Heart of Grace (Return to Grace Trilogy Book 1)

by Abigail Easton

  She couldn’t concentrate. The proposal she promised Jeffrey was simple enough, just a compilation of the arena’s financials and marketing plans. She had prepared hundreds over the years, but after thirty minutes her lack of focus made it impossible to fully delve into the task. Besides that, the barrel riding competition was starting and Tina was on the roster. Angela quickly finalized the proposal and sent it off to Jeffrey without even a read-through. Staring at the “message sent” notice across the screen, Angela bit her lip and frowned.

  She turned off the lamp and hurried out of the office. The announcer called Tina’s name and Angela took off at a run. She hurried up the steel steps and stood behind Reed at the announcers stand.

  Tina took her starting position and then commanded the horse into a full run. The crowd cheered for their hometown girl and Angela joined in.

  “She looks great!” Angela leaned down and spoke into Reed’s ear over the crowd as Tina rounded the first barrel. “Sure does!” Reed patted Angela’s hand, glancing at her

  over his shoulder. “When you getting out there?”

  Angela laughed and shook her head. “I can’t remember the

  last time I tried the barrels.”

  “I do.” Reed rose and stood beside Angela, turning his

  attention back to Tina as she finished the last turn. In the end

  she placed eighth, but her time was good for a first go. Angela caught Tina’s eye as she and the horse pranced

  toward the rear gates. There was no disappointment showing

  on her face and Angela knew the girl was soaking up the cheers.

  She kissed all of her fingertips at once and threw her arms wide

  open to her “fans.”

  Laughing, Angela blew Tina a kiss right back.

  Turning again to Reed, Angela was surprised to realize he

  had been looking at her, and not at Tina.

  “You used to love the barrels,” Reed said with a sad smile

  as the crowd calmed down and the next rider took her place.

  “You used to ride Honey Bear. Remember?”

  “Oh, I loved that horse,” Angela said. “Haven’t thought of

  her in years. Butterfield was a good trail horse, and she will

  always be my favorite, but Honey Bear was good on the barrels.

  That horse loved to run. What happened to her?”

  “She’s at Thornton Stables now, out to pasture. She missed

  you when you left.” Reed said, looking away. “I always

  wondered why you didn’t compete. You had good time.” “My father wouldn’t allow it.”

  Angela turned away. Reed took his place back at the microphone and announced the next competitor. She hurried down the grated steel steps and at the bottom slammed into

  Cole’s chest.

  “Whoa.” He caught her arms to steady them both. His eyes

  held nothing of what they had experienced just hours before.

  She couldn’t say why that thought was so disturbing. Hadn’t

  she wanted to forget about it?

  “I have a surprise for you.” He gently squeezed her arms. “What is it?”

  He said nothing, only turned her around to face a tall blond

  man with big broad shoulders.

  No. No. No!

  “Hey there, little sister.”

  “Michael.” Angela bit out the name. “What are you doing

  here?”

  “I just wanted to see how you are. It’s been a while.” He

  stepped forward, his movements hesitant. “How are you?” “Fine.” She moved aside as people hurried past them.

  “You?”

  Michael nodded. “All right. I guess.”

  Cole’s smile faded by degrees as he stood in the midst of

  this uncomfortable reunion.

  “Angela!” Tina hurried between them. “Did you see me? I

  got eighth. Not twelfth, not last!”

  “Congratulations!” Grateful for the interruption, Angela

  wrapped her arms around Tina and squeezed. “You looked

  great out there!”

  Cole hugged Tina next and then he pushed her hat over

  her eyes. “It won’t be long before you’ll be joining me at the

  pro events! Wanna try the bronc next?”

  “Sorry,” Tina laughed as she righted the hat. “Only insane

  boys play with wild horses!”

  “Touché,” Cole said, lifting his injured arm.

  “Tina,” Angela said, “this is my brother, Michael. Michael,

  this is Tina. She works at the arena.”

  “You mean in addition to being a rodeo star?” Michael

  winked and shook Tina’s hand.

  “I keep the day job. You know…gotta keep it ‘real’,” Tina

  beamed. “Do you live here? I haven’t seen you around.” “No.” Michael said. “I used to, though. Now I live in

  Seattle.”

  “I’m sorry about your Dad.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Why don’t you go find your Mom, Tina,” Angela said,

  wishing she could cover her hands over eyes and shout at the

  top of her lungs to break the tension. “I’m sure she’s looking

  for you.”

  “Oh yeah, I’m supposed to meet her at the concession

  stand.”

  As the girl waved goodbye and left, Cole smiled at brother

  and sister. “Now that the minor is gone, who’s up for a drink

  at The Water Hole?”

  ****

  “Strange to be back,” Michael said as he and Angela took

  their seats at The Water Hole bar and waited for the bartender

  to notice them. Cole had been waylaid by some friends the

  moment they had walked in.

