by Jodi Vaughn
“Aww, you’re a sweetheart,” Heather said softly.
“Thank you.” He turned around. His smile faded when he saw she was talking to and rubbing the horse.
She burst out laughing when she saw his face. “Sorry. I’m sure you’re a nice guy too.”
“Not a sweetheart?” He arched his brow.
“We’ll see,” she teased.
“Since you’re here, you might as well come see the new babies.”
“Babies?”
“Yes, I have two new calves. They were born during the night.”
“I’d love to.” Her eyes widened with excitement.
He grinned. He led Ranger through the downed fence. “Let me mend this fence first. Can you stay here while I run back to the barn with Ranger to get the supplies to fix it? Just make sure no one else makes a break for it?”
“Sure.” She slid off the horse and gave him one final pat.
He hoisted himself up on Ranger and pointed the horse in the direction of the barn. The horse settled into a gallop. A few minutes later he was in his barn gathering supplies to mend the fence.
He put everything in the back of his side-by-side vehicle and drove back to Heather.
“That didn’t take long.” She walked over and looked in the back of the side-by-side.
“I was trying to hurry in case there might be a stampede.”
Her face paled. “Is that possible?”
“No. I’m kidding.” He chuckled.
“Funny.” She smirked. “So, do you want me to hold this side of the fence while you mend it?”
“That would be great.” He pulled some barbed wire out of the back of the all terrain vehicle and placed it on the ground. “Here, put these gloves on so you don’t get stuck.” He tossed her some leather gloves.
“What about you?”
“I’m used to getting cut.” He shrugged.
He worked quickly while she held the fence in place. Not once did she complain.
Unlike Sarah. If she were here, she’d be constantly asking how much longer it was going to take.
He stepped back from the fence and looked at his work. “I should have walked the fence line instead of asking Justin. It’s my responsibility and my farm.”
“Everyone needs help. Besides, he works for you.” She gave him a kind look.
“I know. Don’t get me wrong. He’s been a real asset. The downside is he’s going back to college in the fall. He’s busy lining up student loans and trying to see what kind of classes he needs. His truck just quit so he’s also trying to find a good, dependable car.”
“How long have you worked the farm?”
“All my life. My mom inherited it from her parents. My dad and mom worked it together until my dad died of a heart attack. I was in high school and worked before and after school.”
“Wow. That doesn’t make for much of a social life.”
“I had a girlfriend before my dad passed. We grew up together. Started dating in high school. Were even engaged for a while. Until…” He glanced away.
“It’s okay. You don’t have to talk about it,” she reassured him.
“I’m pretty sure you already know.” He turned back to her. “This is a small town after all.”
‘Yeah, well, I’d prefer to hear it from you. That is if you want to tell me.”
He hadn’t expected that.
He shoved his hand through his hair. “Well, she went to a wedding, one of those destination weddings, and ended up with another guy. She said she wanted more than what Harland Creek had to offer. She came home long enough to get her things and…”
“And what?”
“I had opened a savings account and had been putting money away to buy a new tractor. Since we were engaged, I put her name on it too. She ended up taking it all.” He bit his lip.
“Gosh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”
“No one knows. Not even Olivia.”
“Why?”
“Because it was a lesson for me in trusting blindly. I was more hurt than angry. And embarrassed for putting myself in that situation.” He looked away.
“Did she ever give you a reason to think she wasn’t happy here?”
“Looking back, maybe she did. But I had been too young and stupid to think she’d ever leave. I mean, this is home, right?”
“I understand.” Heather uncrossed her arms and looked around the green pasture spotted with cattle. “Out here, everything is so vibrant and alive and beautiful. What more could you ask for?”
“Exactly.” He stared at her. The morning breeze had picked up her blond hair, lifting it against the backdrop of the clear blue sky.
“So, what else do you have to do today? You said Justin was supposed to walk the fence line?”
“Yeah. I guess I need to take care of that today.”
“Need some help?”
Out of habit he almost said he didn’t need help. He didn’t mind helping others but often felt weird about accepting help himself. But he caught himself.
“Help would be nice.”
She smiled and he noticed how her eyes sparkled when she was happy.
He cleared his throat. “So let’s just start here. Have you ever driven one of these?” He nodded at the side-by-side vehicle.
“No.”
“It’s just like driving a car. I’ll let you drive down this side of the fence while I walk it. Go ahead of me and if you see an area the cows can get through, tie an orange string around it. You’ll see it in the bed of the side-by-side.”
She eased into the driver’s seat. He showed her the ignition and how to shift gears.
“This is like driving a car. A mini car.” She grinned.
“Something like that. But not as much power.”
She started down the line as he walked behind her. After she had gotten more comfortable with the side-by-side, she went on ahead of him.
As he walked the fence line, he stole glances at Heather. She drove slowly and stopped a couple of times to tie a string around weakened areas of the fence.
He was finishing mending the last spot when she pulled up beside him.
“Have far do you want to go? Looks like this goes on for a ways.”
