The Saturday before Grace’s date with Nick, Miss Kaufmann called Lily, Grace, and Emma to her office. “Mr. and Mrs. Lombard, owners of the Lombardo Ranch, are planning a large party to celebrate their anniversary. They’ve asked for some of our staff to serve at the party. I thought perhaps the three of you might be interested?”
“Me as well?” Grace blurted. “I mean, surely there are others who—”
Miss Kaufmann smiled. “You as well, Grace. The new girl arrives later today, and since the party is a week from today, Mr. Campbell has decided the lunch counter will be closed and we will only serve the noon meal in the dining room. Actually, serving at the party is child’s play compared to the usual afternoon rush here. The food service there will be buffet style. Mainly, you will be passing among the guests serving champagne and clearing dishes.” She shrugged. “How hard could that be?”
How hard indeed.
“I would be happy to be of service,” Emma said.
“Sounds like fun,” Lily added.
Miss Kaufmann turned to Grace. “You’ll be paid a regular wage, and knowing the Lombards, I suspect that will come with a generous tip.”
“Thank you for the opportunity,” Grace murmured.
“Excellent.” She turned to go and then looked back at them with a twinkle in her eye. “Did I mention that the party will be a masquerade ball? Everyone—including you girls—will be in costume.”
“But—” Grace protested. How was she to bear the cost of a costume, much less have time to make something, even if she could afford fabric?
“Not to worry, Grace. As I mentioned, the Lombards are generous people. An appropriate costume will be delivered for each of you in plenty of time for alterations.” Outside, a train whistle blared. Miss Kaufmann clapped her hands together. “Back to work, girls. The eleven o’clock train has just arrived.”
As she returned to her post, Grace realized she was smiling and feeling lighter than she had before Miss Kaufmann spoke with them. A party! She had seen Mr. and Mrs. Lombard before when they came to dine at the hotel. Mrs. Lombard had a sunny disposition and was very friendly to everyone. Mr. Lombard was quieter but certainly seemed nice enough. It would be such fun serving their guests.
Of course, the Lombardo Ranch was where Nick worked. There was no reason to believe they would even cross paths. He was a cowboy, so he’d be out watching over the herd, wouldn’t he? On the other hand, as their foreman, his employers might have special duties for him—duties that included him being at the party. A girl could only hope.
She scrubbed hard at the marble counter until it glistened, and all the while, she hummed to herself and wondered what her costume would be.
“We’re to be dressed as ladies-in-waiting,” Lily moaned later that night as the three of them sat in the kitchen eating a late supper. “Mrs. Lombard will be the queen, and her female guests, princesses. I mean, we may as well wear our Harvey uniforms.”
“Well, Miss K could hardly approve our wearing some off-the-shoulder gown,” Emma teased.
“I don’t see why not,” Lily huffed. “Certainly, the three of us would make better-looking princesses than Mrs. Lombard’s friends, who are old.”
Emma laughed. “And that, dear Lily, is precisely why we are to be properly covered. How would it be if Mr. Lombard’s friends spent any time ogling the three of us?”
“You mean the way Mr. Fields and Mr. Perkins do now?” Lily replied.
“Miss K said we might even be paid extra for the evening,” Grace mused.
“Well, of course we will,” Emma assured her. “Not a great deal, but every bit helps, does it not?”
Grace had confided in Emma and Lily her plan to send as much money as possible back to her family. “Yes. I’m hoping the money I’ve sent already has started to make a difference.”
“Your mother doesn’t say?”
Grace shook her head. “And I don’t know how to bring it up when I write her. I just tuck what I can in with the letter and send it with the hope that it will help.”
Lily stared at her. “Please do not tell me you are placing actual cash in your letters?”
“Well, yes. I mean, how else—” Grace saw Emma and Lily exchange looks of alarm.
“You need to wire the money, Grace,” Emma said. “You go to the telegraph office, pay them the money, and they send a wire to your hometown operator, who then pays out the money to your family.”
“How much have you sent already, honey?” Lily sat next to her and wrapped her arm around Grace’s shoulder.
