Grayson

Missouri 1878

Callie smoothed out her skirts as she sat down on a large moss covered boulder and looked around the small clearing. The sun was beginning to get low in the sky and she hoped that Grayson would get here soon because her mother and stepfather would be expecting her back. She thought of her stepfather and shivered.

He was cold and cruel. Nothing like the warm loving man her father had been. Her mother had been lost when Callie’s father had been murdered two years before. His murderer had never been found and though Callie’s mother had always had a habit drinking too much her habit became worse after his death. Callie had the scent of laudanum permanently burned into her nose since it too was always clinging to her mother as she walked around in a drugged and drunken fog. Callie often wondered how her stepfather Thomas was able to fall in love with her mother but then again she didn’t think he really did love Susannah. Thomas seemed like a man incapable of feeling anything like love or compassion.

Callie missed the way life had been when her father had been alive. She would have been wearing a skirt that wasn’t ripped and torn that was for sure. Her hands would not be calloused from the hard labor on the farm and her stomach would not be in a near constant state of hunger.

Callie’s father had been a fairly wealthy man. Callie had no idea where his money was now. She was only sixteen, and a female, and therefore was quickly told it was none of her business by Thomas, the banker in town and the attorney left in charge of her fathers affairs. She wondered if it was coincidence that both the town banker, Ed Schmidt, and the attorney, Raymond Collier, were both good friends of her stepfathers.

Callie shook her head to clear the unpleasant thoughts. She didn’t want to think of anything except Grayson. Her Grayson. Of course he had never said they were anything more than friends but that did not stop her from dreaming. Callie had been dreaming of being his wife for as long as she could remember. His family owned the land that connected to her families and back when her father had been alive the families had been very close. Since her fathers death they had drifted apart but that had not kept Callie and Grayson from remaining friends.

And every three days they would meet out here in their little secluded spot in the forest and he would sit beside of her and listen intently as she carried on about her life and told him all about her troubles. He would then, no matter how upset she was, find a way to make her laugh and he would tell her that someday soon she would be old enough to find a husband who would take her away from all of her problems.

Oh how she wished he would be that husband! Deep down she thought that he would be. There was something about the way she would catch his green eyes looking at her at times that made her think he saw her as more than a friend. She knew that he thought she was too young compared to his twenty-one years but she hoped that eventually he would get over that and they would move beyond friendship.

The sound of an approaching horse snapped her out of her thoughts. She worried about who could be coming and wondered what she would do if someone caught her out here alone. She was surprised when she recognized Grayson on the brown mare. He usually just walked the short distance from his families home. He brought the horse to a stop and jumped down. Callie could tell by the way his broad shoulders were sagging and the way his normally smiling face was lined with worry and sadness that something was very wrong.

She stood and ran to him and was surprised when he wrapped his arms tight around her soft waist and clung to her almost desperately. He had never held her like this before and she found her body heating strangely at being pressed against his. She pulled her face away from his hard chest to look up at his handsome face. She was shocked by the sadness she saw. His mouth was set in a deep frown instead of the normal warm smile. His tan skin seemed paler and his green eyes had lost their glow. He looked lost and it made her heart ache.

“What is wrong, Gray?” she asked softly. He removed his arms from her and took a step back looking awkward as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“I’m leaving, Callie.” he replied his voice full of the sadness she could see on his face.

“Leaving?” Callie repeated. What was he talking about? He had never before talked about wanting to leave.

“Yes.” he replied clearing his throat. “I have to leave tonight.”

“Where are you going?” Callie asked. Grayson shrugged wearily.

“I don’t know.” he replied. “I just stopped by because I knew you would be waiting and I did not want you to think I forgot about you.” Callie’s head was spinning as it tried to wrap around what he was saying.

“When are you coming back?” she asked as she moved away from him and sat back down on the rock. He ran his hand roughly through his dark blond hair which fell back across his forehead messily

“I’m not….” his voice broke and he cleared his throat again. “I’m not coming back, Callie.”

“Why?” Callie asked softly as she fought to keep her tears from falling. Grayson looked away from her and stared out into the woods. His expression looked haunted.

“Things happened, Callie, and I was told to leave.” he replied, his voice so quiet she had to strain to hear him.

“What happened?”

“You’ll find out soon enough, I’m sure.” he replied. Then he walked to her and surprised her when he fell down to his knees in front of her. “You’re gonna hear things about me, Callie. Bad things. I just hope you know me enough to know they’re not true.”

“Gray, I would never believe anything bad about you.” Callie replied laying her hand on his stubble covered cheek. She was surprised when he leaned into her hand as if seeking what comfort it could provide. Grayson had never acted this way with her before. Always before he had kept a certain distance between the two of them.

“I have to go.” he said, standing suddenly and taking a step away.

“Gray, you can’t leave me here.” Callie said feeling desperation. “You are all I have.” She saw the pain in Grayson’s eyes at her words and she knew there was something he wanted to say but would not allow himself to.

“You’ll be okay, Callie. You’re stronger than you think you are.” he replied. Callie shook her head.

“I need you, Gray.” she said. “I love you.” she added. The words were out of her mouth before she even had time to think about what she was saying. She bit her lip and stared at him waiting for him to respond. She saw him close his green eyes and take a deep breath. She swore she could see a look of longing in his eyes when he opened them again and looked at her.

“No you don’t, Callie. You’re too young to know what you’re saying.” he said. Callie was surprised by how badly his words hurt. She stood up and put her hands on her hips.

“I do love you, Gray. I have loved you for a long time and do you know what? I think you love me too.” Grayson shook his head and took another step away from her.

“Callie, I’m no good for you. Not anymore. I really do have to go.” Callie shook her own head and went to him throwing her arms around his neck. Her heart beat faster when she felt his arms close around her waist and he buried his face in her light blond hair.

“Take me with you.” she said in his ear. She didn’t know what had happened. She didn’t know why Grayson was leaving. All she knew was that she would go anywhere to be with him. He was the only good thing she had in her life since her father had died. She couldn’t lose him.

“Callie, I can’t do that. I don’t even know where I am going.” he replied pulling her away from him.

“Then I will wait for you. You can send me word whenever you get where you are going and I’ll come to you.” Grayson took a few steps away from her.

“No, Callie.” he said sternly. “I shouldn’t have come to you tonight but I didn’t want you to think I forgot about you.” Callie was confused by what he was saying. His harsh words did not match the look on his face. She found herself growing angry in her confusion and her sadness. Why would Grayson hurt her this way? He was the one person she thought she could always count on not to hurt her.

“Grayson….” He cut her off by raising one big work hardened hand in the air.

“I don’t love you, Callie. Not that way.” Grayson lied. “And you don’t love me that way either. You’re sixteen and you’re too young to understand what love means.”

“Grayson…” He cut her off again.

“Get home now, Callie, before it gets dark and your ma and step dad start to worry.” Callie felt her heart breaking into a million pieces as he climbed up into the saddle. He didn’t even look at her again as he started to ride away into the woods.

“I hate you, Grayson Fields!” She screamed as tears flowed from her blue eyes, soaking her cheeks. “I’ll never forgive you for leaving me here!” Still he didn’t turn to her. She turned and ran blindly toward home. Grayson turned then and watched her run away. Her wavy light blond hair was bouncing on her back and her tattered skirt was whipping around her legs.

Everything in him wanted to jump from his horse and run to her. To take her into his arms and take care of her, protect her, love her… God he loved her. He had hoped to marry her someday but now that wouldn’t happen. He had lost everything. He had no home and now no family.

“I love you, Callie Logan. I will always love you.” he whispered, his words falling on the deaf ears of the surrounding trees. His heart was full of pain and aching with loss as he urged his horse faster, determined to leave the horror of today behind him.

888

Callie ran through the front door of the two story farm house she shared with her mother and step father. She had hoped to get to her room before either of them caught her and saw her tear streaked face and red eyes but her mothers voice brought her feet to a halt at the bottom of the stairs.

“Callie, where have you been! I was worried sick about you after what just happened today.” Callie wiped her face on her light pink shirt sleeves and turned to look at her mother. She and her mother had similar enough looks that even strangers could tell they were related. Callie had her mothers tiny features, her heart shaped face, her full lips and her light blond hair. The only thing Callie had gotten from her father were his light freckles and blue eyes.

“What happened today?” Callie asked wondering if it had anything to do with Grayson.

“Phillip Fields was killed.”
Grayson’s older brother?
“And Grayson killed him.”

“Grayson?” Callie gasped feeling as if the very floor itself was moving beneath her feet. She couldn’t seem to get breath into her lungs no matter how deeply she breathed.

“That’s right.” Thomas’s cold voice said from behind her. Callie turned to look up at her stepfather standing at the top of the stairs. “Grayson was drunk and causing trouble in town. Phillip tried to step in and help his younger brother and in his drunken rage Grayson shot him. You haven’t seen Grayson have you? The sheriff is wanting to question him.”

Callie’s mind flew back to her conversation with Grayson earlier. ’
You’re gonna hear things about me, Callie. Bad things. I just hope you know me enough to know they’re not true.’

“The sheriff already questioned Grayson, dear, and let him go.” Susannah said matter-of-factly. “He said that since Phillip’s gun was drawn as well it looked more like self defense and it was impossible to prove who drew first because there weren’t any witnesses.” Callie was surprised to hear how clear and strong her mothers voice sounded. She actually sounded as if it had been a while since her last drink.

“Yes, but Grayson’s father knows the truth and that’s why he ran that good for nothing murderer off. Good riddance I say! Callie was spending far too much time with him.” Thomas said walking down the stairs with slow deliberate steps and smoothing Callie’s hair from her face with his smooth cold hand. Callie shivered. She hated it when he touched her.

