“I assume you mean the food.” She widened her eyes and put a note of innocence into her voice.
His eyes caught the gleam of the noonday sun and reflected it to her, the brightness almost blinding. “Whatelse would I mean?”
The teasing note tickled along her nerves.
“Maybe this?” He sat up, leaned close, and captured her mouth again. This time, he lingered seconds longer, long enough to steal away her breath and leave her heart thudding too rapidly.
With a shout that rang with laughter, he jumped to his feet. “Let’s take Eddie to the river. We can all have a drink.”
Her hand in his and Eddie and Skip trotting after them, they descended the gentle slope. At the water’s edge, she and Jace scooped up cold, refreshing water. Eddie lay on his stomach and slurped, Skip nearby.
Their thirst quenched, she and Jace lay back against the grassy bank, the scent of grass and mossy rocks surrounding them.
“I like the mountains best when they wear puffy clouds like they do now.”
She shifted to see what he meant. “It’s pretty.”
“Huh. It is, but when a storm rages over it, lightning and rolling black clouds, it—” He patted his chest. “It makes me aware of how puny I am.”
“That’s not a good feeling.” In fact, it was rather unsettling. “What are the best things about ranching?”
“Newborn calves trying out their legs for the first time and then jumping and frolicking a few days later. And the bald eagle soaring overhead. The flowers. These are just a sprinkling of what will come. There’ll be Indian paintbrush, purple lupine, and—” He broke off with an apologetic rumble of his lips. “You’ll think I’m foolish.”
“Not at all. Please continue.”
“Very well. Camping in the mountains when we are moving the cattle is pleasant. Chet hires a cook for those days.” He sat up on one elbow. “Some of the best meals are cooked out there.” He considered her, then lay back and continued to talk about discovering baby birds and newborn deer. Having a moose walk through a campsite. “No one dared to move.”
The sun warmed her face, and she closed her eyes, content to enjoy the moment.
Jace closed his hand around hers.
“I could stay here all day,” she murmured, lulled into a sense of peace such as she hadn’t known for so long. “The last time I felt like this—” She sat up, her fingers cold after she withdrew from his hand. “Was before Mama died.” Her gaze searched Jace’s while she thought of that time. “I married Edmund as soon as the year of mourning ended.”
“Did you love him?” Jace propped himself on one elbow to watch her.
“I did love him. He saved me from my sorrow. Marrying him and then having Eddie gave me a reason to live.”
“You were grateful to him?”
“I was grateful, yes.” Her answer troubled her. “I don’t know if I ever felt truly safe with him.”
Jace sat up to face her. “Safe? What do you mean?”
“He was ten years older than me. He liked to do things I didn’t understand.” The tips of her fingers reddened when she squeezed them together. “I shouldn’t speak against him. After all, he’s dead, and he was my husband, and he took care of me.”
“But—”
The words spilled out unfiltered. “I never felt like I was more important to him than his friends or his amusements.” Her tone hardened. “And he left me penniless. If my father hadn’t rescued me—” Her voice broke, and she couldn’t go on.
Jace shifted closer and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m sorry he did that.”
She shuddered in a breath. “Don’t get me wrong. He was kind to me.” He never struck her or spoke harshly.
Jace didn’t answer, simply held her tight. “I can’t imagine not spending every available minute with you and making sure you had everything you needed.” His arms slackened. “Sometimes we fail. Even when we mean the best. We make mistakes that we can’t undo and have to live our lives with that regret.” He released her and got to her feet.
She understood he meant Chet.
“Time to go.” He called Eddie and Skip and started up the hill. Paused as if trying to make up his mind, then reached back, and took her hand to help her.
