“Ah.” She nodded. “Kami told me you were friends.”
“She did?”
“Of course.” Gracie chuckled. “She’s married to one of my sons.”
“Yes, she is.” I looked out the windows to the mountains, drawing in a deep breath and their strength, I replied. “I miss her so much, but I’m so happy she finally found someone and someplace to call home.”
“Home is where our hearts are.” Gracie said matter of fact. “You’ll find your home soon enough, Ember.”
I felt the sting of those hot tears in my eyes once again and I struggled to keep them from rolling down my cheeks. “The only place I’ve really felt at home since I was thirteen was here.” I smiled. “You know, the mountains and the horses...” I felt my voice stutter on an emotion filled breath. “It was this Ranch that actually inspired me to take schooling toward becoming an equestrian veterinarian. I’ve done my first four years in University and have another four years of specialty college. Right now, I am a qualified assistant.” I sighed again. “I’ve worked so hard and I feel like I still have such a long way to go. So that’s the reason for my extended stay. I’m looking for that perspective I always seem to find when I’m here. I need to find what’s important in life again and where I really want to go, because where I am right now, I just don’t want to apply for another four years of school.”
As soon as I was done with my speech and silence filled the little space between us, I realized I’d just poured all my problems onto Gracie Donnelley - the owner of the Ranch I loved with my entire heart and soul - the mother of the man I had daydreamed about since forever - and the woman who always made my mother and I feel welcome even when our budget didn’t offer much in the means of extras. She’d always cut corners and offered us an extra day or two for free in the cabins. She was a good-hearted woman and I had just unloaded all my problems onto her.
I stepped back, feeling shocked and ill. “I’m sorry...”
“Ember Brighton, don’t you dare walk away from me.” Gracie’s tone was motherly and I stilled. She took a step closer to cover the distance I’d put between us. “Now, you listen to me, and you listen good. I’ve seen you every year since you were just a little girl. I’ve bandaged your scraped knees and I’ve watched you ride your first horse. I think of you as a wonderful extension of our family here at the Ranch. And I know you know you’re always welcome here.”
“Thank you.” I felt my cheeks burn with the painful heat of a blush.
She didn’t miss a beat. “If you ever need anything, someone to talk to, to yell at, or to cry with, you come to me, you hear? I want to know what’s going on in your life and if I can help you in any way, you know I will.”
“Gracie...”
“And for as long as you need, you know this place can be your home. Whatever you decide to do, Ember, you are welcome here. You just listen to the words in your heart and you won’t be led astray.”
I sniffled, unable to help the running of my nose as emotions begged to pour from my body, if not in tears, than in the slobbery form of ugly sniffles. “You always know just what to say.”
Gracie chuckled. “I raised four boys, Ember. If you don’t think they have their fair share of problems...” she snorted. “Let me tell you they do! They’ve got problems, but they’re my boys and I’ll do anything I can to help them through.”
I smiled. “You’re a good mom.”
“I know.” She beamed proudly. “Now, since you’re here at the Ranch and you’ve got all this training in science and Kami tells me you worked alongside an equestrian veterinarian last summer, how do you feel about helping us in the stables?”
“Oh, really?”
She nodded, grinning widely. “If you’re available?”
“Definitely!” I laughed, the sound nearing on hysterical happiness. Straightening my spine, I tried to find some sort of professionalism. “I mean, yes. I’d like that.”
Gracie shook her head on a giggle. “You can start as early as today. Just go on over to the stables as soon as you’re finished with your breakfast and tell Luke I sent you.”
At the mention of Luke’s name, my heart fluttered and I felt a betraying blush rise into my cheeks. “I will. Thank you, Gracie.”
She pulled me into another hug, squeezing me tight. This time, I squeezed her just as tight. For the first time in a long time, I felt hopeful. The possibilities for my life were endless.
Gracie pulled back, tucking a strand of red hair behind my ear. “I think your breakfast dates are here.” She winked. “You’ve got the whole posse of Donnelley women, and soon to be Donnelley woman, staring at you from that table right over there.”