“Grayson wouldn’t murder Phillip.” Callie said with no doubts. She knew that Grayson would never murder anyone in cold blood. He was a good man. Even if he had just abandoned her.

“He did though my dear. He shot him straight through the heart.” Thomas said his voice cold and his smile calculating.

“Callie, you look terrible.” Susannah said laying her hand on Callie’s arm. “Why don’t you go up and get some rest. I know that Grayson was your friend and this must come as a shock to you.” Callie nodded though she was only half aware of what her mother was saying. Her mind was swirling and yet none of the thoughts were clear.

Grayson was gone. She had thought he was a good man. A man who would never turn his back on her and a man who would never shoot his brother in cold blood. But the truth of the matter was that he had left her standing there in tears as he ran from town after killing his brother.

As she locked herself in her room only two thoughts kept running through her mind. Had she ever really known Grayson Fields and would she ever see him again?

Chapter Two

Kansas Five Years Later

Grayson wiped his dirty face on his shirt sleeve as he yelled ‘whoa’ and the mule pulling the plow in front of him came to a stop. He looked around at the big twenty acre field he’d managed to get plowed in the last few days. He took a big drink of water from the canteen tied to a rope attached to his waist and unhooked the mule from the plow.

He was eager to get him back to the barn and get his payday from the boss. He was dying to get into town and have him a couple drinks and take his first hot bath of the week. Lord knew every crack and crevice of his body was full of dirt and sweat and he was beginning to smell himself.

“Did you get that field done?” Brendan Hughes asked as Grayson approached the barn. Grayson nodded. Brendan grabbed the reins of the mule and then reached his free hand into his pocket and pulled out a handful of money, placing it in Grayson’s outstretched hand.

“My family is coming in to visit tonight.” Brendan said. “I’ve already told the other hands not to worry about coming back out for work for two days.” Grayson nodded, ignoring the ache in his heart at the mention of family.

“Saddle your horse and get on out of here, Grayson. Have some fun please. You’ve been here for four years and I’ve yet to see you really act like you’re having a good time.”

“Working for you is my good time, Brendan.” Grayson replied with a smile. But Brendan could see that the smile did not reach the tall mans eyes. Brendan wasn’t surprised though. Four long years Grayson had been working for him, plowing, planting, harvesting and keeping the wood shed full and the animals cared for year round. Brendan had no idea where Grayson had come from or anything about his past but the boy seemed like a good boy and Brendan found himself wondering more and more what his story was.

He would not ask him of course. There were some things that men didn’t talk about and as long as Grayson kept working so good for him that was all Brendan cared about.

“Go on, Grayson. I’ll take care of the mule.” Brendan said and walked away into the barn. Grayson watched the old man walk away on legs that always seemed to be shaking. His back was stooped and his hands were swollen from years of hard labor but Brendan Hughes was still hardworking and refused to just sit around while the younger men worked.

Grayson unhitched his horse, which Brendan had already saddled, and started toward town.

888

Grayson couldn’t remember a time when a hot bath had felt so good. He sunk down into the steaming water letting it relax away his tense and tight muscles. He grumbled when he realized he couldn’t stretch out in the copper tub. Being over six and a half feet tall with shoulders over three feet broad had it’s disadvantages. He figured he probably made a pretty comical sight squeezing himself into this tub which was obviously made for a leprechaun.

Still the water felt good and he stayed in it until the warmth had left and goose bumps began to cover his tanned skin from the chill. He got out (smelling much more pleasant) and dressed, running his hands through his thick blond hair to comb out the tangles. He knew it was useless to try to gain any kind of control over the thick locks and, as he knew it would, his hair fell messily back across his forehead.

He was tempted to just fall into the bed and let sleep claim him but then he remembered Brendan urging him to have a good time. He respected and liked Brendan very much and if the old man said that Grayson needed to have fun then that is what he was going to try to do. He walked out into the dark Kansas night and stood beneath the glow of the lantern on the motel boardwalk. He walked down to the diner and ate a quick dinner in a quiet corner and then made his way to the big saloon. It was late on a Friday night and so the saloon was full of rowdy farmhands, cowboys, outlaws and gunslingers all drinking, playing poker and enjoying saloon girls.

Grayson went to the bar and ordered a shot of whiskey. He downed it quickly and the bartender happily refilled it and Grayson sipped this one more slowly as he sat at the bar and his mind wandered. Visions of family flashed through his mind and he was struck by a sudden loneliness so cold and so sharp that he quickly downed the shot, hoping the strong whiskey would burn the images away.

He wasn’t sure how many shots he downed before finally his mind began to get fuzzy and he could no longer feel the full force of his loneliness. He turned on the barstool and saw Holly’s dark eyes watching him. He gave her a nod and she sauntered up to him in her tight blue dress. The top of the sleeveless dress was so low that her ample chest was clearly visible and not much of her breasts were left to the imagination.

She put her hands on her hips and angled her chest toward him.

“Well if it isn’t Grayson Fields. How you doing, lover? I haven’t seen you in here in a while. I was starting to think maybe you forgot about me.” Grayson gave her a wide drunken grin and shook his head.

“I could never forget about you, Holly, honey.” he replied. Holly smiled and if Grayson wasn’t three sheets to the wind he would have noticed the predatory gleam in her eyes. Holly was thrilled to see Grayson back and even more thrilled to see that Grayson was drunk. Grayson didn’t fool around with her or any of the other girls when he was sober but when he got drunk it was a whole different story and the story usually ended with her making a good bit of money.

“Shew, darling, my legs are tired. I’ve been on my feet all night.” she purred as she laid her hand on her forehead and feigned exhaustion.

“Well that jus wont do ‘t all will it?” Grayson asked his voice slurring in his drunkenness. “Have ya a seat.” He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her up onto his lap. She laughed and threw her arm around his neck, spilling his whiskey as her elbow bumped it on the bar.

“Sorry about that, handsome.” She said placing her lips against his ear. “Sam, my handsome man here needs another whiskey.” she called to the bartender. Grayson shook his head. His drunk body was on fire and screaming for the woman in his lap.  Hell his brain was so fuzzy that he couldn’t even remember her name at the moment but she was warm, she was willing and he was damn lonely.

“Why don’t we head upstairs?” he growled. Holly was thrilled. Oh yes she was going to make a lot of money tonight if the way his big hands were roaming across her body was any indication.

“I am in your arms, big guy… Take me where you want me.” she replied before nibbling on his ear. Grayson stood quickly, wobbled slightly on his drunk legs, waited a moment for his head to stop spinning and then started for the stairs hoping he was heading for the right set since his highly intoxicated eyes were seeing several.

“Hey new girl!” a fellow drunk yelled from a back table.

“Her name’s Allie.” another man shouted. “And she’s mine.” Grayson froze in his tracks and sobered instantly.
Had they said Callie?
He turned his head quickly toward the talking men and saw the woman they were referring to. She was short and thin with tiny curves and bright red hair….

“Allie. The perfect name for a perfect angel.” The first drunk said. Grayson felt a pain so deep in his chest that he wondered for a moment if it was going to kill him. He sat Holly, (he remembered her name now), down on her feet and she pouted and laid her hands on his chest.

“What’s the matter, Grayson?” she whined. “I thought we were gonna have some fun.”

“No. No, I changed my mind.” Grayson replied pushing her away from him and starting toward the door.

“Gray, don’t leave me.” Holly said hoping to entice the drunk man to come back. Grayson froze again. All he could hear was Callie’s sweet voice five years ago begging him not to leave.

’
Gray you can’t leave me here. You’re all I have.’
Grayson felt his heart breaking in his chest again just the same way it had five years ago. The same way it did anytime he thought about Callie. He turned on Holly welcoming the anger that welled up inside of him. Anger he knew what to do with.

“Don’t you ever call me by that name again!” he snarled as he stuck one large finger in her face. Holly cowered beneath him. Grayson was easily the biggest man she had ever met. He was taller than any man she knew, his shoulders more broad and his muscles larger. She knew from seeing it with her own eyes that his body was covered in thick rolling waves of muscle from all the hard labor he did on the farm and had not an ounce of fat on it. She had never thought to be afraid of him before but with the look currently in his eyes she could easily imagine his large hand closing around her neck and strangling the life from her….. His hand was big enough and his arm powerful enough to do it without much trouble.

“I’m s..s..sorry.” she stuttered. Grayson realized everyone was staring at them and he quickly turned and stormed out of the saloon. It wasn’t until he had locked himself inside his hotel room that he allowed himself to pay attention to the thoughts running through his mind.

Callie. His Callie. Of course by now he was sure that she was not his anymore. She had never officially been his but words like
officially
didn’t matter when you were in love. Callie had been his since she had been five and he had been ten and he had gotten stung by several honeybees while saving her puppy from the swarm of angry insects. Callie had been so happy to have her puppy back and he had bravely hidden the pain he was in because he liked the way she looked when she smiled. It made him happy.

She had noticed the large red welt on his hand and the other on his cheek and she had scolded him for not telling her. He smiled as he thought about the way her face had flushed as she’d pointed that tiny finger up at his face and he had actually been frightened of the tiny five year old. She then had surprised the hell out of him when she had pressed a kiss to the angry sting on his hand and then stood on her toes to press her lips against the one on his cheek. She had blushed and taken off running after that, mumbling a thank you and holding that scraggly pup in her arms.

Grayson had stood there feeling like a swarm of bees, or maybe it was butterflies, had taken up residence in his stomach. He had been very happy that none of his other friends had been around to see a little girl kiss him but that didn’t mean that he minded the kiss… No he hadn’t minded that kiss at all.

From that moment on that little blond angel had been his. He had beaten up many a boy for saying or doing the wrong thing to her. He had dried her tears when her mothers drinking made her cry and he had stood by her, steady as a rock, when her father had died. He had listened to every horrible story she told him about her worthless mother and stepfather and he had waited and prayed for the day when she would be old enough and he could marry her and take her away from those people.

