“Have you heard anything from the show?” she asked. “Everyone at the inn is gossiping about it nonstop.”
“I got an email this morning, telling me that the show would be postponed for about a week,” he said. “They're looking for a new judge and there's a police investigation blocking them from using the event center.”
“I see. The guests back at the inn are restless.”
“I'm sure that the production company will inform the audience soon,” Grayson said.
“It can't be soon enough. They won't stop blabbering about it. And now my mother and grandmother have me on grunt labor. I spent all morning washing dishes and cleaning toilets.”
“That sucks.”
“Talk about moving down in the world,” she said, taking a bite of tomato bisque soup.
“I'm sure it won't be for very long,” he said, patting her hand. “You're going to start your own firm soon.”
“Yeah, right. I’ve got nothing. And I'm being sued for million dollars.”
“How can they possibly sue you for million dollars?”
“Something about breach of contract and bodily industry. A whole bunch of legal mumbo-jumbo. I didn’t even read the whole thing. I'm sure they'll win. It's just me against the most powerful law firm in the country. I wouldn't be surprised if they had me disbarred on top of everything else.”
“You can't let yourself get too down about it. If you lose hope, then where will you be?”
“Couldn't be any worse off than I am now,” she said, taking another bite of Grayson’s delicious turkey and cranberry sauce sandwich.
“I'm here for you sweetheart. Anything that you need.”
“You have an extra million dollars lying around?”
“I don't right now. But if I win the competition, I will.”
“I wouldn’t let you use your winnings to pay off my lawsuit,” she said. “What about your dream? It would be a total waste.”
“Protecting you is not, and never will be, a total waste.”
“You're sweet, Grayson, but you aren’t responsible for me.”
“You can say that all you want, but it doesn't change anything.”
“Let's just forget about it for now. We'll deal with it when the time comes. I have to appear in court in a few weeks and then the first judgment will be made. I’m going to fight it. As much as I can, anyway.”
“That's the spirit. You gotta keep fighting no matter what.”
“Yeah. If they don't kill me first, then I'll go fight them in court.”
“I don’t doubt you. I just don’t understand why anyone would want to kill you.”
“I wish to God that I knew.”
“My friend Harrison told me that the husband of the hairdresser was picked up a few days ago. He was raving about killing his ex-wife. And Heathcliff York had a lot of enemies. There’s a poll on the internet right now of which previous show contestant is the killer.”
“For some reason, that doesn't make me feel any better.”
“Well, I'm just saying that it could all be a coincidence. Maybe your illness is making you paranoid.”
She was feeling a bit crazy. Not being able to remember whole chunks of time was bad enough. But the paranoia and anger that had been working up inside her was much worse.
“You're probably right, Grayson. I'm probably just being paranoid. I mean, they're already suing me for a million dollars. Why would they want to kill me on top of that?”
“I'll do everything I can to protect you. If that means pulling together all the shifters in the Shifter Association to help you with the lawsuit, then that's what we'll do. There are some powerful people in our community, and we are not going to let one of our own be dragged under the bus like this.”
“I really appreciate it, Grayson. But I'm a woman who takes care of herself.”
“Sometimes, Donika, you need to let other people take care of you once in a while. You're the strongest person I've ever met. But maybe now is the time to let somebody else do something for you. I'm just suggesting it. You don't have to decide anything.”
“I do appreciate it, Grayson. I really do. I guess sometimes, I need to swallow my pride. I’ve practiced that quite a bit today.”
“I have a fun idea planned for tomorrow if you’re up for it. I have the whole day off since the show is postponed. Would you like to go horseback riding with me?”
“That actually sounds really nice,” she said, looking at the handsome, burly baker across the table from her.
She tried to push all the other worries out of her mind and just focus on him. He had a whole date planned for them tomorrow. She had to count her blessings, no matter how dark things looked right now.
Chapter 22
Grayson picked Donika up late in the morning. The sun was shining bright and the weather had warmed, clearing all the frost from the ground. It was sixty degrees and the perfect day for a ride through the forest. Spring was on the horizon and leaf buds were sprouting from tree limbs. He went to the front door of the inn and knocked, waiting for someone to answer. Grandma Pearl arrived a moment later, opening the door with a huge grin.
“Where's that cake Donika promised me?” she said.
“I didn't know Donika promised you a cake.”
“That girl. I swear. You know what they say about lawyers.”
“What do they say?” he asked.
“They say they're liars.”
“Donika is not a liar,” he said.
“Sure she's not,” Pearl said. “Come on in.”
He followed Pearl into the house, down the hallway, and into the back of the house where the residents lived. She offered him a seat at the kitchen table and poured him a cup of coffee.
“Where is Donika?”
“She had chores to do this morning. I think she's getting ready now. Let me go check.”
The old lady left him with a cup of coffee at the big round kitchen table and scuttled down the hall. She knocked aggressively on a door.
“Donika,” she said. “Your date is here.”
“I'm coming,” he heard muffled behind the door. Her grandmother scuttled back into the kitchen and sat across from him.
“Now, about that cake.”
