True Horizon

by Laurie Winter

  Tyler came to stand beside her and lifted a lock of her hair, running it between his fingers. “You are stunning.”

  She took his hand and led him across the lawn to the large, red barn. “I remember when you and Alex would be out here playing basketball.” The hoop hung lopsided off the barn wall, now providing a good nesting spot for a family of birds. She pointed to the small window up in the hayloft. “I would hide in there and watch you.”

  Tyler laughed. “Really? I was too busy beating Alex to notice a little caterpillar dangling above us.” He pulled her toward him. “You must have liked it when I took off my shirt.”

  His warm breath tickled her ear. “That was my favorite part.” Grace leaned against the wood siding of the barn. Even as a teenager, Tyler had had a body that made girls swoon. And she’d done her fair share of swooning. “I would have given anything for that sweaty, shirtless boy to have noticed me and kissed me silly.”

  He rested his hands on the barn, one on each side of her body, pinning her against the wall. “If I could go back in time, I would’ve kissed you silly, braces and all. I guess now I have to make up for lost time.”

  She sighed at the tingling sensation of his light bites. He nibbled down her neck and over her collarbone. His lips came to meet hers, firm and demanding. Grace wrapped her arms around his neck and ran her fingers across his broad shoulders.

  Suddenly, a force slammed into them, sending Grace tumbling to the ground.

  “Hmpf.” Heath peeked over the pile of horse blankets he was carrying. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see you when I came around the corner.” He tossed the blankets on the ground and extended his hand to help up Grace.

  “Are you okay, sweetheart?” Tyler stepped forward to block Heath and took her hand, pulling her off the dirt.

  She could smell the familiar and comforting scent of the horse stable on Heath. He wore it like his filthy clothes, which was probably the result of mucking out the stalls. His baseball cap covered damp hair. For Grace, he carried with him the sweet smell of her youth.

  Grace stood still while Tyler stepped away, as if he was avoiding contamination from Heath’s grime.

  “You really should watch where you’re going,” Tyler said.

  Tyler looked at Heath, obviously sizing him up, and Grace fought the urge to roll her eyes. Men. Heath wiped what she could only imagine was horse poop onto his pant leg and held out his hand for Tyler. In Heath’s eyes, she caught a glint of smug humor, making her almost laugh out loud.

  After the handshake, Tyler glanced at his hand and frowned. “You must be the Murray’s new ranch hand.”

  “Started today.” Heath hooked his thumbs in the front pockets of his jeans.

  “This is the man who saved me from drowning.” She hoped Tyler would feel some sense of obligation and at the very least be civil.

  Tyler’s gaze went from inspecting his hand to Heath’s face. “I’m Grace’s fiancé, Tyler Ross. Pleasure to meet you. Thanks for saving my future wife.”

  “Heath is helping out Dad until the wedding. He’s staying in one of our bunkhouses.” She glanced from Heath’s dirty boots to Tyler’s white sneakers. As different as a draft horse from a thoroughbred. Neither better than the other. Each just served a different purpose. And she knew enough to appreciate both.

  A dark expression clouded Tyler’s face. “I need to go wash my hands before we can finish our walk.” He kissed her cheek and went back to the house. His legs carried him with long strides.

  “So that’s the infamous Tyler.” Heath watched Tyler with narrowed eyes.

  “The one and only.” She brushed off dirt and bits of straw that were speckled over her bare legs. “How do you like farm work so far?”

  “If you’re asking if I mind the dirt and smell, then no, it doesn’t bother me. I’ve had much worse. Plus, your dad’s a great boss.”

  “Good.” She found the smudge of dirt streaking across his cheekbone strangely appealing. Her fingers itched to clean it off but only because she wanted to touch his skin. She talked with him for another minute, until Tyler returned and possessively took hold of her hand.

  “Let’s go.” Tyler pulled her along with him.

  “Bye, Heath,” she said. “And go take a shower.” Grace finally let her built-up laughter escape.

  “Will do, ma’am.” Heath tipped the brim of his baseball cap at her.

