by Stella Clark
Just as she was wondering how to breathe, she accidentally blinked.
The moment broke. Grace tried to catch up to her wildly beating heart. Wade dropped his hands and took a step back, turning away. Clearing his throat, he stumbled over his next words. “I should, well, put the horses away.”
“Right, and I should … go back to the house,” Grace mumbled.
She turned to leave, trying to process what had just happened. Because nothing had happened. But certainly, something must have.
As she reached the barn door, his familiar footsteps followed in a hurry. Grace paused, clutching her skirts. Her cheeks heated madly in the fading light as he fiddled with his hat. Neither of them could look the other in the eye. “I realized that I should probably walk you up to the house,” he pointed out hesitantly. “In case of, say, snakes or something.”
Grace gulped before offering a quick nod. “Yes, of course. I would like that,” she added and then immediately regretted it. That had been too much, too unnecessary. But perhaps the half grin he offered her afterwards was worth the embarrassment.
They walked up to the house quietly. He trailed beside her close enough to where she could smell his familiar scent of hay, leather, and grass. The close proximity drove her crazy as Grace tried not to look at him. She didn’t know what to say. But she noticed how their hands nudged one another’s not once, not twice, but three times before they made it to the back door.
There, he put his hand on the handle for her. When he didn’t immediately open it, she shyly glanced up. Her heart was already beating so quickly, she wasn’t sure she could take being near him any longer. Grace’s breath caught as his eyes met hers.
The corners of his eyes were crinkled with his large smile. It was the tiniest bit crooked, which had bothered her incessantly when they met. But now, for some reason, she couldn’t seem to get enough of it. Grace searched his gaze, wondering what he was thinking. Could it be what was on her thoughts as well? It hardly seemed possible.
He took a small step forward. Bound by an invisible force, she did the same. If she breathed too deeply, she was certain they would touch. Grace swallowed and waited for him to talk. Surely he would say something. Anything. She just wanted him to say anything. To do something. The anticipation was driving her crazy. Her eyes drifted down to his rather attractive-looking lips just as they heard voices inside.
“Dear, where did you put that towel?”
It made Grace jerk out of the moment. The moment dissipated as she took a step back, blinking. Were they about to do what she thought? Inhaling deeply, she cleared her throat and rubbed her hands. “I-I should go inside now, I suppose.”
“Oh. Right, yes.” Wade’s gaze had dropped away as well as he slowly opened the door.
She stepped in only to hesitate, not wanting to lose his company just yet. “You’ll join us, won’t you?” Her cheeks began to warm. “Your parents wouldn’t mind, of course.”
“Of course.” He nodded quickly, meeting her gaze. “I mean, yes, of course, I’ll come. They won’t mind. I … I’ll just get the horses brushed and come straight away. Save me a seat?”
Grace’s heart thudded. “Always. Yes, I mean.” Her tongue felt all tied up around him now. Knowing her cheeks were still hot, she gave him one more smile and hurried inside. The door closed behind her, but she knew it was only temporary. As Grace went to help with supper, she found herself unable to stop smiling.
Chapter Eight
Wade found himself whistling as he trailed the cattle through the canyon. They were just heading a few miles north for greener pastures, and he’d be home in time for supper again. He grinned as he whistled. Usually, he avoided his parents. They were good people, but Ma worried too much and Pa nudged too much.
But everything was a world of difference with Grace. She was funny, smart, playful, and even kind. The woman was talented and a fast learner. Within a week, she was a natural on a horse and had joined him with the men on several rides around the territory. That worried his parents, but everything had gone well. And it wasn’t like they stayed out late or anything.
“Someone’s in a good mood,” Thomas sang as he came around after bringing a young steer back into the herd. “Have you kissed her yet?”
Wade stopped short. “What?”
Beside Thomas came Miles, who burst out laughing. “You’re spending all this time with a gal who isn’t giving you anything! Thought you knew better, Wade. Ha! Even after your pop went out and brought the finest lady from the East for you. Aren’t you a plumb-crazy kind of guy?”
“He’s just over the moon for her,” Thomas volunteered in a suspiciously sweet voice. “Why, I believe he’s becoming something of a missionary, helping his young parishioner all about. On the horse, off the horse, up the hill, down the hill, with her errands, and anything else she asks.” By the time he finished talking and gave Wade a sly look, he knew the man was making fun of him.
This wasn’t something he was used to. Sure, there were jokes about the girls that would make eyes at him in town. That had always been humorous. Even the comments about him not having a girl, he was used to. Now, however, something settled in his stomach in a heavy way. After all, he wasn’t courting Grace, whom they were clearly talking about. They were just … well, he didn’t know what it was.
Frowning, he shifted his horse a little further away. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Don’t you two have work to be doing?”
His attempt at sidetracking the conversation didn’t work, however, before his two workers made a couple more jokes at his expense. They laughed and he found himself getting riled up. “This is none of your business,” Wade choked out with a frown. “Don’t you put your noses into my life. Now get back on the road or you can walk off a cliff.”
