Chapter 16

I woke up to an empty bed the following morning, Sue was nowhere to be seen. So, I got up and slipped into a clean pair of boxers, pulled on my shorts and t-shirt, and headed downstairs. Sue was in the kitchen, she smiled at me as I walked in, but it looked like she had been crying. Her eyes were red and puffy.

“Good morning my handsome man, did you sleep well?” she said putting on a brave face and pulling me to her, she kissed me softly. We held each other close for a while.

“I did, but did you?” I asked and slipped my hands down and cupped her buttocks through her robe.

“Yes ... yes fine,” she replied, but she was not convincing. I was worried I had done something to upset her.

“Have you been crying, Sue?” I said, looking her in the eye.

“No, why would I?” she lied. I decided not to push it, there were some bits of the female mind that I just did not understand. Never did and never will...

“So, are we having some breakfast?” I said changing the subject, I knew there was nothing to be gained by pushing the issue. If Sue wanted to talk about it, she would and if not, then there was nothing I could do about the situation.

“Yes, I was thinking of doing some bacon and egg sandwiches if that is okay with you?” She asked and her hands stroked my face. Her eyes gazed into mine...

“Yes, that’s fine, I will make a pot of tea,” I said, and she slipped from my arms. We chatted as we prepared breakfast but there seemed to be a distant look in Sue’s eyes.

It took me a few seconds to realise that Sue was upset because I would be leaving soon. It was light a light bulb being switched on in my head.

“It will all be okay Sue; you know that don’t you?” I said, and she slipped back into my arms and cried into my chest. Her tears left dark stains on the fabric of my t-shirt.

It was a good hour later before we had finished breakfast. Whilst we were eating, we looked at the project plan for the stables. I only had a few days left so I wanted to do as many of the big, high-impact jobs as possible. I wanted to make a real effort to make Sue’s life easier.

There was an entrance to a bridleway that needed some work doing to the gates and there were some jumps in one of the paddocks that needed repairing and painting. I went to the tool shed and got all the gear I thought I might need.

I had become quite a good handyman over the last few weeks. When I arrived at the stables, I did not know one end of a hammer from the other. My dad was not much of a DIY type of guy, so I had not been tough much at home.

I fixed the bridleway gates first. Two of the hinges needed to be screwed back on and a few more screws tightened up the bars of the gate. I was happy with the job and it was an easy fix. Sue had half a day on the project plan and I had fixed it in less than an hour. Then I moved on to my next job.

I got to the paddock and worked out which of the jumps or fences as they called them could be repaired, which would have to be broken down and used for spares. It was a gorgeous summer day. The noise of the nearby horses and birds overhead where the only sound I could hear.

I was soon sawing, hammering, and measuring, by lunchtime I had repaired all the fences that could be repaired, two I had broken up and they were used as spares to repair the others. The afternoon would be used for painting.

I walked back over to the yard just as a big van pulled up. Sue was in the shop and she came out, she gave me a wink. I so wanted to plant a kiss on those big full lips, but I knew we had to keep our little tryst a secret. I have to say some days it was hard, please forgive me for the pun!

The guy in the truck was from the drinks company and with my help he soon had a couple of glass-fronted refrigeration units unloaded and installed in the shop, he told us it would take another hour for them to reach the right temperature.

While we waited, I helped him unload cases of soft drinks, coke, lemonade, orangeade etc plus bottled water both still and sparkling. The guy filled the fridges then he gave Sue and Abbie, who was working again that day, some advice on how to use the chillers, stock control etc.

He showed us how to use the restocking forms and gave us some free samples. I had a lemonade.

Sue put up a price list, then the delivery guy also gave us some marketing stuff, posters, and a couple of A-frame advertisement boards.

Once the chillers started to work the delivery guy left us to it.

Sue and I went to the house for lunch, it was nothing fancy, we opened two tins of soup and had that with some bread rolls.

As we ate, I asked Sue about the lesson she had had that morning, she told me it had gone well and the parents of the two girls had both booked more sessions, which was good as it was a good earner.

She asked me about the fences, and I told her that I was ready to paint them and that only two had been unrepairable and she seemed impressed that I had used them to repair the others, it saved buying in any new timber that was for sure.

When I told her the gate to the bridleway was fixed, she was amazed.

I stole a kiss from her as she washed the soup dishes.

“Mm that was nice!” she said and kissed me back, “What do you fancy doing for dinner?”

“I am not sure; anything will do me,” I said.

To be fair I could always eat, and I did not mind what it was. All the work and the good clean country air had given me quite an appetite in more ways than one.

“I tell you what, how about we give ourselves a treat,” she said, “I think we should go into town for fish and chips later?”

“Oh, that sounds good,” I smiled. I loved the sex with Sue, but I also loved the friendship. She treated me like an adult and I was enjoying that.

“Right be ready to go at six o’clock,” she said, then she gave me a peck on the cheek and left the kitchen to get ready for her hack.

I went to the tool shed and found some pots of paint and some brushes before I headed down to the paddock. The wonderful thing about painting fences in a paddock was that you did not need any finesse and you did not need to worry about drips.

I got the paint opened and slopped it over the wood and the metal posts. As she told me as long as they look good from afar that is all that matters.

I was a good two hours into the job, sweating like a pig in the afternoon sun when I heard a voice behind me.

Chrissy Jenson-Smyth was walking toward me, she was wearing beige Jodhpurs and a t-shirt. That was stretched over her apple-sized breasts. She was a babe that was for sure. She had a cute smile on her face as she walked over to me.

“Hi there, it’s Zak, isn’t it?” She said with a smile.

“Yes, it is Miss,” I said and stood up and stretched my back and my arms. I had cramped up a bit having been sitting on my knees painting for such a long time.