  He strode away, smiling like a naughty schoolboy. Tyler increased his grip on her hand and led her toward the pasture.

  “What’s his deal? Don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful he saved you, but what was your dad thinking? Hiring a stranger and letting him live here. I don’t think it’s safe.”

  A strong hint of annoyance filled his voice. “Dad trusts him, and so do I.” She strolled with Tyler along the fence line and when she stopped, she reached over to rub the nose of a yearling heifer.

  The bovine licked her hand, and then shook its head.

  “Hey, little lady.” She stroked the heifer’s silky, brindle-colored coat. “Your horns are growing so big. You must be proud.”

  Tyler grasped her shoulders and spun her to face him. “I’m only worried about you. When I leave, I need to know you’ll be safe.”

  Tyler’s fingers dug into the flesh of her upper arm. She shrugged out of his hold. Why was he acting so aggressive? This dominant, territorial behavior was unlike him. “I’m in more danger from my own clumsiness than anything else. Heath saved my life, don’t forget.”

  A scowl soured his expression. “I don’t like him. He’s the type of guy you can’t turn your back on.”

  The heifer moved toward Tyler, who stepped back to avoid a lick from a long, gray tongue. “Gross,” he muttered.

  “I wouldn’t mind it if you spent more time here. You could protect me from the boogie man.” She slipped her hands into his back pockets. What could she say to convince him to work remotely from the ranch?

  Tyler cleared his throat before kissing her gently on the cheek. “I found out this week that I have to travel to Mexico. I’ll be there for the next month. I’m sorry, babe. I hate to leave you for so long right before our wedding.”

  Her gut churned. How could he leave now and shrug off the burden of planning their wedding? She opened her mouth in protest then snapped it closed. As much as she didn’t want him to leave, this business trip was good for his career. She was marrying an oil executive, so she couldn’t balk at his busy travel schedule. “I understand. When do you leave?”

  “I leave Tuesday.” He stroked her back. “This trip could mean a huge promotion. I’m doing this for us. I want to give you the kind of life you deserve.”

  His soft touch helped release her tension. She didn’t want a rich, fancy lifestyle, but those feelings would be lost on Tyler, so she kept them to herself. Sure, she liked nice things but could be just as happy without them. Her time spent at True Horizon had proven that. “Well, I’ll be so busy with wedding plans to miss you.” She softly pinched his nose.

  “You better miss me,” he growled into her neck.

  The sun had disappeared behind the horizon, and thousands of stars started their nightly show.

  Would spending a month apart right before the wedding weaken their bond? She already started to feel a crack in their relationship. Did he feel it as well?

  She held his hand against her heart, hoping the contact would soothe her doubts. “Let’s just enjoy the time we do have together.”

  ****

  Lying on his bed, Heath reached over and opened the paisley curtains, exposing the night sky. He shifted his weight and put his hands behind his head, causing the metal springs to squeak underneath him. He was transfixed by the view through the window, countless stars shone brightly, seemingly only for him. Without city lights, the night got truly dark—just like in Afghanistan, where he’d spent so many nights.

  His time in the Army had given him some good things: friends, adventure, weapon skills, and travel—all wrapped into a neat, camouflag
e package. But along with the good came the bad. The experience had shaped him into the man he was today—a partially defective human being.

  The sound of muffled screams drifted through the open window. Instinct had him bolting out of bed. His highly trained ears strained to identify the direction of the noise, which seemed to come from the direction of the stable. The screaming was getting more frequent and louder. Grabbing his pants and shirt, he yanked them on before slipping on his boots. While passing through the kitchen, he grabbed the two-foot length of steel pipe he’d earlier discovered, which probably was part of some long ago neglected plumbing project.

  Following his instincts after years of specialized military training, he approached the building with short, cautious steps. He scanned the surroundings. Everything appeared normal.

  The large, main door was closed, but light shone through the side door. Heath slowly opened the door and peered inside. Quiet for now, besides the occasional neighing of horses and the pounding of his heart.

