Lacy Riding Mistress Part 7

Lacy Riding Mistress 1 & 2
Lacy Riding Mistress 3
Lacy Riding Mistress 4
Lacy Riding Mistress 5
Lacy Riding Mistress 6

Previously

She waved from the gate but didn’t linger to see if he waved back. Nathaniel’s hand lifted from the steering wheel but it was too late, she’d gone.

---

Nathaniel’s phone rang just as he was getting up. He sat on the edge of his bed and reached for it. He hesitated to answer it in case it was Lacy. Shaking his head at his stupidity, he pressed the answer button. “Hello?”

“Nate, it’s Tyler. I’m coming home; my plans fell through so I figured I’d fly over to see my big brother. Will you be home next week?”

“Yeah of course, I’ll get your room sorted out,” Nathaniel said. His mind ran at a frantic pace. What the hell would he do with Tyler for a whole week? They were all but strangers because they had gone to different schools and since their parents died, communication had been a bare minimum between them.

“Yeah, it’ll be a good chance to catch up,” Nathaniel said.

“You mean a good chance to finally get to know each other, don’t you?” Tyler said and laughed. “Gotta go; my ride’s here. I’ll email you the flight details. Send a car for me would you?”

“What car? There’s only me here,” Nathaniel said but Tyler had hung up.

After breakfast, Nathaniel avoided going outside. He tidied his room when there was no need to. When he wandered across the landing towards his father’s study he realised what he was doing. He was trying to put off seeing Lacy, but he didn’t know why. He gave his mental self a shake, muttered “Pussy-whipped” and went off to the stable yard.

His mood had darkened on the short walk over and his frown made Lacy’s smile drop from her face when she saw it. She ducked back into the stable she had just cleaned out before he had chance to see her.

She managed to keep out of his way for an hour or so but at last he caught up with her as she went into the barn. He sat on an upturned barrel in the shadows and she jumped in fright when he spoke to her.

“Morning Lacy,” he said.

“Morning Nathaniel.”

“Have you been avoiding me?”

Her mouth turned down at the corners in an expression that said she didn’t know what he meant and she shrugged her shoulders but she said nothing. She threw the hay nets onto the pile of loose hay and turned to leave the barn.

“Aren’t you going to fill the nets?” Nathaniel asked.

“No, I have other work to do,” she said and continued to the door.

Nathaniel jumped down from his seat and caught her by the wrist. “I hope you’re not angry...”

“No, why should I be angry?”

“I don’t know. I overstepped the mark yesterday,” he said, fumbling over his words.

Lacy grinned when she realised that he was as unsure of himself as a boy with a crush would be. “You like me more than you’ve been letting on,” she said.

Nathaniel’s eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out if she was teasing him or being spiteful. He grinned back at her when he realised that she was teasing him.