Wholehearted

by Ronica Black

  “And for you.”

  “Me?”

  “Yes.”

  Grace saw the sincerity in her eyes and her heart warmed so profusely she thought her lungs would melt in sheer bliss. “Don’t be,” she whispered. “I love him, through thick and thin, and I’d do anything for him.”

  “Then let him keep coming to the ranch.”

  “I—” But she didn’t know what to say. The day’s events had traumatized both her and Jake. She needed time to think.

  The CT scan was finished, and they walked alongside Jake’s gurney to the x-ray room. Madison didn’t say anything else, and Grace was relieved. She couldn’t yet make a decision, and she wasn’t about to make one when her body was overreacting to a little kindness. It didn’t help matters when they returned to the ER and Madison held Jake’s hand as his brow was stitched up. She told him calm stories of the ranch and about all the horses and what they’d persevered through. She told him about some of her former boys, and Grace found herself captivated as well, caught up in her smooth voice, her deep eyes, and the calm way in which she spoke.

  Jake was so quiet and still the doctor had to ask if he was still awake when he finished.

  “Yeah.”

  “Good job. You’re all set.”

  They splinted his arm after confirming a sprain and gave him some pain medication for both his arm and his bruised head. All in all, he came out okay.

  Grace asked to speak to Madison once again behind the curtain while a nurse tried to cheer Jake up. “I wanted to thank you for coming,” she said.

  Madison slipped off her bandana and sat on the bed, running her hand through her thick dirty blond layers.

  “I’m glad I could help. I feel really bad about what happened.” Her cheekbones were tinged red from the sun. “Had I known he was going for Draco…”

  “I know,” Grace said softly, trying hard not to stare at her. “You’re…” Gorgeous. Strong. Caring. Beautiful. “Not responsible for what Jake did.”

  “Tomorrow, things will change.”

  Grace bit her lower lip, knowing Madison was taking it to heart. “Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks. Jake’s really taken to you, and I have to admit after today…”

  Madison looked up.

  “After today…I thought I was going to have to kill you. But now…”

  “We’re okay?”

  “Yes.”

  Madison chuckled and rose. “That’s nice to hear.”

  “No, I mean it,” Grace said, taking her arm gently. Madison stared at her hand and stood very still. “Thank you.”

  Madison looked into her eyes and blinked slowly. “You’re welcome.”

  Grace released her, but only after she felt both their breathing change. Something was happening between them, and there was no denying it now.

  “That woman…that EMT.”

  “Yes?” Madison gripped the curtain after shoving her bandana in her back pocket.

  “She hit on you, didn’t she?”

  The flush on Madison’s face was obvious and spread all the way up to her ears. “I think she was trying to help.”

  “Who? Jake or you?”

  Madison didn’t respond, just glanced away.

  Grace laughed. “I thought so.” She pulled the curtain open and left Madison blushing, not mentioning just how damn jealous it had made her.

  “Ready to go, kiddo?”

  The nurse helped by wheeling him out to the main doors. There Grace took his arm as Madison followed.

  “Thank you for coming,” Grace said again to Madison as they walked to their vehicles.

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Yeah, thanks,” Jake said.

  “Don’t you have something else to say to Ms. Clark?” Grace said.

  The sun was no longer bright, but it was strong enough to cause him to squint. “I guess I’m sorry,” he said. “For you know, doing that.”

  “You guess?”

  “Yeah. I mean yes, ma’am. I mean, I am sorry. I should’ve just done my dumb chores.”

  “Okay. Apology accepted. But you tacked on another day of those dumb chores.”

  “What? The crap chores?”

  “Yes.”

  “Man! But I only got one arm.”

  “We’ll work it out.”

  “Come on, Jake.” Grace led him to the car and she watched briefly as Madison Clark walked away toward the half-hanging sun, placing her cowboy hat back on her head.

  *

  A few hours later, Grace had given Jake a pain pill and helped him to bed. He had fallen asleep quickly, arm propped up on a pillow. It was nearing seven o’clock when her doorbell rang. She pulled it open quickly and smiled at Ally Murphy.