“I'm ready,” Donika said behind him.
Donika walked into the kitchen looking beautiful. Her long black hair was braided down her shoulders. She wore a flannel shirt and jeans under a pair of rugged knee-high boots.
“Let's get going,” he said, standing from the table.
“You never told me when you are bringing cake,” Pearl said.
“I'll bring you a cake the next time I come by. I promise.”
“Well, you aren't a liar like this one. I know you're a good boy.”
“Granny? How can you say that?”
“We all know you're keeping secrets, Donika.”
“Wow, look at the time. We’re going to be late, Grayson. We should probably get out of here.”
She took his hand and they hurried down the hallway and away from her grandmother.
Once they were outside in the warmth of the sunny day, she let out an exasperated sigh.
“Your grandmother's quite a character,” he said. “But I like her.”
“You better remember that cake,” she said as he opened the passenger door of his truck for her. “She’ll hold it against you forever if you don't.”
“I'll definitely remember,” he said, climbing behind the wheel. “What is her favorite kind?”
“German chocolate, devil's food cake, strawberry shortcake, whatever.”
“So basically anything.”
“Anything with sugar.”
“That shouldn't be a problem,” he said with a grin.
They made it to the stables a few moments later as the sun reached its zenith in the winter sky. They climbed out of his truck and crossed the gravel parking lot to the front entrance of the commercial barn.
“Grayson Baxter,” said Cowboy Bear.
> Cowboy Bear was a decorated rodeo star who had retired to Fate Valley to open his own stable.
“It's so nice that you brought your mate out for a ride today.”
“It's a perfect day for it.”
“The weather really has turned around.”
“It sure has.”
“Let me introduce to you to your horses,” Cowboy Bear said, leading them into the barn. “This is Talley, my Appaloosa mare. This is Paco, an American Quarter Horse. I thought that Talley would be great for Donika and Paco would be good for Grayson. Talley is a bit of an older lady. But she's got a sweet disposition. Paco here likes to be in the lead. He's got an attitude sometimes, but he's a good companion for Talley.
“I haven't ridden a horse in ages,” Donika said. “Probably not since I was ten.”
“Don't worry. Horseback riding is like riding a bike. It all comes back to you,” Cowboy Bear said.
The horses were already saddled and bridled. Cowboy Bear brought them out into a covered arena. Fresh sawdust covered the floor. The fresh smell swept through the air, invigorating Grayson’s senses. Cowboy Bear helped Donika mount Talley, and Grayson climbed on the back of Paco. They rode around the arena a few times, getting the feel of their mounts.
Cowboy Bear kept asking Donika how she felt. After a while, she seemed confident and happy in the saddle.
“Are you two ready to hit the trail?” he asked.
“I sure am,” Donika said.
“Great. There's a picnic lunch in your packs and the trail is marked on our app. It’s connected to your phone's GPS. You have it downloaded to your phone, Grayson?”
“I sure do.”
Cowboy Bear opened the gate to the arena. They walked their horses out across the gravel yard and down the marked trail. The sun was high and bright overhead, warming his cheeks. He took the lead on the trail so that Donika could follow. It wasn't a difficult trail, and the horses were both mild-mannered as far as horses went. His mount Paco liked to show up Donika's mount, but that was okay because Grayson was leading them down the trail anyway.
“This is a lot more fun than I remembered,” she said.
He looked behind him and saw she was smiling, her eyes bright, holding her reins with one hand while she took pictures on her cell phone with the other.
“I thought you’d like it,” he said with a smile.
She rode her horse up next to him as the trail widened. Paco let her horse walk beside him without any attitude.
“There's a picnic table about a mile up the trail,” he said.
They continued to climb a gentle sloping elevation. The trail was paved with gravel and had small puddles of mud, but mostly it was well maintained and pleasant to ride. They moseyed along, gaining elevation slowly but surely until they came to the picnic table overlooking a view of the lake.
“Wow, what a beautiful spot,” Donika said as she looked down at the sweeping view of the lake far below.
Grayson dismounted Paco and tied him to a hitching post. He turned to Donika and helped her down. Donika tied Talley to the post while Grayson grabbed their picnics from the packs. He set everything on the picnic table for their lunch.
Donika went to look out at the view. Boats motored by, down below, and a gentle wind swept up from the water. The air was full of the promise of spring. He stood beside her, taking her hand in his.
“It's nice to get away from everything for a while,” she said. “My family and the guests at the inn are driving me crazy.”
“I can understand that,” he chuckled.
“I'm grateful to them for taking me in, but we’re just so different. I feel humiliated every day, having to wash toilets.”
“Things are going to turn around for you soon, babe. I'll be there for you every step of the way.”
“Grayson, you're so good to me.”
“That's what I'm here for. Being good to you is the easiest thing in the world.”
She smiled as he hugged her to him and kissed the top of her head. He meant every word. He had been waiting for her for so long, and now that he’d found her, all he wanted to do was make her happy. He wished he could take all her pain and suffering away, to heal her wounds, and to ease her mind. He hated every minute that she suffered. He swore that he would do everything in his power to help her. He wished he had a million dollars to throw at her lawsuit to make it go away. Or a team of lawyers to fight for her. But all he could offer her right now were his arms to hold her in and his chest to lean against. He hoped that it was enough.