It wasn’t supposed to sound so rude, but that did the trick. Thomas and Miles shared a look and fell silent, shrugging at each other before leaving Wade there. He thought he had wanted to be alone, but suddenly, now that he was, his brain started working, and it asked questions that he didn’t like.
***
He worked through the afternoon. But instead of staying later with his men as planned, Wade rode back alone as he tried to think. They weren’t courting, he reminded himself. Perhaps they were just friends. He didn’t want to court anyone. Right now, he wasn’t ready, he wasn’t interested, and he most certainly didn’t want to do it with the person his father had attempted to set him up with.
Though Wade considered not joining his parents for supper, he reluctantly did because he’d already agreed. His mother had promised to make his favorite roast and he couldn’t not show up. But even as he took his seat around the table, he said very little.
“Is everything all right?” Grace walked him out afterwards. She rubbed her hands together against the brisk evening air as he opened the back door. He glanced up as she offered a shrug. “You were quiet tonight and not very annoying. It was pleasant, but strange. You’re not dying, are you?”
His lips quirked upwards. The young woman seemed to always know what to say to make him grin. It was charming. But remembering his thoughts from that afternoon, Wade glanced away and shrugged. “Everything’s fine. It’s just been a long day.”
Stepping out onto the porch, she tugged her shawl closer and nodded. “Oh I’m sure. I talked to Miles the other day and he said that trail you said you were going on was one of the harder ones to manage the cattle. But it went smoothly?”
Wade frowned at the mention of Lawrence. “Yeah, I said everything’s fine.”
“Oh.” Grace hesitated. The young woman glanced down, and Wade realized he was coming across as rude. Inwardly groaning, he shook his head. But even then, he didn’t want to leave her. Nothing made sense anymore.
After a moment of silence, Grace said, “Well, I’m glad, then. That everything’s fine, I mean. Do you remember we had mentioned going on a picnic the other day? I thought tomorrow would be nice. What do you think?”
&
nbsp; “I … I think … I’m busy,” Wade managed grudgingly. “There’s some work to do. More cattle that need branding.” He couldn’t remember if it was true, but he knew she wouldn’t know either way.
She bit her lip. “Of course. What about the next day? It will be Saturday, then. Or perhaps Sunday; it might be pleasant to picnic by that stream after church. You’ll be joining us, I presume?”
She presumed much. Grinding his teeth, Wade wondered why she couldn’t get the hint. Taking a deep breath, he considered just walking away without saying anything more. But he tried to remain calm. He could end this without any concern. “I think the picnic will have to wait.”
Grace fell quiet. He could feel her watching him. Trying not to give anything away, he fidgeted with the fraying edge of his sleeve. “I see,” she said slowly. “No picnic, then. Are you sure you’re all right? You’re acting rather odd.”
“Odd?” he scoffed. “If anyone is acting odd, that would be you. Expecting me to drop everything to go on picnics? I eat outside for my meals half the time. I’m a foreman, Grace. I have work to do every day; it never stops. I can’t drop everything just to—to play around with you.”
The young woman came around to try and get a better look at his face in the moonlight. “Play around? Is that what you think I’m doing? See here, Wade, you said we would go on a picnic and I was following up on that agreement. Don’t blame me when you’re saying things don’t work out. I know you have a job, and I also know you have a tendency to do whatever you want.”
She had a sharp edge in her voice that grated on his nerves. Shaking his head, Wade pulled the hat off and glared at her. “Just because I’m the boss’ son doesn’t mean I do whatever I want! I’m here to make a living, to have a purpose. I work. And what about you? You moved right in and made yourself at home. What, are you just going to live here forever and pretend to be a cowboy?”
“How dare you!”
“Oh please, we’re all thinking it. I’ve seen you try to make up for it. But we all know—”
Grace gave him a push. It wasn’t a hard one, but it was enough for him to pause so she could interrupt. “At least I’m trying to do something with my life. You never think about the future, do you?”
“Some people need to know how to live in the moment.” He shrugged her off and gave her a pointed look, feeling his blood boil. “That’s how anything gets done.”
Her nostrils flared. He could feel the heat of her glare and wondered why he’d ever spent time with her. She was just one of his father’s mistakes, wasn’t she? “You’re a spoiled brat who doesn’t respect his parents. I don’t need picnics, you know. I don’t need to ride a horse to feel like an adult. It’s not like I need an animal or a man to feel useful.”
Wade’s hands tightened into fists as she tried to push him a second time. But he didn’t budge. All the same, her final words somehow managed to hurt the most. “And I most certainly don’t need you!”
“Well, it’s not like I need you,” Wade spat back.
“Good!” Grace folded her arms. How could anyone so small be so conceited?
He couldn’t stand to look at her anymore. “Good!” Wade turned his back on her, taking the last word as he stomped off into the night. He just needed to get away from the proud and unbelievably obnoxious Miss Grace Landers.
***
After that, Wade couldn’t think of her without getting angry all over again. Within two days, every cowboy knew not to even hint at the young woman staying at his parents’ house. He skipped church to stay with the cattle and took every shift he could manage without fainting from lack of sleep. Anything to get her out of his mind.
The next week, his pa came into the mess hall saying that he needed errands handled in town. Grace had asked to go as well, he added, looking at Wade hopefully. Apparently, she had dived into writing her story and wanted to see about getting it published, and there was a print shop in town.