  “Come in.”

  “He’s asleep?” Ally asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Good.”

  Grace led them into the living room where she offered her a glass of chardonnay. She didn’t know much about wine, but it seemed appropriate. She’d had a long, tiring day and Ally probably had too. They settled on the sofa.

  “So he got hurt, huh? At the ranch?”

  “Yes. And I’m telling you, I just don’t think it’s the right place for him, Ally.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why not?”

  “Well, he got hurt, for God’s sake.”

  “He could get hurt a lot worse in juvie.”

  “Don’t they have guards in juvie?”

  “Yes, but I’m not just talking physical. I’m talking mental. It’s prison, Grace. The kids in there are in no way a good influence. And if he gets institutionalized, it will be all he knows and all he expects.”

  Grace sighed. “Well, what about this Madison Clark? Is she really the best for this sort of…instance?” Even though she was asking the question, she hoped the answer would be a positive one. There was something about Madison that made Grace want to know more.

  “Madison’s one of the best in the business. She knows her stuff and she’s been working with troubled kids for years.”

  “I’m not sure what to think of her.”

  Ally laughed. “I didn’t say she was overly friendly.”

  “You got that right. I mean, she wasn’t at first, that’s for sure.” Was she now? Who knew how she’d be tomorrow or the next day.

  “But she works wonders with those boys. I think she could do well with Jake too if given a chance.”

  “I don’t know, Ally. I mean, he got hurt and she was pretty rude to me.”

  “Rude?”

  “Yes, and at first I thought she was going to refuse to take responsibility.”

  “You thought she should be watching him every second?”

  “Yes, don’t you?”

  “From what I understand, those boys are supervised just fine. It’s not a place for violent offenders. Only those like Jake. And the only complaints I’ve heard are from parents who, you know, don’t like the rules.”

  “Oh my God, you sound like her. So infuriating!” She stood and began to pace. “And she can be so rude and matter-of-fact and I don’t know, I just think Jake needs to be better supervised.”

  “Such as in prison?”

  “No.” She sat again. “Isn’t there somewhere else? Boot camp or something?”

  “If Jake won’t follow the rules at Healing Soul, do you really think he will at boot camp?”

  “I just don’t know what to do. If she wasn’t so damn—”

  “Right?”

  “What?”

  Ally set her glass on the coffee table. “Sounds like your problem is more with Madison Clark rather than anything else.”

  “You’re—”

  Ally raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow. “Jake disobeyed and ran to a horse. It wasn’t saddled, no one was with it, and from what you said, the staff chased after him as quickly as they could. I think Jake got himself into a heap of trouble and they handled it pretty well. He’s safe, and luckily he’s okay.” She stood. “If you
expect Madison to do something about it, tell her. I’m sure she will anyway. Jake will most likely have to work off what he did in running or chores.”

  Grace felt defeated, like the air had been let out of her anger balloon. “She did. She said he would have another day of the chores he doesn’t like and that things would be different tomorrow.”

  “Then there you go. Madison isn’t a yeller or a reactive-type person. She’s very stoic.”

  “I guess. Damn it, Ally, you’re supposed to be on my side here.”

  She laughed. “I am. And Jake’s too.” She placed her glass next to Grace’s.

  “You think I should let him go back.”

  “Yes.”

  “And I should trust this woman.”

  “Yes. Now why don’t you tell me the real problem, Grace?”

  “Sorry?”

  “Why you don’t like her?”

  “I’m not following.”

  “It’s because you’re attracted to her, aren’t you?”

  “What? No. No of course not.” She stood again, flustered.

  “Then why call me all the way over here, Grace? Just to complain about a strange woman? I’m not buying it.”

  Grace started to chew her nail but knew it looked too obviously nervous. Why did I call her over? Why am I bitching about Madison so much when we basically made peace? Why can’t I just forget her?