  A dim light glowed at the back of the barn.

  Crouching, he hustled toward the low wall that divided the rear from the main section. Another scream sounded, and Heath instinctively darted forward, expecting to find a murdered body. Instead, he found Grace, curled up on several haystacks. A series of high-pitched squeals came from the television she’d propped against the wall.

  Grace turned her head toward him, jumped, and let out a blood-curdling cry. “Holy cow! You scared the living daylights out of me.” She flapped her hands. Tears pooled at the corners of her eyes.

  “You?” His heart thudded hard, threatening to burst out of his chest. He pushed down the desire to pull her into a protective embrace. “I thought someone was getting murdered back here. What are you doing?”

  She grabbed the remote and clicked pause. A mutilated face froze on the screen. “I’m watching a movie.” She tipped her head to meet his gaze. “Zombie Slayer 4.”

  His relieved laugh sounded almost hysterical. “You’re out here watching a scary movie, alone, at night? You’re nuts.”

  “The Zombie Slayer movies are my favorite. I haven’t had a chance to see the new one yet. Tyler was tired and went to sleep. I used to watch scary movies out here all the time when I was younger.” She lifted her chin.

  He became totally absorbed by the vision of her, bundled up in a black-and-yellow blanket despite the heat. She’d made a lounge chair out of stacked hay bales. The seating arrangement actually looked comfortable. A black, shaggy dog lay next to her, its head resting on her lap. With the flat screen against the barn wall, this was a perfect spot for watching horror movies.

  “I didn’t know they made a fourth Zombie Slayer.” Heath studied the empty DVD case. “We used to watch these in Afghanistan.”

  “Bring over a bale and join me.” She patted the spot next to her. “The movie just started. Sasha woke up from her coma. Remember at the end of the third movie, when she got hit on the head by Zach’s machete and fell into the zombie pit?”

  “I thought she died.” Heath pulled a horse blanket off the shelf and got comfortable.

  Grace offered him the popcorn bowl.

  For a split second, he questioned whether this was a good idea, sitting so close together in the dark.

  She was too trusting, too pretty, and too enjoyable to be around. And she was very much in love with another man. So he grabbed a handful of popcorn.

  Grace started the movie. “When Sasha woke up in the pit, all the zombies were gone.” She picked up a big cup and took a sip out of the straw. “Now, she’s trying to locate her sister. She’s met a group of survivors who took her in, but she doesn’t know if she can trust them.”

  “Who’s the dude with the mullet?” He tossed more popcorn into his mouth. This was the good stuff, air popped with real butter. Not the microwave kind he always overcooked, making awful-smelling smoke and a snack that tasted like burnt plastic.

  She laughed, and then groaned. “I guess it doesn’t matter anymore. The dude with the mullet’s arm just got ripped off by a zombie.” Another person got bit, and Grace squirmed.

  “You okay?” He enjoyed watching her cute face scrunch up with each disgusting scene.

  “I really do love this.” She smiled. “I’m so happy to share my love of all things zombie. Tyler hates these kinds of movies, and my parents won’t let me watch them in the house. That’s how I ended up with a movie theater in the barn.” While the man on the screen struggled to fight off Hollywood zombies, Grace’s startled cry broke into laughter.

  He enjoyed the next two hours at her side, and he frequently caught himself staring at her. Luckily, she was too engrossed in the movie to notice. She had an air of innocence about her, and he hoped the world would never take away that. Grace needed to stay safe from people like him.

  Earlier, when he’d seen her wrapped in Tyler’s embrace, he’d wanted to rip her away from the prick. The strength of that desire had frightened him. Anger was a common feeling. Jealousy, on the other hand, was brand new.

  When the ending credits started rolling across the screen, Grace turned off the TV, shaking her head. “That movie was as silly as it was scary. My favorite is still the second one.”

  “That came out when I was at Fort Benning. I remember a few of us organizing a first-run showing for the base.”

  “How old were you when you enlisted?” She sat with her legs crossed and tucked beneath her.

