and Jane help?”
“Sweetie, you know they’re not allowed in the kitchen. You sneak them treats, and then they start trying to steal them. “
“I only give them treats if they’re good,” the girl promised solemnly.
Laughing, Kristy kissed Arella’s forehead. “Sorry, sweetheart. You’ll have to sneak them treats after lunch. Come on!”
Arella scurried from the room as hard and fast as her little legs could carry her, and the dogs were right there with her. When Arella had first started walking and insisted on going up and down the stairs herself, Kristy had installed a lower railing so she would have something to hold on to, but it had been unnecessary. Even now, one dog was always in front of her, and one was always next to her. They kept her upright and prevented her from moving too quickly.
Gathering her hair up in a messy bun, Kristy slipped a few pins in before hurriedly heading to the front room. The phone was already ringing.
“Mistywood Farm,” she said breathlessly as she picked up.
“Hi, yes. I’d like some more information on the Mistywood Hot Springs tour?” a nasally, female voice asked.
Kristy blinked. “The what?”
“The tours of the hot springs. I saw a flyer in the bakery this morning.”
Just then, Kristy focused on the neon green slip of paper propped up on the table. Snatching it, she turned it over and widened her eyes in horror. “I’m sorry, ma’am, I’m afraid we aren’t giving out information quite yet. Please call back later.”
Hanging up before the woman could ask any more questions, she stared at the flyer. It announced one tour a day to the newly discovered Mistywood Forest Hot Springs. Come for hiking, picnicking, exploring, and soaking. Details to follow.
“Aunt Julia?” she shouted in panic. Bursting into the kitchen, she stopped short when she saw Kashif sitting at the table. Although she was pissed, she couldn’t help but stop and admire how good the man looked in the morning. She subconsciously tucked some of her loose strands of hair back in her bun. From the way he was dressed, it was clear that he’d been up early. And shopping judging from the bakery boxes sitting on the counter and what looked to be a new cream-colored wool sweater pulled taut across his muscular frame. His hair still looked a bit tousled and she fisted her hand to keep from reaching out to push the wayward strands back in place.
“You,” she growled at him tossing the flyer down in front of him. “What is this?”
“An advertisement?” he answered innocently.
“Kashif, are you out of your mind? We have no idea if the springs are safe, and I certainly don’t have a tour guide. Nor do I have the manpower to do picnics!”
“That’s why the tours don’t start until after the New Year,” he said easily. “So you have time to get ready. I bet people are already making reservations online.”
“Online? You set it up online?”
“I sure did. Let’s go check it out.” Taking another bite of his muffin, he pushed the open pastry box toward Arella and Julia before getting up from the table. As he walked past her, he leaned over and whispered in her ear. “You look beautiful this morning.”
Immediately, her cheeks flushed, and she caught Julia watching them in amusement. “Go away,” she grumbled softly.
Kashif chuckled and walked over to the computer. After several clicks of the mouse, he straightened and grinned. “Look at that. You’re already filled up for the first day of the tour.”
“We are?” Perplexed, Kristy stared down at the website. Sure enough, there were five reservations totaling ten people on the first day.
“I think you owe me an apology,” he said with a grin.
“I think I need to remind you that this is my farm, and you will not do something like this again without my approval,” she snapped. Then, she took a deep breath. “However, having said that, I should probably thank you.”
“Saying that you should thank me isn’t the same as actually thanking me,” he reminded her gently.