Trace was already working with a black gelding when Ben arrived. He parked the Porsche in the shade and headed straight for the corral.
“What are you doing up so early?” Trace asked, grinning. “It’s only eleven-thirty.”
“The altitude must be messing with my head.” Ben propped a foot on the bottom rail and glanced at the animal in the next corral. “You guys keeping mustangs now?”
“Nah. I’ve been helping with the roundups, and that one caught my eye. I need to work with him, but I’m trying to get this stubborn son-of-a-bitch saddle broke first.”
“You still move cattle on horseback?”
“I do, and so do Jesse and Dutch. But nowadays most of the men prefer four-wheelers. Josh...he came after you left...sometimes he uses a dirt bike to ride the fences.”
It made some sense. Gas was probably cheaper in the long run. But for him, there was no substitute for a fine horse. “You been on him yet?”
“Twice.” Trace eyed the gelding. “I’ve eaten some dirt thanks to you, huh, Maverick?”
The black shifted to the right and eyed him with mistrust.
Ben laughed. “Yep, got him eating out of the palm of your hand.”
“I will,” Trace said, his attention focused on the gelding. “Sooner or later. Just takes some patience. Right, boy?”
“Want me to give it a try?”
“I heard about you buying a ranch,” Trace said. “But when was the last time you rode a horse that wasn’t saddle-broke?”
“I’ve been a stunt man for twelve years. When you go see a Western, who do you think is hitting the dirt in a rodeo scene? Those A-list actors aren’t looking to get their pretty faces messed up.”
“What about that mug of yours? How many times you get your nose broken?”
“Only once. My jaw twice.” Ben probed the spot. It had happened a while back, but sometimes the joint still ached. So yeah, maybe he’d leave Maverick to Trace.
The sound of an engine made them both turn their heads. A small silver compact drove down the driveway.
“I don’t recognize the car,” Trace said, watching until the vehicle got closer. “Oh, it’s the new deputy. The one who stopped me yesterday.”
Ben knew it was Grace because he’d seen her sneak away from the wedding in that car. But why wasn’t she working?
“Probably here to see Nikki.” Trace returned his attention to Maverick. “I understand you might be buying stock from us. Are we talking horses, cattle?”
“Why isn’t she driving the truck?” Ben murmured, watching her park in the shade a respectful distance from the Porsche. “She’s supposed to be on duty.”
After a silence, Trace asked, “How do you know Grace? Other than her writing you up.”
“I talked to her at the party.” Ben shrugged. “And at The Watering Hole last night.”
“She still wouldn’t rip up your ticket?”
“I didn’t ask her to.”
Trace gave him a look of pure amusement. “She’s pretty.”
“Let me see what I can do with Maverick,” Ben said and slipped between the rails of the corral.
“You sure you wanna do that?” Trace glanced back at Grace, his mouth curving in a smile.
Ben knew what Trace was thinking, but he didn’t need to ride a bucking bronc to impress a woman. And he sure as hell wasn’t about to let Trace goad him.
“Easy, boy.” Ben patiently stroked the gelding’s side and flank, murmuring softly until he felt it was time to mount.
He swung into the saddle. The black reared and pawed the air like he was being dragged into hell. Ben tightened his hold on the reins, but it was too late. The gelding bucked a few times, sending Ben over his head. Luckily, he landed on his ass.
Grinning, Trace offered him a hand up.
Ben ignored it and sprang to his feet.
“You wanna try that again?” Trace asked, hooting with laughter. “This is child’s play for you, Mr. Studman...oh, I mean stunt man.”
“Shut the hell up.” Ben dusted himself off while covertly trying to locate Grace. She’d stopped at the edge of the corral, shading her eyes and watching him.
“Come on, dude, you know what they say about getting right back in the saddle,” Trace said, barely managing to get the words out through his laughter.
“Jesus, Trace. Grow up.”
“No fun in that.”
Ben shook his head. “Fifteen years and you’re still the same pain in the ass.”