I stretched my neck to look where she was pointing and found Kami sitting with two women I had yet to meet, and a baby. They were all leaning into the table, huddled together as though conspiring as they watched Gracie and I. I felt my flesh pebble with nervous goosebumps as I eyed each woman intently.
“Why are they staring at us like that?” I whisper-asked Gracie.
She whispered back. “I don’t know. You should go find out.”
I nodded. “Okay.” I took a step toward Kami and the women before turning back to Gracie. I caught her in the middle of a thumbs-up sign to the women that she instantly dropped as soon as I’d turned to face her. Narrowing my eyes on her, I spoke through my uncertainty. “Thank you again - for everything.”
“Oh, you’re very welcome, Ember.” She said softly. “As I said, we need help in the stables and you’re more than qualified.”
I offered one last smile before I turned to join my best friend and her new posse of Donnelley women, or soon-to-be Donnelley women. And I realized, that I was jealous. Although, I wasn’t sure if I was jealous because my best friend had new close friends, or because they were all, in some form, Donnelley women and I wasn’t.
I lowered myself onto the bench beside a blond woman and I knew instantly, without introductions, that the woman was Hadley. She was the woman, or - um, goddess - as Kami called her who had tamed Collin of his player ways.
Pulling in a deep breath, I announced. “I’m Ember.” I grinned as I fell in touch with my easy-going, sometimes rambunctious ways (as Kami called them). “There’s no need for introductions.” I pointed to a surprised Reese. “You’re Reese.” I looked to Hadley. “And you’re Hadley.”
Reese sputtered on a chopped sounding laugh. “Good guess, I suppose.” She grinned as she rocked the baby in the blue car seat. “It’s nice to meet you, Ember. Kami talks about you all the time.”
Hadley nodded exaggeratedly beside me. “All. The. Time.”
I smiled at Kami who looked like a kitten with milk. “I do.” She shot a pointed glance at both Hadley and Reese. “But I’ve told her all about you, so don’t think its one way!”
“Oh, we know.” Reese huffed. “She knew who we were without introductions. Kamilla Donnelley, you’re the winner of the gossip crown.”
Kami’s mouth popped open. Never in all my life had I ever heard anyone accuse Kami of being a gossip girl - much less the gossip queen. The thought was so preposterous I couldn’t help but laugh.
As soon as the laughter in my throat died, Reese leaned closer to me, practically perching herself on the table. I marveled at the way her hand continued to rock the baby’s car seat even though her mind clearly was not devoted to the action. “So what were you and Gracie chatting about?”
“Oh, she offered me a job.” I beamed at Kami who was struggling to restrain her grin. I wanted to ask why, but instead, I said. “I’m going to work in the stables!”
Hadley choked on her words as she eyed me up and down. “With Luke Donnelley?”
I blushed as I shook my head vehemently. “With the horses.”
Reese made a squealing noise girls in high school tended to emit when excited, and I cringed. “Oh, there will be romance.”
I scooted back on the bench. “There will be no romance. I’ll be working. In the stables.” I
sensed the need to clarify once more, so I repeated myself. “With the horses.”
“Luke’s really nice.” Hadley announced. “He’s been going a little crazy lately not having his brothers to hang out with the same way he did almost two years ago now.” She giggled before continuing. “I mean, they’re all married or...” she pointed to herself. “Nearly married men. They like being home at night with their women over prowling in the night.”
I nodded. “Uh huh.”
Kami interrupted. “What Hadley is trying to say is that Luke is a little different than he’s always been.”
I cocked my head to the side. “How so?”
Reese whistled. “I thought my Donnelley man was all about the muscle, but sheesh, Luke’s grown into the Donnelley muscle gene, alright.” She made a popping sound with her lips. “Mmmm mmm.”
I raised a brow. “I’m sure he hasn’t changed that much.”
“Oh, he has.” Reese argued. “When I first met him, he wasn’t nearly the man he is now.”
