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Josh and Kitty closed the shed and walked back through the garden to Rose Cottage.

“Thank you so much for your help with Dora,” Kitty said, chewing on her bottom lip. “I’d never be able to face Julia if I’d lost her.”

“No problem. I can give you my number in case you need anything.”

Her cheeks flared hot. She could think of plenty of things Josh could help her with. But instead of listing them, she just nodded and thanked him.

“I don’t suppose you want to stay for a coffee?” she asked, playing with the hair at her nape. “I mean, you’re probably busy. Chihuahuas and stuff….”

Josh looked back at Kitty, eyes a little wide for her liking. Was he going to cut and run now his goat-rescuing duties were over? “I’m never going to turn down caffeine,” he said.“We can eat the croissants, though they may be squashed by now.”

Damn,he was staying for coffee. Kitty hoped she’d remembered to turn the dishwasher on last night. Julia's coffee was so strong that if not, the dregs of yesterday’s brew would’ve welded onto the bottom of the cups by now.

They went inside, and Josh sat at the kitchen table while Kitty surreptitiously checked the clean cups' status and fired up the coffee machine. Mercifully, four pristine cups sat in the washer.

“So, tell me more about your sister’s place,” she said. “What sort of animals does she rescue?”

“Similar to Julia’s, plus rabbits and guinea pigs, a ton of geese, ducks and chickens, a few sheep, some goats, two pigs, and two beautiful horses. With all of that to cope with, she’s desperate for help.She relies on volunteers and donations. It’s a tough gig but a labour of love for her.”

“Just awful,” Kitty said as she poured the coffee. She’d caught sight of her warped reflection in the chrome toaster.Her face was a cross between a gargoyle and the sea hag fromThe Little Mermaid.

“Do you like horses?” Josh asked. “You should come and ride them. They always need exercising.”

Kitty’s blood ran cold, and she stopped pouring the coffee.

“I wouldn’t be much use,” she said. “I’ve blanked out every riding lesson I ever had.”

“What do you mean?”

Kitty brought over the mugs and popped them down on the dining table. She pulled the band out of her hair, and it tumbled around her shoulders. How could she word this without blowing her pretence at being in control of Julia’s hobby farm?

“I’m not entirely at home with animals. In fact, the big ones terrify me.”

Josh tipped his head to one side, and his brow furrowed. “I’d never have guessed that. I can usually tell when folk aren’t ‘animal people.’ You don’t give off that vibe at all. From what I remember, you have a big heart. Animals can sense that.”

Kitty was just about to confess that most animals shied away from her like she was rat bait, but instead, Josh leaned over and extracted a twig from her hair. She blinked twice under his smiling eyes, and then a reliable smoulder hit her cheeks.Damn, Tottenbridge and blushing. There must be something in the water. Perhaps it was the same thing that had infected the ducks.

Kitty laughed under her breath, recalling her reflection in the toaster. “I must look like I was dragged through a hedge backwards.”

“You still look lovely,” Josh’s said, his soft blue eyes sweeping over her, lingering a little too long at her forehead.Crap,she still had that ungodly bruise. She brought her fingers up to touch it.

“Even sporting a purple lump?”

Josh smiled. “The colour suits you.”

Kitty rolled her eyes internally. Couldn’t he just draw the line at being talented, caring,andgorgeous? Must he add swoon-worthy to the list?

“You still wear your hair long,” Josh said, eyeing the dark strands that skirted just above her waist.

She’d always wanted long hair as a kid, but her mum had cut it short in an unflattering bob. As a result, Kitty spent her younger years being mercilessly teased for it. She was taunted for looking like a boy and called “matchstick” on account of being so tall with a rounded haircut. Kitty hated school. As soon as she was old enough to make decisions about her own hair, she’d grown it. The last time she’d measured, it was twenty-six inches long. Kitty one—Valerie Cameron nil.

She grabbed the length and twisted it over one shoulder. “It’s kind of like my superpower. I can’t bring myself to cut it, but it gets in the way, so I tie it back, mostly.”

“You should wear it down more often,” Josh said. “It’s beautiful.”

Kitty bit her lip, waiting for the Rapunzel jokes to follow, but none came.

“I have an offer for you,” Josh said, instead. “If you agree to visit Thea and give her some organisation tips, I’ll help refresh your riding skills, and I promise to be gentle with you. I can’t say the same for my niece, though. One look at your hair, and she’ll be chasing you around with a plastic hairbrush and her Barbieclips.”