Grace mentally added up the amounts she’d sent since starting her work at the hotel. Money she’d accumulated in tips over the several weeks she’d been working at the lunch counter, plus the ten dollars from her first paycheck and repaying the money her mother had slipped her the day she left. “I don’t know. Almost twenty dollars, I guess.”
Emma sighed. “Nothing to be done now,” she murmured.
“But if the money has been stolen, surely a crime has been committed,” Lily said. “We should tell Mr. Campbell, perhaps even report this to the sheriff.”
A shudder of despair shook Grace to her core. “I suppose.” But she had worked so hard for that money, and now it was gone. What had been the point of leaving home in the first place? She was humiliated and embarrassed. “I don’t want anyone else to know of this,” she said firmly. She looked from Emma to Lily. “I mean it. The money is gone, and it’s my fault. Going forward, I will know better, but even if I did report the loss, it was cash—I have no proof.”
“But—” Lily was clearly ready to protest her decision.
Grace gave Emma a look of pleading. “Please? Can’t we just keep this between us?”
Emma patted Grace’s hand. “Don’t upset yourself further, Grace. You made a mistake. We all do from time to time—even Lily.”
Lily gave them both a look of mock surprise. “Me?” she protested, and then she hugged Grace. “You’re right, Gracie. Nothing to be done at this point. Live and learn has always been my motto. So what do you say we dwell on something less somber—like the party?”
“We are not guests of honor, Lily,” Emma reminded her. Grace was grateful for the shift in focus away from her. “Jake told me because the ball is a masquerade, everyone will wear masks.”
“Ooh,” Lily trilled, already distracted. “Mysterious and exciting.” She lifted her hand to cover the bottom half of her face and wiggled her eyebrows.
Emma and Grace broke into peals of laughter, and Grace’s felt her spirits lift. These women were her friends. They did not judge. They listened and consoled, and then they made her smile. “Why on earth would Mrs. Lombard want her guests in masks?” she asked as she carried her supper dishes to the sink.
“I heard she grew up in New York City where such parties were common,” Lily reported, lowering her voice to a stage whisper. “Word has it Mr. Lombard will do whatever it takes to keep her happy out here in the Wild West, and I suppose recreating a party of her youth is one of those ways.”
“Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have someone love you that much?” Emma said. “I mean, most of the men I know—including those in my own family—are more interested in what a woman will do for them. I’d give up a lot to find a man like Mr. Lombard.”
“Don’t let Mrs. Lombard know that,” Lily teased, “or she might change her mind about having us serve at the party.”
Grace had stopped listening to the details of their conversation. The minute Emma had started talking about the kind of man Mr. Lombard was, Grace’s mind had shifted to Nick. He was awfully good-looking, so maybe he just took it for granted that women would fall all over themselves to do his bidding.
No, she decided. Nick was too much like her father—a good, decent man who cared about others, a man who, with any luck at all, was starting to care for her beyond the bounds of simple friendship.
* * *
“Now, Nick, about the ranch hands,” Rita Lombard said as she bustled around the large kitchen serving up coffee and pie.
She was getting to it now, the reason why she’d insisted he have supper with her and the boss as soon as he had come in from a week on the range. Nick was pretty sure he wasn’t going to like what she was about to say. “I’ll make sure they’re on their best behavior, ma’am.”
“Oh, they’ll have to go a step more than that. I need at least half of them—and you—at the party. We’re expecting a number of single young ladies, as it turns out. Daughters of the other ranchers plus their friends, and they’re all excited to get dressed up and dance and such.”
John Lombard groaned.
“What was I to say?” Rita protested. “You men have all sorts of chances for adventures. Have a heart. These young ladies deserve an evening like this, and I say the more the merrier, and as long as we can provide well-mannered young men to attend to them—”
“Attend to them?” John roared. “Well-mannered? Rita, these are cowboys! It’s rare for them to take a bath more than once a month. You can’t—”
Rita held up one finger. “They are gentlemen and will conduct themselves as such for the evening. Nick will make sure everyone knows what’s expected, won’t you, Nick?”