“Luke’s always been a man. I’ve known him since I was thirteen and he’s always been nice to look at.”
“Sweetie, if you thought Luke was nice to look at then - you’re not going to be able to take your eyes off him now.” Kami informed me matter of fact. “You should rethink your job in the stables.”
I shook my head. “I’ll take my chances on being blinded by the godliness that is Luke Donnelley, now, are we planning on ordering coffee and breakfast - or are we just going to gossip about hot men all day?”
“Hot Donnelley men.” Hadley corrected and I rolled my eyes as she giggled. “We’ll order, you fun-sucker!”
Chapter 4
The barn was just as I remembered it. It was huge and clean and it was painted a deep brown. Around the edges, the paint had begun to chip and before I could stop myself, I imagined myself repainting the barn beneath the hot summer sun. The barn doors were open wide, so I knew there was someone inside. As I walked closer to the entrance, I tried to calm the unsteady pattering of my heart as I wondered if maybe I’d see Luke inside the barn.
I hadn’t seen the man in nearly two years.
Shaking the thought from my mind, I spotted the outline of a large house through the trees off to the back of the barn. It was about a five-ish minute walk away from the barn, and I knew from my previous years at the Ranch, when the house was being built, that it was Luke’s house.
Oh God...don’t think about his house, I scolded myself internally before adding. Just stop thinking about Luke Donnelley in general.
Under my breath, I started speaking as I walked through the open door of the barn. “The man is nothing special. Never, not once, has he noticed you - not really noticed you - so get a grip on yourself and shut him out of your mind once and for all!”
“You saying something?” A deep voice asked loudly and I felt my spine stiffen as goosebumps pebbled every inch of my flesh. I swear, my every hair lifted as though the strands were electrically charged.
I knew that voice.
It was deeper. It was harder. It was more masculine - if that were even possible - and I recognized it.
I recognized the voice!
The voice belonged to no other than Luke Donnelley.
Pulling in a deep breath, I urged my head to turn in the direction of the voice.
My body stiffened and I felt my lips part on a gasped breath. Luke Donnelley had definitely shed his boyish persona, because the man standing before me was all man.
He’d traded in his long thin body for muscles that bulged. Even just standing there, I could see the veins in his forearms pressing tight against his flesh. He’d filled out - everywhere. Never in my wildest dreams had I pictured Luke this way. He’d always been the kind brother - the one who never picked on anyone, not even his big brothers. He spent all his time loving his horses and exploring the land. I’d heard that he was quite the talker, but I’d never really experienced that pleasure for myself. Looking at the man standing before me now, my mind was having a difficult time connecting the dots between the boy I’d known and the man I was now facing.
His face was the same, just more filled-out, like every part of him. His sharp jaw had always been hard, but now it seemed to resemble granite. There was a slight dusting of dark hair along his jawline and his lips were pressed together firmly, waiting for me to reply. But I couldn’t - not yet - with those deep black eyes piercing me so intensely. High strong cheekbones gave the man an air of masculine control, but the deep long ebony of his lashes challenged that control with a promise of play. Also, his dark chocolate hair was wild. It looked windblown and sexed all in one and without any warning at all I felt something knock in my lower belly.
My mouth opened and sound emitted into the silence. It was a nervous, moan-like sigh that finished with a single word.
“Hi.” I flinched at the sound of my nervous voice spilling into the silence. “I - um, I’m here...”
The man - or, um, Luke’s mouth twitched at the corner in the formations of a smile. “I see you, pretty girl. You’re here.”
My face flamed red at both his world-rocking endearment and the sarcastic reply from the man I had been crushing on for years - and now had no chance in the freaking universe to wrangle in his heart - not now that he looked like he did.
Shit, every time I thought my luck was improving, it took a nosedive for the cement.
Straightening my shoulders, I forced myself to speak with confidence I didn’t feel. “I’m here to work. Gracie hired me to help in the stables while I’m staying here.” I waved my hands around the space surrounding me. “So, here I am.”