Then Phillip had died and Grayson’s entire life had come falling down around him.

Grayson’s stomach turned over and he knew the whiskey was looking for a way out and he ran to the washbasin and emptied the contents of his stomach inside. He looked in the mirror and noticed the paleness of his face. He didn’t know why he’d drunk that much tonight. He always ended up sick when he let himself drink that much.

He threw himself down in the bed. He had to forget about Missouri. Forget about his family. Forget about Callie. His family had made it clear he was no longer welcome and as pretty as Callie had been at sixteen, he knew she was probably even more so now at twenty-one. There was not a doubt in his mind that by now some lucky man had swooped in and claimed her as his own

. Grayson growled at the jealousy he felt at that thought. He had no right to be jealous. He knew the sacrifice he’d been making the day that Phillip had died in that dirty bedroom at the saloon.

“Damn you, Phillip. You took everything from me, you selfish bastard.” Grayson said cursing his dead brothers ghost and then he slipped off his boots and covered his head with the blankets hoping to get some sleep.

Chapter Three

Grayson woke the next day and ate a quick breakfast at the diner. He wished he had some kind of work to do today. He hated having nothing to do but he knew that if he showed up at Brendan’s farm today the old man would be pissed and he didn’t want to risk losing his job there. It was the closest thing to a home he had. He decided to walk to the tailors shop down the road and see about buying a new set of clothes since his all of his were old, stained and coming apart at the seams.

He was just walking out with his new clothes wrapped tight in paper under his arm when he heard someone whistle across the street. He was going to ignore it, assuming they must be whistling for someone else, but then they shouted.

“Grayson Fields! Is that you?” Grayson turned and looked at the man who was jogging across the road toward him. Grayson couldn’t believe his eyes when he recognized that it was James Mcbride. James and Grayson had been best friends all of their lives.. Or at least until that night five years ago when everyone in Grayson’s life had turned their backs on him.

“Yeah it’s me.” Grayson replied squaring his shoulders and glaring at the shorter man.

“Of course it’s you. You’re the only son of a bitch I know that could pass himself off as an oak tree.” James said smiling and running his hand over his dirty red beard.

“What are you doing here?” Grayson asked. He wanted to be happy to see his best friend but all he could think of was the questioning look that had been in James’s eyes five years ago. The look that questioned whether or not Phillip’s murder had been in cold blood.

“I’ve been looking for you, Grayson. You were a damn hard man to find.”

“Not like I was hiding, James.” Grayson replied. James sighed.

“You think we could go into the saloon and talk for a while?” he asked. Grayson looked hard at his former best friend for several long moments. He had changed quite a bit in the last five years. He hadn’t gotten any taller but his freckles had gotten bigger, if that was possible, and his nose had clearly been broken at least once. He looked older now than he had before but Grayson figured he probably looked older too.

“Sure.” Grayson said and then he turned and walked down the boardwalk toward the saloon. James nearly had to jog to keep up with the bigger mans long strides.

Once they were seated at a table in the back of the nearly empty saloon Grayson cleared his throat.

“Why were you looking for me?” he asked.

“You need to come home.” James replied. Grayson snorted and pulled his hat off so he could shove his hand through his hair before placing his hat back on.

“I was told to never come back.” he said matter-of-factly. “I don’t think I’d be too welcome if I showed up now.”

“That was five years ago, Grayson. You gotta come back sometime.” James argued. Grayson shook his head.

“No.” he replied. “I ain’t going back and having everybody treat me like I’m some kind of cold blooded murderer.”

“Nobody is going….” Grayson cut him off by slamming his fist down on the table.

“That’s horseshit and you know it! Hell we grew up together, James, and even you think I killed my brother in cold blood!” he yelled. “The only damn person that believed me was the sheriff, thank God, or else I’d a been swinging from a noose in the middle of town!”

“Well it’s not like you helped matters much with that God awful temper and all that pride you got. You wouldn’t even tell nobody the story of what really happened. You just let everybody think what they wanted.”

“Well I assumed that everybody I cared about, all my damn friends and family, would never believe that I could murder my brother in cold blood. Obviously we both know I was wrong.” Grayson replied his voice cold and angry. James sighed and looked down at the scarred up old table with shame in his eyes.

“I know I should not have believed what they said, Grayson. I don’t believe it anymore.”

“I did kill him.” Grayson said feeling his stomach turn over at the memory of shooting his older brother in the chest. “But it wasn’t because I had a choice.” James nodded.

“I know that. And I also know that you’ll never tell anybody what really happened in that room will you?”

“Nope.” Grayson said looking down at his clenched fists on the table. He forced himself to relax them. He really did need to work on his temper.

“You need to come home, Grayson.” James said again after he’d rolled his eyes enough to make sure Grayson knew he thought he was being ridiculous.

“No.” Grayson said again. “Now is there anything else you needed or can I get back to what I was doing before you showed up?” He didn’t think he needed to let James know that he’d been doing absolutely nothing before he’d shown up.

“Did you even know that Lauren is married now?” James asked his voice suddenly sounded very accusatory. Grayson kept his eyes locked with James’s and refused to let the shock he was feeling show on his face. His little sister was married? He had to remind himself that she was nineteen now and therefore not the little girl he remembered.

“No I didn’t know.” he said keeping his voice cold. “I haven’t seen her or my father since they both called me a murderer and my father waved a gun in my face and told me both his sons were dead to him.” James winced at the hurt and anger he could hear in Grayson’s voice.

“She was only a kid.” James said. Grayson sighed and nodded slightly. He knew that but it didn’t lessen the pain he’d felt or the pain he was still feeling. James pulled an envelope from his pocket.

“She told me to give this to you if I found you.” he said. Grayson took the envelope and saw his name written across the front of it in feminine handwriting.

“You need to know, Grayson, that your dad is really sick.” James said, bringing Grayson’s eyes away from the letter and back to him.

“Sick?” he asked trying his best to keep his concern for that bastard from showing in his voice.

“Real sick.” James replied. “He’s dying, Grayson. And Lauren needs you right now and I think it would be good for you to go and try to make amends before it’s too late.”

“It’s not really any of your business.” Grayson snapped. He knew he shouldn’t be so rude to James but he had five years worth of pent up anger, sadness and resentment and James was bearing the brunt of it because he was the first familiar face Grayson had seen in all that time. James stood up. He could tell by the look on Grayson’s face that this conversation was over.

“Look, I’ll give you a day or two to think about it before I leave town. Maybe you’ll come with me and maybe you won’t but at least I’ll be able to tell Lauren and Callie I tried.” he said. At the mention of Callie’s name Grayson’s green eyes widened and the coldness in them seemed to melt away. James tried hard to hide his smile. Looks like Callie was still one of his friends biggest weaknesses and James would be more than happy to use that weakness to bring his friend back home where he belonged.

“Callie?” Grayson said cursing at the longing he could clearly hear in his voice.

“Yeah Callie.” James said rolling his eyes. “She’s been worried sick about you for five years.”

“You mean she isn’t….” he stopped himself before he could finish asking whether or not she was married. He needed to keep a little of his pride intact.

“She isn’t what?” James asked with a grin because he knew damn well what Grayson was wanting to know but he wasn’t going to tell him unless he swallowed his pride and asked the question.

“Nothing.” Grayson said and James sighed when he heard the coldness return to his voice.

“Just think about it, Grayson, and I’ll be around whenever you make up your mind.” he said and walked out of the saloon. Grayson rubbed his hands over his face and stared down at the envelope wondering what in the world his sister could have written.

888

Grayson waited until he was locked back in his room at the hotel and sitting on the edge of the bed before he opened the envelope. He didn’t know what she had written and he had wanted to make sure he was in private before he read in just in case his reaction was one that he wouldn’t want anyone else to see.

Dearest Grayson,

It has been so long since I’ve seen you that I would have long since forgotten what you looked like if not for the picture that papa still has hanging in the living room. We miss you, Grayson. Papa has not said that out loud but I know enough to know he does. He is very sick, Grayson, and we know that he is not going to live much longer. When I say that we know what I mean is my husband and I…. Yes I married but I did not include his name in this letter because he is afraid that you will hurt him for marrying your little sister.

I hope that you will come home, Grayson. I need my big brother. I want to be face to face with you when I apologize for how I acted five years ago. I hope that James finds you and brings you home to papa and me.

All my Love

Lauren.

Grayson wiped a tear from his eye and sniffed. He folded the letter carefully and placed it back in the envelope before placing into his pants pocket. He laid back on the bed and stared up at the wood planked ceiling as if hoping the wooden boards would speak to him and offer him advice on what he should do….

He sighed, stood up and began gathering up the few belongings he had here in town. He would have to stop at Brendan’s and tell the old man he wouldn’t be working for him anymore and collect the rest of his things. His little sister needed him and he would be there for her.

He walked outside with his saddlebags over his shoulder and found James waiting for him in a rocking chair on the boardwalk.

“I knew you’d come.” James said in response to Grayson’s puzzled look. Grayson just nodded.

“If Lauren needs me, I’ll be there.” he said. James smiled as he stood up.

“Good. She really does need you, Grayson. And so does your father.”

“Don’t talk to me about that son of a bitch.” Grayson snapped. James nodded and then shifted his feet nervously.

“What is wrong?” Grayson asked. James took a deep breath.

“Well Callie knew I was coming to look for you and I was supposed to give you something from her if I found you.” he replied. Grayson felt his heart leap up into his throat.

“Well where is it?” he asked and James nearly laughed out loud at the excitement on Grayson’s face.

“Well it was two things actually and it’s more something I have to do…..” he said. Grayson was confused and he was growing angry.

