Always (The Protectors Book 3)

by Leeanna Morgan

An image of his friend, Sonia, flashed into his mind. “It is when you know the people involved.”

  Cynthia reached out and pressed the elevator button. “This may sound like an odd question, but our time together is limited. What are your intentions toward my daughter, Grant?”

  His gaze shot to Mallory’s mom. She had the same light in her eyes that her daughter did when she knew the question was going to unsettle him. “I like Mallory. A lot.”

  Cynthia’s steady gaze made his stomach churn. “I like my hairdresser, but I wouldn’t call us best friends. I like my husband, too, and he is my best friend. Tell me what the word ‘like’ means to you when you’re talking about Mallory.”

  A trickle of sweat ran down Grant’s spine. “I told her I love her, but I didn’t get a chance to say much more.”

  Cynthia smiled. “Love is a much easier word to understand. I’m glad you love my daughter. I have a feeling that she loves you, too.”

  “I hope so.” Grant held open the elevator door for Cynthia. “William told me I’d suffocate Mallory if I stopped her from following her dreams. I couldn’t do that.”

  “Sometimes what a person says is colored by what has happened in their life. When I met William I was training to be a dentist. We fell in love and I left Michigan to live in Orlando with him. My parents weren’t happy and told me that if I left, they wouldn’t continue to pay for college. William and I didn’t have a lot of money, so I worked as a dental hygienist to help pay the bills. I never finished my degree and never regretted it. But William did. He thought I’d given up my dreams for him, and in a way, he was right. But I don’t regret the decisions we made. Then Mallory came along and she was our world. You need to do what works for you and Mallory.”

  “I don’t know what she needs to be happy.”

  “Ask her. If there’s one thing my daughter is good at, it’s telling people how she feels.”

  The elevator doors pinged open and they walked toward Mallory’s ward.

  “It’s not easy being part of another person’s life. Just remember that William can be overprotective sometimes, but he means well.”

  Grant hoped so because he didn’t know who he was more worried about—Mallory or her dad.

  ***

  Mallory smiled at her mom as she walked through the door. “Wow. Look at how many bags you’ve got.” Her smile grew even wider when she saw Grant. “Don’t tell me you went shopping with mom?”

  “No. These are all Cynthia’s doing. I just helped carry the bags up here.”

  Her mom left the shopping on Mallory’s bed. “Let me show you what I bought.”

  She pulled each piece of clothing out of the bags, telling Mallory why she’d chosen them.

  “I’m impressed that you found all those clothes in the short amount of time you were away. You must have been like a mini-tornado down the aisles.”

  Her mom sent her a warm smile. “It was a lot of fun. How are you feeling?”

  “Better after I had a sleep. Dad has gone for a walk. He should be back soon.”

  Her mom kissed her cheek. “I’ll go and find him. Knowing your father, his walk involves heading to the cafeteria for a coffee and a muffin.”

  Mallory waited until her mom had left before speaking to Grant. “Dad wants me to stay in Orlando until my arm is better.”

  “What do you want to do?”

  “I want to go home to Bozeman.”

  He sat on the side of her bed. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

  She held his hand. “I don’t have much of a choice. I’m head-over-heels in love with you.”

  “Even after being shot and airlifted to the hospital?”

  “At least you met mom and dad.”

  “I could think of better ways of meeting your parents.”

  Mallory studied the frown on Grant’s face. “What’s wrong?”

  “Are you sure Bozeman is where you need to be? While you’re regaining the strength in your arm, you could still coach other figure skaters.”

  “That’s what I thought, too. Which is why I’m going to start my own skating club in Bozeman. There are enough coaches for junior skaters, but nothing once the students reach a higher degree of technical difficulty. I want to fill the gap. I won’t be able to show them how to do the moves, but I have video footage and can show them where their bodies need to be positioned.”

  “Your parents will be disappointed that you’re not staying with them.”