What could he say? “Yes, ma’am.”
The boss stood and clapped him on the back. “Sorry for dragging you and the boys into this thing. Let them know I’ll make it up to them, okay?”
“And I’ve ordered costumes for all of you,” Rita added with a coquettish smile.
Nick could not hide his alarm, and both of the Lombards laughed. “Come on, Rita, stop teasing the man, or we’ll wake up tomorrow with nobody to run the place.” John walked Nick to the door. “I hope you and the men take some time to enjoy this fandango, Nick. It’s been a long, hard year, and you’ve done good work. We appreciate that.”
“Thank you, sir, and as for the party, we won’t let you down.”
The two men shook hands, and Nick walked to the bunkhouse, mentally running through the list of the unsuspecting hired hands waiting there. Who would he choose to watch over the herd and who to go to the party? Slim, Cooky, and Smokey had been on the trip to the falls, so he could count on them. Besides, Rita had said half a dozen. There were only three other men in residence, now that the seasonal hires had moved on for the winter. Could any of them dance a proper waltz?
Could he?
This whole business was getting out of hand, and he’d be glad when it was all over and he could just get back to work. The west was changing—and not for the better, as far as Nick was concerned. Fancy dress balls? What next?
He had no choice but to deal with it though. Aidan Campbell might have some thoughts about how best to get his men ready. He’d get to town early when he went to call on Grace and speak to Campbell about the party while she finished her shift.
On Sunday, he asked to borrow the buckboard, filled the back with hay, and had Hattie, the Lombards’ cook, pack a picnic for six. Hopefully, Grace had encouraged Emma to invite someone as her escort for the outing. And with both her roommates matched up, he’d have more time alone with Grace—or at least that was the plan.
But when Nick reached the hotel, it seemed Campbell had other ideas. “Miss Elliott and I were to attend a concert, but that has been canceled,” the hotel manager said. “Therefore, it occurred to me that with all of us scheduled to work the Lombard party, this might be a perfect opportunity to discuss the plans while we all enjoy this lovely afternoon.”
Once again, what could he say? “Sure.”
“Excellent. I’ll meet you at the kitchen exit.” Campbell hurried off, presumably to get his hat.
The last thing Nick had expected was a chaperone. Of course, Grace had insisted on including Emma and Lily, but he suspected they were on his side in this—or at least on the side of romance. Campbell was another matter. The way this day was going, Nick half expected Miss Kaufmann to join them. But then he walked around to the back of the hotel and saw Grace waiting for him, and his disgruntled mood vanished.
She wore a green calico dress, faded from the sun and multiple washings. Her hair was pinned up and under the straw hat she’d worn on the train. She sat alone on the bench outside the kitchen exit, her hands folded in her lap and her face turned up to the sun. Her eyes were closed, and she was so lovely that Nick stopped to stare at her, not wanting to disturb the portrait of serene beauty before him.
Just then, Lily and Emma came bustling out the kitchen door, Lily’s voice carrying across the yard. “Really, Emma, I don’t know what your problem is. Would you rather stay cooped up in that tiny room? You really need to learn how to have some fun. Sometimes you’re as stuffy as Mr.—”
The rest of her sentence froze on her lips as Campbell stepped outside. He was half turned away from the group, giving final instructions to his assistant manager, who hovered just inside the kitchen door, pencil and paper in hand as he scribbled notes and nodded.
“Well, looks like we’re all here except Jake,” Nick said as he approached the group. Grace was standing now, apparently out of respect for the manager’s presence.
“Right here,” Jake called. He spotted the wagon Nick had parked behind the hotel. “A hay ride? Great idea.” Without waiting for the others, he strode over and spread the blankets Nick had brought from the ranch over the piles of straw. He offered his hand first to Emma, then Lily, and finally Grace. “Ladies, your carriage awaits,” he said, then looked at Aidan, apparently realizing for the first time that the hotel manager was part of the outing. “Sir.” He extended his hand to Campbell as well. “Nice you could join us,” he managed.
