He’d just been like every other teenage boy, interested only about getting in a girl’s pants.
She made the mistake of looking toward where she’d seen him sitting next to his mother earlier. He was watching her, and he didn’t look happy. For the tiniest of moments, she did hope he wore that look because he was jealous.
Grace reminded herself she wasn’t at the ranch to rekindle things with Nathan. Bad idea, very bad idea. She was simply falling victim to some old wishful thinking. Nathan no doubt wore that unfriendly expression because he was still angry with her and this situation she’d thrust upon him.
A squeal of panic jerked her attention toward the kids. One of the dogs had a little girl down on her back. Parents vacated their tables and conversations and hurried toward the children. Grace got there first and grabbed the dog by the collar. “Choco, no!” She tugged the dog off the little girl.
The child’s mother scooped her up and turned angry eyes toward the Teagues. “How could you let an animal like this near our children?”
Grace touched the woman’s arm, spoke to her in a soothing, mother-to-mother tone. “She’s okay. See, no injuries. Choco was just kissing her, being friendly.”
The woman examined her daughter to see for herself, then pulled her close and headed out of the picnic area without another word.
“Why is that lady mad?” Evan asked from beside Grace.
She wrapped her arm around his waist. “She was just scared, afraid her daughter was hurt.”
“How did you know Choco’s name?”
She hadn’t even thought about it, just identified the dog because she’d known it from when he was a puppy. “I heard someone call him earlier.” She hated lying to her son, but the truth might lead to too many questions she wasn’t ready to answer.
She stood and dusted off her hands. “I think it’s time we called it a night, squirt.”
“Not yet.”
“Yes. If you don’t get enough sleep, you won’t get up in time for all the fun stuff tomorrow. You don’t want to miss anything, do you?”
“No.” He said it reluctantly, enough to make her smile.
She looked up from tousling his hair to find herself facing Nathan. Her heart thumped hard, part fear, part an ill-advised thrill at being near him.
“Thanks for that,” he said.
“What?”
“Jumping into the dog fray.”
She shrugged. “No problem. I could tell what Choco was doing.” She glanced down at Evan, hoping he didn’t pick up on anything too familiar between her and Nathan.
Nathan propped his hands on his hips. “I’m guessing we’ll lose another guest tonight though.”
“Maybe not. She probably just needs time to calm down. We moms tend to overreact sometimes.”
Nathan’s gaze shifted to Evan, and she had to fight the burning need to hurry Evan away. And her guilt at feeling that way.
Evan looked up at Nathan. “Do we get to ride tomorrow?”
Nathan hesitated just long enough to increase Grace’s nervousness even more. “If you’re very good and do what your mother says.”
Evan thought about this for a moment, then nodded. “Mom, I need to go to bed.”
She bit her lip to keep from smiling at Evan’s quick about-face. And she tried to ignore the twinge of annoyance that he was so much quicker to agree with Nathan than her, even without the knowledge Nathan was his father. Maybe it was just a guy thing, a boy responding to a male authority figure, something Evan had never had but innately listened to. She couldn’t say that made her particularly happy.
Past Nathan’s shoulder, she noticed Merline watching them. “Evan, go wait in the car. I’ll be there in a minute.” When he was out of hearing range and the rest of the dog-incident spectators had wandered away, she looked at Nathan. “Your mom knows, doesn’t she?”
“She figured it out on her own. I haven’t told anyone.”
“Will she tell the others?”
“Dad, maybe. They don’t keep secrets from each other.”
“Nathan—”
“Don’t worry. No one will say anything to Evan. Not yet.”
She wanted assurances, long-term, but she didn’t push it. The fatigue she’d been feeling all day was winning, and she needed to be more rested before she went toe-to-toe with Nathan or any of the Teagues.
But as she lay in bed two hours later, staring at the ceiling and listening to Evan’s breathing in the other bedroom, she wondered if she’d get any rest the entire week. And if she did fall asleep, would Nathan follow her into her dreams?
IT MIGHT TECHNICALLY be a vacation in the sense that she didn’t have to go to the office, but there would be no luxurious sleeping in. Not when Evan was so anxious to get back to playing cowboy. Grace heaved herself out of bed, feeling a bit like she’d been dragged behind one of the ranch’s horses. As she made her way toward the bathroom, she answered her own question from the sleepless hours the night before. Yes, Nathan Teague had followed her into her dreams.
At some point, she’d finally fallen asleep, but it hadn’t been the restful kind. Bits and pieces of the dreams floated to the surface of her brain as she started the shower running and stripped off her pajamas.
Nathan yelling at her. Nathan grabbing Evan and running down a dark alley where she couldn’t follow. Nathan taking her in his arms and kissing her like it was the end of time and they only had a few moments to live.
“Mom! Can I have a muffin?”
Grace jumped at the sound of Evan’s voice through the bathroom door, as if he could see the images running through her head. “Have you brushed your teeth?”