But Thomas was there and glanced at Wade before volunteering himself. “I’ll go. I could use a few things in town,” he offered. “Wade here already agreed to lead the wiring fix on the fence, after all, and you know he doesn’t like to break his word.”
When his father eventually left, Wade managed to give Thomas a nod. The man nodded in response and turned back to his food. Nothing more had to be said. Wade turned back to his meal and sighed. Now he couldn’t even enjoy a basic meal, let alone his days in the saddle. All he wanted was his freedom. But her words rang in his mind over and over.
Grace had said she didn’t need him, hadn’t she? Wade frowned and finished off his coffee. Well, he didn’t need her either.
Chapter Nine
For the first time since her arrival, Grace found herself wondering if Wyoming was the right place for her to be. Sitting on the porch, she glanced around curiously. The sky was still cobalt blue and the valley was still stunning in its hues of green and brown. Mountains in the distance still towered over them, aiming to touch the heavens. It was a beautiful place that held her captive every time she looked.
Yet nothing had felt right for the last two months. In reality, it had been nearly nine weeks. But she was trying not to keep track. Besides, snow was beginning to fall and she wanted to think about that more than anything else.
Except she noticed a cowboy farther down on the range and her stomach did that ridiculous flip again. As if it might be him. She scoffed and looked away. If she never saw Wade again, then she would be just fine. He was a fool, a proud fool who had tricked her time and again with his silly words and cowboy drawl.
“Never again,” she swore to herself.
Shaking her head, Grace wondered how she had even allowed things to get that far out of control. She’d put off writing to spend time with him and tried daily to make him laugh and tried everything to get his attention. Such a waste of her valuable time. After her desire for adventure and independence, she’d still managed to find herself caught up with a man’s attention.
Just the thought of it made her shudder. She didn’t want to end up like her mother. It was enough to bring tears to her eyes; it wouldn’t be the first time. Though her father had never been violent, they were no strangers to his raised voice telling them—mainly her mother—how to behave and how to cook and how to clean and how to do this and that.
Grace hurriedly wiped her face clean. No, she told herself, it won’t happen. Besides, they were taking care not to have to see each other. For the past months, he’d had his cows and his cowboys. Mr. Shelton had mentioned sending his young man off on a short cattle drive, but she knew little about it. Only that they saw each other from a distance. He had come to dinner twice and both evenings, learning of his expected arrival, she’d feigned headaches to avoid him.
“Miss Landers?”
She jumped off the steps, clutching the railing. Everything had been getting icy lately, and she didn’t want to slip again in her city-style boots. Which was why she needed to go to town, to get better ones. But Mrs. Shelton worried about her going alone, even if she could ride a horse as well as anyone on the ranch by now.
Offering a polite smile to Thomas, Grace said, “Hello. It’s good to see you again. I hope I didn’t pull you from any important tasks?”
Shaking his head, he stepped forward as he led two horses. “Not at all, miss.” Thomas offered a toothy grin. “Thought the gray one might be better this time since we’re going through the snow and all. It should stop before we reach town,” he added.
“Sounds perfect,” Grace beamed. “Though we might need to stop for coffee while we’re there.”
He helped her into the saddle. “That sounds like a bright idea.” He paused after swinging into his saddle. Grace fixed her gloves and raised her eyebrow. Realizing she was watching, he hesitated. “Wade said he needed to stop in town. I told him we were going, and he was welcome to join us, but maybe he decided against it.”
“Ah.” Grace swallowed. Her heart skipped a nervous beat.
T
he man looked like he wanted to say something more, but then he decided not to. Closing his mouth, Thomas shrugged it off and led the way towards the road. He was a kind enough man, someone who Grace had learned enjoyed working hard and sent half his wages to his sister and her kids in Philadelphia. They rarely had anything to say to each other, but Grace was glad that she was accompanied by him other than by any other particular cowboy.
***
Thomas was right: the snow stopped before they reached town. She shook off the snowflakes and tried not to shiver. Mrs. Shelton had given her a small purse of money to fetch clothing for the cold, like the boots, but Grace hated the idea of using someone else’s money. She only had a little left of her own now, after all. So she worked hard, when she wasn’t reading or writing, to try her best and take care of the Sheltons.
Of course, they preferred to take care of her. It was somewhat frustrating. But it made them happy, strangely enough. They had a marriage that had evolved into a relationship she had never seen before, where they made each other very happy. Grace wondered how they made that work as she stopped by the cobbler’s and then the haberdashery.
When she left with her purchases, Grace stopped to find Thomas beside Wade. The young man had put his horse next to theirs and they were talking avidly to one another. Her cheeks burned as he jerked his head up and looked her way. What was he thinking? He wore his hat too low for her to read his expression.
Thomas noticed her as well, hurrying over to help with her packages. When he reached her, he blocked her view of the other man. “Thank you,” she murmured, handing him her boxes. “Do you mind holding on one moment? I want to stop at the bookshop,” she gestured across the street.
“Of course,” he grinned. “If they have your book ready, bring me a copy.”
