thighs. “I didn’t have the greatest family life growing up, but I’m trying to give Craig everything I think a kid should have.”
Chantilly nodded and stared down at the cold hard facts, the other side of Jack that she didn’t know until tonight. She held his dreams and loves on her lap, and eventually they would draw him back to where he belonged and take him away from her. She chewed on the inside of her lip. She belonged on the ranch. That was all she ever wanted. Both of them had completely different goals.
“Chantilly?” Jack ran the back of his hand down her arm.
“What?” She turned and gazed up at him.
“I lost you there for a moment.” He removed the album and sat it over on the end table. “What were you thinking ’bout, darlin’?”
She reached for his hand and pulled him down beside her on the couch. “I guess things are moving kinda fast between us…I feel a little lost. I don’t know…” Chantilly pursed her lips. Do I tell him that I’m falling for him or do I step back so I don’t get hurt?
“Go on, darlin’.” He pulled her closer and tucked her against his side. “You can tell me what’s going on in that beautiful head of yours.”
“You have a wonderful home, Jack. I don’t think I was expecting to see how concrete your life is somewhere else. I see you as the foreman. The Jack Grady who lives in the foreman’s cabin.” She held up her hand when Jack opened his mouth. “The love you have for Craig is obvious in the way you talk ’bout him, and shown in the pictures. If ever I needed someone to give me solid proof of what type of man you are, that did it. I admire you for what you’ve done and the relationship you have with your nephew.”
He nodded. “But…?”
“You have no plans to stick around. This job for my daddy is temporary for you. I can see that now…even the way you stay in this house without making it more than a relaxed motel room. You’ve set up a home somewhere else, and you’ll go back to it the moment Craig graduates from law school.” She lifted her chin and refused to glance away. “I’ll be honest. You have the power to hurt me, and it scares me.”
“I would never—”
She shook her head. “Not intentionally. The thing is, Jack…you are an easy man to fall in love with.”
His shoulders rose and fell. He never broke her gaze, but seemed at a loss for words. She never meant for this to come out tonight or to make him uncomfortable. Learning she had fallen in love with him took her by surprise too, and in her experience, it took time to build relationships. Compared to Jack, all her other boyfriends were merely crushes. A fleeting moment of attraction between friends.
Jack stood up without saying a word and left the room. She stared down at the empty hall where he’d disappeared. Dammit. Why did I hafta open my big mouth? Nothing like chasing off the man by speaking ’bout love.
He reappeared carrying what she recognized as the bedspread off the queen-size bed. “Come on, darlin’.”
Chantilly stood up and followed him outside. Not wanting to mess up tonight, she kept her mouth shut. If he was happy to spend time with her, somehow she’d protect her heart from breaking when he left.
“Where are we goin’?” She slipped her hand in his.
He led her toward the door. “I got something special planned.”
“You do, huh?” She found herself smiling. The fear of losing him receded. Just being around him gave her confidence that this was exactly where she should be.
Jack strolled out to the middle of the front lawn, spread the blanket out on the grass and sat down, stretching his legs out. Chantilly sat down beside him and he pulled her over and laid her head on his lap. Lying on her back, she stared up at his face. His eyes were hidden under the brim of his hat. She sighed. Why can’t this last forever?
He pulled the edge of the blanket over her bare legs. “If you keep your eyes on the sky, you might see an
Chantilly nodded and stared down at the cold hard facts, the other side of Jack that she didn’t know until tonight. She held his dreams and loves on her lap, and eventually they would draw him back to where he belonged and take him away from her. She chewed on the inside of her lip. She belonged on the ranch. That was all she ever wanted. Both of them had completely different goals.
“Chantilly?” Jack ran the back of his hand down her arm.
“What?” She turned and gazed up at him.
“I lost you there for a moment.” He removed the album and sat it over on the end table. “What were you thinking ’bout, darlin’?”
She reached for his hand and pulled him down beside her on the couch. “I guess things are moving kinda fast between us…I feel a little lost. I don’t know…” Chantilly pursed her lips. Do I tell him that I’m falling for him or do I step back so I don’t get hurt?
“Go on, darlin’.” He pulled her closer and tucked her against his side. “You can tell me what’s going on in that beautiful head of yours.”
“You have a wonderful home, Jack. I don’t think I was expecting to see how concrete your life is somewhere else. I see you as the foreman. The Jack Grady who lives in the foreman’s cabin.” She held up her hand when Jack opened his mouth. “The love you have for Craig is obvious in the way you talk ’bout him, and shown in the pictures. If ever I needed someone to give me solid proof of what type of man you are, that did it. I admire you for what you’ve done and the relationship you have with your nephew.”
He nodded. “But…?”
“You have no plans to stick around. This job for my daddy is temporary for you. I can see that now…even the way you stay in this house without making it more than a relaxed motel room. You’ve set up a home somewhere else, and you’ll go back to it the moment Craig graduates from law school.” She lifted her chin and refused to glance away. “I’ll be honest. You have the power to hurt me, and it scares me.”
“I would never—”
She shook her head. “Not intentionally. The thing is, Jack…you are an easy man to fall in love with.”
His shoulders rose and fell. He never broke her gaze, but seemed at a loss for words. She never meant for this to come out tonight or to make him uncomfortable. Learning she had fallen in love with him took her by surprise too, and in her experience, it took time to build relationships. Compared to Jack, all her other boyfriends were merely crushes. A fleeting moment of attraction between friends.
Jack stood up without saying a word and left the room. She stared down at the empty hall where he’d disappeared. Dammit. Why did I hafta open my big mouth? Nothing like chasing off the man by speaking ’bout love.
He reappeared carrying what she recognized as the bedspread off the queen-size bed. “Come on, darlin’.”
Chantilly stood up and followed him outside. Not wanting to mess up tonight, she kept her mouth shut. If he was happy to spend time with her, somehow she’d protect her heart from breaking when he left.
“Where are we goin’?” She slipped her hand in his.
He led her toward the door. “I got something special planned.”
“You do, huh?” She found herself smiling. The fear of losing him receded. Just being around him gave her confidence that this was exactly where she should be.
Jack strolled out to the middle of the front lawn, spread the blanket out on the grass and sat down, stretching his legs out. Chantilly sat down beside him and he pulled her over and laid her head on his lap. Lying on her back, she stared up at his face. His eyes were hidden under the brim of his hat. She sighed. Why can’t this last forever?
He pulled the edge of the blanket over her bare legs. “If you keep your eyes on the sky, you might see an
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