“Mighty comforting to know some things never change, isn’t it?” Trace wiped his eyes with the back of his wrist. “I needed a good belly laugh. Oh, and I should’ve warned you. Maverick doesn’t like it when you whisper too close to his ear.”
“Yeah, thanks.” Ben stomped his foot to get some of the dirt off his boot, his very expensive boot. He sent more dust flying. “I should make you pay for these.”
Trace snorted. “The dirt’s an improvement,” he said, eyeing Ben’s Lucchese python boots. “You look like a goddamned greenhorn in that fancy footwear.”
“I give up.” Sighing, Ben turned to Grace, who stood off to the side. Her hair brushed her shoulders, a little wild, as if she’d been plowing her hands through the shiny loose curls. “I thought you were working.”
“Uh, no, I— Are you okay?”
“Fine.”
She studied him with a worried frown, then smiled at Trace. “Hi.”
“Mornin’,” Trace said, leading Maverick to the center of the corral. “Is this a social call, or you here to arrest him?” Grinning, he nodded at Ben.
Grace gave Ben a sizing-up. “Did he do something I should know about?”
“Well, now.” Trace adjusted his Stetson. “I’d say that’s likely a given.”
“Come on, Grace, make my day,” Ben said. “Tell me you changed your mind and you’re here to give the kid a ticket.”
“Hey, hold on there,” Trace grumbled. “I’m not a kid.”
Grace laughed. But as soon as she turned to Ben, her gaze flickered, her smile fading. She dragged her palms down the front of her snug-fitting jeans. “I’m supposed to meet Nikki and Rachel here.”
“Rachel?” Ben brushed the dust off his chambray shirt. “No honeymoon?”
“Matt can’t afford to leave now,” Trace said. “You know how busy it is in the spring.” He nodded at Grace. “Everybody’s inside. Go through the front door or to the kitchen. You don’t have to knock.”
“Thanks.” She briefly glanced at Ben and then started for the house.
“Wait,” he said and jumped the corral railing.
She hesitated, just long enough to irritate him, then slowly turned around.
Aware that Trace was watching them, Ben caught up to her and spoke in a low voice. “You lied about working today.”
“I didn’t lie. I was just confused about my schedule.”
“Right.” As if he’d buy that.
“Whatever.” With a dismissive shrug, she turned to go.
“Hold on.” Another time, another woman, Ben would’ve walked away. But after last night’s kiss, he knew this indifference was just an act. She was new in town. She had to watch her step. He got it. Up to a point. He cocked his chin at the house. “How long are you going to be?”
“They want my input for a going-away party for Noah. I don’t know why. I barely know him.”
“A surprise party?” Ben asked, and she nodded. “Noah isn’t going to like that.”
“Really?” Grace winced. “Rachel should know that, right? I don’t want to make him angry.”
“He knows how Rachel is. Noah won’t blame you.” Ben sensed that Grace was really worried. “You won’t be working with him much longer.”
“No, but he’ll
have a say in who—” She turned away again. “I should go. They must be waiting.”
He caught her wrist. “Tell them you can’t stay long,” he said, enjoying the feel of her soft skin. “That we have plans.”
“But we don’t.”
“Easy to rectify.” Her pulse quickened under his thumb. “How about we pick up where we left off last night?”
She pulled her arm away. “That can’t happen again.”
“What? Kissing?”
She took a step back. And then another. “I’m sure you understand.”
A door slammed. They both turned their heads. It was only Chester, the bunkhouse cook, carrying a Dutch oven from the house.
But Grace took off before Ben could say another word.
* * *
RACHEL AND HER MOTHER, Barbara, sat at the kitchen table making lists while Nikki and Hilda fixed rolled tacos that smelled like heaven. Most of the details for Noah’s party had already been worked out, which made Grace wonder why Rachel had invited her. She thought about Ben and hoped this wasn’t a matchmaking effort.
She sighed at her own foolishness. Her and Ben? No one in their right mind would consider the possibility.
“What about parking?” Nikki asked.
Rachel looked up. “What about it?”