  That was it. She was trying to force her from her mind by being with Ally.

  “You’re wrong,” was all she could think to say.

  “Then relax, will you? And tell me why I’m here.” She smiled seductively.

  “I—I’m not sure.”

  “Well, come sit and we can figure it out.”

  “I think I’m just overly stressed.”

  “I think maybe you are. Now why don’t we forget about Madison Clark for a while and you show me your bedroom?”

  Grace laughed as Ally touched her face.

  “I’m not sure.”

  “About what? Showing me your bedroom or Madison Clark?”

  Both. “I told you I’m not into her.”

  Ally grinned and leaned in to whisper, “Then let’s go in the bedroom. We’ll lock the door and I’ll stifle your cries with my fingers.”

  Grace inhaled sharply as she felt Ally’s tongue tease her ear. “I don’t know.”

  “Yes, you do. Let me do this for you, baby. Just let me.”

  “I don’t usually—”

  “Shh, don’t think. Just feel. Now show me to the bedroom.”

  Their hands interlaced and Grace found herself leading the way. Her body hummed warmly and her mind felt numb. When she entered her room and turned, Ally closed the door, locked it, and came at her like a huntress of the night, kissing her softly but deeply. Grace fought to speak, but Ally wouldn’t let her, covering her in kisses and firm caresses, undressing her in a matter of seconds. Her hand found her thighs and trailed upward where it found her center already wet and trembling.

  “Oh, yes. That feels good,” Ally said. “You’re so ready for me.”

  Grace felt her eyes close and all she could think about were Ally’s words.

  Let’s forget about Madison Clark for a while.

  The phrase repeated, but she couldn’t let Madison’s image escape from the clutches of her mind. The way she looked when she said she was sorry, the way she held Jake’s hand and insisted they go with him for the scan. She was so powerful in those moments and so roughly beautiful in others. She was a rose with thorns. A beautiful, beautiful rose just completely covered in thorns, almost impossible to see or touch.

  “Lie down,” Ally said, already stroking her so well she was yearning to come.

  Grace considered arguing. She was the one usually in control. But her thoughts of Madison and the strokes of Ally’s hand were so sweet and burningly blissful she didn’t care. She just wanted to let herself go and feel nothing but erotic touch and pressure and—

  “Oh,” she cried as she lay back and Ally buried her head between her legs. “Oh, God.” Her tongue and lips were like fire, licking her short and hard. She held her head and closed her eyes. “Oh, oh, oh.”

  Let’s just forget about Madison Clark for a while.

  When she opened her eyes again and looked down, it was Madison’s head between her legs, Madison’s mouth, Madison’s intense eyes. And with that vision locked in her mind, she threw her herself back, dug her fingers into her sheets, and came into the night.

  Chapter Ten

  “You think he’ll come?” Marv asked Madison as he held the colt between his legs and fed it from the bottle. The colt drank heartily, milk dripping from his muzzle. Madison grinned.

  “I hope so.”

  “You hope so? You ask me, that boy’s trouble. And he’s spoiled. Taking off on Draco like that, I ought to tan his hide.”

  “There’s no hide tanning.”

  “Too bad. It would straighten these boys out a hell of a lot quicker.”

  “That’s debatable, and you know how I feel about it.”

  “Yeah, you’d rather run them to death.”

  She laughed. “It works. When the body struggles, the mind flourishes.”

  “Yeah, yeah.”

  “So what happened to him? Did he break his arm?”

  “No, it was just a sprain, and he had to get a few stitches on that brow.”

  “That’s good. Scared me to death when I saw him take that tumble. Thought his head was cracked for sure.”

  “Me too.”

  “Guess we’re gonna have to watch him like a damn hawk. Which isn’t fair to the other boys.”

