Page 20 of Cowboy of Convenience
“I think you underestimate what a man like Sasha can accomplish.” Evelyn wiped both hands over her face before raking her fingers through her hair. “He’ll be able to figure out where you live and then he’ll show up there and I’ll be stuck facing him down without nosy neighbors peeking out their blinds ready to call 911.”
Imagining her out on Grizzly Peak, essentially cornered by that prick, turned his blood cold. “He wouldn’t be that stupid.”
He certainly wouldn’t be that stupid twice.
“Wouldn’t he?” Evelyn’s brows climbed her forehead. “You’ve met him.”
“Fuck.” Grady loaded the leftovers into the refrigerator, working hard to keep from slamming the door. “I really fucking hate that guy.”
“Same.” Evelyn blew out a breath. “And now I’m stuck dealing with him until his dumb ass accepts I’m not going to New York with him.”
As much as he wanted this to drag out, give himself more time with Evelyn and more time to avoid his own problems, it wasn’t right. He needed to focus on getting Sasha out of Moss Creek and then let the chips fall where they may. “Maybe we should take a walk around the block. Display our love all over the neighborhood."
Evelyn tapped one finger against her lips. "A walk? To where?"
"Nowhere. Just so we can enjoy the evening." What kind of life had she been living? "Do people not take walks in New York City?"
Evelyn stood up, looking a little indignant. "Of course we take walks. I walked almost everywhere when I lived there." She lifted her hands and started counting off her fingers. "I walked to the grocery store. I walked to restaurants. I walked to go shopping. I walked to meet my friends at the bar."
"So every walk had a purpose?" He couldn't imagine being that close to so many things. It sounded congested and chaotic.
Evelyn tipped her head from side to side, considering. "Pretty much."
"Okay then." Grady took her hand, lacing his fingers between hers. "Then the purpose of our walk is to piss Sasha the fuck off."
CHAPTER SEVEN
EVELYN
WHY HAD SHE not done this before?
Evelyn pulled in a deep breath, letting the crisp spring air soothe her frazzled nerves. It carried a hint of freshly cut grass from the neighbor who’d been mowing his yard since the first hint of green. And the sweetness of the tulips blooming in more than a few of the yards on her block.
This was nothing like walking in the city. There was no noise. No other people jockeying for sidewalk space. No exhaust fumes from the taxis trolling the curbs and no garbage cluttering the gutters.
"You're smiling." Grady squeezed her hand as they slowly made their way down the sidewalk. "Looks like you like walking for no reason."
Evelyn pulled in another deep breath of the cooling evening air. "I guess I do." They'd actually gone pretty far, meandering their way around the little neighborhood she currently called home. And it was turning out to be a pretty nice home.
Lots of people loved the chaos of the city, but she wasn't one of them. The excitement, yes. The loudness, no. It was one of many reasons she’d done her best to earn a one-way ticket out.
And then ended up buying her own.
"I like how quiet it is here." She tipped her head back, facing the rapidly dimming sky. "And I like how well you can see the stars."
Grady chuckled, the sound low and already familiar. "If you like this, you’d love being out on the ranch. It's quiet as hell out there and you can count every star in the sky."
She dropped her gaze, meeting his. "Really?"
Grady's brows lifted. "So now you haven’t been on a horseandyou haven’t been out on Cross Creek at night?"
"I have, I guess I just didn't pay attention." The realization didn't sit well. She came out here to get away from everything hanging over her head in New York, but had she really accomplished it? Sure, she'd made friends and opened the yoga studio she’d always dreamed of having, but all the bullshit still lingered, hovering like a raincloud ready to open up. Making it impossible to really enjoy the first freedom she'd ever had.
"I get it." Grady's steps were slow, keeping pace with hers. "I have a bad habit of forgetting to enjoy life myself."
"I can imagine. Between working for the police department and working on your family’s ranch, you probably don't have a lot of spare time." Guilt tugged at her gut, making her open her mouth again, ready to give him another out. Tell him once more she would confess everything to Sasha and deal with whatever came next.
"If you're about to tell me I don't have to keep doing this, you can save your breath." Grady’s thumb slowly stroked across her skin in a surprisingly intimate touch. "I don't get to have much fun in life and if you think I'm missing out on driving Sasha over the edge, you're dead wrong."