“He’ll see the cars and know it’s not just dinner with the family.”
Rachel groaned.
Barbara sighed and massaged her temples. “I’m not sure I’ve recovered from Saturday night yet.”
Hilda stood at the sink, sneaking peeks out the window. Just as she’d done many times in the twenty minutes since Grace arrived.
“For what it’s worth,” she said, “Ben thinks Noah will hate being surprised.”
“Oh yeah, I know.” Rachel shrugged. “He’ll get over it.”
“Is he coming inside?” Hilda asked, turning anxiously to Grace. “My son. Did he say anything to you?”
“Um, not really.”
The woman’s eyes dimmed, and Grace’s heart twisted. After not seeing Ben for so long, it was probably difficult for Hilda to share him with everyone.
“I know what we can do,” Rachel said. “Instead of using the family dinner ruse, we can tell Noah it’s a party for Ben. That’ll explain all the cars.”
“That won’t work.” Barbara shook her head. “Not unless we can be ready in two days. Ben’s leaving.”
Hilda’s shoulders slumped. Grace’s own disappointment caught her off guard. Two days? Hadn’t he said a week? It shouldn’t matter, and yet she’d stopped listening to the conversation. Her brain wasn’t the only part of her body having a reaction. Memories of last night’s kiss were never far from her thoughts, causing all sorts of flutters in her tummy.
“What I don’t like about being married to Matt,” Rachel announced snagging everyone’s attention, “is that I miss Hilda’s cooking. I swear, you are the best cook in the whole world.” Rachel left her chair and gave Hilda a hug.
“And to think, once upon a time, Hilda couldn’t even boil water,” Barbara said with a laugh. “Literally. She kept playing with the stove knobs.”
Hilda was smiling now. “I was so helpless, I had to learn how to fry eggs, of all things.”
“Why have I not heard this before?” Rachel seemed surprised, though more interested in the tacos. “Would you like me to sample one of these? Just to make sure the seasoning is right.”
Making a clucking sound, Hilda slapped her hand away.
Rachel uttered a token protest and cast a sly glance out the window. “Aren’t these tacos Ben’s favorite? Someone should go get him.” She looked at Grace. “Would you mind?”
Startled, and not altogether happy, Grace shrugged. So this was a matchmaking attempt, after all. Much as she wanted to, she couldn’t very well refuse. “All right,” she said, getting to her feet.
Hilda’s face lit up and it hit Grace that this little ploy had nothing to do with her. It was for Ben’s mom’s benefit. Had they argued? Was she upset over his short stay?
“Wait, please, Grace. Not yet.” Hilda rushed to the stainless steel refrigerator. “I still have to make the guacamole and salsa.”
“We already have a large container of salsa,” Barbara said as she rose. “I’ll chop the onions and mash the avocados.”
Shaking her head, Hilda grabbed ingredients from the fridge. “Ben likes the one with the green chilies.”
Barbara and Rachel exchanged sympathetic looks.
“We’ll all help,” Nikki said calmly, making room on the counter. “While we figure out what to do about Noah’s party.”
Barbara handed Grace a bag of fresh tomatoes, a knife and cutting board. She went to work chopping, thinking about how she wasn’t used to being around women all that much. While she wasn’t terribly useful in a kitchen, she managed okay with what she’d learned from her father. Though they’d eaten a lot of burgers, hot dogs and beans after her mom died.
Her phone buzzed, and she stopped to read the text. Ben. The flutter kicked in again. She glanced guiltily around the kitchen, which was stupid. Neither texting nor Ben was illegal, though maybe he should be.
Dinner? was all the message said.
Grace couldn’t help but smile as she slipped the phone back into her pocket. Persistent devil. She couldn’t deny she was flattered. Except he didn’t mean just dinner.
So she really had to think about this. Knowing he’d be gone in two days did put a different spin on things. If they were careful, no one would know. And she’d done without for too long. Plus, after he left, she’d likely be in for another dry spell.
