"Wow!!" Julia exclaimed, slowly revolving in the center of the tiny house. "This is amazing! I can't believe it's even the same house!"

Colette had invited a few of her new friends over for a house-warming of sorts. She couldn't have many at once, since her cabin was so small, so she only invited Julia, Sabrina, Natalie, and Lanna. It was a bit of a squeeze, but not too bad, especially since it was a gorgeous day and all her doors and windows were wide open to let the breeze blow through.

She had chosen a red plaid loveseat and a small leather easy chair for her little living area. A large cream-colored ottoman did double duty as an occasional table or extra seating, and the sofa and chair were comfortably piled with pretty throw cushions in red floral prints and cream cable knits. A small dining area in between the kitchen and the living area was furnished with a distressed off-white round table and four dark-stained chairs with red floral seat cushions, and a red jug held several stems of white peonies.

The kitchen was tiny but very efficient, with a teensy gas range, a small refrigerator, a deep farmhouse sink, and a little bit of countertop. A small window above the sink was flanked on either side by a narrow cupboard, and a small shelf above the range held a selection of seasonings in glass jars.

The bathroom was tiny, with barely enough space for the door to open. But it was better than no bathroom at all, she thought to herself with another little shudder. She did so love a long, hot shower—it was her favorite luxury these days.

Her sleeping area was behind the living area, and she had placed a twin bed covered with red and white plaid, solid, and toile bedding against the wall, with a small bedside table and a narrow chest of drawers all in that corner.

She'd set out some chilled white wine, soft drinks, and canapés, and her guests were genuinely impressed by the changes. After they had finished admiring her new home, everyone sat down on the sofa and assorted chairs, and they all talked as they sipped and nibbled.

Julia and Natalie had known each other their whole lives, and although their relationship seemed a little antagonistic at times, it was clear they were still the best of friends. Sabrina and her father had arrived a few years ago, when she was only fourteen, she said, adding shyly that she'd just turned eighteen a couple of months ago. And Lanna said that she'd been there for just over a year, having chosen the islands to escape the strain of her former career as an "aidoru" in the Far East.

Everyone turned to look expectantly at Colette then, and she smiled nervously as blunt Julia poked her in the side, saying, "Well, come on! What about you? What brings you here to this goddessforsaken corner of paradise?"

"I...." She stopped, unwilling to disclose her real reasons for coming here—at least, not until she knew the villagers better. Perhaps later... but for now? "I just needed to get away from... from someone."

"Ooooh, you poor dear! A really bad breakup?" Lanna said sympathetically.

"Yooooouuu... could say that," Colette reluctantly agreed.

"Well, he'll never find you here," Natalie groaned, throwing herself back against the sofa cushions.

"I'm counting on that," Colette said, taking a sip of her wine and turning her gaze out the open front door.

**************

Two days after her housewarming party, Colette found herself standing uncertainly before Mirabelle's door. Finally, she decided it had to be done, so might as well get it over with. Then she pushed the door open and stepped through.

She quickly spotted Vaughn, slouched against the wall on top of a barrel at the far back of the shop. His hat was tilted forward to cover all of his face except his mouth, and he appeared to be asleep. But she noticed the corner of his mouth twitch as she strode toward him, and when she was within a few steps of him, he grumbled, "Whaddya want, Colette?"

Surprised, she stopped and stared at him. He reached up and flicked the edge of his black hat, knocking it back a little. He peered out from under the brim, staring at her with his deep blue-violet eyes. Seeing he'd been right, he snorted and dropped his hat back down. "Well?"

Regaining her composure, Colette stood a little straighter. "I'm ready to buy some livestock. What do you have to sell me?"

He sat up then, knocking his hat all the way back as he looked her over appraisingly. She was striking, he thought—long, thick waves of dark chocolate hair pulled back into an unruly ponytail, sleek curves, and of course, those heavenly legs.... Even though she'd only been there a few weeks, she was already deeply bronzed—even more so than Denny. He looked into her eyes then, and was surprised he hadn't noticed them before. Almond shaped, perfectly golden amber, like drops of honey, turning almost orange whenever a ray of sunlight streaming through the shop windows caught them just right. They gave her an exotic, almost feral, beauty.

None of that had anything to do with the matter at hand, though, he reminded himself severely. "You think so, do you? Fine. I'll come inspect your facilities, make sure you can at least house them properly. Then we'll see." He hopped down, shoved his hands into the pockets of his worn black jeans, and sauntered on out the door, not bothering to see if she followed.

He was a little surprised to see the condition that her barn and coop were in, though. He hadn't expected that she'd really do anything except maybe—maybe—shift the piles of old, musty, moldy straw out. Women as sexy as her, at least in his experience, just weren't much good when it came to real, hard, physical work. Of course, Gannon had no doubt done most of it. But still, it said something that she'd thought of it at all.

"All right, not bad," he said, albeit grudgingly, after he'd inspected both buildings. "Now tell me how you intend to care for them."

She blinked at him for a moment, taken by surprise. "I... well, I mean they'll need food and water, and the cows will need to be milked, and the sheep need to be sheared, and chickens lay eggs, and...."

"Hadn't thought that far ahead, huh?" he said, sneering slightly. Shrugging one shoulder, he turned and walked out the door.

She followed him all the way back to the feed store before asking, "Well? Are you going to sell me some animals?"

He gave her a quelling glance, then resumed his post on the barrel. "Nope."

"Wh-what? What do you mean, 'nope'? Why not?"

"Because you don't know anything about animals. I'm not selling you a living, breathing creature just to have you neglect it and maybe even kill it."

Angrily, she stood there before him, clenching and unclenching her fists as she thought of a hundred—no, a thousand—things she'd like to call him right then and there, though not a one of them would she have said within earshot of Mirabelle, minding her shop counter just a few yards away.

"But," he added from behind the brim of his hat once he'd settled himself comfortably, "I'll make a deal with you."

"A deal?" she said, scathingly. Deals, in her experience, rarely ever favored her. "What 'deal'?"

"Yep. I'll drop off a few books next Monday when I come out. Don't have 'em with me, so you'll have to wait. If you can teach yourself all about basic livestock and poultry care within two weeks, I'll give you a chance to put your newfound knowledge to the test. But I'm warnin' you," he added with a frown and a glare, "I'm going to be watching you real close until I'm satisfied that you're capable of caring for them. And if I see any sign—any at all, mind you—that you're neglecting them, I'm taking every one of them back. You won't get a second chance from me, so don't fuck it up."

Then he really did go to sleep.