Grace

by Chris Keniston

  ***

  There were a lot of things Chase had done in his lifetime that made no sense. To many, giving up a lucrative Wall Street career to buy a small feed store in the middle of West Texas was beyond insane and certainly qualified as making no sense. Yet, as surely as he’d known that was the right move, he knew having Grace at his side for this discussion was critical. And if there was one thing Chase had learned early on in business dealings, it was to trust his gut.

  Chase waved an arm towards Brooks and his wife as she eased her chair away from the card game. “Shall we?”

  Only the slow and slight bob of her head told him that she was less than comfortable with the situation he’d just put her in. But the thing that tickled his interest most at the moment was that in only a few days he was confident he’d learned to read her fairly accurately. It was almost laughable. For all of his adult life he’d considered women an enigma to be accepted, not understood. Who knew a country gal at heart with fire in her soul would be so easy for him to figure out.

  “Have you talked money yet?” Graced asked softly once they were out of ear shot of the gaming table.

  “A little.”

  Still walking, she didn’t slow her pace but shot a curious sideways glance his way. Maybe he wasn’t reading her quite as well as he’d thought.

  “Isn’t this fun?” Hands resting on her well-rounded belly, Toni beamed at Grace’s approach. “We just couldn’t figure out what to do with that place and here Chase turns up and solves our problems.”

  Sliding into her seat, Grace’s brows folded into a deep-set V. “The house was a problem?”

  “Not a problem.” Brooks looked at his sister and squeezed his wife’s hand. “More of a loose end.”

  This casual way of doing business was something Chase could easily get used to. No hardball negotiations. No misleading half-truths. Though he doubted he was going to be having a lot of opportunity to do any more buying or selling once they agreed on a price. He had his business and soon his house. That would be it for him for a while.

  “In all fairness to full disclosure,” resting his arms on the table, Brooks steepled his hands in front of him, “construction crews are not easy to keep in these parts.”

  Chase nodded. They’d already had this discussion in reference to the hospital project, so he’d figured as much out without need for repetition, but then again, this was business Texas style.

  “How handy are you with a hammer and saw?” Brooks asked, a little too earnestly for Chase’s liking.

  “Not very. I’m better at computers and spreadsheets.”

  “Then a fixer-upper may not be in your best interest.” Grace looked up at him. “Not unless you have an entire family of handymen willing to swoop down and help.”

  “Only child.” He smiled. “But I’m sure I could learn.”

  Brooks stared at him intently, then glanced from his sister to Chase, nodded his head and smiled. “I bet you can.”

  “Now that that’s settled.” Chase retrieved the folded paper from his breast pocket. Opening it up, he smoothed out the folded creases and laid it out in front of Grace. While Brooks was finishing up with his last patient, Toni and he had chatted in Brooks’ office. She’d mentioned a price. He’d scribbled that across the top like letterhead. Notes and thoughts from the conversation on the right, he’d bullet-pointed calculations and decisions on the left.

  “When did you do this?” Having already given the page a quick perusal, Grace looked over the writing once more.

  “Waiting for Brooks.”

  Not lifting her head, she turned to face him. Her eyes met his and one corner of her mouth tilted up in a smile. “You sure you need me?”

  He simply nodded and, retrieving a pen from his pocket, set it in front of her.

  Once again she glanced at him without lifting her head, but this time the smile reached both sides of her mouth. She lifted the pen, checked price, time, circled land, and under where he’d written inspection reports and estimates, she added option time and money then penciled in beside it fourteen days, one hundred dollars, and once again, tilting her head towards him, raised her brows in question.

  Chase nodded. He’d thought about it, but hadn’t nailed down time and money.

  Squinting up at the ceiling, she tapped the pen on the table, then looked to her brother. “Would you say the house is set about two hundred feet from the road?”

  “Could be. Maybe a little more.”

  Grace nodded. “Bet it’s more like three hundred.”