  Her wide eyes looked like melted dark chocolate. They were so deep and inviting, he imagined drowning in them. “I was eighteen, right out of high school. I’ve been out for the past year and a half.”

  “That must be a tough transition.” She pulled a piece of hay out of the bale and twirled it between her fingers. “Do you ever wonder why things happen the way that they do? Take my accident, for instance. For some reason, you stopped in Liberty Ridge. You were there to save me.”

  “In regards to my own fortune, I don’t believe in luck. But I’m glad I came to Liberty Ridge that day, even if it meant a broken bike and a pause in my travels.” And the chance to be here, sitting next to Grace.

  “What are you searching for? Or what are you running from?” Reaching over, she touched his arm.

  She looked at him like she was peering into his soul. A shiver ran through his body, and he stood, brushing hay off his pants. “You really don’t want to know. Don’t lift the hood to get a closer look. It’s not good…what’s inside.”

  Chapter Seven

  After a week of working on the ranch, every muscle in Heath’s body ached. At the end of each day, he crawled into bed and was asleep within seconds. Last night, for the first time in years, his sleep had remained undisturbed by nightmares. That morning, he’d awakened energized and refreshed. Out in the fields, he could think clearer. Was that the result of the fresh air or the physically demanding work? Whatever the reason, he hoped it signaled the catalyst for a fresh start.

  He had just finished putting on his shirt when a knock sounded. Opening the front door, he saw Grace walking back across the yard.

  She looked over her shoulder and smiled. “You’re too skinny. Eat.”

  His minimalist lifestyle had lent to a significantly slimmer frame since leaving the Army. How much weight would he put on if he continued to stay, between the home-cooked breakfast and lunch he was provided every day?

  He pulled his gaze off Grace long enough to see the breakfast tray placed on his porch. They’d fallen into a routine. Every morning for the past week, Grace would leave his breakfast on the bunkhouse porch. Then, she’d tell him to eat up because he was too skinny—the only words she’d spoken to him since the night they’d watched the zombie movie in the barn. Besides bringing him breakfast, she’d kept her distance.

  He wondered if that night, he’d been truthful enough to scare her away. As much as he hated to admit it, he enjoyed her friendship. After all this time alone, he’d forgotten how good having someone to share a joke with felt. But was that selfi
sh, knowing she might not be safe with him?

  He carried his food inside and ate in a hurry. Plenty of chores waited. Once he was finished, he stood and grabbed his empty plate, causing the rickety kitchen table to wobble. Heath looked out the front window to see Grace sitting on a rocking chair with her laptop. She wasn’t looking at her computer, but staring across the yard in the direction of his house. A part of him wanted to go over there, kneel in front of her, and come clean. His soul yearned to be unburdened. Would she grow to fear and hate him? Probably, and that wasn’t a chance he was willing to take.

  Tomorrow, he had a day off. With his motorcycle now fixed, he might ride into town. See what trouble he could find in Liberty Ridge.

  Another knock sounded at his door. Thinking it was Grace again, he smoothed back his hair with the palm of his hand. “Who are you trying to impress, stupid?” he muttered to himself.

  He opened the door and saw Bruce standing outside, holding two rifles.

  “You finished with your breakfast, son?”

  “Yes, sir. I was getting ready to head over to the paddock and check on the bull.” Did the man know Heath had just been ogling his daughter? With a gun in each of Bruce’s meaty hands, he sure hoped not.

  Bruce descended the porch steps with a scowl on his weather-lined face. “Never mind the bull. You’re coming with me.”

  As Heath sat on the ATV, he fought the urge to chuck his breakfast. Bruce drove through the pasture. Minutes slowly ticked by in silence. Ahead, he saw a dark spot resting on a small hill. It appeared to be a rock, until the vehicle got closer. Not a rock, but a dead calf.

  “Coyotes,” Bruce said as they came to a stop. “The monsters come back every summer and hunt my calves and pick off weaker members of my herd. The dogs do a good job of running ʼem off, but they can’t be everywhere.”