Honey stopped too. Keeping a tight grip on Trigger's reins, he stepped to Honey's side.
"What's wrong?" Alarm filled Grace's voice. "Why are we stopping?"
"Because my heart is breaking for you, Grace, and I need to give you a hug." He lifted his arms up near her waist, his chest tight as he waited to see if she would accept his offer.
She stared down at him for several long moments as a myriad of emotions flitted across her pretty features and more tears flooded her eyes. Then she leaned down and put her hands on his shoulders.
Fresh tears blurredGrace's vision as she looked down at Damon.
She'd never met a man so in tune to her emotions; first in the elevator and now here in the middle of this beautiful ranch. He knew when he could joke and tease, and he knew when she needed a hug.
Which I do right now.
With his help, she slid down from the saddle and right into his arms. A sob escaped her as his strong arms closed around her. The scent of horses, fresh air, and his woodsy colognesurrounded her. She felt so comfortable and safe, she gave into the emotion she'd been holding back for weeks now.
Talking about her dad and what ultimately ended their relationship brought back deep emotions. Because of Allonah’s fertility problems, he wanted Grace to let them raise her baby. But she couldn’t do it. In her eyes, he didn’t deserve a do-over.
Damon was so kind and empathetic, she'd almost told him everything. But she'd stopped herself. Not everyone agreed with the choices she’d made.
Then there was her mom.
The move wore her out, but Grace kept expecting her to bounce back. She hadn't yet, and Grace wondered if moving to Providence was a mistake.
When they first got the news that her mom's cancer was terminal, she'd cried in her brother arms, but now that he had Paige, she didn’t want to impose on them.
Her friends and coworkers in Richland knew how hard the news was on Grace, but the distance made it difficult to turn to them.
"I'm so sorry you're going through this Grace." Damon gently caressed her hair.
Grace feared agreeing to be friends with Damon was a mistake. Not because he wasn't amazing friend material, but because he was exactly the kind of guy she could see herself falling for.
Except he leaves in two weeks.
She still couldn't believe the compassionate and empathetic man who held her was an Army Ranger. Damon had done all kinds of death-defying things and likely gone on dozens of secret missions where he had to do demanding and difficult tasks, but there was a sensitive side to him that few men possessed.
Grace sniffled and pulled back from his embrace. She swiped at her damp cheeks and gave him a weak smile. "Thanks, I needed that."
"My pleasure."
Embarrassment warmed her cheeks. In less than twenty-four hours, she had not only kissed a handsome stranger in the elevator, but she'd also broken down in his arms. Which made him far from a stranger.
"Would you like to walk for a bit to give our backsides a break?" He pointed to a stand of trees. "I planned for us to stop for lunch there in that stand of trees by the river."
"Sure."
It had taken Grace forever to relax in the saddle, but once she did, it didn't take long for her butt to start hurting from the hard leather.
Damon pulled Honey's reins over her head and started leading both horses.
Grace fell into step beside him. "When Gabe said he wanted to move to Providence, I felt a sense of panic. I didn't blame him. I mean his fiancée is here and he works three days a week here and only two in Pasco, but it was hard knowing he wouldn't be around much after my mom..." She swallowed the emotion that clogged her throat despite the tears she'd just shed.
Damon shifted both sets of reins to the same hand and reached his free hand out to Grace in invitation.
Appreciating that he let her call the shots, she slid her hand into his strong calloused one. The moment his long fingers curled around hers, she realized doing things like this would make it hard to say goodbye when the time came.
"My mom suggested we move to Providence too, saying she wanted to keep the family together. She'd reached the point where she couldn't work anymore, so it wasn't as big of a deal for her as it was for me. But I was surprised how easy it was to makethe decision. We listed our home in Richland and got an offer within a week. The next day, the duplex here in Providence went up for sale, and our offer was accepted twenty-four hours later." She smiled as she shrugged her shoulders. "It all just felt right."
"Providence tends to have that effect on people." Damon squeezed her hand as he grinned at her. "My aunt Faith worked at the same hospital as my Uncle James in Seattle, and when he announced that he was moving back home to Providence, she felt inspired to move here too."