  “Strange is one way to put it.” Angela muttered. She had

  been in this room dozens of times as a child. She wondered if

  Michael also remembered coming here to find their father

  slumped over a table, an empty bottle of whiskey at his elbow. The only light in the room came from covered candles in

  the center of each table and neon signs on the walls. The talk

  of townsfolk was broken only by the music playing over the

  speakers and the occasional clatter of cue balls. Few frequented

  the dance floor. It was late and most patrons were more

  interested in slamming back a few more before closing time. “I never thanked you,” Angela said as she turned in her

  seat. “For handling the details with Dad’s death.”

  “I stopped speaking to him years ago,” Michael said,

  drawing his attention to the napkin in front of him. “I just

  thought you should know that.”

  Despite the nerves and pretenses that existed between

  them, or perhaps because of them, Angela wished she were ten

  years old again. She wanted to sit beside her big brother, back

  when she had looked up to and admired him. He had been the one to shoulder their father’s weight when they’d had to fetch him from the bar, hauling him back home to sleep off his drunken stupor. But reality was very different now and the torture in Michael’s eyes was that of an adult man with far too many regrets. She had hated him for running away to Seattle and leaving her alone with their father. While the hatred had

  dulled over the years, the rift between them had not closed. “I didn’t stop it,” Michael said quietly, turning to her. His

  eyes were so like her own: the color of swamp grass. She wasn’t prepared. First Cole, and now this. It had been

  a long day. She shook her head and didn’t even try to hide the

  briskness from her voice. “No, you didn’t stop it and you

  couldn’t have. I won’t discuss it with you anymore. Drop it.

  Please.”

  Michael lifted
his brow. “Fine. It’s dropped.”

  “It really is good to see you, Mike,” Angela sighed and

  smiled.

  “You too, kiddo.” His smile was forced, as hers had been,

  but at least he had reciprocated her effort. “Now, you wanna

  tell me what’s up with you and Cole?”

  Angela looked at Cole. He laughed with some people she

  recognized from around town. “He’s was Dad’s partner,” she

  said as she turned back to Michael. “Now he’s mine.” “Michael Donnelly!” Having finished filling other orders,

  Derek the bartender leaned over the bar to give Michael a

  friendly punch on the shoulder. “What are you doing back

  here? Decide to move back for good?”

  “Nah, just come to see what trouble my sister’s been

  getting into.”

  “Ah, now. Angie don’t get into no trouble,” Derek smiled.

  “She’s as straight as they come. We been trying to get her to

  come out with us to the quarry, but she don’t want no part of

  that.”

  “Really, Derek?” Angela teased. “You haven’t asked me

  since high school. And I didn’t go with you because I knew

  you had your mind set on more than going for a swim.” “Of course he did.” This came from Ralph as he claimed

  the stool on the other side of Angela. “Derek’s had a crush on

  you since middle school.”

  Angela let out a disbelieving snort. “I doubt that. I was

  thinking more along the lines of him putting leeches in my

  swim suit or calling the cops on me.” She aimed a sideways

  glance at Derek and smiled. “You and Cole were a formidable

  team.”

  Derek set three fresh napkins on the bar. “Oh no, it’s true.

  I had a horrible crush on you, but of course I couldn’t admit

  to it. Heck, if I wasn’t married I’d probably still have that crush.

  Anyway, all the good it did me. No one could get near you,

  Ang. Between your big brother here and the fact that you only

  had eyes for that one.” Derek jerked his chin toward Cole. Angela felt her face grow hot. “Well, luckily for me and for

  Cole, childhood crushes don’t last.” But adult crushes are much

  more dangerous. “A chardonnay, please.”

  “Make it two. Hey guys!” Sophie set her arm around

  Angela’s shoulders and leaned over the bar. “I like a girl who

  knows how to have a little bit of class in a place like this. I

  could learn a lot from you, in spite of the fact that you keep

  awful company.” Sophie’s eyes shot daggers at Ralph. Ralph laughed and shook his head, standing. “You may

  hate me, but at least you’re thinking of me.”

  Sophie rolled her eyes. Ralph walked away and she took

  the seat he vacated. “He’s such a toad. We dated a few times.

  Three years ago.” She sipped her drink when it was given to

  her. “Huge mistake, but it’s a small town. Slim pickins’.” Angela took her drink and glanced at her brother over the

  rim. Michael quietly surveyed Sophie. He seemed a bit

  frightened and it was all Angela could do to keep from

  laughing.

  “Sophie, you remember my brother, Michael.” Sophie squinted her eyes and pursed her lips. “Michael?”

  Then, as if propelled by a loose spring in her stool, she

  bounced up and came around to offer her hand as if she were

  a princess greeting a suitor. “Wow, you look amazing! All

  grown up and handsome, aren’t you?”

  Michael practically squirmed beneath her intent star, but he

  took her hand and held it for a few seconds, not quite sure what he was supposed to do with it. “Nice to see you, Sophie.

  How have you been?”

  “Drowning in this backwater town, as usual. What brings

  you back?” Before he could answer she hooked her arm

  around his and dragged him off his stool and onto the dance

  floor.