Sure, there were a number of cowboys working at the surrounding ranches. Though no one who interested her enough to deal with the hassle of dating in front of the whole town. Living in Blackfoot Falls could feel like living in a fishbowl for a single woman deputy. Especially for one who aspired to be sheriff.
Wow, that was depressing.
She hadn’t thought about that aspect of the move before.
Grace made up her mind. She was going for it. So what that she wasn’t a starlet or a model, the kind of woman Ben undoubtedly went for. He wasn’t her type, either. But the way he’d kissed her left her weak in the knees.
She finished chopping tomatoes, only half listening to the lively discussion around her. By the time she cleaned up her mess and washed her hands, Hilda had made the guacamole and added the tomatoes to the salsa.
“Grace, will you let the other deputies know the day and time of the party?” Rachel asked. “I’m not putting anything on paper. I don’t trust those bozos not to leave it around for Noah to see.” She briefly covered her mouth. “Oops. Sorry.”
“What?” Grace smiled. “Did you say something?”
Rachel laughed. “I think we’re ready for Ben. You mind?”
“Not at all.” Grace looked at Hilda. Her anxious expression made Grace swallow. Ben had so little time here. He should be having dinner with his mom, not her.
She headed out the back door and spotted Trace right away. He stood outside the corral, deep in conversation with an older man, their gazes trained on the gelding.
Ben was nowhere in sight.
She strained to see if the Porsche was still there. Yep. Her breath caught. She saw him. Helping Katy into the passenger seat.
7
GRACE WAITED UNTIL 3:30 p.m. to go to the office, when the shifts overlapped and she could tell everyone about Noah’s party at the same time. Roy and Danny were just about to go off duty. Technically, Wade was already on the clock when she walked in, but he was lounging in Noah’s chair, drinking coffee. He leaned back with a cocky smirk and propped his boots on the edge of Noah’s desk.
God, could he be more obvious in staking his claim? Roy and Danny weren’
t nearly as bad. She honestly didn’t know how they could stand him. But then, he’d been smart enough to claim the role of pack leader.
“What are you doing here on your day off? Sucking up?” Wade asked. “You picked the wrong day. Noah is in Missoula until tomorrow morning.”
“I know. But if I hadn’t, I would’ve guessed.” Grace smiled pointedly at Wade’s boots, then turned to Roy and Danny. “The McAllisters are having a get-together for Noah a week from Thursday. It’s a surprise, so don’t say anything.”
Roy chuckled. “Those folks sure like their parties. Do we bring our wives?”
Grace nodded. “Weather permitting, it’ll be a barbecue.”
“How do you know about it?”
Hearing the anger in Wade’s voice, she wished she’d let Roy pass on the information. But with Noah gone, this had been the perfect opportunity to make sure they all knew. “Rachel told me,” Grace said. “Can one of you tell Gus?”
“I suppose you just ran into her?” Wade said, a scowl on his thin face.
Now Danny was frowning at her, as well, his initial curiosity turning into an accusation.
“No, I saw her at the Sundance.” Why they cared that she knew about the party first was beyond her comprehension. Heaven forbid they found out Rachel had included her in the planning. Theoretically, because she hadn’t added much.
“What were you doing out there?” Wade got to his feet. “You sucking up to the McAllisters, too?”
“Yeah, that’s right, Wade.” Grace sighed. What a hell of a day off. First she’d been roped into doing something that would annoy her boss. Then Ben had ditched her, and now her coworkers were being jerks.
To be fair, Roy didn’t seem upset. Or at least he hadn’t until now. He’d been writing in the daily log. But there was some sort of silent communication happening between him, Wade and Danny.
She had no desire to stick around and find out what they were conspiring. “Okay, I’ve passed on the invite. Try to keep it secret for Rachel’s sake.”
“Yes, ma’am. Whatever you say.” Wade snorted. “Practicing how it feels to be sheriff?”
She paused at the door, telling herself it was best to ignore him. Then she turned back with a smile. “I wasn’t the one trying out his chair and desk.”
Anywhere with You Page 7