  “Some of my favorite people.” Abbie set a glass of water in front of each person at the table. “It’s too early for dinner and judging by the serious look on everyone’s face, I’m going to guess this is business which calls for a slice of Frank’s pie.”

  Fingers still splayed on her tummy, Toni leaned forward conspiratorially. “What is it today?”

  “He was feeling ambitious.” Abbie smiled, “Key lime and banana cream.”

  “Oh, I love banana cream,” Toni practically moaned.

  Brooks chuckled, kissed his wife on the cheek and turned to Abbie. “We’ll share a piece.”

  “Spoil sport.” Toni smacked him lightly on the arm, then shifting her attention back to Abbie added, “I’ll have some green tea with that too, please.”

  As soon as everyone had placed their orders all eyes returned to the paper Grace held.

  “So, what are you thinking?” Brooks asked her.

  She scribbled to one side. Single lot 3 acres 200 by 600. Then added or Double?

  Hefting one shoulder he gave her a casual shrug. His math was good enough to figure out that she was doubling the depth from the road, but had no idea why she asked for the second. “Which would you do?”

  Without hesitation, Grace tapped at double.

  “Okay. If you say so.”

  “Me?” Her brows shot up. “It’s going to be your house.”

  “True, but the sign of a good businessman is not just bringing in good advisors, it’s doing what they say.”

  “Very well.” Grace looked to her brother. “Tomorrow, you’ll have a signed letter of intent. And then we’ll go from there.”

  Brooks reached out to shake Chase’s hand. He was getting to like these handshake deals. But even more, what he really liked was that Grace had just said we.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Considering how excited Grace was to draw up the initial paperwork for Chase’s new house, anyone would think she was the one who was going to buy it and move in.

  “Thanks for the ride, Pussy Cat.” Aunt Eileen hurried into the kitchen. “It’s been nice having you home to join us again.”

  “My pleasure.” It had been a long time since her aunt had called her by that particular pet name. She’d been a freshman in high school when she’d informed her aunt that if she was too old to be called Gracie, Pussy Cat was even worse. Back then it hadn't taken much for her to be embarrassed and being called Pussy Cat in front of her friends and classmates had more than done the trick. It took her aunt a while to break the habit, and even after all these years, once in a while the name slipped out. Like now. And like a broken-in pair of favorite slippers on a chilly night, the feeling was familiar, comforting, good. “What’s the plan?”

  “For what?” Standing in front of the oven, Aunt Eileen turned the knob.

  “For what what?”

  Pulling the foil off the large casserole, Aunt Eileen slid it past the open door and turned to her niece. “Is this a trick question? You asked me what’s the plan?”

  “Oh.” She hadn’t realized she’s said that out loud. For three years her plans were laid out and clear. Get a JD and MBA at one of the best universities with a networking system mere mortals envied. With an income worthy of her education and completely unrelated to and non-dependent on four legged animals, she’d be able to go places and do things that most people only dreamed of. Find out firsthand for herself how much of single life in a bustling big city lived up t
o the hype. “I, uh, meant about supper.”

  Aunt Eileen closed the oven door. “Same as every other card playing day.”

  For as long as Grace could remember, her aunt made casseroles and other dishes to heat and serve after a day of card playing. Some of the crazy things she’d come up with were still Grace’s favorite, like the tuna and potato chip casserole.

  “Aunt Eileen,” Little Stacey bounced through the back door, “Mommy said I can’t do the Pee Wee rodeo this year.”

  “She did?” Aunt Eileen leaned over just in time to catch the child in a bear-sized hug as the crocodile tears streamed down the munchkin’s face.

  Grace could see her aunt biting her tongue. She would never contradict the child’s mother.

  “She thinks I’m still too young. Said maybe next year.”

  “Well, that’s not so far away.” Aunt Eileen plastered on a bright smile.

  The screen door squeaked open seconds before Catherine pushed her way into the kitchen. “It’s going to be one of those days.”