“Please call me Chrissy,” she said, “so do you prefer Coke or orange?”

It was only then I noticed that she had two cans in her hands. She saw me looking...

“I saw that you had been out here for a while and thought a drink might be welcome,” she said with a grin.

“So, which do you prefer Coke or orange?” she asked again.

“Oh, I am easy,” I said and gave her a cheeky smile.

“That’s good to know!” She grinned and passed me the coke. She sat down on the grass and I joined her. I took a big swig from my can, the cool liquid felt good in the afternoon sun.

“So, you’re into horses?” I asked, looking back it was a silly question.

“Yes, it is a family thing, Mum is really into riding, she has two horses at McGuire’s Stables,” she said coyly.

I wondered what she really meant by mum was really into riding, her mom had given me the once over I was sure about that. I would have liked to sample her mother’s obvious charms, that was a given.

McGuire’s was a top-class stable a few miles away on the other side of town, Sue had told me that all the local toffs kept their horses there, it had a good reputation at the country club and the golf club, it was that sort of place.

“But she has given them notice and will be moving both horses here then,” she continued, “she was speaking to your Aunt Sue about it last week.”

“That’s good news, she needs to get as many of the stables rented out as possible,” I said.

“The place is really looking good, I brought Balmoral here as a temporary measure, but we still stay now,” she said and gave me a heart-stopping smile.

“Thanks that means a lot to us,” I said and it did, Sue’s future happiness was always at the back of my mind.

“It’s cool, we love the place!” she grinned, “but I might have to ask a favour?”

“Okay, anything,” I said, perhaps a bit too quickly.

“Anything at all you just have to ask!”

“I would like some shelves in the stable?” she smiled, “Is that something you could do?”

I made a mental note in my head to put up shelves in any stables we tarted up from now on as all the girls had crap that they wanted to stow out of the way.

“Yes, no problem, I could take a look at that tomorrow for you,” I said.

“I will pay you to do it,” she said, “and of course, I will pay for the materials and stuff.”

“Oh, there is no need,” I said, “We have plenty of spare timber and stuff lying around and Sue won’t mind.”

“You’re such an angel,” she said and got up, “what time shall we say, is ten o’clock okay for you?”

“Yes, that works for me,” I said and got up, she stepped close to me and pecked me on the cheek. I got a whiff of some really sexy perfume.

“Good, I have Hockey practice in the morning,” she said with a grin.

I watched her cute arse as she walked over the paddock, she must have known I was gazing at her because when she got to the gate she turned and blew me a kiss.

I spent the afternoon painting the rest of the fences, some of the planks soaked up the paint and needed a second coat. By the time I had finished the evening sun was going down behind the clouds.

I dropped the tools in the shed and locked it up, then I went into the shop. Abbie told me that sales had been good all day, the girls in the yard had all been in and there had also been a group of cyclists that had seen the sign on the road and had come in for drinks.

I was glad about that as I was worried my idea might have not worked. I left the shop and went over to the house, Sue was not in, so I made a coffee and went for a shower.

I had just come out of the shower when she walked in, she looked all hot and bothered from her day leading the hack.

“Are you still up for fish and chips?” she asked and kissed me on the lips.

“Oh yes of course if that is still okay with you, “I said and returned her kiss.

I was all for dropping my towel and having some fun but at the same time, my belly was rumbling.

Half an hour later, Sue came downstairs looking a million dollars, faded denim jeans and a blue silky blouse. She had done her make-up and her lips looked gorgeous; she had some perfume on that made my bollocks tingle.

“Wow Sue you look stunning, “I said and kissed her on the lips, she tasted gorgeous.

“Well thank you, kind sir,” she giggled, “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

We got into Sue’s old four-by-four and headed into town, it was a great evening, we had the windows down and the radio on. We pulled into the town square and parked up. Sue looked at me and smiled.

“Now remember we are related so behave yourself young man!” she giggled.

We walked across the town square and headed into the chip shop, the front was a takeaway place, but they had a nice sit-down restaurant in the back. We took a table and ordered our food. Fish and chips, mushy peas and bread and butter. I had a coke and Sue had a pot of tea.

We chatted about the stables and how well they were doing, Sue thanked me for all the work I had done. I told her it was nothing, and that it had been my pleasure. The food came and it was amazing, crispy batter, well-cooked fish, and tasty chips.

After we had eaten, we had a walk around the town, it was a small place and Sue bumped into a few folks she knew. Then we picked up a few bits and pieces from the local late-night supermarket and drove home.

We parked the car in the barn and headed into the house. I unpacked the shopping and Sue made some drinks. We sat in the living room, with the television on.

We sat and chatted and watched some crap film. Sue made the first move; she stood up and switched the TV off.

“Zak, we need to talk,” she said, there was an edge in her voice, “and I don’t want to upset you.”

“Okay...” I replied. My heart was racing and I had butterflies in my stomach.

“What we have been doing is wrong in the eyes of the law, but it feels so right” she sighed.

I did not know what to say so I did not say anything at all.

“I know you have to go back to your mom and dad’s next week,” she said, a sadness shadowed her face.

“Yes ... I know, and I do not really want to go,” I said, I was worried that my honesty would be too much for her.

“I know but I think you have to; how long do you have left at school,” she said and took my hand in hers.

“I can leave in a few weeks,” I told her.

“Then I think you should go home and take the next few weeks at school to think about us,” she said, a sad smile on her lips.

“But...” I started to say but she stopped me.

“Then after that, if you want to come back, then you can come back, and we will see where life leads us” She smiled, “There will always be a job and a bed here for you!”

“And are you sure about this?” I asked.

“Yes, I think so, and you will get a chance to see if this is just an infatuation, a sexual infatuation” She smiled when she said it made me realise, she had thought hard about this situation,