“Dammit, if she gave you something for me, I want it now!” he growled. James nodded, took a deep breath and squared his shoulders before throwing his arms around Grayson’s broad shoulders and hugging him tight. Grayson was about to punch James in the jaw as he pulled away but then it dawned on him that that hug had been from Callie.

“She hugged me….?” he asked. James nodded.

“Yeah.” Grayson tried to still his heartbeat. If she had sent him that hug then surely she didn’t believe he was a cold blooded murderer and she didn’t really hate him for leaving.

“Wait, didn’t you say there were two things?” James nodded and looked like he was going to vomit as his face paled. For a moment Grayson panicked that it was a kiss and he really hoped that James wouldn’t try to deliver that personally but he didn’t have to panic for long before James drilled his fist hard into Grayson’s stomach with every ounce of strength the much smaller man possessed. Grayson doubled over as his breath came out in a rush.

He looked up at James and James jumped backwards. If looks could kill then he would have fallen over dead right then and there from the anger in Grayson’s green eyes.

“Please don’t hurt me.” James said knowing that when Grayson got pissed his fists tended to fly very quickly. “That was from Callie.” Grayson stood up straight rubbing his stomach with his hand.

“She told you to punch me?” he demanded. James nodded.

“Actually she told me to punch you a bit lower but I really didn’t want you to kill me.”

“Thanks for that.” Grayson said matter of factly. He thought about Callie. Her temper had always been something to talk about! It was second only to Grayson’s and he could easily imagine her telling James to punch him in the family jewels. Grayson chuckled, the sound surprising him. It had been a long time since he’d felt like chuckling.

“Let’s go, James. I am ready to go home.” he said and James happily followed him to the town stable thankful to not be sporting any new black eyes or busted teeth but then again they weren’t home yet and he had yet to tell Grayson that he was Lauren’s new husband.

Chapter Four

“But it is my business, Mr. Collier. My fathers will is very much my business.” Callie said trying hard to keep her voice from raising in her anger. Raymond Collier sighed as the anger flashed in her blue eyes. He hated keeping secrets from this beautiful woman that he had watched grow from a baby but Thomas Whitaker had been his friend his entire life and quite frankly Raymond knew that Thomas would kill him if he did not do as he had asked and keep the financial details of Frank Logan’s will to himself.

“Callie, you are a woman. This is a mans business. There is no reason for you to worry your pretty mind about it.” he said in a gentle tone trying to calm the woman before that record setting temper of hers reared it’s ugly head. He saw her light freckles darken as the red flush colored her cheeks. It appeared it was too late to avoid the temper.

Callie was fuming. How dare all of these men act like they could keep things from her just because she was a woman. Seven long years it had been since her father had died. One year since the loss of her mother and still she had not been permitted to see her fathers will.  She had no idea where her fathers money was and her stepfather was insisting that the farm belonged to him. Since Raymond Collier had all the documentation on the farm and her fathers will and he was refusing to let her see either, Callie had no way of knowing whether or not Thomas was lying.

“Mr. Collier, I will worry my pretty mind about whatever I choose to worry it about.” Callie snapped.

“Callie, I have business I have to attend to. No one is keeping anything from you, dear. Why don’t you just talk to Thomas about all of this and I am sure he will tell you the same. The money is gone. Your father spent it all before his death and the farm belonged to your mother. Since she is gone now it belongs to your step-father. The will is nothing but a bunch of legal dribble that a woman could never understand.”

“Never understand!” she demanded her voice raising to an octave that Raymond Collier was afraid might shatter the windows in his office. “How dare you, Mr. Collier! If you and my witless step-father can understand it then I assure you that I can understand it as well.” Raymond shook his head and stood up. He walked over and opened his office door signaling with his hand that he wished for her to leave.

“We have discussed this enough for today. It is not necessary for you to see that will, Miss Logan. Now if you don’t mind I have work I need to be getting done.” Callie stood and smoothed out the skirts of her light blue dress. She adjusted the belt around her waist and after taking a deep breath to try to ease her temper, she squared her shoulders and walked out of his office into the early spring sunlight.

The wind still had a chill to it but the long sleeves of her thick cotton dress kept the air off her arms. Callie looked up and down the street and then leaned on the porch banister outside of Raymond’s office and sighed. She fought the urge to knock her head against the wooden banister beside of her in her frustration.

Her mother had been gone about a year now. The alcohol and laudanum finally proving too much for her body to survive anymore. Callie felt the familiar ache in her heart when she thought about her mother lying in that casket. Her death had not come as a surprise. Callie had been expecting it for a while as her mothers habits became more and more serious.

Callie had her suspicions that her stepfather had been more than happy to supply her mother with whatever she needed to keep her drunken and medicated state intact. Of course when she told Sherriff Baker about it he simply said there was nothing illegal about a grown man buying alcohol and laudanum and therefore there was nothing he could do.

Callie had been forced to move from the farm shortly after her mothers death. Not because she had wanted to leave the one place that had always been her home but because her step-father had begun making advances toward her that as far as Callie was concerned were highly inappropriate. He would run his hands through her hair if he saw it down. His hand would touch her arms and her neck any chance he could and Callie shivered when she remembered how the cold skin of his hand had felt against her.

She now lived in town at the boarding house and worked at the Annie’s Dressmaking shop. She was quite good at sewing and she loved her job because she finally had dresses, skirts, shirtwaists and blouses that were not ripped and tattered. But she missed the farm and her home and hated that Thomas Whitaker was out there living in the house that her father had built with his own two hands.

Callie walked down the boardwalk toward the Annie’s Dressmaking shop, deciding that she might as well go ahead and get a little sewing done, even though today was supposed to be her day off. She did not have anything to do to keep her busy and she desperately needed to keep her mind busy. James had been gone nearly a month in his search for Grayson. Callie and Lauren had hoped he would send them word to let them know how his search was going but so far they had received nothing.

“Callie! I didn’t expect to see you in here today.” Annie said when Callie walked in. Callie smiled at the thin, middle aged woman with graying flyaway black hair and a toothy smile.

“I decided to come in and get some of those alterations done for Trina’s wedding dress.” Callie replied. Annie nodded.

“That woman is going to have to quit sampling all those cakes! That dress can’t be let out too much more before we’re going to run out of fabric!” she said with a laugh. Callie laughed as well and then headed for the back room to get to work.

She worked for several hours and her back and fingers were starting to cramp so she decided it was time for a break. She stood and stretched her arms over her head twisting from side to side to ease her sore muscles. She was about to walk out into the main part of the store when she heard a voice come from there and froze.

“Hello Annie.” Thomas Whitakers cold voice said. “I am looking for Callie. You haven’t seen her have you?” Callie prayed that Annie would lie for her and of course the woman did. She knew how he had been harassing Callie the last year.

“No, I haven’t seen her. Today was her day off, Mr. Whitaker.” Annie replied. Callie looked around the backroom. She had to get out of here. No doubt Thomas would check back here for her. She did not want to have to see the way his ice blue eyes leered at her or feel the way his hands lingered on her arms and her hair.

There was no door in the room but there was a window. Callie opened the window, thankful that it was not too small since she had inherited her mothers plump waist and then climbed up into it. She hoped no one was in the back alley since there was simply no lady like way to climb out a window while wearing a dress and she knew her bloomers would be on display for anyone to see.

She tried to slide down the outside wall but misjudged the distance and ended up landing roughly on her backside in the dirt. She cursed under her breath as she stood up and tried to brush the dirt off of herself. She was stretching to try to reach the window to close it so Thomas would not know she’d come out of it when she heard someone laughing behind her.

“What in the world are you doing?” Peter Hanes asked walking into the alley. “I do believe I saw your bloomers, Miss Callie.” Callie flushed red with embarrassment as she adjusted her bonnet over her light blond hair.

“A gentleman would not comment on having seen a ladies bloomers, Peter.” she replied trying to sound angry yet she couldn’t hide her smile. Peter had become a good friend over the last few years and in truth they were more like brother and sister than they were friends.

“Yes, well a lady would not have been climbing out of a window, into a dirty alley and showing the world her bloomers, Callie.” He teased his dark eyes flashing with amusement. “And besides I would not be a real man if I had not stolen a peek.” he added. Callie slapped his arm even as she laughed.

“Well I hope you enjoyed your peek, Peter, because it’s the only one you are every going to get.” she said. Peter laid his hands over his heart and pretended to be in pain.

“You break my heart, Callie!” he exclaimed. Then he wrapped his arm around her shoulder as he led her out of the alley. “As I take you to lunch maybe you can explain to me why you were climbing out of Annie’s window.” Callie made a face and wrinkled her nose.

“Thomas.” she replied.

“Is he still sniffing around your skirt tails?” Peter asked. Callie nodded.

“Yes.” she said not able to stop the shiver that passed through her. Peter tightened his hold on her.

“That man is just disgusting. He was married to your mother for chrissake. You were his step daughter!” his disgust was plain in his voice. Callie nodded.

“I know. He was always touchy feely before she died and it
always
bothered me but I truly thought it was innocent. Now that she is gone he has become more insistent. Do you know he even mentioned marriage a few weeks ago before I managed to get away from him?”

“Why didn’t you tell me about that?” Peter asked coming to a stop and stepping in front of her so he could look at her face. “I would have beaten him good for that! That man has problems if he thinks that I would ever let him marry you.” Callie grabbed his arm and forced him back to her side so they could continue walking.

“I know you would protect me, Peter.” she said gently. What she really knew was that Peter would try, but Peter was more of a jokester than he was a fighter and Thomas Whitaker was a cold, cruel worthless man who would not think twice about hurting her best friend.

“You know if you would just marry me like I beg you to then he would have to leave you alone.” Peter teased while poking her in the ribs with his elbow.