Nick swallowed a chuckle. If nothing else, this was going to be an interesting afternoon. He walked over to the wagon and prepared to close the flap at the back. “You know, folks, you might all be more comfortable if somebody rode up front with me.” He focused his attention on Grace and, when no one else volunteered, extended his hand to her. “Miss Rogers, would you do me the honor?”
Other than Lily hiding a delighted smile behind a gloved hand and elbowing Jake, no one spoke. Grace hesitated, then allowed Nick to lift her from the wagon. He was tempted to prolong the time spent with his hands nearly encircling her small waist but was keenly aware of Campbell watching.
“The view’s better from up front,” he said, speaking loud enough so that it seemed he was speaking to the whole group.
“I like the view back here just fine,” Jake said, his eyes on Lily.
“Stop that,” she hissed, glancing at their employer. “You’ll get us both sacked.”
Nick had just helped Grace up to the front seat when Aidan cleared his throat, gaining everyone’s attention.
“I have something to say that may make our venture today a good deal more enjoyable,” he announced.
Grace turned to look back at him, and everyone else gave him their full attention.
“Today, I am simply Aidan. Tomorrow, we will resume the formalities, but whether or not you believe it, a man in my position needs time like this to enjoy the company of charming friends. So, may we all just relax and relish the time we have to be free of responsibility? Jake, that goes for you as well—just friends out for the day, all right?”
Nick glanced at Emma, Lily, and Jake. Their mouths were open, but clearly, they were speechless. “Sounds like a great idea, Aidan.” He climbed aboard and took up the reins. “Lily, you’re in charge of entertainment—singing should it be called for, games, that sort of thing. Jake, you scope out a good place for our picnic, and Emma, you take charge of the food. Aidan, on our way home later, I’d be obliged if you took the reins.”
“You’ve forgotten Grace,” Lily protested.
“Oh yeah—Grace.” Nick pretended to be stymied, then snapped his fingers and grinned. “Grace is our navigator.”
She laughed. “I don’t know the first thing about where this road leads or what might lie beyond the edge of town.”
“Ah, but when we come to a fork in the road, Grace will choose this way or that,” Aidan offered. “We have a plan, so let’s be off.”
If anyone had told Nick it would be Campbell himself who set them all at ease, he would have laughed long and loud. But looking back at the man who had shed his usual morning coat and stiff collar for canvas trousers, a homespun shirt, and suede vest, he realized Aidan Campbell was not at all the prim and prissy man he and the other hands had thought. Beneath the rolled-back sleeves of his shirt, Nick noted muscular forearms, which spoke of physical labor and a man able to defend himself should the need arise.
Once they had left town, Nick turned the team toward the road that led west to Santa Fe. The route was lined with scrub sagebrush and different varieties of cactus. Nick heard Jake working hard to impress Lily with his knowledge of Santa Fe, while Aidan attempted to engage Emma in conversation without much success.
“See that plant?” Nick nudged Grace as he pointed to a low-growing cactus near the edge of the trail.
Grace shuddered. “It looks so prickly. I mean, I would hate to accidentally fall on something like that.”
“How would you feel about eating it?”
She stared at him. “Eat it?”
“It’s called a prickly pear cactus, and most women in these parts know how to make a right fine jelly from the fruit. It’s too sweet for my taste, but most folks like it.”
“What are those ones that look like they have fingers?” Grace asked.
“Cholla—also known as ‘jumping’ cactus.”
“Why jumping?”
“Well now, the cholla is about the meanest, sneakiest cactus in the desert,” Nick explained. “They can grow to eight feet tall, but no matter how small or big they are, they have these needles that seem to jump off them if you so much as touch them with the toe of your boot.”
“Ouch,” Grace said.
“Ouch indeed. Those needles seek moisture—like your skin—and when they find it, the point can curve, locking the needle in place and making it the very devil to remove.” He let that sink in, then added, “On the other hand, the blossoms give us some of the most impressive color you’ll find in a desert, especially in spring.”