  “Daddy says I’m older than Aunt Grace when she started.”

  “Yes, sweetie.” Catherine squatted by her daughter and brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “But things were different for Aunt Grace.”

  Rather than address her mother, Stacey pulled away from Aunt Eileen and turned toward Grace. “Different how?”

  More than anything Grace would have preferred to stay out of this conversation. Looking to her sister-in-law, she silently pleaded for Catherine to answer.

  “Sweetie.” Catherine got the message loud and clear. “Remember, your Aunt Grace started riding on her Grandpa Sean’s saddle when she was a baby. By the time she was your age she’d been riding for a lot of years.”

  Staring at Grace, Stacey stood perfectly still, sucking in her lower lip. And then let it go. “I won the ranchathon.”

  “You did, baby, and you can do it again next time, but the rodeo is for little girls and boys who have been doing this a long time.”

  Grace didn’t have the heart to tell Catherine there was little difference between the family ranchathon and the junior rodeo. Though she desperately wanted to encourage Stacey. Growing up, Grace’s favorite thing in the world were the horses, and training for the competitions and winning gave her the confidence she would later need to shine through seven years of academic competition.

  “Will you teach me?” Intense blue eyes bore into Grace.

  “I, uh…” She glanced at Catherine, who seemed to have her own words stuck in her throat. Aunt Eileen on the other hand was grinning like the Cheshire Cat and nodding her head. “I won’t be here very long. Remember, after Uncle DJ’s wedding I’m going back to Dallas?”

  “Then you’ll have to start now.” Stacey latched onto Grace’s hand and tugged.

  “Stacey,” Catherine started, “Aunt Grace—“

  “Thinks that’s a great idea,” Aunt Eileen chimed in. “Dinner won’t be ready for a while and sunset is still a ways off.”

  Apprehension glistened in Catherine’s eyes. Weren’t they all one hell of a set? No one wanting to contradict the other one. Grace needed to find a way to gracefully get out of this mess and let everyone off the hook. Too bad the only words that came to mind were, “It’s better to start fresh in the morning.”

  The next thing Grace knew, she had fifty pounds of delighted child in her arms and a whole new agenda for the rest of her time in Tuckers Bluff.

  ***

  For the better part of an hour, Chase checked his computer or pretended to read the paper. When he wasn’t doing either of those, he was pacing and debating calling Grace. After leaving the café, Grace promised to have a letter of intent in his mailbox tonight. She didn’t specify when tonight, and though he wasn’t necessarily anxious to see it, he was looking for an excuse to hear her voice. And didn’t that make him feel like a crushing teen. All he needed to do now was turn her combination lock around or leave flowers on her desk.

  Crossing the room and stopping at the window, Chase tried to remember the last time he’d had a woman crawl so deeply under his skin. No one he could remember since the sixth grade when he’d fallen head over heels for Debbie Brown and her blooming figure. He’d lost interest a few days later when his dad bought him a new baseball bat. His mom used to say, What separates the men from the boys is the price of their toys. Wasn’t that the truth. This new—or old—house was going to cost him a hell of a lot more money than every bit of baseball gear he’d ever owned. Only he didn’t see his interest in Grace waning, no matter how many toys he bought.

  Which brought the same nagging question to mind. What was he going to do about it? The woman had made it perfectly clear she wanted none of the things he did. Or did she? The way she laughed when they were out riding, or beamed while taking in the details of the house. No matter what he’d told Andy, he’d felt like they were indeed hunting for their new home. More than once the word “we” had slipped out and she never corrected him. So was she as hell bent on spreading her wings as she claimed?

  His cell phone sounded and Chase practically leapfrogged over the side chair to the ringing phone on the nightstand. “Hello?”

  “Hi.” Grace’s voice washed over him like a soothing ocean breeze.

  “Hi.” Smooth Prescott. Smooth. “This is a pleasant surprise.”

