Grayson turned the shower off and stepped outside. ‘You don’t have to do that. I can take care of it.’
His sudden abruptness surprised her. ‘I’ll be glad to help, what’s the problem?’
Grayson grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his hips. ‘I’m just wondering why you wanted to talk to Bob Foster alone.’
‘Did you think I was telling tales, Grayson? What happened to the “you’re a big girl”?’
He pushed a hand through his wet hair. ‘I know I didn’t mention Marcie but I wanted to talk to Alan Howard first. If she did this in a fit of jealousy, I’d rather her dad handle it than the police.’
‘I didn’t say a word about Marcie,’ Lauren replied evenly. ‘I gave Bob my business card and home phone number so he could contact me in San Francisco. I didn’t want him to think I might be here on a regular basis. I’ll see you at the barn.’
Lauren stomped down the path towards the barn ignoring the welcoming chorus from the hen house. One minute she was in danger of falling in love with Grayson, the next he behaved as if she was some kind of tattletale.
Lauren stopped walking. What had she just said? She couldn’t fall in love with him. How could she even think that? OK, she might’ve been a little oversensitive to Gray’s perfectly reasonable question but it was better if she kept him at a distance. After all – she glanced at her watch – there were only ten hours left until she returned home for good.
Chapter Ten
Grayson swore quietly as Lauren slammed the door behind her. Great job, Gray, he thought, get all macho and suspicious with her. He wasn’t surprised she’d walked out on him after his stupid question. Since his recent brush with Anna, he kept expecting Lauren to act the same way and that wasn’t fair. Anna wasn’t capable of revealing such hurt in her eyes.
After getting dressed, Gray took a moment to call Alan Howard. Alan reported that Marcie was still in bed but that he’d certainly discuss the matter with her when she got up. Wondering if he’d done the right thing, Gray hung up the phone and went in search of Lauren.
He hesitated at the door to the tack room. Lauren kept her back to him as she sifted through the mess on the floor. Her body language screamed at him to leave her alone but he knew that would be a big mistake. Hell, he wasn’t going to let one stupid remark ruin the best weekend of his life.
He drew a breath and prepared to eat crow. ‘Lauren, I’m sorry. I had no right to question you. You certainly don’t have to answer to me.’
He waited until Lauren got to her feet, her expression was wary, her arms were crossed over her chest. A smudge of dirt half covered her cheek. He tipped his hat back so that he could see her face more clearly. ‘I carry a lot of scars from women I thought I could trust. But I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.’
He shifted his feet as Lauren continued to stare at him, her hazel eyes appraising. Was she the kind of woman who bore a grudge? He hadn’t reckoned so but then he hadn’t imagined Anna would cheat on him with other men and lie about it to his face.
‘Is that it?’
Lauren’s quiet question made him straighten up. ‘What do you mean is that it? Do you want me to go down on my knees and kiss your feet or something?’
Lauren smiled and he let out a breath he’d been unaware he was holding. ‘Usually when a man apologises for something, there’s a whole load of additional explanations and justifications attached.’
Grayson immediately thought of Lauren’s father. He’d heard about his business methods during his time in New York. He hadn’t realised Mr Redstone extended his tough-love approach into his family life as well. Grayson’s fingers curled into fists. He’d like to meet the bastard one day. He’d done a fine job of trying to sabotage his daughter’s confidence.
It amazed Grayson that Lauren had fought back to become such an outwardly successful and confident person. Was he the only man who could see the vulnerability beneath her strength and did she like him for that or fear him?
Acting on his instincts, Gray crossed the floor and pulled Lauren into his arms. He held her gaze as he looked down at her. ‘I was wrong. I acted like an ass. End of story. Do you want it in writing?’
Lauren put her gloved hands on his shoulders and stood on tiptoe to kiss his chin. She smelt of his soap and shampoo. She smelt as if she belonged with him.
‘I have baggage too, Grayson, and I probably overreacted. But I’m glad you apologised. I’d hate to leave here on a sour note.’
Gray tightened his hands at her waist. ‘You’re not leaving till eight are you?’
‘That’s right, although I do need to run into town to pick up some more cleaning supplies. You don’t need to come with me. Can I borrow your truck?’