  Madison had considered this as she sat and drank wine the night before. Her old jazz had soothed her mind as she’d worked out a plan. From now on, Jake Hollings would shadow her. Whatever she did, he did. Wherever she went, he went. In a way, it was punishment, but in another way, it would be therapy. The boy obviously had abandonment issues, and having her as a constant companion might help him overcome that. She planned on talking with him too, providing one-on-one therapy as they worked. Normally she had a colleague come in to talk to the boys twice a week as they worked with the horses, but Jake needed more. And if she was going to keep him safe, she was going to have to do more. As to how she was going to explain it to the other boys, she would just use his injury as an excuse.

  As to how she would explain it to Grace Hollings…she wasn’t quite sure on that one. On one hand, Grace would probably welcome the direct supervision, but on the other, she might become jealous. Madison had seen the color drain from her face when Jake had insisted on Madison not leaving his side. It had bit her, and hard. So no matter how she handled Jake, Grace would most likely find some reason to disapprove. But rather than this causing her anxiousness, Madison found that she almost welcomed the chance to talk to her again, and she had no idea why. The half a bottle of wine had suggested the physical attraction, and the jazz had wholeheartedly agreed. The dim light of dawn, however, had set her mind straight and such thoughts had vanished in the rising sun.

  Grace Hollings was a professional, uptight, somewhat self-centered woman. She loved Jake, yes, but she wasn’t truly ready to do all that was necessary to ensure his health and happiness. She was a woman focused on her job and schedule, and she was used to her life the way it was and had always been. It would take a while for her to see the light, and Madison really didn’t want to be the forest she had to go through to find the trees.

  She continued to watch Marv feed the colt as she lazily stroked Mazey along her tender back. “I honestly don’t think he’ll show. Ms. Hollings didn’t seem to want him to continue on here.”

  “That right?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Thinks it’s our fault?”

  “Something like that.”

  “According to Bobby and the other boy, he was mucking stalls and he just up and threw down his shovel, said ‘I’ve had enough of this shit,’ and took off like a bat out of hell. Bobby thought he
was gonna run away. Nobody expected him to run for a horse. Especially Draco.”

  “Apparently, he’s rather fond of Draco.”

  “Is he, now?”

  “Yes.”

  Madison checked her watch as she heard a vehicle in the distance. To her surprise, it was only six thirty-five. Someone was early. She headed out for the driveway and blinked as she focused on the dust-coated black Mercedes. Grace had already climbed out wearing a navy pantsuit with a silver blouse. Her heels weren’t as high, but she still had a hard time walking in them on the gravel.

  “Ms. Clark.” She nodded as she helped Jake emerge from the passenger side. “Good morning.”

  “Morning.” Madison almost tipped her hat but then thought better of it. “You’re early.”

  Grace cupped Jake’s elbow as she led him closer. “Thought I’d never hear you say that.”

  She smiled and Madison found herself blinking again, totally moved. Grace was absolutely gorgeous. Blond and brown-eyed, creamy skin and long legs, smelling good, like heaven on a stick just standing there waiting to be consumed in every possible way.

  “It’s a good thing, right?” Her honey-like eyes gleamed and Madison could’ve sworn she was different somehow. Almost as if she’d been cleansed. And then she knew. It was evident just below the collar of her shirt. A red mark. Grace had been loved, and recently.

  The realization felt like a sudden blow to her gut, and Madison struggled not to back away. She felt sick and ashamed. She shouldn’t be feeling this way. She didn’t even know her. What was happening? Why was everything spinning and aching?

  “Come on, Jake. We have chores.”

  “Already?”

  “Yes.”

  Grace seemed to fluster. “Wait. Wait, please. Will he be okay? You’ll take it easy on him, right?”

  Madison couldn’t bear to look at her, the pain too great, the shame of feeling the pain overwhelming.

  “Yes. He’ll be shadowing me from here on out.”

  “What?” Jake’s mouth was agape.

  “No arguing. You obviously need more supervision than the others, so you’re stuck with me.”

  “But—”

  “No arguing.”

  “She’s right, Jake. And besides, you’re hurt. I’ll feel better knowing you’re with her.” She offered another smile and Madison turned away, knowing she wasn’t the true reason for it.