  “I know, but I spoke to mom before she went shopping. I’m going to have a vacation with them in April, before it gets too hot. And now that I don’t have to worry about Juan Garcia, they’ve promised to visit more often.”

  Grant pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. “I was going to use this video to show you why Bozeman is a great place to live, but I don’t need to anymore.”

  “Yes, you do. A little reinforcement is always good.”

  He tapped the screen then handed her his phone. “Press play.”

  Mallory waited for the video to load. She smiled when Bella, Natasha, and Zoe waved at her from the center of the ice rink at Bogert Park.

  “Hi, Mallory,” Bella yelled. “We wanted to tell you we miss you.”

  “Everyone has been practicing real hard,” Zoe added.

  “We’ve got good, too.” Natasha’s beaming smile filled the screen. “Aimee wants to show you her backward chassés.”

  In the video, Bella leaned forward. “Turn the camera around,” she whispered.

  Whoever was holding the camera turned around and Aimee slowly came into focus. With her head held high and her back straight, she skated effortlessly around the rink. Her backward chassés were perfect.

  Mallory showed Grant the screen. “That’s Aimee. Isn’t she amazing?”

  “She looks like you.”

  Mallory wiped tears from her eyes.

  Bella came back onto the screen. “We just wanted to say hi. Please come back to Bozeman soon. It’s not the same without you.”

  All four girls crowded around the camera and blew Mallory kisses.

  When the video finished, she smiled at Grant. “You’re really pulling on my heartstrings.”

  “I didn’t have anything to do with the video—Bella and her friends made it for you. However, I was prepared to use it to my advantage. There’s something else you might want to see.”

  Mallory passed him his phone and he found what he wanted to show her.

  “John took Bella and Rachel to my ranch last weekend to make sure everything was okay. You haven’t seen where I live, so I asked them to take some pictures. Bella made this slideshow for you.”

  Mallory held his phone in her hand and watched the images of Grant’s ranch slide across the screen. “It’s beautiful.”

  The photos showed a huge lake, the mountains, snow-crusted cattle, and ranch hands mending fences. When a large house appeared, she looked at Grant.

  “Is that your home?”

  He nodded.

  Mallory stared at the two-story house. With its wooden siding, wide porch, and snow-covered gables, it was the kind of home that should have been on the outside of a Christmas card.

  When the photos changed to show the interior, she smiled. “Your home is lovely.”

  Someone had painted the walls a soft shade of cream. Large, deep gray sofas had been chosen for the living room and an enormous flat-screen TV filled one wall. The kitchen was painted a sandy-beige color, with white cabinets and a gleaming stone counter.

  She paused the slideshow and smiled at Grant. “Are you sure John didn’t add photos from a fancy interior design catalog?”

  “No—that’s all my work. I’ve been slowly remodeling my home over the last five years.”

  “It looks as though you’ve nearly finished.”

  “There are still a couple of bedrooms and two bathrooms that I haven’t started.”

  Mallory went back to the pictures and smiled when the slideshow was over. “That was wonderful. Your home is inc
redible.”

  “Incredible enough to make you want to stay with me?”

  Mallory felt her mouth drop open. She didn’t know whether he was asking her to stay as a friend or something else.

  When she didn’t answer straight away he continued speaking.

  “You’ll need someone to take care of you. I’ll be home for most of the day and I’m a good cook. You wouldn’t need to do any housework and I’m not too messy around the house. In a couple of weeks I’ll be gone more often, but by that stage you might have decided to move back into town.”

  Her heart sank. “You don’t need to take care of me. I’ll be okay on my own.”

  Grant sighed. “I don’t think I explained myself very well. It’s not that I don’t think you can look after yourself—I know you can. I’d like you to see where I live. I’ve got five bedrooms and the ranch hands aren’t far away. If anything happens there are plenty of people who can help.”

  “Do you think I’m a walking disaster zone?”

  Grant glanced at her arm. “I don’t like the chance of you not needing someone’s help. Come on, Mallory. Say yes. Think of it as an adventure.”