Wisely refraining from asking why she wanted to go into town without him, Grayson managed a smile. ‘Of course you can. I’ll finish up here while you’re gone and write up those lists for Bob.’
Lauren parked on Main Street just outside Mrs Maxwell’s store and spent a happy hour buying up the place. It seemed she’d been right. Mrs Maxwell had a policy of never sending anything back to her suppliers. After storing Grayson’s presents in the truck and avoiding Mrs Maxwell’s way too personal questions, she arranged to have the rest of the stuff shipped back to San Francisco.
The town seemed quiet and peaceful on this particular Sunday lunch time. Families returning from church wandered the sidewalks eating ice cream and window shopping. It hardly looked like the kind of place where neighbours fought over land and painted insulting graffiti on barn walls. With a sigh, Lauren rested her forehead on the steering wheel.
Grayson’s frank apology had destroyed her feeble hope of building a wall between them to see her through the last few hours of her visit. Somehow she wasn’t surprised by his response. Grayson meant what he said. He made it impossible for her to treat him like any other man she’d known. He made it possible for her to trust him and that was a truly rare commodity these days.
Lauren lifted her head as a young mother crossed the road with her toddling son. How would it feel to be able to rely on Grayson’s strength and integrity for the rest of her life? She’d have no room for excuses. They might fight but at least she’d know where she stood.
She shook her head. It still wouldn’t work. She wondered what he’d do if she suggested they kept their relationship more casual and open. For some reason, she couldn’t see Grayson going for it.
And then there was her father. Because of his over-possessive streak, she knew that if she quarrelled with him she’d never get to see her mother again. The idea of Grayson and her father agreeing to tolerate each other also seemed ridiculous. She couldn’t stand the thought of having to stand between them. She might as well toss a bone between two ravenous dogs.
Thinking of dogs sent her out of the car and over towards the sheriff’s department, one block down. Bob Foster appeared out of his office at the back, a welcoming grin on his face.
‘Hi, Lauren. I think I’ve found some puppies for you.’
Minutes later, Lauren followed Bob’s police cruiser down a narrow track to one of the outlying ranches. Dust flew up from the unmade road, drying Lauren’s throat and making her reach for a bottle of water. When Lauren stepped down from the truck a chorus of barking greeted her. Bob headed for the barn.
‘Beth Sutherland’s Australian sheepdog had five puppies a few months ago. They’re great dogs. I have one myself.’
Lauren entered the old barn where a makeshift pen had been constructed for the puppies. Three eager faces poked wet noses through the wire, trying to get to Lauren. At least the pups were friendly. She crouched down to study them. With their large feet and mottled brown colouring, they looked like a cross between a collie and an Alsatian.
After a while, the biggest male pup came up on his back legs, put his paws on Lauren’s shoulders and licked her face. She laughed at the intelligence shining in his liquid brown eyes.
Lauren scratched the pup’s silky ears and looked up at Bob Foster. ‘Is this one for sale?’
‘They’re all for sale.’ Mrs Sutherland appeared beside Bob and smiled at Lauren. She wore old jeans and a cherry-red sweater which almost matched her vivid hair. ‘I hear this is a present for Grayson. He’s a good man. I’d be happy for him to have one of my dogs.’
Lauren pointed to the largest of the three puppies. ‘I’ll take this one, please. If Grayson wants to change his mind, not that I think he will, I’ll send him to see you.’ She retrieved her chequebook from her back pocket. ‘How much do I owe you?’
Mrs Sutherland named a low figure and Lauren glanced at her, pen poised to write. ‘Are you sure that’s enough? Bob said these are pure-bred puppies.’
Mrs Sutherland stuck her hands in her pockets. ‘Grayson’s a friend of mine. He helped me keep this ranch and make it profitable after my pig of a husband ran out on me. I’d give you the pup as a gift but I know he’d be after me for making a bad business deal.’
Lauren wrote the cheque and handed it over. ‘Grayson still has a dog carrier in the back of the truck. I can put the puppy in there.’
Beth Sutherland found a leash and collar and handed the puppy over to Lauren. ‘He’s had his initial set of vaccinations but Grayson might want to take him to the vet anyway.’
