"You've never been a player? I recall Paige mentioning how you had a dozen different girlfriends in high school."
"That's because they always wanted to get serious. To be exclusive." He rolled his eyes. "They wanted commitment."
"So you're afraid to commit? You cut loose anyone who's ready to plan a future?" Grace couldn't help the bitterness that filled her voice.
"What? No. I was a teenager, of course I wasn't ready to settle down back then." A flash of something that looked like guilt or regret crossed his face. "I will admit that for a time after joining the Army, I stepped away from the Christian values I was raised with and did a lot of things I'm not proud of. Those included relationships. But I left that lifestyle behind years ago."
Grace looked at him more closely. He'd made mistakes, like she had. She couldn't fault him for the choices he'd made, just like she didn't want him to judge her for hers. But his honesty, even though they barely knew one another, was disarming. Like the endearing way he spoke about his mom yesterday in the elevator and brought her mother flowers today.
He was tearing down her walls, and it scared her. How did she protect her heart around him? Damon would leave after the wedding, and she wasn't sure when or if she'd ever see him again.
"I can see you don't trust men, or maybe just me." Damon's gaze grew intense. "But I assure you, I'm not looking for a fling. I like you, Grace, and I want to get to know you better. But if you're not ready to explore a relationship, maybe we can be friends." He gave her a charming smile. "What do you say, will you let me show you around?"
Friends?
"Friendship I can do."
If they were just friends, then he wouldn't expect her to tell him her deep dark secrets, and he wouldn't walk away when he found out the truth about her.
CHAPTER 5
Damon hated lying to Grace, but he was afraid if he told her he wanted much more than friendship, he'd scare her away. He'd seen that wary, distrustful look on her face and had backpedaled. They hardly knew each other. It would sound crazy to tell her he could see himself marrying her.
She was right though; he was leaving in two weeks. It wasn't fair to put expectations of a serious relationship on her, but Damon doubted he'd be able to get her off his mind when he left Providence.
He gave her a reassuring smile before putting the car into gear and continued toward the ranch. He pointed out the white rail fence on both sides of the road as soon as it came into view and took note of what must be his cousin Riley and her husband Daniel's house that was under construction.
"All of this land belongs to the Double Diamond Ranch. My Uncle Blake and Aunt Faith used to own it, but after Uncle Blake passed away six years ago, my cousin Jake took over the ranch."
"Oh, I've met Jake and Emily. They're really nice."
"Yes, they are. Well, Jake is. I don't know Emily all that well, but everyone in the family seems to like her." Damon sloweddown to make the turn into the ranch. "I should have known Paige had already introduced you to everyone."
"Yes, she recruited some of your family to help Gabe and I do a little remodeling and updating on our duplex. Then a bunch of them showed up last week to help us move in." She eyed him. "I have to say you don’t look like your brothers, Steven and Matt."
"They have a different mother. My dad was married before meeting my mom. Their mother was Italian. "
"That explains it. I might have recognized you in the elevator or seen a family resemblance if you had the same black hair and olive complexion as them."
Damon brought the car to a stop outside the stables just as Jake walked out leading a buckskin horse. They climbed from the car, and Damon greeted Jake with a bear hug and a slap on the back.
"Easy man," Jake said in a strained voice. "I came off a horse a few days ago and cracked a couple of ribs."
"Sorry." Damon let go. "I'll bet they hurt like he— Like the dickens."
"They do." Jake turned to Damon's pretty companion. "Hi, Grace. You get all settled in?"
"Almost. Thanks for all your help over the last few weeks."
"Happy to help." Jake led the horse to the hitching post where another horse already stood. "I'll have your horses saddled in a few minutes."
"No rush. In fact, I can saddle them, but first, I need a tour of this monstrosity." Damon turned to the massive building on the other side of the lane that was even bigger than the stables. "When I was home for Riley's wedding in January, your rec center was little more than a cement slab and a few walls."
"It's pretty much done now." Jake led them across the lane after tying the horse's lead rope to the hitching post. "The swimming pool isn't operational yet, but hopefully, we'll be ableto put water in it by the wedding. Paige wants to have little tea lights floating on the water."
"Oh, that will be pretty." Grace's pace slowed as she looked up at the outside peak. "I like how the exterior mimics the stables and keeps that country feeling."
"Daniel did a great job designing it."