  “I’ve already had enough adventures to last a lifetime.”

  “Have you ever stayed on a ranch?”

  She shook her head.

  “Don’t you think it’s time you did?”

  “You’re not going to give in, are you?”

  “Nope.”

  “Okay, I’ll stay with you for a few days. But after that I’m going back to my house.”

  The smile on Grant’s face touched her heart. “Okay. That’s great.”

  “What’s great?” William Fraser said from the doorway.

  Mallory swallowed. “I’ve decided where I’m going after I leave here. I’m going back to Bozeman to stay with Grant for a few days.”

  Her dad’s eyes widened. “On his ranch? Alone?”

  “I stayed with him in Saddle Butte for nearly a week.”

  “That was different. It was an emergency.”

  Cynthia handed Mallory a box of chocolates. “Offer your dad one of these—it will sweeten his mood.”

  William focused on Grant. “You’d better look after our daughter.”

  “Dad.”

  Her dad didn’t seem the least bit contrite. “You’re lucky that’s all I said. My father-in-law told me he’d come after me with a shotgun if I didn’t put a ring on your mother’s hand after our fourth date.”

  Cynthia laughed. “It took seven dates, but who’s counting.”

  Mallory ripped the plastic wrap off the box of chocolates and held the box toward her father. “I’ve already got the gunshot wound, so you don’t need to worry. Just don’t choose the hard caramels—they’re my favorite.”

  William took a peppermint cream. “Cynthia said you’ll be visiting in April. Don’t forget about us.”

  Mallory stood and gave her dad a hug. “I could never forget about you. I love you.”

  “I know you do,” her dad whispered in her ear. “Make sure Grant does, too.”

  She kissed her dad’s cheek. “I will.”

  ***

  Two days later, Grant added his trash to the flight attendant’s bag and looked at Mallory. Her eyes were closed and her blond hair fell across her face, shielding her from the curious glances of the people around them. Not that she would have noticed.

  She’d slept for most of the flight to Bozeman, drifting into an almost comatose oblivion within minutes of leaving the runway. He’d never known her to be so deeply unaware of what was happening. It probably had something to do with the bag of prescription drugs in her carry-on. According to her mom, the confetti-colored pain medication would have felled a horse. But Mallory hadn’t been inclined to stop taking it and he was pleased she hadn’t.

  He didn’t like seeing anyone in pain, especially Mallory. The last few days had given him a deeper appreciation for the woman who’d turned his world upside down. He knew what a gunshot wound felt like, and it wasn’t something he’d wish on anyone.

  The pilot announced that they were fifteen minutes away from Bozeman. He thought about nudging Mallory awake, but she’d probably get a fright and leap out of her seat.

  There was always the kissing option, but he didn’t think the people around them would appreciate his romantic gesture.

  In the end, he didn’t have to worry. The man on the other side of her sneezed and she sat upright, groaning as she moved her arm too quickly.

  She looked around the plane and frowned. “How long have I been asleep?”

  “Nearly ninety minutes.”

  “Where are we?”

  “Descending into Bozeman.” He took a bag of pretzels out of the seat in front of him. “I saved you a snack.”

  Mallory rubbed her eyes and smiled. “Thank you. I must have been tired to sleep for so long.”

  “Or you could have been in a drug-induced coma,” he whispered.

  She wiped the side of her mouth. “I didn’t dribble, did I?”

  “I couldn’t tell. Your hair was in the way.”

  Mallory sat back in her seat with a relieved sigh. “Thank goodness for that.”

  “I wouldn’t sound too happy. The guy beside you woke you with an enormous sneeze. He probably infected us with Ebola or something equally sinister.”

  Mallory held her finger to her lips. “Shh. Someone might hear you and think you know something they don’t.”

  Grant glanced at the man sitting beside her. “It’s possible I do.”

  She handed him the blanket he’d wrapped around her shoulders. “Behave yourself.”

  “Yes, ma’am. Is your arm sore?”

