In his gut, he knew he’d made the right choice all those years ago. The military had taken a troublesome boy and molded him into an admirable man. But sometimes, after waking from a nightmare, he asked himself if the sacrifice was worth the pain. Heath broke out of his reflection to notice Grace watching him from across the yard.
She gave him a quick smile before returning her attention to her computer.
Should he go over and say hello, or just let her work? He didn’t question his instincts but strode over to the porch. Leaning against the rail, he cleared his throat. “Good morning.” He removed his dusty baseball cap and tucked it under his arm. Her radiant smile stopped his heart.
“Good morning to you, too.” She lowered the screen of her laptop.
Heath struggled to retain possession of his mind while in the presence of such a beautiful woman. Don’t just stand there and drool, you idiot. “You have a wonderful office.” He gazed around at their surroundings. From this viewpoint, he could see the horse stable and the barns, the animal corrals, a few of the flower gardens, and acres and acres of cattle pastures. A breathtaking sight.
“Yes, it is. I didn’t realize how much I missed this place.” Grace swept her hand in a wide arch. “I moved here from Dallas a few days ago, but only temporarily, until my wedding.”
“When’s the big day?” He didn’t want to think about her getting married. He shouldn’t care but for some reason, he did. A lot.
“At the end of August. We’re holding the ceremony and reception at the ranch. So many things need taking care of, and all are easier to manage from here.”
“Good luck. Well, I should let you get back to work.” He didn’t want to leave her but had enough sense left to know that’s exactly what he had to do—for the sake of his poor, lovestruck heart.
“Thanks for coming over.” She brushed a fly off her arm. The bug came back, and she swatted it away again. “You know…I think the ranch suits you. I’m glad you agreed to stay until your bike is fixed.”
He placed his baseball cap on his head. “Yes, ma’am. Thanks for the hospitality.” Pushing off the rail, he walked back to his temporary home.
Last night, inside the Murray house, he’d seen her engagement picture. Her fiancé had a smugness that rubbed him the wrong way. Tyler’s buttoned-up attire and cocky smile didn’t jive with easy-going Grace. Heath imagined Tyler tip-toeing around the ranch, not wanting to get cattle poop on his expensive leather shoes.
Returning to his motorcycle, he grabbed a socket wrench and got to work. Hours later, he sat next to his bike, swearing loudly. The ranch dogs ran around him, sniffing curiously. He’d counted four dogs around the property: two Collies, one German Shepherd, and a black one of questionable lineage. The old radio he’d found in the bunkhouse rested on the grass, crackling out classic rock. Today’s weather forecast called for temperatures reaching 100 degrees—blast-furnace hot. The Texas heat reminded him of a desert a half a world away. His T-shirt was drenched in sweat and stuck to his body.
Jerry, from the auto-parts store, had stopped by earlier, delivering the parts Heath needed. The engine was now running but not smoothly. He’d counted out his remaining cash, which would last him only a few more days. If he left today, his bike might die while on the road and leave him stranded with a pricey repair. But he had to take that chance.
Bruce was over by the big barn, loading tools into a green ATV.
His overalls, cowboy hat, and work boots gave him the appearance of a man ready to spend the day working outside. Heath put down his wrench and walked over to give him a hand.
“Howdy.” Bruce threw a bundle of wire into the bed of the vehicle. “You get her runnin’ yet?”
“A few minutes ago. The engine isn’t purring like it should, though. A professional mechanic would fix that, but I’m running out of cash.” Hard thing to admit that he was almost broke, but his stress eased with the statement. Bruce made him feel comfortable, and Heath had gone a long time without someone he could talk to. “Time to get on the road and find a job.”
Bruce got seated in the ATV. “I’m heading out to inspect some of the back fence. You want to tag along? I’ll give you a little tour before you leave.”
“I’d like that.” Heath adjusted his hat to shade his eyes from the bright sun. He sat in the passenger seat.
“Hold on tight.” Bruce took off down the gravel drive and into the pasture.