“Hush.” Callie said with a smile. “I thought you were head over heels in love with Peggy Sue.” Peter’s face suddenly became more serious.

“I am.” he replied. “But Peggy Sue says it’s hard for her to trust me.” Callie thought this was the craziest thing she’d ever heard.

“You are one of the most trustworthy people I know.” she said. “Why would Peggy Sue say something like that?”

“Because I walk around town with my arm around a pretty woman all the time.” he replied matter of factly as he looked down at her.

“She thinks that you and I…..” Callie made a face and then burst out laughing. Peter tried his best to look insulted but Callie’s laugh was infectious.

“Yes she does. I told her I have a second arm that I would be more than happy to wrap around her but that this one belongs to you.” he said squeezing her tighter. Callie sighed and pulled herself away from him.

“Peter, that is just plain dumb on your part. You love Peggy Sue and she loves you too. I wouldn’t want my man walking around with his arm around another woman.” she said. Peter shrugged.

“If she loves me then she needs to trust me. You are my friend and nothing more. You aren’t my type anyway. I like red heads with big green eyes….” His eyes took on a faraway look and Callie knew he was picturing Peggy Sue. She laughed.

“I’ll talk to Peggy Sue or better yet I’ll go ahead and find me a husband so that she doesn’t worry about me and you anymore.” Callie said. She was joking about the husband part but Peter nodded.

“You need to find a husband. You are a pretty woman and you deserve to be happy.” he said. They walked into the diner and sat down at a small table. Callie pulled off her bonnet and ran her hands over her hair which was half up in a braid.

“There is not one man in this town worth marrying.” she said. Peter made a face and looked down at himself before looking back at her. She smiled.

“You already said I wasn’t your type.” she reminded him. Widow Brenner brought them both out a bowl of soup and some fresh bed for their lunch. They thanked her and then Peter looked back at Callie.

“What are you waiting for, Callie? Don’t you want to be married and have a family?” Callie bit her lip to keep it from trembling. She blinked her eyes to hide the tears that had tried to form there. She never cried. At least not when anyone could see her.

“Of course I do.” she said finally. She used her spoon to push the vegetables around in her soup. Suddenly she didn’t feel so hungry.

“Grayson isn’t coming back, Callie.” Peter said gently. “He isn’t the kind of man you should marry anyway. He’s got a terrible temper, a bad reputation and the entire town thinks he murdered his brother in cold blood. His father kicked him out so he has no home, probably not any money and no land. He would have nothing to offer you…” Peter’s voice trailed off when he saw the anger on her face. Looks like he was fixing to get a big piece of the famous Callie Logan temper.

“Do not say those kinds of things about Gray!” she practically shouted. “Not the entire town believes that ridiculous story that my worthless stepfather made up about Gray being drunk and killing Phillip! And Gray might have had a temper with all of the idiots in this town but he never, not once, lost it with me. He is the best man I know and I will not stand for anyone, even you, saying anything bad about him!” Peter put his hand over her mouth to silence her rant since everyone else in the diner was staring at her as if she’d lost her mind.

“Calm down, Callie. I’m sorry I made you mad. I know that you have some kind of childhood crush hero worship thing going on for Grayson and I should have known better than to mention him. Just for the record I don’t think he killed Phillip in cold blood either but that doesn’t mean that he’d be a good man for you.” he said. Callie eyes flashed and he removed his hand suddenly just before her teeth clicked together.

“You tried to bite me!” he said with disbelief.

“You had your nasty hand on my mouth.” Callie replied.

“Hell what do I know, maybe you and Grayson would be perfect for each other. The only person I know with a temper nearly as bad as his is you… I can already picture you married and standing in front of a pile of rubble where your home used to be after you two have your first lovers quarrel.”

“I think you need to go talk to Peggy Sue.” Callie said matter of factly. She wanted Peter to leave. She loved her best friend but sometimes he was a real insensitive jerk. Callie knew she was going to cry soon and she wanted to get back to her room at the boardinghouse before the tears fell.

“Callie, don’t be mad at me.” Peter begged. He tried to reach across the table and take her hand but she jerked hers back.

“I’m serious. Go talk to Peggy Sue. Just because I’m a pathetic woman pining away after a man who clearly doesn’t care about me because he hasn’t even bothered to check on me in five years, doesn’t mean that you should be lonely too. Tell Peggy Sue I’m just your friend and from now on I’ll keep my distance from you. You wouldn’t want to be around me anyway and hear about my childhood crush hero worship.”

“Callie….” She stood up cutting him off.

“I must be going now, Peter. I have work to do.” Peter let her walk away. He could tell by the stiffness in her step and the set of her shoulders that she was about to cry and he knew that she would punch him in the mouth if he saw her tears. He felt like the biggest horses ass in the world for causing her pain. But Grayson Fields was an asshole. He was not a good man for Callie and he wasn’t coming back anyway. Peter just wanted to see Callie happy.

He was just finishing his soup and fixing to eat the rest of Callie’s when Annie came running into the diner.

“Peter, where is Callie?” she asked.

“The boardinghouse, why?” Peter asked hearing the mixture of excitement and fear in the older woman’s voice.

“Because Grayson Fields is back.” she said wringing her thin hands. “He and James just passed through town, on their way out to Grayson’s fathers house I imagine.” Peter’s eyes widened at the news. He wondered if he should tell Callie or if he should let Grayson go to her first. After all maybe Grayson wasn’t here for Callie and Peter did not want to get her hopes up only to have her hurt in the end.

“Annie, let’s keep this to ourselves.” Peter said. “I don’t want Callie hurt.” Annie nodded.

“I won’t tell but I’m sure I’m not the only one that saw and recognized him. He’s even bigger and seems even more ill tempered than he was before if that is even possible.” she said. Peter didn’t really think that was possible but he just shrugged.

“I’ll never understand what Callie sees in that man.” Annie added and Peter shook his head.

“Me either but whatever it is she sees, she likes it a lot and there is nothing we can say that is going to change her mind.”

Chapter Five

“I’m a grown man, James. You don’t have to come out to the house with me. I can face my father and sister alone.” Grayson said matter-of-factly when he realized that James was following him out of town….

Grayson was pissed that they’d passed through town in the first place. He hadn’t wanted to but James had called him a coward. After knocking James off his horse for the insult, Grayson had determined that he had to go through town or else James would be proven right.

He had felt the stares on him from people that recognized him as he’d ridden down main street. He had done his best to look straight ahead and ignore the whispers. He hadn’t been able to block his ears completely though and he had clearly heard the words
‘brother killer’
and
‘cold blooded murderer’
whispered more than once. Now that they were out of town he was glad to no longer feel all the eyes on him but he was dreading the fact that every step brought him closer to his father.

“I’m going to the house.” James said and Grayson picked up on the nervousness in his tone. Grayson looked over at him. Over the last week they’d been riding together they had fallen back into their old friendship for the most part. Grayson figured it would take time before he was ready to completely forgive the fact that James had truly believed he’d murdered his brother in cold blood. But he knew that James had been right when he’d said that Grayson’s temper had made it easier for everyone to believe bad things about him.

“Why?” Grayson asked. “And why are you nervous? You think my dad is gonna wave his gun at you for bringing me back?” James shook his head and tugged at the collar of his shirt as if it was suddenly too tight.

“I am not scared of your dad.” James replied. “And I’m coming out to the house because my wife is waiting there for me.” Grayson’s eyes widened.

“You have a wife? You never told me you were married. Do I know her? And why is she out at my dads house?”

“Uh yea you know her.” James said and Grayson noticed that James moved his horse several more feet away from his. Grayson raised an eyebrow questioningly.

“Well….? Who is she?” Grayson asked.

“Your sister.” James mumbled. But he mumbled the words so low that Grayson could not understand them.

“Who?” he asked again.

“Your sister.” James said more clearly this time. “I’m married to Lauren. We got married a little over a year ago.” Grayson pulled the reins of his giant buckskin and the horse came to a stop.

“You and my sister?” Grayson growled, his voice low and cold. James was finding it difficult to swallow around the big lump of fear in his throat. Grayson’s temper was a thing of legends and Grayson’s protective nature toward his sister and Callie had always been the quickest things in the world to bring that temper out.

“Uh.. I uh… I married your sister.” James said, trying to sit up straight in his saddle even though his spine seemed to have disappeared. “I love her.” he added hoping that this might soothe the big mans temper. Still Grayson just sat and stared at him. Finally James got tired of waiting for Grayson to respond so he flicked the reins and started back down the road.

It was several long tense moments before he heard Grayson’s buckskin coming up beside him. He glanced at Grayson out of the corner of his eye and was surprised to see that he no longer looked angry.

“Congratulations.” Grayson said. James stuck his finger in his ear to clear the wax away because surely he couldn’t have heard Grayson right.

“Huh?” he said.

“Congratulations.” Grayson said again. “Lauren always did have a thing for you.”

“You’re not gonna break my jaw or bust my head open or snap my neck or give me any other form of physically painful punishment?” James asked. Grayson chuckled.

“No.” he said. “I know the kind of man you are so I know you’ll be good to my sister.”

“Yes I will.” James promised. Grayson nodded.

“And if you’re not then I’ll break your jaw or bust your head open or snap your neck or give you some other equally painful form of punishment.” he said. James nodded then.

“Fair enough.”

888

Grayson saw the outbuildings on his fathers farm come into view. The house was hidden by the trees for the moment but Grayson knew that once they rode around the next bend they would be able to see it. Grayson wondered what his fathers reaction would be to seeing him again.

He fought the urge to turn the buckskin around and hightail it back the way he had come. The last time he had seen his father, he had told Grayson that he was as dead to him as Phillip and had told him, at gunpoint, to leave and never come back. Oh well, he wasn’t here for that old man. He was here for his sister. He would do anything for Lauren.

