Cari Webb - The Rancher's Rescue

Grace never wanted to be coddled. But she wouldn’t object to an hour of pampering.

Ethan rubbed his hand over his mouth, but laughter escaped.

Grace, trying to rock a scold into her voice for her own sake and her grandfather’s, said, “Pops, you told me never to talk unkindly about our neighbors. They might need us someday or we might need them, right?”

“Zoe Petit would be the last person I’d be looking to if I needed help opening Brewster’s front door.” Pops removed his cowboy hat and scrubbed his fingers through his silver hair, his focus remained on the chessboard as if Ethan’s move had really stumped him. “No offense, son.”

“She isn’t my grandmother. She’s wife number six.” Ethan’s voice was detached and his tone flat as if he were rattling off the phone number for the dry cleaner two towns over.

Would he be just as detached when she told him about the baby? Would his sense of responsibility force him to offer to marry her in that same flat tone?

Grace shifted to study Ethan’s profile without being too obvious. He seemed so sober. She wondered if Ethan would be like Big E, constantly searching for a better bride. Or would Ethan find one woman and stick with that one marriage like Grace’s parents and grandparents? She gripped the chair arms and shook her head. Ethan Blackwell and his marrying preferences were the least of her concerns.

“That was five wives too many.” Pops edged his knight toward the center of the board. “I bet Big E is looking for a place to hide from Zoe right this minute. He has to be worn-out from all the money she likes to spend on silly, expensive things.”

Grace admonished her grandfather, drawing out Pops’s name into a three-syllable word.

He shrugged and eyed Ethan. “A flea has more ranch in it than that woman.”

Ethan made a counterattack and earned a grunt of approval from Pops.

“Your grandmother, Dorothy Blackwell, was just like my Sandy. Thoughtful, caring and loyal.” Pops defended his king and focused on Ethan. His voice lowered, dipping into the serious as if he was about to impart the one secret to life. “Find a woman like them, son, and you keep ’em forever.”

Pops tipped his chin toward Grace, but held Ethan’s stare.

Surely her grandfather hadn’t just suggested Ethan keep Grace. Pops grew up with seven brothers. He’d never been taught the sister code, didn’t know the lesson about little sisters not dating their older sister’s ex-boyfriend. Grace jumped up. “Since I have some time before we open here, I’m going to head over to South Corner Drug & Sundries.”

“I’ll join you.” Ethan stood and stretched his arms over his head.

“That’s not necessary.” Grace reached down for her purse, but the leather strap hooked on her shoe.

“I need special supplements mixed for one of the mares.” Ethan freed her purse, but the frenzy inside Grace failed to disappear. Ethan continued, his voice calm, as if he knew Grace needed a distraction, “Zoe decided both mares should have foals at the same time. Better photo opportunities for the guests at the ranch.”

“Fleas have more sense.” Pops’s scowl was etched deep in his gruff voice.

And Grace had lost her sense too. Grace snatched her purse from Ethan, snatching her common sense back, and hurried to leave.

“Gracie, slow down and let your Ethan walk with you,” Pops called out. “Everyone’s in such a rush these days.”

Grace was in a rush all right. A rush to get away from Ethan and her grandfather’s innuendos. Why did Pops insist on referring to Ethan as her Ethan? He wasn’t hers any more than the falcons belonged to Falcon Creek.

Ethan’s long strides matched hers with ease. At least she’d escaped Pops’s speculation. Ethan would prove harder to deter. She had one confession that might send him running. The words lodged in her throat again. “Sorry about Pops.”

“There’s no need.” Ethan turned his baseball cap around and pulled the bill low on his forehead, as if he wanted to conceal his face from onlookers. As if he didn’t want to be seen with Grace.

Ethan added, “I’d spend the day on the porch with Pops if I could.”

Grace glanced at him. His voice lacked sarcasm and his expression was thoughtful. His sincerity touched her and she forgave him for not wanting to be seen with her. After all, she adored her grandfather and liked anyone who cared about Pops. “He requires a good dose of patience. Too much for most of the locals.”

Ethan held open the door to South Corner Drug and motioned Grace inside. “I’m not most people.”

She knew that all too well. He was the father of her child. Yet he hadn’t brought up their night together. Not once. Clearly, he wanted to forget that night had ever happened. There’d be no forgetting once she found her courage, but blurting out the truth inside South Corner Drug was a surefire way to spark a Falcon Creek uproar.

Grace beelined for the feminine products aisle and found her first deep breath. As she’d suspected, Ethan had headed away from her. He was shaking hands with the pharmacist, Theo Watkins.

Grace turned left at the end of the aisle and spotted the candy.

Adeline Conrad called out to her from the checkout counter. “Grace, we have your ginger pops back in stock.”

Grace smiled at her high school debate team partner and snatched the last three large bags of peppermint candy from the shelf. She wanted to have made her purchase before Ethan finished his conversation. But fate seemed to be in a nasty mood that morning and clearly had different intentions.

Ethan appeared at her side as if destiny had put him there. That same warmth she’d felt on the porch earlier spiraled through her at Ethan’s nearness. As if she welcomed his strong presence beside her. As if she counted on him being beside her. Good thing she never trusted destiny or she might believe what she felt was something other than her morning sickness making her cheeks flush and pulse race.

“The candy bowls at Brewster’s looked quite full the other day, unless I missed one.” He tapped the top bag of peppermint candy and eyed her. Laughter softened his blue gaze, pulling her in.

They both knew Ethan never missed a candy bowl. He’d had more than one sweet tooth just like her grandfather for as long as Grace could remember. She’d never understood why Sarah Ashley hadn’t simply baked cookies or bought brownies for Ethan whenever she’d needed to apologize to him. Had Ethan been her boyfriend, Grace would’ve taken up baking and shared every dessert with him.

She didn’t have time to get lost in blue eyes and charming smiles and decadent dessert recipes. “I like to be prepared.”

“For the peppermint rush.” Ethan walked beside her toward the cash register.

Adeline smiled at them like they’d won the Thursday night bingo challenge at the community center in Livingston, before she dropped four bags of ginger pops on the counter to add to Grace’s peppermint candy. Ethan reached for one of the lollipop bags. Grace reached toward the row of coconut-flavored lip balm, extending her arm in front of Ethan and knocking his hand away from the ginger candy. Grace latched onto the oval containers and tossed several lip balms on her pile.

Ethan grabbed the packages of lip balm and juggled three to Adeline’s delight. He asked, “Does the coconut lip balm enhance the peppermint flavor of the candy?”

Adeline watched the pair of them banter, her gaze jumping from one to the other, as if she were forming a response to land her the Montana State Debate title.

Grace shoved her items into a plastic bag, taking over Adeline’s job duties and tossed her cash on the empty counter.

Adeline gathered the money without taking her attention away from Grace and Ethan. “You two come back soon.”