“We’ll stop here for today. I know you’re wanting to get back to Elizabeth.” He put the roll of barbed wire into the back of the side-by-side.
“She said I had the day off. I moved her sewing machine downstairs to her bedroom. I’m sure she’s going to be catching up on her quilts.”
“I heard from Sam you went to the quilting bee at church. Is that something you are interested in?”
She laughed. “I don’t think you want me anywhere near a needle. And I’m fairly certain the ladies don’t want me back. I bled on their quilt.” She cringed.
He grinned. “I don’t think they are going to be quilting at church anymore. Heard the pastor told them to find someplace else to go.”
“News travels fast.” She arched her brow.
“Small town,” he countered.
“Yes, it is.” Her voice was soft and quiet.
“Let’s ride over there. I think I see the new calves.” He jumped in the passenger side and let her drive as he pointed in the direction of the babies.
“Oh, gosh. How sweet. And they are so big already. Will they let me pet them?”
“No, they pretty much stay close to mama.”
He saw the disappointment in her eyes.
“Come to the house with me. I want to show you something.” He slipped into the driver’s side.
“What is it?” She frowned.
“Something you’ll like. Something you can pet.”
Chapter 26
Heather’s breath caught in her throat when Grayson drove to the top of the hill.
Below it stood his white farmhouse and red barn.
“It’s beautiful. It looks like a painting,” she whispered.
“You think so?”
“Yes. It’s the ideal farmhouse.�
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“Thanks. My grandfather built it for my grandmother. The only thing she wanted was a porch. So he built her one that wrapped around the whole house.”
“Is she still alive?”
“No. She passed when I was a boy. She made the best peach cobbler, and my grandfather used to take me fishing. I caught my first fish on that pond over there.” He pointed to the pond off in the distance.
“That’s great to have so many family memories. You are very lucky.”
He looked at her. “There’s always time to make new memories.”
She nodded.
He slowed as he headed for the barn. His horse Ranger came out and looked at them.
“Hey, boy.” The second he stopped, she jumped out. The horse came right over to her.
“Well, that’s new.”
“What?”
“Ranger. He never is that loving with anyone except me.”
“Is that right?” She rubbed his long nose and looked at Grayson. “Maybe he smells the flowers on me.”
“I don’t think that’s it.” He stared at her.
She turned her attention back to Ranger. “What did you want to show me?”
“It’s in here.” He headed to the red barn and opened the door.
Before she could make it inside, six tiny goats burst out. They ran over to the bales of hay that were stacked and climbed up and jumped off.
“Baby goats. How precious.”
“If you sit, they’ll come over to you.”
She smiled and sat down on the ground. “Hey, baby goats. Come over…” Before she could get the words out, they had spotted her. They ran over and immediately began bleating. They climbed in her lap and jumped. One even managed to climb on her back.
“Oh, sweet!” She laughed as another goat chewed on her hair.
“Yeah, you’ll change your mind when they are eating your clothes,” he groused.
“I don’t think I’d mind. They’re too cute!” She laughed and cuddled the goats. She didn’t even mind them chewing on her hair. “If I had baby goats, I would put pajamas on them.”
“They would probably try to eat them off. They eat everything.” He pointed at the barn.
“Here comes mama. It’s time for them to eat.” A larger goat came out of the barn, bleating loudly. Obviously, mama was trying to gather her children for breakfast.
Grayson held out his hand and she took it. He pulled her up and she realized how close they were standing. Her heart thudded in her chest. Fear and excitement flooded her chest as he held her gaze.
He brushed her cheek gently with his hand. “I have a confession. I’ve been thinking about you an awful lot. And if I’m being honest with myself, I have wanted to kiss you for a very long time.”
She swallowed and took a step back. “Grayson, there’s something I have to tell you.”
“Okay.”
“It’s kind of embarrassing.” She knew without looking in a mirror that her face was red.
“I won’t laugh.” His voice was gentle.
She opened her eyes. “I… I grew up in the foster system. Some homes were worse than others. I tried to keep to myself, and I never had a date. Not even for prom. Even if someone had asked me, I wouldn’t have been able to afford a dress.”
“That must have been hard.” His voice was calm and gentle, and she didn’t hear any judgment in his words. Just understanding and kindness.
“It was. That’s part of the reason I came here. I wanted to find a place to call home. Some place where I could make a life.”
“Harland Creek is a good place for it.” He smiled.
“I’m telling you that because I’ve never been on a date, which means I’ve never been kissed. And don’t know how.” She squeezed her eyes shut tight.
“I haven’t kissed anyone in a long time. So maybe I forgot how.” He shrugged.
She opened her eyes and stared at him for a second. Then she burst out laughing.
He grinned and took her hand. “How about we hold off on the kissing right now. When you’re ready, you can let me know.”
“Okay.” She nodded.
“Would you like to see the house?” He cringed. “It’s been a while since a woman has lived in it. So don’t expect much.”