They rounded the bend in the road and Grayson saw the home he had grown up in for the first time in five years. It looked exactly the same and Grayson stopped and stared at it in shock for several long moments. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting. He guessed he was hoping to see the farm falling apart and in disarray without him around since his life had certainly been falling apart and in disarray since he’d left.

“We’ve put a lot of money into keeping the place up and running.” James said noticing the way his friend was looking around. “We had to hire a couple extra hands to help with the crops and the animals because it was just too much for me and Lauren to do by ourselves once your dad got sick.” Grayson nodded. He looked at the barn and the hog lot. The chicken coop was bigger than the last time he’d been here but the woodshed and the smokehouse still looked the same.

“Have you planted yet?” Grayson asked. James shrugged.

“I’ve been gone a month so I’m not sure. I’d say they’ve gotten a start on it by now.” Grayson nodded and turned his attention back to the two story white farmhouse. The black shutters looked freshly painted and hanging flower baskets lined the porch coloring it with pinks, purples and greens. Before Grayson could say anything else the big black door of the house flew open and a woman ran outside.

“Grayson?” She said and Grayson recognized his sisters voice. His eyes widened. She looked so different than she had five years ago. Gone was the skinny little girl in trousers with a dirty face and tangled hair trying to fit in with her brothers. She was a woman now and clearly had a woman’s body in her tan work skirt and black blouse. Her brown hair was pulled back away from her face. She was smiling happily as she ran toward him.

Grayson jumped from his buckskin and she jumped into his arms. He hugged her tight and spun her around several times before setting her back down on her feet.

“You grew.” he said noticing that her head came up to his chest now instead of his stomach. Lauren looked up at him and nodded.

“So did you.” she said. Her fingers could barely touch as she wrapped her arms around him again. She had missed her brother more than words could say. He was as big as she remembered and she could tell as she hugged him that none of it was fat. He was built like an oak tree just like their grandfather had been. Lauren on the other hand was built like their mother had been and was very slender, almost dainty.

“How have you been, Lauren?” Grayson asked finding it hard to speak around the lump of emotion in his throat. Lauren gave a wary smile and glanced over at James. She wasn’t sure if Grayson knew about him being her husband yet.

“He knows.” James said and Lauren quickly ran to James and let him hold her tight. James kissed her hair enjoying the feel of her tiny body in his arms for the first time in a month. Grayson cleared his throat.

“Can you two give me time to get used to the idea before you start acting like a married couple in front of me?” he asked. Lauren blushed and took a step away from James.

“Grayson, I’m really happy that you decided to come home. I missed you.” Lauren said. Grayson nodded.

“I missed you too.” he replied.

“I’m sorry about how I acted before. I was confused and scared and I…” Grayson cut her off by raising a hand.

“I don’t want to talk about that.” he said quickly and Lauren realized that he still scowled and made a face almost like an angry bear when something made him upset.

“Well then let’s go inside so you can say hello to dad and you can rest for a while. You both must be exhausted.” Lauren said. Grayson shook his head.

“I don’t want to talk to him.” he said stubbornly.

“But, Grayson, he is sick. The doc said he probably doesn’t have more than a few months left to live. Don’t you want to make some kind of peace with him before he goes?” she asked. Grayson shook his head again.

“No. He told me himself that I am dead to him. I came here for you. To give you a helping hand around here and help you in whatever way I can.” he replied. Lauren wanted to argue with him but she knew it would be pointless. Once her stubborn older brother made up his mind there was no changing it.

“Fine. Can we sit on the porch then and talk?” she asked. Grayson’s face softened and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

“Of course. I have a feeling I missed out on a quite a bit while I was gone. You have to fill me in.” Lauren smiled happily.

“I’ll take care of the horses.” James said happy to see the happiness on his wife’s face. He knew how badly she had missed her brother and he was proud that he had been the one to find him and bring him home.

888

Grayson and Lauren sat on the porch and talked for hours. Lauren was happy to see that the longer they talked and laughed the more Grayson started looking and acting like the big brother she remembered. Yes Grayson had always been hot headed and bad tempered but he had also been quick to laugh and his left eyebrow had almost always been raised in a show of constant amusement.

That was why today when he laughed loudly and raised his left brow at her Lauren had nearly burst out in tears. He had looked so haunted and sad when he had arrived that she had worried he would not be the same man he’d been before…. True he still looked a bit sad. His laughter and smiles could not quite clear the dark shadows in his green eyes or ease the tension in his shoulders. But with that one laugh and eyebrow raise she knew her big brother was still in there.

“Well it’s getting dark. I guess I’ll head back into town and get a room. I’ll come back out tomorrow and you can give me some jobs to do around here.” Grayson said standing up. Lauren stood as well and shook her head.

“Don’t be silly, you can sleep here.” she said.

“The hell he can!” Jack Fields said stepping out onto the porch. Grayson looked at his father and was shocked by the change in his appearance. Gone was the proud looking man who had always passed off more as a brother to his sons than a father. He had been replaced by a feeble looking old man with graying hair, a stooped back and crooked knees. His skin was no longer tanned from the sun but pale and almost gray in appearance and he had dark circles around his eyes.

“Dad, please, he came all the way here….” Lauren said tears coming into her dark eyes. Jack shook his head.

“I thought I told you to never come back!” he yelled at his son and Grayson could hear the raspy quality of his voice and the way he seemed to be getting out of breath.

“I came for Lauren. She wrote to me.” Grayson replied. He wanted to feel anger at his father. He wanted to feel that familiar sharp sting of rage but instead looking at this broken and clearly sick man, Grayson felt pity and pain. Regardless of what had happened between them this was still his father.

“Well as you can see the girl is fine.” Jack replied harshly. Then Jack’s eyes fell on the gun on Grayson’s side and his eyes narrowed.

“You still carry that thing!” he demanded his voice raising to the point that it cracked. “The same damn gun you murdered your brother with?” Grayson felt his own anger growing but he tried hard to bite back the words he wanted to yell. He was here for Lauren not his father.

“I’ll be going now, Lauren.” he said looking away from his father. He kissed Lauren’s forehead and was about to turn and walk away when his father grabbed his arm in a hard vice like grip.

“I can’t believe you had the nerve to show your face here again! You killed my son!” he bellowed. Grayson was about to yell back when he saw his fathers legs buckle beneath him as his eyes rolled back in his head. Grayson grabbed him and lifted him up into his arms.

“Daddy!” Lauren screamed with tears in her eyes.

“Is he okay?” James demanded, running over to them. Grayson nodded.

“He just got a little too excited.” he said. Lauren was crying but she motioned for Grayson to follow her into the house. Grayson carried the old man up to his bedroom and laid him in the bed.

“I’ll send the doc out.” Grayson said.

“Grayson, he does love you and he has missed you.” Lauren promised. Grayson shrugged.

“He’ll never forgive me for what happened.” he said. Suddenly Lauren came toe to toe with him and he could see the anger in her eyes.

“It might help if you told us exactly what happened! What happened in that room that made it so you had to kill Phillip?”

“Yeah, son. Go ahead and tell your sister and I why you had to kill the best son I had?” Jack said from the bed. Grayson exploded with rage. He shoved Lauren away from him and into James’s arms.

“Why the hell did you bring me back here!” he yelled at James. “Not a damn thing has changed. Everyone still believes that I killed Phillip while in some stupid drunken rage and in cold blood while he was trying to help me! I will always be the murderer! The brother killer!” Lauren was crying.

“No, Grayson! I don’t think you killed him in cold blood! I just want to know what really happened!” she pleaded.

“Isn’t it enough that I said it was self defense? What happened in that room is between me, Phillip and God and no one else. It was either I kill him or he was going to kill me and quite frankly I wasn’t ready to die!” Grayson yelled. Then he turned to leave but stopped in the door and looked at his dad who was laying in the bed, his face red with anger.

“I’m sorry I killed your best son dad. If I could go back I’d have done things differently. I might as well have died that day anyway since I lost everything I had when I pulled that trigger. Bye Lauren. Bye James.” Grayson walked out of the room and Lauren tried to go after him but James held her back.

“Let him go, honey. He has to work this out for himself.” he said gently. Lauren glared up at him but knew he was right. She turned to her father.

“Shame on you, daddy!” she said sticking her finger in his face. “What would mamma say if she was alive? She would hate that this family fell apart like this and she would be ashamed of you and how you acted today. Grayson came back to us, daddy! Finally after all these years we had him back and you couldn’t even give him a chance!”

“A chance?” Jack demanded though his voice was weak and his breathing was harsh. “He killed Phillip, Lauren. Have you forgotten that? Grayson was always bad tempered and mean! He’s been in more fist fights than all the other men in this town put together! I find it very easy to picture him getting drunk and killing his poor brother!”

“Sir, I’ve never spoken against you before.” James said stepping forward. “But I am going to do it now. Grayson is hot headed. Grayson has a bad temper. Grayson has been in a lot of fights and has a hell of a right hook but Grayson has never killed anyone in cold blood. If he says it was self defense then that is what it was.” James wrapped his arm tight around his sobbing wife and led her out of the room leaving Jack alone with his anger, pain, confusion and thoughts.

888

Grayson wanted to just ride away. He wanted to head back to Kansas and never come back to this place where everyone knew his past but something was holding him back. He tried to tell himself he did not know what it was but he did.

Callie. He had seen his sister and he knew that she was well taken care of. She had a good husband in James and Grayson knew he did not have to worry about her. He had seen his father and realized that yes the old man was dying and, while it caused him pain, he knew there was nothing he could do about it and the old man clearly wasn’t going to make peace with him. The only missing piece for Grayson was Callie.