The puppy wriggled and licked Lauren’s ear. ‘Thanks, Mrs Sutherland. I think Gray is going to love him.’ She headed for the truck keeping a firm grip on the excited bundle of fur she carried. After stowing the dog safely away, Lauren drove back up the drive away from a waving Mrs Sutherland.
She sure hoped Grayson was going to love him. Her idea of leaving Grayson a companion when she left the ranch had seemed like a good one. Now she wasn’t so sure. Would he think her pushy and interfering? Maybe a man liked to choose his own dog.
By the time Grayson buzzed her through the gates, Lauren was riddled with indecision. She parked the truck close to the house just as Grayson came out of the back door. He walked across to her side of the truck and she lowered the window. When she turned the engine off an excited yapping broke the silence.
Grayson frowned. ‘What the hell is that?’
Lauren gulped as she got out of the truck and scrambled into the back. ‘I got you something as a thank you for having me, I mean, for inviting me to the ranch.’ She opened the wire door and the pup exploded out of the kennel straight into Grayson’s arms.
For a long moment, he simply stared down at the dog. Lauren held her breath. ‘Do you like him?’
Grayson dropped his head and buried his face in the puppy’s soft fur allowing the dog to whimper and squirm in his tight grip. When he finally raised his gaze to Lauren, a muscle twitched in his cheek and his eyes blazed blue and clear.
‘Don’t leave tonight.’
Lauren remained kneeling in the back of the truck, trapped by the intensity of Grayson’s stare. Suddenly she found it hard to breathe. ‘I have to. I have a business to run.’
The puppy yelped and Grayson’s expression changed. ‘Hell, he just peed all over me.’ He held the dog away from him by the scruff of its neck. ‘You need to learn when it’s polite to interrupt, buddy.’
Lauren scrambled out of the truck and handed Grayson the dog’s leash. ‘Do you like him then?’ She knew she was babbling but it was all she could manage right now. ‘Beth Sutherland said you can come and pick another puppy if this one doesn’t suit.’
To her relief, Grayson made no effort to pursue his other line of conversation, his attention all on the puppy.
‘Does he have a name?’
Lauren shook her head as she watched the puppy try to negotiate the step up to the back door. ‘He has a fancy name for his breeding papers but not a pet name.’
Grayson boosted the dog from behind with the toe of his boot and sent him nose first into the mud room. ‘I’ll probably call him Petty after my last dog. It’s easy to remember.’
Despite Grayson’s calm tone, Lauren couldn’t forget the startled pleasure in his eyes when she handed him the dog. Had it been so long since anyone had given Grayson a gift? Perhaps because he seemed so good at helping others, nobody thought he had needs of his own.
Grayson caught her hand as she followed the excited puppy into the kitchen. ‘I haven’t said thank you yet, have I?’
Lauren smiled up at him. ‘I think I got that without you needing to say it.’ She kissed his warm lips and wrapped her arms around his waist, glad just to hold him for a moment longer, aware of time slipping away.
He raised her chin with one long finger and his mouth descended to cover hers. She joined him in the light gentle kiss wishing it could last forever.
Grayson was the first to draw back. ‘Once we’ve settled Petty, would you like to walk down to the main barn with me? I need to pick up some replacement tack. I can give you a tour around the training and breeding facility if you’re interested.’
Lauren gave him her brightest smile. For some reason, he was shutting her out. Perhaps he’d embarrassed himself by asking her to stay with him. A rush of pain centred low in her stomach and she fought to conceal it.
‘Sure, that would be great.’
Chapter Eleven
Lauren held Grayson’s hand as they walked past the barn and headed up the hill behind the house. She kept quiet, sensing Grayson’s abstraction, wondering if she was the cause of it. At the top of the incline, Lauren paused and looked down on a newer set of buildings. A covered arena surrounded by at least forty stalls and three turnouts took up most of the flat space. Two sloping green pastures surrounded by white picket fences completed the compound.
‘I talked to Alan,’ Grayson said. ‘Marcie’s denying everything but Alan found paint on her sneakers. He’s not too happy with her right now.’
Lauren shuddered to think what her father would have done if she’d gone out and trashed someone else’s property. Despite her best efforts, the longer she spent with Grayson, the more she compared him to her father. She stuck her hands in her pockets and stared at Grayson’s dusty boots.