  “I wanted to let you know I just shot the LOI your way. It should be in your email by now.”

  His phone at his ear, he settled into the easy chair he’d practically vaulted over a moment ago and fired up his laptop. “Yep. It’s here.”

  “Good. I’ll need you to look it over before signing it.”

  “Always do.” Though tonight he’d been so distracted he’d probably have to look it over twice. “You sound tired.”

  She drew out a yawn. “Long day. I don’t have enough practice keeping up with kids.”

  “Kids?”

  “My niece Stacey. She wants me to teach her to barrel race,” she chuckled, “like yesterday.”

  “Patience, a youngster’s best virtue,” he teased.

  “Add that to a nervous mother and I had my hands full tonight.”

  Leaning back, he lifted his feet onto the ottoman and closed the laptop. Business could wait. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, Catherine isn’t, shall we say, fond of horses. The idea of her daughter learning to barrel race isn’t top of her list. Even though the kid did really well in the flag races earlier this year.”

  “Dare I ask what that is?”

  “Minor competition in fun. Kids ride from barrel to barrel and grab a flag, then put it back. Basic stuff.”

  “I see.” He didn’t really, but he was enjoying the sound of her voice.

  “Anyhow. After a glass of wine and repeated explanations that at her daughter's age no one was going to be flying around barrels yet, we seemed to have Catherine onboard with giving Stacey some training.”

  “Who is we and what kind of training?”

  “We would be most of the Farradays at dinner, and the training starts with horsemanship. Caring for a horse. My brother has been doing a great job with that part, but there’s a lot to learn. How to use her hands and legs, timing, conditioning consistency, and how to maximize the potential of her horse. It will take years.”

  “I gather you didn’t tell her that?”

  “Nope.” Rustling sounds carried through the line and he figured she was getting comfortably seated too.

  “From what I’ve heard, she’ll have the best teacher.”

  She blew out a sigh. “Just because I used to be a good rider—“

  “Those trophies in that cabinet say better than good.”

  “The key words here are used to be. None of that means I can teach. Besides, Aunt Grace won’t be around long enough to teach all she has to learn.”

  He held back a sigh, not really wanting to be reminded of her short timetable.

  “Aren’t you even a little enthused to share your wisd
om with Stacey?” At her long pause he braced for a response he didn’t want to hear.

  “Maybe just a little.”

  The smile in her voice left him grinning from ear to ear. A little he could work with. He just needed a running start. “I owe you a dinner.”

  “You don’t have to—”

  “A bet is a bet.”

  Something akin to a giggle came through his phone. “Okay. But you’d better be warned, the two of us having dinner at the café will have tongues wagging all over town.”

  “I didn’t have the café in mind.”

  “Oh, well,” she laughed a bit louder, “if you’re planning on driving all the way to Butler Springs, then you’d better expand the tongue wagging across the county.”

  “I can handle it. Can you?”

  “Ha! I’ll be gone soon. You’re the one who gets to live here and deal with it.” Her words were a little harsh, but her tone was still filled with humor.

  “No worries. What are you doing Friday night?”

  “Can’t. Monthly girls’ night is going to be last minute wedding details. Not sure if it’s jewelry or favor making.”

  “Okay. What about Saturday night?” He crossed his fingers. If he waited until after the wedding next week, it might be too late.

  “I think I can make that work. But if I have to cancel last minute because of some crazy maid of honor duty, don’t take it personally.”

  “Deal.”

  “Hope you know what you’re getting into.”

  He could say the same thing to her. “I’m a big boy.”

  “That’s what they all say,” she taunted.

  The rumble in his chest burst forth in a blast of laughter. If he could pull his plan off, life just might turn out to be way better than good.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “One more time. Please?”

  Three fifty-five. If Grace didn’t get Stacey off the horse soon, she’d either be showing up to girls’ night smelling like a barn or late. Neither option appealed to her. “Five more minutes and that’s it.”