She sighed, and for the first time since he’d helped her up to sit beside him, he realized she had relaxed. “It’s like a different world, so different from Missouri,” she said. “It’s lovely in its own way, isn’t it?”
“In spring when everything is in bloom, it’s pretty special,” he agreed. “Even at this time of year, if we get a solid, soaking rain, you’d be amazed at the color.”
“Have you lived out here your whole life?”
“Most of it. I guess I was somewhere around six or seven when my folks came west.”
“From where?”
He smiled. “My parents were city folks. They came from Philadelphia, and to hear my pa tell the story, they didn’t know the first thing about ranching. But they learned, and taught me and my brothers as well.”
“No sisters?”
“Nope. Ma always said she was outnumbered by Pa and the four of us boys, but I think she liked it just fine.”
“You haven’t told me much about your family,” Grace said.
“My mother died when I was twelve. Pa had some bad years after that and eventually sold the ranch and went to work for the Lombards. He was killed in a stampede when I was seventeen. The Lombards gave me his job, and I stayed.”
“Your brothers?”
“Married and scattered around the country.” He glanced over his shoulder toward the back of the wagon. “Everybody doing all right back there?”
There was a general murmur of agreement before the four passengers returned to the debate they were having about whether or not a mountain lion was the same as a bobcat.
“All I know,” Lily said, “is I would just as soon not see either one.”
Nick chuckled and turned his attention back to the road ahead. “Jake, we’re getting close to chow time, so any time you see a spot…”
“There’s a nice grove of cottonwoods by a stream not too far from here,” Jake replied. “Maybe quarter of an hour if you can get those nags to move a little faster.”
Everyone laughed as Nick snapped the reins and let out a shout that had the team of horses picking up the pace and Grace grasping his arm to steady herself. He looked at her hand clutching his upper arm and then at her. “Shucks, miss, if I’d known holding on would be your reaction, I would have snapped those reins a mile or so earlier.”
Her cheeks turned a most becoming rosy shade. She pulled her hand free, clutching the edge of the wooden seat instead as the wagon swayed from side to side. But the motion of the wagon could not stop her shoulder brushing Nick’s, no matter how hard she tried to keep her distance. Truth be told, since she was smiling, Nick figured she kind of liked it.
* * *
Following Jake’s directions, Nick pulled the wagon off the trail and drove over uncharted desert to the creek and its grove of large shade trees, including one that had fallen so that it rested in the creek. As soon as he pulled to a stop, the others climbed down from the rear. Emma and Lily set about choosing a spot to lay out the food, assuring Aidan they knew how to do a picnic “the Harvey way.” Meanwhile Jake unharnessed the horses so they could drink from the creek and graze. Nick climbed down and held out his arms to Grace. Hesitation played across her face, but then she scooted across the seat and leaned down to place her hands on his shoulders as he took hold of her waist and swung her to the ground.
He wondered what it might be like to dance with her. Must have that goldarned party on my mind, he thought as he released her. She hurried away to help the other women while he decided to give Jake a hand with the horses rather than follow.
“I guess you musta heard about this fandango the Lombards are throwin’,” Jake said as if he’d read Nick’s mind. “You know Lily, Emma, and Grace are working the party, right?” He continued without waiting for an answer. “Wish I could be there. Might be a good chance to steal some time alone with Lily. You thinkin’ about maybe trying to find some time with Grace?”
The man had a way of babbling so much that sometimes Nick didn’t catch every word, but he heard that last bit. “Why would I do that?”
Jake stared at him. “’Cause you’re sweet on her. Everybody knows that. At least for you and her, it’s all on the up and up. If I want to see Lily—”
“We’re just getting better acquainted,” Nick corrected.
Jake shrugged. “Acquainted…courtin’… An apple’s still an apple no matter if it’s red, green, or yellow,” he observed and led the horses to the creek.
