Free Never Too Late by Alyssia Leon Page A

pulled at her friend. “See ya, Molly, and don’t hog him.” And off they ran, whispering and giggling to each other.
    Molly groaned. Within the hour it would be all over Appleby that she was madly in love with the new ‘Lord of Barrowdene’. Storm clouds gathered over her mood as she stalked to the stables.
    Kitty the youngest of the three Harrington girls, was outside the stables, brushing down a calm bay mare. “She was a tad skittish yesterday, so I thought a morning massage might soothe her,” Kitty said, patting the mare’s flank.
    Unlike her taller, slimmer sisters, Kitty was short, around Molly’s height, but voluptuous. Her long golden hair fell in a straight shiny sheet down her back when she didn’t have it scraped back in her usual ponytail, and her cornflower-blue eyes shone with the self-assurance of someone used to being judged the prettiest.
    Her perfect hair wasn’t the only thing Molly envied about Kitty. She’d often wished she had the confidence to talk charming rings around people the way Kitty did. Nearly all the eligible young men in Appleby were in thrall to Kitty, and a fair number of ineligible ones too. Kitty would never show herself up as a gauche idiot in front of Jake the way Molly had.
    “We’re all rather relieved to be staying on here,” Kitty said as Molly offered the mare the flat of her palm to nuzzle. “We thought we’d have to move when we heard Francine was selling up.”
    The mare nudged Molly’s palm and she stroked the animal’s forelock absently. “None of us really know what Jake’s plans are for Barrowdene, or how long he’s going to be here.”
    “He’s here for the time being.” Kitty’s voice brimmed with satisfaction. “We have a backup plan to move to Ayers Farm if we need to, but I’d much rather stay here. That Tom Ayers is such a caveman.”
    Molly’s ears pricked up. Tom Ayers. The dark-haired, bearded young farmer who co-owned and managed the huge and successful Ayers Farm with his father. He was plain spoken and straight to the point, and it sounded like he was one of the few men who hadn’t succumbed to Kitty’s charms.
    “This Jake,” Kitty mused. “He’s single, isn’t he? And word is he offered Francine full cash, several million, I heard. We’re all hoping he’ll marry someone in Appleby and settle here.”
    “He has a girlfriend.”
    “Oh, does he? But… that’s girlfriend, right? Not wife?”
    Molly shook her head in amused disbelief. “Girlfriend. He’s not wearing a ring.”
    Kitty grinned. “Good.” She picked up an apple from a nearby basket and taking a small penknife from her gilet pocket, quartered it. “Here, give her these.”
    Molly held out a quarter apple piece on the flat of her palm and the mare chomped greedily into it, flicking it’s ears and snickering for more.
    “I’m really sorry about what happened between you and Brian.”
    Molly froze in the act of feeding the mare a second apple quarter. 
    Had someone overheard what Brian said to her yesterday? No, there had been no one else by the church. Kitty must mean his engagement to Abby. She relaxed. “It’s fine. I’d much rather he was happy with someone else than unhappy with me.”
    Kitty grimaced. “Don’t know if I’d call it happy… They’re always—” Her lips formed a small ‘ooh’ of appreciation as she looked past Molly’s shoulder.
    Lord of Barrowdene, Molly guessed wearily, and turned to see Jake coming around the corner.
    In dark jeans and a black t-shirt that showcased a wide, solid chest, he was temptation enough to make a nun swoon.
    All of a sudden, she couldn’t bring herself to stand by and watch Kitty flirt with Jake, and see his inevitable interest. With a hasty goodbye, she left Kitty and hurried over to him. 
    Kitty wouldn’t forgive her this, but she’d deal with that later.
    “You’re early.” Jake’s appreciative gaze skimmed over her when she reached him. “I admit I’m not used to that with