He wondered if she was still living on that farm with her mother and stepfather or if she had moved out and gotten her own place. Or maybe she was married. He felt his stomach turn and his heart ache at that thought. He wanted to see her, to hold her, to tell her that he’d lied to her all those years ago when he had said that he didn’t love her.

But what if she was like everyone else in this town? What if she believed the story about how Phillip had died? Grayson knew that if she looked at him and he saw the blame or the fear in her eyes that he saw in everyone else’s, it would kill him.

He blew out a long breath and tried to push his thoughts away. It was too late to do anything tonight except go into town and get a room and a hot meal. He hated the thought of being around the people in this town but it couldn’t be helped. He couldn’t head out to Kansas in the pitch black of night with no supplies and the mercantile would already be closed. And, if he made the choice to see Callie, then he couldn’t leave tonight anyhow.

Chapter Six

Callie slid into a clean tan work skirt and a dark blue blouse. She left most of her hair down but pulled some up into her braid to keep it out of her face. She pulled on her black ankle boots and then walked out of the boarding house and into the morning sunlight. She wanted to find Peter before she went to work and apologize for the way she had acted the day before. She knew that he just worried about her and wanted her to be happy.

She knew he did not think that Grayson was good for her but Callie had loved Grayson for her whole life and while she knew he did not love her back she wanted to see him and talk to him. She wanted to assure him that she did not believe the lies about him. She just hoped that James would be able to find him and bring him back to her.

She walked down the wooden boardwalk and then around the back of the town stable where the blacksmith shop was located. She saw Peter there just getting his coals heated up to begin his work for the day.

“Peter.” she said and he turned to face her and smiled.

“Well hello there beautiful!” Peter said walking over to her and wiping his coal dust covered hands on his pants.

“So did you talk to Peggy Sue yesterday?” Callie asked. Peter nodded.

“Yes I did. I used my powers of charm and persuasion and now she’s agreed to have dinner with me tonight.” he replied. Callie smiled happily.

“That’s great!” she said. Peter grinned his lopsided goofy grin and nodded.

“So what brings you out here this morning?” he asked. “Don’t you have some windows you need to be crawling out of?” Callie stuck her tongue out at him and shook her head.

“I am not even going to encourage you by answering that question.” she said. “I am here because I wanted to apologize for getting so upset at you yesterday.” Peter shrugged.

“It’s okay, I’m used to your temper.” he said with a smile. “Besides, after you left I ate your soup.” Callie laughed lightly.

“You eat like a horse. You better slow it down or you’re going to be as big around as Toby Harlin in no time.” she teased. Peter just laughed and patted his belly (which was just a bit pudgier than most).

“Naw.. Peggy Sue likes it.” he said and Callie just laughed and shook her head. Then his eyes became more serious.

“I’m sorry about yesterday too, Callie.” he said. “You know I love you and I just want you to be happy.” He wondered if now would be a good time to tell her that Grayson was back around but decided against it. If Grayson wanted Callie to know he was around then he would tell her himself. Callie nodded.

“I know.” she said. “And who knows, maybe one day a man will come along and sweep me off my feet and I’ll forget all about Gray.” Peter nodded but he didn’t really believe that. Callie was the most loyal person he knew and she would be loyal to Grayson even though she had admitted to Peter that the idiot had said that he did not love her before he’d left.

“Well get to work then.” Peter said wrapping her in a tight brotherly hug. “And no more jumping out of windows cuz I’d hate to have to beat somebody up for looking at my best friends bloomers.” Callie blushed and slapped his arm and then left the blacksmith shop. She made her way back to the main road and was walking toward Annie’s when her stepfathers voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Good morning, Callie.” His voice was cold and made her skin crawl. She turned to look at him and saw that he was smiling at her. The smile didn’t reach his icy blue eyes and it didn’t take the harshness from his sharp features.

“Good morning.” she replied. He walked close to her. Too close as far as she was concerned. Less than a foot separated their bodies. He reached his hand out and ran it down her arm. She shivered and pulled away.

“Is there something I can do for you?” she asked.

“I was hoping that I could take you out to breakfast.” he said. She shook her head.

“I ate at the boarding house.” she replied. “I was actually on my way to work.” He frowned.

“You should come back home to me.” he said. “I would take care of you and you would never have to work.” Callie crossed her arms over her chest but quickly removed them when she saw how it caused his eyes to drop down to her large chest.

She cursed the German blood she had inherited from her grandmother. She was not built small and dainty like most other women in town. She was tall for a woman at nearly five feet and nine inches. She had big hips, a plump waist, a large chest and broad shoulders. Most men were turned off by the way she was built but for some reason her stepfather’s eyes were always roaming over her in a way that made her stomach turn.

“How would you take care of me? The same way you took care of my mother?” she demanded. She saw the anger in his eyes but he hid it quickly and smiled as he ran a finger down her cheek.

“I would take good care of you, my little Callie.” he promised. “You should marry me and find out what a good man I could be to you.”

“I would kill myself before I would marry you. You are disgusting.” she spat. This time he could not hide the rage that covered his face like a mask. He raised his hand and she knew he was going to slap her but suddenly his eyes were drawn to something behind her. She saw him look up and the anger on his face was replaced with fear. Callie was wondering what in the world was wrong with the man when the shadow fell over her. Someone very tall was behind her, blocking the sun. Thomas took several steps back while Callie turned around. She looked up and even though the sun was making it impossible for her to see his face clearly she knew who he was.

“Gray?” she gasped her voice barely more than a whisper. She felt her knees buckle but his strong hands closed around her arms and held her up. He gently moved her aside and took a step toward Thomas who appeared to be, quite literally, shaking in his shoes.

“Is there a problem here, Mr. Whitaker?” Grayson asked and though Callie could hear the anger in his tone, his voice was still the sweetest sound she had heard in five long years.

“N…N…No of course not.” Thomas said.
What the hell is this man doing here!
He thought to himself. He had worked hard to convince this whole town that Grayson was a cold blooded murderer who had killed his own brother just for the hell of it so that Grayson would be forced to leave and would not marry Callie…. He wasn’t supposed to have ever come back!

“That’s good.” Grayson replied. “Cuz for a minute there it looked like you and I might have a bit of a problem.”

“Callie and I were just having a conversation about something we still are not quite able to agree upon.” Thomas replied while smoothing out his black suit and curling his nose at Grayson’s dirty flannel shirt and black trousers.

“A conversation huh?” Grayson asked looking down at the sniveling little bastard he hated more than anyone else on the earth. As far as he knew Thomas had never done anything to him personally but he had made Callie’s life a living hell and for that alone Grayson would hate him forever.

“What was this conversation about?” Grayson said. Callie stepped between them then, finally recovering somewhat from her shock of seeing Grayson.

“It’s not important.” she said quickly. Grayson saw Thomas smile as if he thought he’d won some kind of battle and Grayson growled under his breath.

“When I see a man raising his hand to strike you because of a
conversation
the two of you were having then I happen to think that that conversation is very important.” he said moving her aside again and turning his attention back to Thomas.

“So what was the conversation about?” he asked. Thomas squared his shoulders. If this humongous man wanted to know then he would tell him. Perhaps he could paint Callie in such a light that Grayson would no longer feel so protective of her. Thomas didn’t particularly care for Callie but if he was ever going to get his hands on Frank Logan’s money then he had to marry his daughter.

“Well you see Callie has been trying to get my
attentions
for the last few years. I fought off her advances at first of course since I was married to her mother but since my dear wife has been gone a year now I decided to make an honest woman out of Callie and marry her. The only problem is that now she is claiming to have no interest in me and will not even come out to the house.”

“Why you lying sack of…..” Grayson cut off Callie’s angry shout by pressing his large calloused hand to her lips. Her eyes widened at the contact and she saw Grayson’s green eyes widen as well before he turned back to Thomas and his eyes once again hardened and narrowed.

“You shouldn’t spread lies around town about a lady.” he said matter of factly as he began to fold up the sleeves of his flannel shirt. Thomas swallowed nervously. If this big man wanted to fight with him then he knew he wouldn’t stand a chance. Thomas was not a fighter and Grayson easily had him outweighed by at least one hundred pounds of muscle.

“They are not lies. Of course she would say that they are because no woman wants people to know about her less than lady like behavior.” Grayson cracked his knuckles and rolled his shoulders. Nothing had ever made him fighting mad quite as quickly as hearing someone say bad things about Callie. He didn’t believe for a second that Callie was after her stepfather. He knew more than anyone how much she hated the man.

“Well if you and Callie are done with your
conversation
, I am going to take her to breakfast.” Grayson said working hard to keep from punching the man right in his crooked teeth. He had made a vow to learn how to control his temper a little better. Of course this was pushing his newly set limits.

“Of course.” Thomas said. He was hoping that he had at least put a seed of doubt into Grayson’s mind but judging by the look on his face all he had succeeded in doing was making the man want to beat him to a pulp.

Thomas looked over at Callie who was still staring at Grayson with what could only be described as stars in her eyes.

“My little Callie, we will finish our conversation at a later time.” he said. Callie forced her eyes away from Grayson and glared at Thomas.

“I do not think we have anything else to discuss.” she said matter of factly. Thomas acted as if he wanted to say something but Grayson cleared his throat and it changed his mind. He tuned quickly and walked away.

Callie looked back at Grayson and saw that he looked like a six foot, eight inch nervous wreck as he stood in front of her. She could see fear in his green eyes and she realized his face had not changed much in the last five years but yet he didn’t look the same either. There was so much sadness and pain etched into his face that it literally made her heart ache for him.

“Gray, I missed you.” Callie said coming out of the shocked daze that his sudden presence had her in and throwing her arms around his neck.