Nick fiddled with the harness, keeping his eye on Grace all the while. She was laughing at something Lily had said, her head thrown back, exposing the line of her throat. In spite of his determination to take things slow with Grace, he couldn’t seem to block out the image of trailing a row of kisses from her chin to the place where her dress was closed by too many little buttons.
Get a grip, Hopkins. His attraction to Grace could not be purely physical. She wasn’t the type to take that lightly. She was interesting and smart, and he enjoyed spending time with her, but that was as far as things could go—as far as he could allow them to go, at least until he had something solid he could offer in the way of a future. But he couldn’t deny that the more time he spent with Grace or even just thinking about her, the more flexible his plans became. After all, by the time her contract ended, he’d be that much closer to owning the land he’d picked out closer to Santa Fe. Taking a ride past that land was one of the reasons he’d chosen the route he had today.
Nick was used to girls and women who followed a man’s lead, making sure any dreams they had melded with his. Grace was different. He might have figured out a plan for the future, but then just maybe in her plan, he was the one who didn’t fit.
“Nick, are you coming to eat or not?” Emma stood by the creek, hands on hips. “Wasn’t this whole picnic your idea?”
He grinned at her and waved. “Comin’,” he called back and pretended to make one final check of the wagon before striding across the grass to join the others.
Hattie had outdone herself this time. There was enough food to feed twice their number—tortillas, a variety of relishes, bean salad, pickles, fried chicken, and potatoes wrapped in burlap to protect them. Aidan spread the blankets from the wagon on the bank of the creek while Lily found a private spot to remove her shoes and stockings out of sight of the others. She was now dangling her bare feet in the cool water as she enjoyed her meal. Jake took a seat next to her and clearly was not thrilled when Aidan sat down on Lily’s other side. Emma fussed with the food, urging everyone to come back for seconds and thirds, while Grace perched on a boulder near the others to enjoy her meal.
“May I join you?” Nick could not seem to keep his distance. He could easily have stayed close to Emma, watching over the food to keep any insects or other critters away and making conversation as the two of them ate. But no, he went straight to Grace.
“This rock is hardly large enough for me,” she said, smiling up at him.
“No matter.” He plopped down on the ground next to her.
“Emma, come join us,” she called, motioning for her friend and making room for her on the rock she’d just declared too small for two. She was as skittish as a newborn colt, and yet she kept watching him.
As she chatted away with Emma about the food, he stood and cleared his throat. Both women looked at him. “Seconds, Nick?” Emma asked.
“Thought I’d take a walk.” He focused his gaze on Grace. “Care to join me?” The way he said the words, he knew they came out as more challenge than invitation.
Before Grace could answer, Emma relieved them both of their tin plates. “You two go along. I’ll just wash up these dishes.” She headed for the creek.
“Comin’?” Nick asked, deliberately softening his tone. “I’ve got something I’d like you to see.”
They walked along the bank of the creek without speaking. She lifted her skirts when they caught on a burr or shrub. Once, she stumbled and he reached out to steady her, then immediately released her.
“You seem pensive, Nick,” she said when the silence between them became uncomfortable.
“Just thinkin’,” he replied. They had come to a place where the creek narrowed and a row of rocks made a path for crossing. He went ahead of her, holding out his hand to make sure she made it safely to the opposite shore. “See that land there?” He pointed to a place in the distance where the mountains rose behind a stretch of open flatland nestled at the base.
She nodded.
“That’s the parcel I aim to own. Got a loan, and I’m making regular payments.”
Her smile was radiant. “Oh, Nick, it’s perfect. I can imagine a house just there in that cove of the foothills, and look how the creek winds all through it. It’s beautiful.”
He couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her. “Yeah,” he murmured. “Beautiful.” He took a step nearer and, although her expression sobered, she did not move away. He fingered a strand of her hair that blew in the cool breeze. “Look, Grace, the thing is…well, I’ve been thinkin’ maybe—”
“Are you going to kiss me again?” she asked.
“I was thinking pretty seriously about it. Would that be all right?”
She nodded. “I think I would like that.” She reached up to touch his cheek.