Tipping his head back, he appraised me. The man actually appraised me as though ensuring I had all my limbs. His eyes were everywhere and as they moved over my body, I felt their heat moving - from my face, down the length of my neck, over the flesh peeking out from the beige and white plaid button-up cotton shirt. My breath caught and I felt my heart thrash violently in its cage as his eyes slowed over the swell of my breasts, before moving lower over the expanse of my stomach. His eyes drank me in. I mean, never in my life had a man looked at me this way - as though he were seeing every inch of me. I’d been ogled in swimming pools and felt more clothed than I did now. In this moment, I felt stripped right down to the very raw, bruised center of my soul.
By the time his eyes reconnected with mine, I was shaken.
Finally, he nodded. “And how long are you planning to stay?”
“What?”
“How long will you be helping me here in the barn, pretty girl?” Luke stepped toward me and I felt every muscle in my body tense - every tendon was strung so tight I couldn’t have moved even if I’d wanted to. And I didn’t. “Because training you isn’t worth my time if you’re only here for a couple months.”
“Oh.” I breathed. “I’ll be staying until September, I think.”
He didn’t reply and I felt my heart begin an unsteady racing in my chest as panic and hope flowered in equal portions. God, I wanted this job. I needed this job. I needed it for so many reasons. Admittedly, some reasons were more noble than others.
I wanted to work with the horses because they had been my calling since I was a thirteen year old girl and I’d first come to visit this beautiful place. I wanted to work here because I could only imagine the wonder my days would consist of if I were given the chance of working alongside Luke Donnelley and all his hotness. And I wanted to work here because the thought of doing nothing with my days was mind numbing and terrifying.
If I did nothing, I would have to face the pain of my father leaving. Yes, I had been burying that pain since I was twelve years old by busying myself. I busied myself with my pained mother and her healing as I took over the housework for the weeks after my father had left us as she lay in bed broken and exhausted. I took shifts at the shelter after school and stayed up too late into the night to study and complete my homework before beginning it all again the next day. I’d been doing that f
or years. Now that I was here at the Ranch, thoughts of my father and his abandonment were coming back to me with the damning speed of a freight train. When that train finally connected, I didn’t know if I’d survive the damage done.
Luke’s voice brought me back to the present and I felt my eyes flutter up to his face. “September, you say?”
“Yes.” I nodded.
“That’s six months.”
Again I nodded. “I know.” For a moment, he looked like he was going to tell me it wasn’t worth his time - that six months wasn’t enough. Before I knew what I was saying, my mouth was running. “I can stay longer. If I end up liking it, I can stay for however long you need me to stay. Please don’t turn me away from this job. I need it.”
I don’t know if it was the words I’d said or the desperation that fringed their every syllable, but Luke’s eyes darkened, and when he spoke, his already deep voice had deepened dramatically. “What do you know about horses? Do you even know their basic care?”
I felt my back stiffen. “I know their basic care. I spent last summer as an Equine Veterinarian’s assistant. I love horses. They are the only reason I keep coming back to this place.”
Luke didn’t acknowledge my veiled statement of familiarity. Instead, he said. “You’ll be working with me. My day consists of maintaining the barn. Every stable is to be cleaned daily. Do you know how to clean a stable?”
“Yes.”
It didn’t matter that I said I knew - he proceeded to explain it to me. “We keep as clean of an environment as we can. You’ll muck out the stables once a day as the horses spend most their time in the small paddock or out to pasture. You’ll remove the droppings using a shovel and a wheelbarrow.” He pointed behind me and when my eyes connected with the object of his attention, I saw the shovel and wheelbarrow. “If there is soiled straw, you’ll remove it, sweep the floor beneath and disinfect it before replacing the straw you’ve removed. We keep the bedding plush for the horses here.”
“Noted.” I interrupted, barely getting that single word in before Luke moved on to explain the rest of his, and soon to be my, duties.
A Tender Touch: A Donnelley Brother's Novel (Logan Point Book 4) Page 3