When they hit an especially large bump, Heath nearly flew off. This rough ride reminded him of trips through the Afghan countryside. Only now, he was spared the threat of land mines and terrorists’ bullets. That fact didn’t stop his hyper vigilance. His gaze scanned the landscape around them in search of danger. A finely tuned skill that was now unneeded but too deeply ingrained to change.
He squeezed the side bar a little tighter as he rode past more Longhorn cattle than he could count. Some of the horns of the larger cattle were unbelievably huge, close to five feet tip to tip.
“You know,” Bruce said. “I’ve trained them to respond to the horn of the ATV. I give a beep-beep, and they follow me into another pasture.” After two short honks, all the cattle within view raised their heads and looked at the ATV.
“Smart cattle.” He laughed and glanced around the field at the crowd of curious bovines. “They used the same trick with us in the Army, only their method included a blow horn and threats of extra PT to get us moving.”
Bruce’s wide mouth lifted with a smile. “Son, I never thanked you for your service, so I am now. You are a credit to your country.”
Chest constricting his breath, Heath could only nod. When was the last time he’d felt pride for his military career? If Bruce knew the dark, deadly truth, he’d be repulsed instead of grateful. He turned his gaze and watched acres of fields roll past, spotted with ponds and rocky outcroppings, which hung over slow-moving streams. The ranch was nature at its most pure. While riding along the rough path, a peaceful world spread out before him, and the load on his shoulders lightened. An energetic green replaced the red that normally stained his vision.
They stopped at a section of fence that hung loose. Two dogs had followed them out and now darted through the pasture.
“Grab that wire cutter and gloves.” Bruce lifted a roll of wire.
Heath labored alongside the rancher for over an hour, mending fence and working up a healthy sweat. Cicadas buzzed steadily. Their song punctuated by an occasional lowing of cattle. He raised his head to the clear, blue sky. Now, this was freedom.
“All this wedding business may drive me into an early grave.” Bruce walked over to the cooler and grabbed a water bottle. “Joslyn and Grace have me working on so many projects. I hardly have time to work the ranch.”
Heath accepted a water bottle from Bruce and took a drink. The cool moisture felt like heaven to his mouth and throat. “The wedding is at the end of August, right?”
“Yup, come hell or high water.” Bruce laughed and wiped his brow with a red checkered handkerchief then tucked it into his pocket. “To tell you the truth, I’m not too happy about this whole thing. Tyler is a good man and he loves my daughter, but I wish they’d wait a bit. Not go rushing to the altar.”
“How long have they known each other?” Heath gulped down another drink.
“Since elementary school. Alex and Tyler were good friends, and Grace had what you’d call puppy love. She’d get all dolled up whenever Tyler came over, but that boy never paid her any attention. I wonder if he’s worthy of her love, after all those years of breaking her heart. He didn’t appreciate the jewel hidden inside.”
“Tyler must’ve recently changed his mind.” Heath crushed the empty water bottle in his hand. The plastic container seemed like a safe outlet for his growing dislike of Grace’s fiancé.
“A year ago, they ran into each other at a friend’s wedding. Grace had grown up quite a bit since he’d seen her last. Now he was the one smitten. I give Grace credit. She made him work hard to win her hand.”
Bruce wrapped a length of wire around the wooden fence post and pounded several horseshoe nails over the wire to hold it into place. “I only hope she wants to marry the man Tyler is, not the version she’d put on a pedestal all those years.”
“She seems to have a smart head on her shoulders.” Heath handed Bruce the wire cutters. “And you’re a good man for giving her a dream wedding.”
Bruce laughed heartily. “It will either be a dream or a nightmare, depending on if I get all my projects done.” He cut the extra wire and put his tools back in the bed of the ATV. “Heath, I could really use an extra pair of hands around here for the next two months. Between the wedding and preparing for the fall cattle auction, there’s not enough time in the day. If you agree to stay, you can continue to use the bunkhouse, plus weekly pay. I know you had your heart set on leaving, but I hope you’ll consider my offer.”
He’d have a job here at the ranch, a roof over his head, and money coming in. He could get his bike fixed, and then stash the rest. True Horizon Ranch had been good to him so far. Here, the echoes of war filling his head had eased.