He closed the distance that remained between them, wrapping her in his arms as he lowered his lips to hers. She cupped the back of his neck and closed her eyes, and suddenly, he was having trouble breathing. “Grace,” he whispered as their lips met. So much for keeping things simple.
The first time he kissed her, it had been a shock to them both. This time, they knew what was happening. She’d given permission, and he fully intended to savor the moment. He stroked her closed lips with his tongue. To his surprise, she opened to him. He understood the action was purely instinctive, so he hesitated, giving her a chance to change her mind. But to his delight, her tongue flicked his.
She couldn’t know what she was doing to him, and he pulled back, planting kisses on her cheeks and eyelids in a desperate attempt to maintain some control. Campbell wasn’t that far away, after all, and although they had walked some distance from the others before crossing the winding creek and Nick was fairly certain they could not be seen, he would not compromise Grace’s position.
“Hey,” he said, his voice and breathing unsteady. “We should head back before Aidan sends out a search party.”
“Yes.” She stepped away and put a hand to her hair to check for any damage. “Thank you for sharing your dream with me, Nick.” She motioned toward the land. “I hope you get everything you want.”
He had no words, so instead of talking, he took her hand and did not let go until they were close to where they had left the others. To Nick’s surprise, Emma, Aidan, and Jake had all joined Lily to wade in the shallow creek water. They were laughing and splashing water at one another, and judging by his soaked clothing, it was apparent Jake had fallen at least once.
“Well, finally,” Lily shouted when she spotted them. “You put me in charge of entertainment and then disappear?”
“What’s the entertainment?” Grace asked.
“Tag—you’re it,” Lily replied as she splashed Grace with water.
“Not fair,” Grace squealed. “I still have my shoes on.”
“Take them off,” Emma instructed, pointing to a place where the trees grew so close together, they provided a screen. “And you as well,” she added, turning on Nick and splashing him before pointing to a place where Aidan’s and Jake’s boots stood near a large, flat boulder.
Nick hobbled on one foot and then the other as he cast off his boots and socks and stepped in the cool water. Lily and Emma squealed and hid behind Jake and Aidan, and the game was on.
Once they straggled out of the creek, damp and chilled, there was enough food left for them to share a light supper before starting back. As they gathered at the wagon, waiting while Jake and Nick hitched up the team, Lily sighed and then spun in a circle.
“What a wonderful day,” she shouted, her face raised to the sky.
The others laughed and prepared to take their places for the ride home. “You drive the team,” Nick said, handing Aidan the reins. “Grace and I will ride in back.”
“And leave me up here alone?”
“We’ll sing to keep you awake,” Lily volunteered, pulling the blanket Jake had handed her closer around her shoulders.
“More likely you’ll all be sound asleep before we’ve gone half a mile.” Aidan turned to look at them. “Miss Elliott, would you be so kind as to ride up here with me and keep me from drifting off and leading us astray?”
Emma hesitated, then nodded.
Once everyone was settled, Aidan clicked his tongue, and the team lumbered forward. Lily rested her head on Jake’s shoulder, and the expression on Jake’s face needed no explanation. The man looked like he’d died and gone straight to heaven. Nick envied him, as Grace seemed intent on making sure no part of their bodies touched—not even their shoulders. She carefully arranged the blanket so that a furrow a man could plant corn in separated them.
She was a strange one all right. One minute, she was kissing him as if they had been lovers for weeks, and the next, she was sitting upright, stiff and tense as the wagon rocked from side to side. He leaned closer, daring her to scoot away.
“Relax, Grace,” he whispered. “I’m not going to kiss you in front of the others, although I doubt they would even notice.”
“Oh, they’ll notice,” she whispered back. “At least Lily and Emma would, and I’d not hear the end of it for days.”
Nick let out a breath and struck up a conversation about the weather in a normal tone that invited the others to take part. Emma and Aidan took the bait, and finally, Grace relaxed enough to allow their shoulders to meet and sway in rhythm to the movement of the wagon. He reached between them and took hold of her hand, interweaving his fingers with hers.
And when she did not pull away, he smiled.