Page 98 of Saving Grace

I head for the door. Making my feet follow the orders my brain is sending, ignoring the pull to turn right around and hide away with her in this house for the rest of my days. I reach the front door and hesitate. She’s leaning on the corridor wall with one shoulder. Her head rests on it as she watches me leave. She waves, her face soft.

I tip my hat and grab the door handle.

It’s not the gesture I wanted to leave her with.

When I turn back, she is walking away. My heart flings into my throat.

“Gracie?” My two favorite syllables are gravel as she looks back over her shoulder.

I raise my hand, two fingers tapping my forehead.

She smiles, so damn happy, and salutes me right back. Without a beat, she heads for her art room. I stand, planted to the floor in socked feet still, as I hunt for a breath to fill my lungs. I shake my head as the sounds of her puttering around the room, prepping pots and brushes, starts up. In a daze, I tug on my boots.

Tires over gravel let me know Huddo is here. Right on time, too. The early morning sun splinters over the mountains as I trudge out to the porch and shrug on my coat. Flipping the collar up, I cross the front yard and push through the gate. Hudson’sChevy and gooseneck rolls in. He kills the engine as he climbs out.

“Mornin’, Mack.”

“Huddo.”

“Gracie up?”

“Yep, gettin’ stuck into her art.”

“Good for her.”

“Sure is. How’s Adds?”

“Busy, never stops. You ready for this?”

“One way to find out, I guess.”

He cracks a smile. “Let’s go find out, then.” He walks for the back of the gooseneck, unlatching it before he lets it fall to the ground. Three young horses are tied up inside. He brings the first two out. I take the lead of a grey gelding, and we walk to the round yard behind the barn.

“What’s needin’ with this one then?” I ask, eyeing the gelding over. He’s not as tall as Trigger, but alert, his ears forward and head up as we close in on the yards.

“Daily workin’. Maybe some beast work. He’s green, but he’s got a good head on him.”

“Right.”

“This mare is up for auction in the new year, so I need her confident in the field and around cattle.” Huddo tilts his head to the mare he’s leading as we enter the round yard. I tie the gelding to the rail and head inside to grab tack. Hudson is behind me a heartbeat later.

“Reed says you and Grace are pretty serious.” He hauls a saddle onto his shoulder and slides a bridle from the hook near the rack.

“Does he?”

“Is he wrong?” Hudson pushes his Stetson up, wiping at his hairline before pulling the brim back down.

“Not wrong.” I handle a saddle, managing to rest it on my own shoulder, and toss a bridle on top. The bit slams into my back and I wince. Not my best idea. But, in my defense, I’m distracted. Anything that involves Grace turns me from a logical, intelligent, hard-working man to a puddle.

“So, she’s stayin’ put then?”

“Guess gettin’ a job in town means she is.”

“Good for you two.”

He sounds like Harry now. He slaps me on the back with his free hand, almost dislodging the saddle.Hell, Huddo, more and more like the old man every damn day.

“Come on, lover boy. Day’s waitin’ for no man.” Huddo calls out from outside.

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