Free The Last Goodbye (The Women of Independence) by Mona Ingram Page B

Gray.”
    Jealousy sliced into Danielle like a
knife. Her throat went dry and she had to swallow before she could speak. “How
do you know that?”
    Carmen laughed. “She’s one of those
women who always has to have a man around. What do the young people say? She
likes to ‘hook up’. It happens every time she goes on location.”
    Jake’s rich baritone echoed inside the
house and Carmen swung around. “Jake’s here,” she said, her eyes alight. She
touched Danielle affectionately on the arm. “I must seem like a giddy teenager,
but I don’t care.”
    Danielle watched Andrea for a few
moments, before turning to the other woman. “I think the way you feel about
Jake is sweet. In the meantime, I’ve been feeling guilty because Grayson and I
left our horses with Enrique when we came back from Silverton. I think I’ll wander
up to the stable and give you a few minutes with my handsome uncle.”

Chapter Ten
    The sun was about to disappear behind
the distant hills when Danielle arrived at the stable. She didn’t expect to
find Enrique there, but called out anyway, thinking she’d at least receive a
reply from Fleet. Met with silence, she realized that Enrique must have turned the
horses out into the paddock. She continued through the stable and out the far
side.
    It was that perfect time of day when
long shadowy fingers crept across the land. She stopped for a moment to admire
the horses, all of whom raised their heads at once as she approached the rail, and
then went back to grazing. Burnished by the lowering sun, their coats gleamed
and rippled over powerful muscles.
    Danielle hooked her right foot on the
bottom rail of the fence, and a pang of longing caught her by surprise. She’d
been coming to this very spot all her life, beginning with her father. He’d
stand here, foot on the rail as she was doing now, and seat her on the top rail,
where she could watch the horses. She could still feel his arms around her,
keeping her safe, and introducing her to each animal.
    Unbidden, tears came to her eyes and she
brushed them away. She had no idea why these memories had chosen to creep up on
her tonight. Maybe because she’d opened up to Grayson this morning, telling him
about her parents.
    Deciding he’d punished her enough for
leaving him with Enrique, Fleet wandered over to the rail.
    “Hello, Boy,” she said, as he nuzzled
her hand. “Sorry, I didn’t bring any apples.”
    “How about these?” She turned at the
sound of Grayson’s voice and watched him approach, a plastic bag of fruit in
his hand. The stubble on his cheeks was darker now, and she wondered how it
would feel against her skin. Her pulse ratcheted up at the notion, and she
hoped he wouldn’t notice her response.
    He scanned the horses in the paddock and
handed her the bag. “Esperanza said she gave me enough so you could give at
least one to each horse.” He copied her position on the fence and smiled as
Fleet took the apple from her palm, and the other horses crowded around.
    The apples disappeared in no time and
she turned to him with a smile. “Thanks, Grayson.”
    He turned sideways and studied her.
“You’re sure you won’t call me Gray?” His eyes searched hers and she found
herself hoping he’d kiss her again. “No,” she said, backing up and almost
losing her balance. “Grayson will do just fine.”
    He lifted his shoulders. “Okay. How was
your day?”
    “Busy.” She leaned against the fence
again and studied the horses as she spoke. “I got everything to paint the roof,
including the harnesses. Thought I might as well have it all on hand.”
    “Good.” He’d slipped into Director mode.
“Scott and I want to shoot that scene the day after tomorrow if you can get it
done in time.”
    She thought quickly. “No problem. It’s
not a big job. I’ll haul the ladders and stuff out there in my truck. Do I need
any paperwork? You know, for permission to ‘deface’ government property?”
    He pulled out his cell phone