But then there was Grace. Could he handle being around her, knowing she was marrying another man? It would definitely be a challenge. And he never retreated from a challenge. “You got yourself a new ranch hand.” He extended his hand.
Bruce gave it a crushing shake. “Welcome to the family.”
****
“Why would you offer him a job?” Grace’s hand jerked, causing her to accidently click on the wrong icon. She turned her gaze from her computer to her dad, who really did have a heart of gold. “Did he agree to stay?”
“I need the help, pumpkin. This wedding business is taking a lot of time, and our other ranch hands are busy already from dawn to dusk.” Dad leaned a shoulder against the doorframe of her bedroom.
“Plenty of young guys in the area are looking for work.” Grace stood from the desk and went to glance out her bedroom window. Heath would be living at the ranch. She’d probably see him every day. And who knew how long he’d stay—a week, a month, or even longer.
As if she conjured him from her mind, his tall form appeared outside. The sight made her skin tingle and her pulse race. Her body’s reaction would have to stop for this arrangement to work.
“Heath is already here, plus he’s worked construction. I’m putting him in charge of building the fancy gazebo you and your mother got planned.”
Grace watched Heath as he walked into the horse stable. “Are you sure we can trust him?” Part of her feared him. He forced her off balance. Dark shadows churned behind his eyes. He was hiding something. She’d bet her new designer purse on it.
Dad scanned the room and stopped at her collection of riding trophies on the bookshelf, and he smiled. “I’d never ask someone to stay at the ranch who I didn’t trust. Heath is a little bit of an odd duck, I’ll give you that. But I believe that underneath his rugged appearance, he’s a respectable man who jumped into a river to save a stranger.”
She walked over and gave her dad a hug. He had a solid point. She owed Heath so much more than a job. “Okay. You’re right. I’m glad you have the help.”
“Don’t fret too much. Things have a way of workin’ out the way they should.”
When her dad left her room, she went to work on her computer. The beauty of her job was all she needed was Wi-Fi and her laptop. Tyler’s company had contracted her to run a security sweep of their data servers. That would keep her busy for the rest of the day. Hours later, when she heard the crunch of tires on gravel, she glanced out the window and nearly jumped out of her chair. She closed her computer and checked herself in the mirror before running downstairs and out the door. “Tyler.” She flung herself into his open arms, which wrapped around her like sunshine. His body felt solid and real. “I didn’t think you’d be here tonight.”
“I finished my meetings early.” He kissed her softly on the cheek.
Tyler looked like he’d stepped out of a men’s fashion magazine. His Italian suit only had a few creases from the car ride. A yellow tie lay over a crisp white dress shirt. As he walked to the trunk of his silver sports car, he stepped carefully so he wouldn’t dirty his expensive shoes. Pulling out a garment bag and suitcase from the trunk, he followed Grace into the coolness of the house.
Joslyn came out of the kitchen, wiping flour off her hands.
Tyler greeted his future mother-in-law with a kiss on the cheek. “I hope you don’t mind if I join you for dinner.”
Her fiancé was such a charmer.
“Of course not. You are welcome any time. I cleaned out the second bedroom on the left. You can put your things up there.” Joslyn retreated into the kitchen. “Dinner will be ready in thirty minutes,” she called out.
Standing in the entryway, Tyler wrapped his arms around Grace’s waist.
His embrace grounded her back to reality. What she had with Tyler was the real deal. He represented her future. She ran her fingers through his perfectly styled blond hair.
He leaned in and kissed her hard on the mouth. “You taste like strawberry shortcake.”
“Hope you like it, because that’s tonight’s dessert.” Resting against his solid body, she nipped at his neck. When the bitter taste of Tyler’s cologne landed on her tongue, she had to suppress the urge to gag.
“Yummy. I can’t wait until dessert. You will be mine.”
Hand in hand, she led him upstairs.
When they reached the privacy of her room, he yanked her close. This time, his kiss was urgent and strong.
