Free Lonestar Angel by Colleen Coble Page B

fainted.”
    “Stop it, Michael,” Gracie said, shaking her finger at him.
    He grinned and slipped his arm around her. “I’m a lucky man, and I know it.”
    “You two still act like newlyweds,” Clay said. “I hear you’re an EMT and own the only helicopter in the county. Rick says you’re the go-to guy for everything.”
    The men started talking about work, and Gracie smiled and shook her head. Watching her and Michael, Eden wished she could feel so relaxed and free with Clay. What had they missed? She’d blamed their distance on his absence, but maybe it was more than that. Maybe it was some fundamental flaw in her. She knew she had walls. Over the years, she’d tried to tear them down, but her defense mechanisms were too strong.
    After a pleasant evening, the couples walked outside together. As Eden waved good-bye to her new friends, she found herself tongue-tied with Clay. Did he ever think about what a marriage was supposed to look like?
    “Ready to go home?” he asked.
    “I need to walk off dinner a bit,” she said. He offered his arm, and she took it hesitantly. They strolled the empty sidewalk along closed storefronts. When they stopped in front of the coffee shop, the only place except the café that was still open, she stopped. “Why didn’t you tell me you were from around here?”
    His easy smile vanished. “You never asked where I was from.”
    “You didn’t think the fact that the kidnapper brought Brianna back to your home area was significant? I thought the location was just a random choice, but it seems it was personal.”
    “It couldn’t get more personal.”
    “So we basically stepped into the lion’s den?”
    “I suppose so. But talking about it wouldn’t have changed our minds. I’d face anything to get my daughter.”
    “Our daughter,” she corrected.
    His lips tightened. “Our daughter.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Look, I just didn’t want you to worry. It’s my job to worry about the danger.”
    “This is exactly what broke up our marriage!” She turned and ran back toward the truck. She heard his footsteps behind her, but she didn’t slow until his hand was on her arm and he pulled her around to face him.
    “What do you mean by that?” he demanded.
    She was so tired. Tired of fighting, tired of pretending, tired of the mask she always wore. “You always thought about what you should do. It was never us , what we should do. We were two separate people, never one unit. I realized that tonight watching the Waynes.”
    His hand dropped from her arm. “Maybe so. I wanted to take my responsibilities seriously. A man isn’t supposed to let his wife worry about anything.”
    “Who says? If they are one, they share everything. The good and the bad. At least that was always my dream. I didn’t have the best role models, so I didn’t have it all figured out.”
    “I hate fighting,” he muttered. “That’s all we seemed to do, and we’re starting it again.”
    “At least we’re talking when we’re fighting.”
    He tipped his head and stared at her. “Do you start fights on purpose, then?”
    She started to shake her head, then thought better of it. “Maybe I do. There’s nothing worse than being ignored.” As a child, she’d spent too many nights standing outside in the cold by herself. Or eating a peanut butter sandwich alone.
    “I never wanted you to feel ignored. Just protected.” He opened the truck door for her. She fastened her seat belt, but he didn’t close the door. “Would you like to see where I lived?” he asked.
    It was such a small thing, but she didn’t miss the trepidation in his voice. She nodded. “Yes.”
    “It’s on our way.” He shut the door and went around to his side.

10
    H E ’ D DRIVEN THIS ROAD A MILLION TIMES . C LAY TURNED ONTO THE DIRT DRIVE AND wondered when the grader had last been down it. Darkness was falling quickly, but the moon was bright tonight.
    “Are there any other houses back here but