They sat down at the picnic table. Sandwiches and soup were a perfect blend for the warming winter day. There was a thermos of coffee and a bottle of cool water to quench their thirst.
“I feel so at peace up here,” Donika said.
“This is one of my favorite spots in all of Fate Valley. The trail goes on a long way. I go horseback riding out here as often as I can. Cowboy Bear is an old friend.”
“It must be good to have so many friends you can depend on. I don't really have a lot of friends from when I was growing up. I wasn't exactly a popular kid in school.”
“Kids can be really mean.”
“What was it like for you in school?” she asked.
“I had some trouble with the human boys. But I was on the football team. So, once I proved myself as an athlete, I didn't have problems anymore. A lot of kids like to tease each other to prove themselves, and that's never been my thing.”
“I think in a lot of ways, the bullies made me try harder. I wish that my family understood that. My sister wasn't as dorky as I was in school. She fit into the small town much better than I did. And now she has a family and a simple life that she's happy with. I could never see myself that way.”
“You want a family now?” Grayson asked, hoping the answer would be yes.
“Maybe someday. I don't really know. There's just still too much going on. And with these fainting spells I’ve been having, I don't even know if I'm healthy enough to have children.”
“When’s the last time you had one?”
“Not since I’ve been home. I think I’ve been eating better. My grandmother's cooking and the fresh air is doing wonders for my health.”
“I think it is too,” he said, leaning in and kissing her gently on the lips.
Chapter 23
After a lovely day horseback riding, Grayson drove Donika back to his house for dinner. They climbed out of the truck and she smiled and laughed at a joke he'd made. He unlocked the door and they went inside his comfortable old house. She sat at the counter across from him as he began to prepare dinner.
“I started beef stew in the crockpot this morning. It should be perfect by now.”
He popped some garlic toast into the oven and it cooked while he finished preparing the stew. Grayson uncorked a bottle of red wine and poured them both a glass. He dished up the stew and carried everything into the dining room. They sat across from each other, under an elk horn chandelier. The dining room had a big window with a view of the lake.
She took a bite of crusty French bread and groaned at the delicious flavor. Grayson was such an excellent baker. Everything he made was like heaven. She sipped her wine and ate her stew as she gazed at him. He had his flannel shirt folded back to his elbows, showing the tattoos on his arms and hands. He smiled at her, and she couldn't resist reaching out and stroking his beard.
“Thank you for a wonderful day. It really helped me take my mind off everything.”
“I'm happy to hear it,” he said, taking her hand and kissing it.
She sipped her wine and smiled as she watched the boats float by under the rising moon.
“Your house is so quiet. No crazy old ladies or guests tromping around.”
“It is peaceful here,” he said, taking a sip from his wine glass and gazing out at the water. “But it's missing something important.”
“What's that?”
“You.”
“What I wouldn't give to have a simple life with
you here in Fate Valley,” she said, before she caught herself.
“What's stopping you?”
“I don't even know anymore. So much has changed since I arrived. I've changed. I used to believe I was one thing, but I think that I’ve come to understand that I'm something else. Something more. Someone who can love and be loved in return.”
He leaned over and kissed her, the taste of wine on his lips. She groaned as desire sparked in her belly and radiated throughout her body. Their kiss grew deeper. He stood, picking her up in his arms. She gasped as he lifted her out of her chair.
He took her upstairs and kicked the door of his bedroom closed as they walked inside. She panted as he tossed her gently on his bed. He pulled his flannel shirt off, crawling over her. Planting his lips on hers, his tongue slid into her mouth, dancing with her own. She ran her hands over his hard-muscled shoulders, feeling her desire growing by the second.
He was hard between her legs, and she pressed up against him. Their tongues slid over each other, their bodies molding to the other. He lifted her hands up behind her head and held her down, growling as he gazed into her eyes.
“I'm going to keep you here, so you can't change your mind,” he said with a sly smile.
“I'm not going to change my mind.”
He began peeling her out of her clothes, kissing every exposed spot of flesh as he went. Soon they were both down to their underthings and he was kissing her deeply, caressing her curves with his big hands. Donika was breathless with need and her mind went blank. All she could feel was the pleasure of his touch and the strength of his heart.
His cock throbbed between her legs, his tongue darting in and out of her mouth. This was all that she wanted. She wanted to live eternally in his arms. He pulled her out of her bra and he kissed her breasts, sucking her nipple into his mouth and lathing it with his tongue. She groaned and ran her fingers through his shaggy brown hair.
He fondled her breasts as he sucked her other nipple into his mouth. They were rigid and sharp, needy with desire. He kissed down her belly, lapping his tongue in her navel as he hooked his fingers in her panties. He slid them down her hips, her thighs, and off her feet. He flung them across the room as he growled and dipped between her legs. He licked up her slit with a deep throated groan.