For that moment, everything—wheelchairs and scars and old fears—fell away. There was just the feel of him, the quiet of the café, and the dizzy, impossible realization that they genuinely liked each other.
When he finally drew back, it was only far enough to rest his forehead against hers.
“Well,” she sighed. “Good to know the whole kissing thing is not overrated.”
“And gets even better with practice.”
She let out a breathless laugh. “Can’t wait.”
On a sigh, he pushed to his feet with easy grace. “Let’s go check on our patient in recovery, then I’ll take you home and we’ll plan our practice session—er, dinner date.”
Later, after he’d left—and after about five kisses, ten hugs, and a solid plan to go out in a few days—Elise rolled to her mirror and tried to see herself the way Wade Reynolds did.
Spirited, stunning, sassy.
As she replayed his compliments, her whole face seemed to change. She didn’t look at herself like a disabled twenty-five-year-old wheeling herself through a sad and sometimes deeply disappointing life.
She was…his cowgirl. Not a project, not a problem, not a lost cause. And that made the whole world look blindingly bright and full of possibilities.
Red Starling surveyed the chaos exploding across Snowberry Lodge’s front parking loop on Christmas Eve afternoon with one simple goal in mind—to get in a vehicle that would not include an hour-long ride next to Bertie Kessler.
With the two kids running around, their dogs barking, and all the women fussing about who’d ride with whom, he knew he had to stake a claim and fast.
Red shoved his gloved hands deeper into the pockets of his coat and planned his move.
Cindy and Jack would bring Bertie, who looked ready to pounce on Red and grill him on the Four Pillars of Longevity again. He’d gotten trapped yesterday and forced into a “gentle incline walk” up the east trail. Gentle? A trip to the bathroom was gentle, God willing. That walk was actual punishment that he still felt in his hips.
Cameron and Nicole? Possibly, but they were probably taking MJ and Matt and then he’d feel like a fifth wheel.
So that left Gracie, who didn’t appear to have a ride to the Live Nativity at Great Basin Veterinary Institute. She was busy with the dogs, checking her phone, keeping an eye on Benny and Olivia, who were currently knee-deep in a snowbank.
He edged sideways—quiet, stealthy, moving toward his granddaughter as she bent over to clip Newt’s harness.
Kids and dogs. Yup. These were going to be his people.
He cleared his throat. “You need a passenger, Gracie?”
She looked up and gave him one of her soft smiles. “Of course you come with us, Red,” she said, brushing snow off her gloves as she stood. She leaned closer and whispered, “That way you can escape Bertie.”
“Am I that obvious?”
“Only because she might make youwalkto Eagle Mountain just for the cardio.”
He snorted. “No might about it.”
Gracie grinned. “Marshall is two minutes away and we can all fit in his truck.”
“And, uh, his…Olivia’s mother?” Bianca was nowhere to be seen, but Red had noticed she could pop up at unlikely times. When he saw her, it made his heart heavy to think he might be holding onto a secret that Gracie or Marshall should know. But he still wasn’t sure and he didn’t want to speculate.
“She said she doesn’t really ‘dig’ the smell of sheep and goats, and agreed to let Olivia go with us.” She grinned. “I promise, you’re safe.”
Marshall’s big black truck pulled up, rumbling up the hill with a muscular engine. Just the sight of him made Gracie stand taller, warmth blooming in her eyes.
When Marshall hopped out, his gaze scanned the group for Olivia, found her, then instantly shifted to Gracie. Red watched the two of them share a smile that reached both their eyes, the connection as real as a bolt of electricity.
Guilt squeezed his chest. He should warn her that Bianca was really up to no good. He didn’t want to see his sweet and trusting granddaughter get smashed under that woman’s expensive boot. When could he tell her?Whatcould he tell her?
Olivia scampered toward Marshall, arms out, braids flying, “Daddy!” on her lips.
