ChapterFour
Paige
After a long, hot day in the sun, sweating, trudging through chicken shit, and daydreaming about Austin’s kisses, the fence was finally finished. While her grandpa snagged a shower, Paige started dinner. She’d just finished preparing a salad when he yelled that the bathroom was open.
Paige sighed in delight as the hot water beat down on her sore muscles. Like the momentum of a summer storm, excitement began building. She was anxious for this day to end and night to fall. Anxious to fill her grandpa’s belly with a hot meal and watch him fall asleep in his recliner. Anxious to sneak out, meet up with Austin to see his colt, and drown in more of his spine-bending kisses that still stained her lips.
Unfortunately, her mounting anticipation couldn’t erase tendrils of guilt. Not because she planned to defy Grandpa’s rules but for erasing the testy message lawyer Kent Hale had left on the answering machine, demanding Raymond call him immediately.
Paige’s gut told her something wasn’t right about the pushy man or his urgency to buyout the three biggest ranches in Haven. Colton Maddox was still a young man. Duke Carson had four young sons. But her grandpa was still relatively young in years, only seventy-six, but he was growing frail. Paige couldn’t forget how scared she’d been when Cody Tanner and Zander Lucas had loaded him into the ambulance two weeks ago. Paige had hit the delete button to save her grandpa a heap of worry on top of whatever was physically wrong with him. While it was up to her to discover what medical issues he had, she prayed Austin would give her guidance on how to deal with Hale.
When dinner was done and the kitchen cleaned up, she joined her grandpa in the family room and curled up on the couch beside him to watch television.
“What are you doing?”
“Just watching the boob tube with you.”
“But it’s Saturday night. You’re not going to the bar to visit Gina?”
“No. I’m worn out from working outside all day.”
He chuckled. “Fresh air will do that to you.”
Ten minutes later, the old man was sound asleep and snoring like a bear.
“It sure will,” she whispered, draping the afghan over him.
Butterflies dipped and swooped as Paige padded to her room. After changing into a pair of sexy jean shorts and another easy-access halter top, covered in little pale blue cornflowers, she pulled on her cowboy boots. She applied a thin layer of pink gloss over her lips, dotted her favorite designer perfume on each wrist, then plopped down on her bed.
She picked up her cell phone and dragged in a shaky breath, then tapped out a text.
Grandpa is asleep. Is it safe?
Ashton: Yes.
OMG. I’m nervous. I’ve never snuck out like this before. LOL You’ll calm me down when I get there, right?
When it took him nearly two minutes to reply, Paige worried he’d changed his mind.
Ashton: Sure.
His lackluster response deepened her worries.
Are you sure about this?
Ashton: Yes.
Okay, I’m on my way.
Ashton: I’ll meet you in the barn. We have a lot to discuss.
“Discuss?” She frowned.
While Paige hadn’t expected him to pledge his undying love and devotion, she’d hoped he’d give her a repeat performance of last night…and a whole lot more. Now she wasn’t so sure. Austin’s distant replies were nothing like the reception he’d given her at the hardware store this morning.
A familiar foreboding began creeping through her.
“No,” she tersely whispered. “He’s not pushing me away. He’s not. I know it in my heart.”
Unfortunately, doubts still pinged her brain as she crept out the front door. Paige worked to lock her insecurities down as she trekked a quarter mile up the road. When she reached the Carson driveway, she paused and sucked in a deep breath. Though she was anxious to see Austin—who’d hopefully wipe away her fears for good—she wasn’t entirely sure what to expect.
One small step for woman. One giant leap for possible disaster.
Keeping to the grass so the gravel wouldn’t crunch beneath her feet, Paige headed toward the soft-glowing light coming from inside the big white barn. Second thoughts, fueled by doubts, volleyed through her brain. With a scowl, she shoved them aside. If Austin hadn’t wanted to see her, he would have told her it wasn’t safe and not to come But he hadn’t. Was she subconsciously sabotaging herself and projecting him pushing her away to save herself the disappointment?
Probably, so stop it now!
Gathering up the tattered edges of her self-confidence, she reached up to open the door of the barn.
“Over here,” Austin murmured from the inky darkness beside her.
Her heart slammed against her ribs and Paige nearly jumped out of her skin. Thankfully, he’d scared her so badly she couldn’t even scream.
“Shit.” He eased in alongside her and tugged her trembling body with him back into the shadows before quickly releasing her and taking a step back. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Pressing a hand to her heart, Paige nodded and tried to steady her staccato breaths.
“You all right?”
“Yeah,” she lied.
“Good. Follow me. We’re going in on the back side. It’ll be safer.”
As he turned to lead the way, disappointment deepened. He hadn’t even kissed her hello.
Maybe he was simply being cautious.
It was one thing if his dad or brothers saw them together, but swapping tongues and groping each other was an entirely different matter. Silently praying she wasn’t blowing smoke up her own ass, Paige followed him along the side of the barn and through the back door. As the sweet scent of hay, bitter leather, and tart animal musk filled her senses, she closed her eyes and inhaled.
When she opened them, Austin was staring at her, smiling.
“What?” she asked self-consciously.
“Nothing. Just surprised a city girl like you didn’t come in and wrinkle your nose.”
“I like the way it smells in here. It’s better than gas fumes or body odor. When I lived at home, I used to hike through the woods, just to breathe in the fresh air.”
“Where’s home?”
“Branson…Missouri.”