Some disconcerted feeling inside her gut made her hold back. Tyler’s usual demanding passion suddenly instilled panic. Her chest squeezed, leaving her struggling to breathe. She pulled away. Grace stroked his smooth face, free of even a millimeter of beard hair. In her adolescence, she’d spent hours making up stories about Tyler. She’d hidden in the hay loft and imagined her wedding. In her mind’s eye, she would be a beautiful bride, and Tyler was the love-struck groom. Not once during all those daydreams did she ever expect them to come true.
Now those dreams were becoming reality.
“I can’t wait until I can claim you as my wife,” Tyler whispered in her ear. “No more separate bedrooms at your parents’ house.”
The term ‘claim’ bristled against her firmly instilled sense of independence. He probably didn’t mean to sound like a caveman.
Even so, Tyler was still perfect, she reminded herself, and he was all hers.
Chapter Six
When they finally came downstairs, Grace took one look at the formally set dining room table and knew her mother had pulled out all the stops for that evening’s dinner. She always put in extra effort for Tyler. After so many years of desiring her mother’s approval, Grace was glad to know she’d finally done something right.
“Another fabulous dinner.” Tyler folded his hands behind his head and reclined his body. “I don’t think I could eat another bite.”
“Thank you, Tyler.” Joslyn’s face glowed as she began clearing the table. “I always enjoy when you join us.”
“So, Bruce, have you given any more thought to that oil contract?” Tyler’s body leaned toward Bruce. “I can have a copy of the paperwork sent to your lawyer. I believe you’ll be pleased with the terms.”
Grace recognized the gleam in Tyler’s eyes. The one he always got when talking business. His body appeared relaxed, but she saw the tension he held in his jaw and the muscle tic on the lower part of his left cheek. Tyler Ross was a lion in the arena of deal negotiations, and her stomach tightened with worry for her dad.
“Haven’t had time to think about that.” Bruce shrugged. “Too many other things to do.”
“I know you’re busy.” Tyler rolled up the long sleeves of his pristine, white dress shirt. “But I don’t want you to miss out on this opportunity. My men can start prospecting the site as soon as you sign the agreement.”
“I’m not keen about drilling platforms on my land.” Bruce folded
his thick arms across his chest.
A hundred-year-old oak tree would be less unyielding. Grace placed a stilling hand on Tyler’s thigh. “Let’s put off this conversation until after the wedding.”
Tyler wore his best salesman smile. His attention remained directed at Bruce. “You have over a thousand acres. Only a few would be affected by the drilling. Trust me…it’s a small inconvenience for large profits. With the extra money, you could secure the ranch’s future and never have to worry about drought, low cattle prices, or high taxes.”
As he stood, Bruce’s chair scraped against the wood floor. “We are doing just fine here. We don’t need a big oil company coming to our rescue. I’ll give you an answer, but not until after the wedding.” With a stiff back and long stride, Bruce left the room.
Seconds later, Grace heard the back door bang shut.
“I’m sorry if I upset him. But I really think that deal is the best thing for your family’s future.” Tyler laid an arm on the back of Grace’s chair and combed his fingers through her hair.
She knew that was more for his comfort than hers. In business, Tyler liked to win, and with her dad, victory wouldn’t come easy, if at all.
“Bruce is a proud man.” Joslyn rested a hand on the back of Bruce’s empty chair. “And stubborn. He’ll come around. I know you have our family’s best interest at heart.”
Needing an escape from the tension lingering in the room, Grace picked up a few empty bowls and brought them to the kitchen, with her mom following right behind her.
“You leave the cleaning to me.” Joslyn lifted the handle to the faucet and began filling the sink. “Go take a walk with Tyler before nightfall.”
Of course, Mom was right. Her attention should focus on Tyler and keeping his mind off of business for the rest of his stay. Grace waited out on the front porch while Tyler changed his clothes. The sun hung low in the sky, highlighting cotton candy clouds that swirled with shades of purple and pink. Leaning over the porch rail, she was struck by how long she’d been gone—four years of college, and then another five working in Dallas. Coming home for the occasional holiday or family celebration wasn’t enough. This homecoming was only temporary, but she needed to make the most of it.
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