“Yes.”
“Then have a muffin and some juice. Watch TV until I get ready.”
“Okay, but hurry. We’re going to ride today.”
“Yes, I remember.”
She stepped into the shower and tried to wash the memories of all the dreams down the drain. Attempting to focus on other things, she made a mental checklist for her day. Take Evan to the barn. Check in with Emily. Sketch out some ideas for the Franklin Mountain Lodge proposal. Stop thinking about how Nathan’s hands had felt on her body in the dream she was having just before Evan woke her up.
She shoved her face below the rush of water and turned down the temperature. After a few more minutes, she shut off the water and stood dripping. Coming back to Blue Falls was so much harder than she’d thought. How had she convinced herself that those teenage feelings she’d harbored for Nathan were gone? More like they’d just gone dormant until she’d seen him again, a grown-up Nathan who was even more attractive than he’d been the one time he’d held her.
“Mom! Are you ready?”
Grace shook her head and reached for a towel. “Almost.”
Which was a lie. She was nowhere near ready to face Nathan Teague again.
NATHAN GOT THE LITTLE girl named Cheyenne—who was dressed in pink yet again today, this time pink-and-white checks on her shirt with those pink boots and hat—settled on the horse. “That’s good. You’re a natural.”
“Thank you.” She smiled so wide, so full of youthful joy, that he couldn’t help smiling back.
Something about her, maybe the blond pigtails, reminded him of Grace. But something told him that she’d never been this happy as a child. Well, that wasn’t his fault, was it? His thoughts and feelings toward her twisted in knots. How could he be so angry with her and feel sorry for her at the same time? He liked his life simple, and she was making it all kinds of complicated.
He handed off Cheyenne and her mount to his father and turned with a sigh to see who was next. Instead of the next in a line of kids, he spotted his older brother leaning against the fence.
“You sure are a grump this morning,
” Simon said.
“Bite me.”
“Nathan, the children.” The sarcasm oozed from his words.
“Don’t you have someone to go arrest?” In addition to being in charge of the ranch maintenance, Simon served as the local sheriff.
“Maybe you, for biting off heads.”
Nathan forced himself to stop grinding his teeth. How was he going to make it through an entire week of having to watch his son without being able to tell him he was his father? And what right did Grace have to ask it of him? None.
This was not about how the father of those rowdy twins had been ogling her. Really, it wasn’t.
“So, this got anything to do with Grace Cameron coming back to town?”
“No.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought. I’m guessing she’s not back for old times’ sake, either.”
Nathan ventured a look at his brother and found him watching Evan as he rubbed his little hand down Dolly’s mane from his perch in the saddle. Man, he looked so small up there, and Nathan battled the unexpected urge to rush to Evan’s side, to make sure he didn’t fall off and hurt himself. He sighed again, all too aware that his brother had figured out the truth, as well. Not much got past Simon. It’s what made him a good sheriff.
“Don’t say anything.” If anyone said anything, it was going to be him.
“Not my place.” A few moments passed before Simon spoke again. “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. Still haven’t gotten used to the idea yet.”
“Does the boy know?”
“No, and Grace asked me to keep it that way.”
“And you’re going along with that? You’re either a better man or a bigger fool than I am.”
“I plan to change her mind before she leaves.”
“So she’s not staying?”
“That’s what she says. She has a business in Arkansas.”
Simon lifted his hat and resettled it on his head. “Hope you’re not planning to win her over with that sunny personality you’ve been wearing since yesterday.”
“I’d like to see you act any better in this situation.”
“Point taken. Still, you’ve got powerful little time to work with here.” Simon shoved away from the fence. “Well, I’ll go see if I can find someone to arrest.”
Nathan considered his brother’s words as he listened to Simon’s truck start and head down the driveway. He hated to admit it, but Simon was right. His sour attitude wasn’t going to convince Grace that he should be a part of Evan’s life. Surely he could manage reining in his anger if it meant having a relationship with his son. Didn’t mean it was going away, but he could pretend for the bigger cause.
Once he made the decision to try to be less of a standoffish jerk, he was chomping at the bit to get at it. But Grace stayed out of the corral as he, his dad and their two best hands, Abel and Juan, took the kids through short rides and lessons about how to handle horses.
He tried not to be obvious about snatching glances at her where she sat on that same bench she’d sat on the day before when she’d told him Evan was his son. Still, his dad caught him a couple of times. The way he creased his forehead made Nathan think his mother hadn’t shared the news about Evan yet. But it was only a matter of time.
When the morning session concluded, he inhaled a deep breath and approached Evan. “You did well this morning. You’ll be riding the range before you know it.”
“Really?”
“Well, maybe a few years down the road, but you seem to have a way with horses.” It was the truth. None of the horses seemed to spook around him, and Dolly was already acting as though Evan was her best friend.