  “Only when I tried to leap out of my seat. You were right about the drugs. Most of the time, all I can feel is a dull ache.” She glanced at her watch. “Mom and dad should have left Havre by now.”

  Cynthia and William had said goodbye to Mallory at the airport.

  He’d asked them if they wanted to stay at his ranch for a few days, but they decided to go straight home.

  Mallory would be visiting them in a few weeks. As long as she called them each day, they were happy.

  He just hoped Mallory liked his ranch. Falling in love with her had been easy, but if nothing else worked out, their relationship would be over before it began.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Mallory followed Grant down the aisle of the plane. She was happy to be home, to finally relax in a place where no one was searching for her or trying to kill her.

  A man stood up and yanked his carry-on out of the overhead locker. The weight of the bag made him stumble and nearly bump into her.

  Grant turned around, frowning at the man who’d already apologized to her.

  She waved Grant forward. “Keep moving or you’re going to have a lot of grumpy people behind you.”

  He took her small bag out of her hand. “I’ll carry this for you.”

  “I’m not an invalid,” she whispered. Ever since they’d left the hospital, he had been treating her like fragile porcelain.

  “I know, but I’m still holding your bag.”

  By the time they made it into the terminal, Mallory was glad Grant was beside her. Another flight had arrived and there were people everywhere.

  They stood on the escalators to go downstairs and collect their luggage. As they moved further toward the ground floor, Mallory’s eyes widened. Hanging across the terminal window was a big, “Welcome Home, Mallory” sign.

  “Oh, my goodness. Did you know about this?” she asked Grant.

  He shook his head.

  All of Mallory’s friends and most of her students were at the airport.

  Tess gave her a gentle hug. “We wanted to say hello before Grant whisks you off to his ranch.”

  Kelly handed her a get-well-soon balloon. “Welcome home. If you need to escape from Grant, come and see me at my store.”

  “I’m not that bad,” he grumbled.

  John hugged his bro
ther. “Of course you aren’t. Welcome home.”

  Bella, Zoe, Natasha, and Aimee grinned at Mallory.

  “Did you like our video?” Zoe asked.

  “It was wonderful. It made me miss you so much. Your backward chassés were perfect, Aimee.”

  “I practiced every day.”

  Mallory gave her a hug with her good arm. “It shows.”

  After a lot more hugs and talking, Mallory began to feel tired. It had been a big day and it wasn’t over yet.

  Tank stood beside them with their suitcases. “I drove one of John’s vehicles into town for you. He said he’d collect it in a few days. Tell me when you’re ready to leave and I’ll show you where it’s parked.”

  Mallory looked at Grant. “Do you think we could leave now?”

  “Good idea. We’ve still got a long drive ahead of us.”

  They said goodbye to everyone, then followed Tank out of the airport terminal.

  Mallory sighed. “I feel bad about leaving so quickly.”

  Tank smiled. “I wouldn’t be too upset. Kelly has invited everyone to our apartment. They’ll be enjoying each other’s company for a few more hours.”

  “That’s good,” Mallory said quietly.

  Grant sent her a worried frown.

  “I’m okay,” Mallory said. “Just a little tired.”

  Tank stopped beside a shiny red SUV. “Are you going to sit in the front or back seat, Mallory?”

  “Front.”

  Tank opened the door for her. “Rachel left some pillows on the back seat. I’ll hand you one once you’re comfortable.”

  “What would I do without her?”

  “She said the same thing about you when we thought you were going back to Orlando.”

  Tears filled her eyes. “That’s so sweet.”

  “We care about you, Mallory.”

  “I care about you, too.”

  Grant helped her into her seat while Tank lifted their suitcases into the trunk.

  With her seatbelt clicked into place and a pillow on her lap, she smiled at Tank and Grant. “I feel as though I’m being spoiled.”

  “Enjoy it while it lasts,” Tank said. “Grant will have you milking the cows before you know it.”

  Grant groaned. “Would you stop putting Mallory off staying with me? I’m trying to make a good impression.”