She squeezed his hand, liking the feel of his calluses against her palm. “I’m sure it will be fine.”
As they walked up to the porch, a yellow dog that had been sleeping lifted his head.
“That’s Titan. I’ve had him close to ten years. He used to have more spunk, but he’s starting to show his age.”
The dog didn’t bark but looked at her carefully as she knelt beside him. She looked up at Grayson. “Can I pet him?”
“Sure. He’s useless as a guard dog.”
She rubbed his head, and the dog rolled over and gave her his belly. “Aren’t you a good boy.”
When she stood, Titan stood too, ready to follow her into the house.
“Come on, boy. We’ll get you a dog bone.” He held the door open for her to enter first.
She stepped inside, shocked at the light interior. “This is not what I was expecting. It’s beautiful.”
He laughed. “After my mom inherited the house, she updated it. She had shiplap installed on the walls in the living room and kitchen.” He pointed to the walls. “She replaced the countertops with butcher block to keep the character of the house.” He ran his hand on the counter. “Other than paint and some minor replacements, she tried to keep the house as similar to the time period it was built.”
“I was expecting antlers and a gun over the fireplace.” She arched her brow.
“Look in the dining room.”
She poked her head into the dining room. The walls were painted a soft gray and white bead-board. The table was large and made of a dark wood. From the scratches she could tell it had seen a lot during its time. Her gaze drifted upward to the chandelier. It was made of antlers.
“My dad insisted on that.” He added, “Want to see the rest of the house?”
“Absolutely.”
She followed him as he showed her the house. There were three bathrooms, one of them off the kitchen, the other two near the three bedrooms which were located upstairs. The back porch led to an outdoor living area with a firepit and a long table and chairs.
“Grayson, this is beautiful. Did you decorate it yourself?”
“No, Olivia helped update it. If I had my way, I would cover everything in leather and horns.”
She laughed and pointed toward a smaller red building next to the red barn. “What’s that? Looks like a child’s dollhouse.”
He gave her a weird look. “Really?”
“Yes, it’s so cute.”
“It’s a chicken coop.”
“No, it’s…” She stopped talking when a couple of chickens walked down a plank onto the ground. “But it’s so cute. It has a window box of flowers.” She looked at him.
He rolled his eyes. “Olivia’s doing. She thinks she’s being funny.”
“Remind me to compliment her on her decorating skills.” She grinned.
“Want to have a seat? I hadn’t finished my coffee this morning when I noticed the missing cows.”
“I’d love a cup.”
“Cream and sugar?”
“Yes, please.” She eased into one of the chairs surrounding the firepit.
A few short minutes later he returned with two mugs of coffee.
“Thank you.” She took the hot brew and settled back into the chair. “Do you sit out here a lot?”
“Every chance I get. Which lately isn’t very often. Between running my farm and helping with the flower harvest, I’ve been going to bed early.”
“Well, now that I know what I’m doing with the harvest, you won’t have to help as much. You’ll be able to focus on your farm. You might think about hiring a part-time worker after Justin leaves for college. Maybe some high school student.”
“I don’t know. Usually Elizabet
h snaps them up. She’ll still need help after she’s healed.” He took a sip of his coffee.
She bit her lip. “Maybe not, since I’m staying on.”
A smile broke out across his face. “That’s true. I hope you don’t grow tired of living in the country.”
She sighed, contentment rising in her chest. “This is the first place I’ve ever been that feels like home to me.”
“That’s the best news I’ve heard all day… all year.”
She looked at him and her heart sped up, like it always did. Except she knew it wasn’t from nerves.
She was falling for him.
“Heather.” He stood and held out his hand.
She took it. “Yes?” The intensity in his eyes made her chest ache. She’d never felt anything like this in her life.
“I want to kiss you.”
Seconds passed.
“What are you waiting for?” She frowned. Had he changed his mind?
His lips tugged into a lazy grin. “No. I just want to make sure it’s okay with you. I want you to trust me.”
“Okay.” She placed her hands on his hard chest.
He cupped the back of her head and bent his head. His lips brushed across hers, gentle and unhurried.
When he finally pulled back, they were both breathless.
“I have to be honest. I haven’t felt this strongly about anyone.” He stared intently at her.
“Not even Sarah?”
“Not even Sarah.”
He brushed a stray hair out of her eyes. “I’d like to take you to dinner Friday night. At Loftin’s.”
“Where is that?”
“On the square. It’s nice. I’ve only been there twice with Olivia and Sam. I even wore a tie.” He grinned.
“That would be nice. What time?” She looked at him under her lashes.
“How about seven? Then we could go stargazing.”
“Alone?” She arched her brow.
“No. We’ll take Titan. I’m sure he’ll love to be your chaperone.”
“I’d like that.”
Chapter 27
“We’ll go to Bettie’s. It’s the best boutique we have in Harland Creek. Be sure to park in the handicap spot. That way I don’t have to walk so far.” Elizabeth pointed to the store in the square.