  Left alone, Angela went back to her drink, turning the stem

  between her fingers. Cole still worked the crowd.

  An older man in a blue baseball cap took the seat beside

  her and ordered some water. Angela offered him a polite nod.

  He smiled, his blue eyes nearly the same color as his cap. “He’d rather be over here talking with you,” the man said

  offhandedly.

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “Cole.” The man gestured to the other side of the room

  with his glass. “I can see it by the way he keeps glancing over

  here.”

  “I’m sorry,” Angela felt the irritation creep up, and she let

  it come, “who are you?”

  “Ah, sorry. Name’s Jack Atkinson.” He winked. “You

  don’t remember me?”

  “Jack.” Angela said, recalling his identity as she took a sip

  of her wine. “You’re the vet. You used to take care of Doug

  Jordan’s horses.”

  “Still do, only they’re Cole’s now,” Jack said reflectively.

  “Came to your rescue a time or two.”

  A strange sensation settled over Angela. It might have been

  due to exhaustion or the wine. She was tired, but acutely aware

  of her surroundings. The music crooned on about a sexy

  tractor. The other sounds of the bar were both muted and

  intensified, a strange foggy humming surrounding it all. She

  pushed her glass away, deciding she didn’t need any more wine. “Do you remember that prank Cole played on you at the

  pond?” Jack asked.

  Her thoughts instantly went to the kiss, but there were

  other memories there. The pond sat on the border between

  Starhorn Ranch and her father’s land. She and Cole had met

  there by chance more than a few times.

  Angela leaned onto the bar, smiling into Jack’s laughing

  eyes. “Cole caught me skinny dipping and he tossed my clothes

  into the tree branches. You came along later and got them

  down for me. Thank goodness for muddy water.”

  “I pulled his ear for that one. He didn’t hate you as much

  as he wanted everyone – including himself – to think he did.”

  Jack turned in his seat and looked across the room, peering at

  Cole, the man who had grown from that nasty little boy. “His

  daddy was a fine man, but Cole could have used a mother.

  Shame she died so young.”

  “I remember Celia.”

  “The cancer took her quickly. Cole never really got over

  the shock,” Jack said. “Neither did Doug.”

  Angela had never before considered that Celia’s death was

  the catalyst to Cole’s childhood behavior. It drove an

  uncomfortable knot deep into her belly. “Well, in any event,

  no harm done. He’s no longer stealing my clothes or sticking

  carpenter ants down my shirt.”

  “True, true,” Jack nodded in agreement. “But it’s hard to

  forget, isn’t it? Maybe it makes you remember other things

  you’ve tried to forget.”

  His bright eyes peered into her.

  “Excuse me.” She stood and pushed the stool back, the

  legs scraping loudly on the hardwood floor. “I need to rescue

  my brother.”

  She pushed away and walked onto the dance floor, letting

  the stool teeter in the wake.

  Sophie and Michael danced to a song about a girl who

  smashed her boyfriend’s truck a
fter discovering he had cheated

  on her. Michael seemed to be enjoying himself, taking up the

  chorus with Sophie and a few others on the dance floor. Angela eased between him and Sophie and took her

  brother by the shoulders, noticing he was more than a little

  drunk. “How much did you have?”

  “Just two beers.”

  “Geesh. How could a man as big as you be such a

  lightweight?”

  Angela said goodbye to Sophie and guided her brother off the dance floor. She looked back at the bar where she had been sitting. Jack wasn’t in sight. Cole watched her from across the

  room, regarding her with a quiet questioning.

  He excused himself and walk to her.

  Stubble covered his jaw line, the blue of his eyes nearly

  glowing in the muted light. Shadows deepened the valley

  beneath his cheekbones.

  “Cole.” She said his name as if for the first time, seeing all

  facets of him at once. She might have said something that

  could have made them both uncomfortable, but thankfully her

  brother erupted into another terrible version of Carrie

  Underwood’s “Right Now.” It was no longer the song playing

  in the bar, but that didn’t seem to matter to him.

  “He’s a bit drunk,” she explained to Cole.

  “Seriously?” When he saw for himself that Angela was

  indeed serious he lifted Michael’s arm over his own shoulders.

  “All right, then, let’s get outta here. I’ll put him up in my spare

  room tonight.”

  Later, and after she had helped Cole deposit Michael into

  the guest room, Angela wandered onto the front porch and sat

  in the swing. The night was cool, the moon hidden behind

  heavy clouds. The light from the fixture at the front door

  barely reached her toes. She was content to sit in the darkness. Cole came outside a few minutes later. He gestured to the

  seat beside Angela.

  She slid over to give him room.

  He sat and rested a hand on his knee. “Michael’s out.

  Nadine’s already planning the lecture she’ll give him in the

  morning.”

  “Your dad and I used to sit here for hours,” Angela said.

  “Sometimes we wouldn’t even talk. Just sit.”

  Cole nodded and leaned back, taking her cue. They said