Nathan turned at the sound of someone hurrying toward him. His eyes met Grace’s, and he saw the fear there that he was going back on his word. His jaw tightened before he told himself to relax.
Grace shifted her attention to Evan. “How’d it go, cowboy?”
“Great! Nathan says I’ll be riding the range soon.”
“I think I said in a few years.” Before he thought, he reached out and squeezed Evan’s shoulder. The realization that he was touching his son for the first time sent a jolt through him, enough to make him take a step back.
“Go wash your hands,” Grace said. “There’s a sink inside the barn.”
“Okay. I’m starving.” Evan ran toward the barn, fueled by boundless energy.
“Nathan.”
It took a moment for Grace’s voice to filter through the roaring in his head. “Yeah?”
“Are you okay?”
He looked toward the barn entrance, could just make out Evan inside the dim interior. “I know this sounds insane, but it was like it all wasn’t real until I touched him.”
“Did you…say anything?”
“No.”
“Thank you.”
Nathan redirected his attention back to the woman who’d had his child. His child. He choked down the feeling of betrayal that ate at him. “I’m going to change your mind, Grace.”
She started to shake her head, but he grabbed her hand, squeezed it gently.
“I’ve got a week. I will change your mind.”
Chapter Five
The truth Grace had settled on the night before remained the same the next morning.
She had to stay away from Nathan. Otherwise, she feared his promise would come true. He’d change her mind.
And she’d risk losing Evan.
But that didn’t feel true anymore, did it?
Maybe she was afraid of losing herself instead. Her heart. Just like she had when he’d been a heartthrob football player who needed help with the quadratic formula and she’d been the plainest of Janes.
To keep her gaze from wandering to where he stood in the corral again, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed Emily’s number. As the phone rang, she glanced around and spotted Nathan instantly. Her heart squeezed in her chest when she noticed him laughing with Evan. Father and son, the two most beautiful beings in her life.
“Hello?” Emily sounded out of sorts, drawing Grace’s attention away from the scene.
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh, hey. Didn’t realize it was you.”
“Okay, we have this thing called Caller ID.”
“And I’m dealing with this thing called a paper jam. I’m about to have an Office Space moment.”
“Please don’t beat the copier to death. We can’t afford another one right now.”
“Why do you always have to make sense?”
“I’m the smart one?”
“Ha!” Emily cursed under her breath, calling the hinky copier a few choice terms. “So, how’s it going there?”
“Okay, so far.”
“How did Nathan take the news?”
She watched the man in question as he led Evan around the corral, her little cowboy having the time of his life. “About like I expected. Disbelief, confusion. No small amount of anger.”
“Did he agree to not say anything to Evan?”
“For the time being, but he’s determined to change my mind before I leave.”
“And you’re afraid he might?”
“No.” She watched the way Nathan moved, remembered how he’d moved with her that long-ago night, how he’d moved in her dream that morning. All fluid and powerful. “Maybe.”
“You want me to come down there and back up Laney for moral support, keep you strong?”
Grace shook her head as if Emily could see her. “No. One of us needs to hold down the fort.”
“I’ll gladly give you copier duty in exchange for hot cowboys.”
“You and a cowboy? Right.” Grace chuckled
at the thought. “I can just imagine you discussing textiles and the merits of natural lighting with a cowboy.”
“I didn’t say I’d be conversing with said cowboy. And I think you’re underestimating how much I hate this copier.”
“Tell you what—if we land this lodge deal, we’ll go crazy and buy a new one.”
“You better be designing your butt off, then.”
“Hey, I’m on vacation.” Granted, the world’s most stressful vacation.
“And I know you. I bet you have a sketch book in front of you right now.”
Grace looked down at the rough drawings and notes about fabrics and furniture styles. “Guilty as charged.”
“One of these days you need to take a real vacation.”
“Someday.”
“Is the work at least taking your mind off things?” Emily asked, more seriously.
“Not as much as I’d like. I know I did the right thing, but part of me is still afraid.”
“Is Nathan how you remember him?”
“Yes, and no. I’m still sorting out what was real, what I made up in my teenage fantasies, and what was a product of what my parents told me.” Other than Nathan, the officials who’d helped her get Evan back, and Laney, Emily was the only other person she’d ever told about her family.
“I know this is a cliché, but it’s a good one. Just take it a day at a time. And make sure you get enough rest.”
Leave it to Emily to know she’d not been sleeping well in weeks, since she’d made the decision to tell Nathan the truth. “Sometimes it’s annoying how you know me so well.”
“I wouldn’t be doing my job as best friend if I didn’t annoy you on a regular basis.”
“Okay, I’m going now. I have some cowboys to ogle.” Grace hung up on Emily’s faux outrage, a smile on her face. That’s what she’d needed—a dose of home, of familiarity, of someone she didn’t have to second-guess.
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