Grayson wrapped his arms tight around her waist and lowered his head so he could smell her hair. He smiled when he realized it still smelled of lavenders. It had always smelled of lavenders. Callie pulled away and looked up at him just in time to see the smile disappear from his face. She frowned.

“Did James find you?” she asked. Grayson nodded. His voice seemed to have taken a vacation and all intelligent thought processes had shut down at the feel of her arms around him and her body pressed against his.

“How have you been?” Callie asked. She wished that he would talk to her. It had been five long years since she’d seen him but she was pretty sure she could still read his face and right now he looked nervous and afraid. She wondered why he would be afraid of her.

“I’m alive.” Grayson replied. “You?” Callie shrugged.

“I’m alive.” she said. Grayson wasn’t wearing a hat and he shoved his hand roughly through his dark blond hair and Callie recognized the aggravated/nervous gesture.

“I want to talk to you, Callie.” Grayson said. Callie nodded.

“I want to talk to you.” she replied. Before either of them could say something else Callie heard the whispers begin. She looked over at the mercantile and saw several men and women on the boardwalk. She heard the words ’
brother killer’
and
‘murderer.’
Finally one of the men got brave and stepped off the boardwalk and onto the street.

“You aren’t welcome around here, Grayson Fields.” he said. Grayson recognized him as Garth Corbin. Phillip’s best friend.

“I don’t want trouble, Garth. I just came into town to talk to Callie.” Grayson replied.

“That’s too damn bad!” Garth yelled stepping closer. Garth was tall himself at six feet, but still the top of his head barely reached Grayson’s chin. “You can’t just march back into town after all these years and not expect trouble.”

“This is my home.” Grayson replied. Garths face flashed red. Callie couldn’t see Grayson’s face from where she was standing in front of him with her back pressed against his chest but she could hear his anger in his voice.

“Leave Gray alone, Garth! He has every right to be here!” Callie exclaimed coming to Grayson’s defense. Grayson felt a smile tug at his lips. Callie’s temper was clearly still as bad as it had always been.

“Shut-up, Callie. You should have more sense than to….” Garth started but Grayson interrupted him.

“Don’t you speak that way to her. If you have a problem with me then you take it up with me but you leave Callie out of it.” he said. The tone of his voice left no room for argument.

“I should have known you’d stick up for Callie.” Garth said looking back up at Grayson. “That’s something your brother always talked about. He was proud of you, you know. He used to say, ‘my little brother loves that Callie Logan and he’s just waiting until she’s old enough and he’s going to marry that girl.’ He was proud of you, Grayson. He bragged about how good a man you were all of the time.  I wonder if he even had time to realize he’d been wrong about what a good man you were before you pulled the trigger and splattered his blood all over that room?” Callie’s mouth dropped at Garth’s words. She could feel Grayson’s entire posture change behind her as his body tensed and became as still as the oak trees he was always compared to.

She was about to give Garth a piece of her mind but Grayson spoke first.

“Why don’t you go straight to hell, Garth?” he demanded and Callie could tell he was close to his breaking point. It wouldn’t be much longer before Grayson attacked Garth. Garth however was not about to let Grayson attack him first. Garth didn’t carry a gun and he was happy to see that today Grayson didn’t have his either.

“After I send you there first!” Garth yelled and he pulled a long hunting knife from his belt and lunged, not caring that Callie was in the way. If she got hurt because she was defending this murderer then it was no less then what she deserved.

Callie let out a scream as Garth lunged. She was barely aware of Grayson’s hands on her shoulders until he shoved her sideways and she landed on her stomach on the dusty street. She turned in time to see Grayson sidestep out of Garths way.

Most people assumed that because of his size, Grayson would move slowly and clumsily but instead he had the stealth and grace of a cat. Before Garth could turn to face him again, Grayson’s fist came down hard on his back. Garth went down on his knees in the dirt. He turned, swinging the knife in an attempt to slice Grayson’s legs but Grayson jumped straight into the air, dodging the knife and he kicked his foot out on the way back down, catching Garth’s wrist and causing his knife to go flying through the air and land several feet away with a harmless thud.

Grayson grabbed Garth by the collar of his shirt and held him in place while he slammed his fist into his face. Blood began to pour from Garth’s nose, soaking the front of his shirt and Grayson threw him back down and took a step away as the sheriff Potter came running over.

“Grayson Fields?” he said in shock. Grayson gave a small nod.

“Hello sheriff.” he said. He looked over at Callie, prepared to help her up but realized that Peter Hanes had already pulled her to her feet and had an arm wrapped tight around her shoulders. Grayson felt a moment of jealousy but tried to push it aside. If Callie and Peter were a couple then that was just something Grayson would have to accept. After all, he was the one that had ridden away from her five years before. He turned his attention back to sheriff Potter who was helping Garth to his feet.

“What the hell happened here, Grayson?” sheriff Potter demanded. Before Grayson could reply Callie spoke up.

“Garth attacked us sheriff.  He probably would have stabbed me with that knife if Gray hadn’t shoved me out of the way and then he just kept going at Gray.” she said.

“Why you little….” Garth started toward Callie and he was a frightening sight with his blood covered face but Grayson stepped between the two of them.

“I think you’re forgetting, Garth, that I’ve killed before and I won’t hesitate to do it again if you make another move toward Callie.” he said his voice so low and threatening that it made Callie shiver.

“Jesus, Grayson, I wouldn’t have hurt her.” Garth said taking a step back. “I was just going to tell her off.”

“You aren’t gonna be telling anybody off, Garth, because you’re coming down to the jail.” sheriff Potter cut in.

“Sheriff….” Garth started to argue. Sheriff Potter grabbed him roughly by the arm.

“You can come the easy way or the hard way, Garth, but either way you’re coming. Grayson has just as much right to be in this town as you do and you know I don’t put up with fighting in my town.” he said. Callie kept her eyes on Garth and the sheriff until they disappeared into the jail and she was about go to Grayson when Peter grabbed her arm and turned her around to face him.

“Callie, this is what I was worried about. Grayson is bad news. He’s only been in town since yesterday and already he’s getting in trouble.” he said. Callie’s eyes narrowed.

“What do you mean he came to town yesterday? You knew he was here and you didn’t tell me?” she demanded. Peter shifted his feet and shook his head.

“I figured if he wanted to talk to you he’d find you himself. I didn’t want you to know he was here and get your hopes up and then have him leave again without talking to you.” Callie took a deep breath.

“The only reason I am not going to punch you in the nose is because you are my friend and I know you are just trying to protect me.” she said. Peter grinned.

“Thanks, because quite honestly, you scare me a little bit.” Callie slapped his arm but couldn’t help the smile that came to her lips. The smile left when she saw the seriousness come back to Peter’s face.

“Callie, I love you. You are my best friend. Grayson is bad news. He abandoned you and broke your heart once, don’t let him do it again. Whether cold blooded or in self defense he did murder his brother, and he probably would have killed Garth today if sheriff Potter hadn’t shown up. His temper is dangerous. What if he hurts you?” he said. Callie didn’t know whether to slap him again or laugh. The thought of Grayson losing his temper and harming her was the funniest thing she had ever heard. She was not afraid of Grayson. But the reminder of his abandonment caused her heart to ache. What if he didn’t love her? What if he wasn’t here for her because he wanted to be with her but instead because he had just wanted to check up on a friend?

“Gray won’t hurt me again.” she said with much more certainty then what she was feeling. Peter looked over her shoulder.

“Really?” he asked gently. Callie turned and saw that the two of them were alone. The crowd had cleared and Grayson was gone.

“Where did he go?” Callie demanded. Peter shrugged.

“I don’t know, I was talking to you.” he replied. Callie felt her heart breaking. She brought her hand up to her chest, covering her heart in an attempt to ease the pain she felt there.

“But he said he wanted to talk to me…” she said quietly. Peter laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“You know better than anyone just how good Grayson is at walking away.” Callie turned and Peter figured he was about to get a very loud talking to but instead he was shocked when he realized that she was near tears.

“He probably heard you talking out of your backside and took off.” she accused, barely keeping her tears from falling. Peter sighed and wrapped his arms tight around her in a hug.

“I’m sorry, Callie.” he said. Callie bit her lip to keep her tears from falling as she pulled away from him.

“I have to get to work.” she said. He nodded and was going to offer to walk her there when hoof beats came to a stop behind them. Callie turned to see Grayson seated on the biggest buckskin she’d ever seen. She craned her neck so she could look up at Grayson’s face.

“Did you still want to talk to me?” he asked. Callie could not read his face. She could tell he was very carefully masking his emotions and keeping it blank.

“Of course I do, Gray.” she replied. He nodded and held out his hand.

“I think we’d be better off talking outside of town somewhere.” he said. “That is if you trust me.” Callie looked at his hand. Somehow she knew that if she took his hand and got on that horse, her life would change forever.

She reached out without hesitation and took his hand in hers. She saw his eyes widen with surprise and then his whole face seemed to soften as he lifted her up and sat her sideways in his lap and wrapping his free arm tight around her.

“Grayson, if you hurt her I’ll kill you.” Peter warned. Grayson wondered what kind of relationship Peter and Callie had but decided it didn’t matter. Callie had chosen him. He nodded at Peter and then he and Callie rode out of town.

888

Raymond Collier jumped to his feet when Thomas Whitaker stormed into his office, slamming the door behind him. Raymond sighed as he sat back down in his chair and removed his glasses.

“What can I do for you, Thomas?” he asked.

“Grayson Fields is back.” Thomas replied as he paced the room. Raymond’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Really? I never thought he’d be back.”

“Neither did I but he is and of course he wasted no time in going after Callie.” Thomas said as he threw himself down in the chair on the other side of Raymond’s desk.

“Come on, Thomas, you knew she was never going to marry you.” Raymond said matter of factly. Thomas sneered.

“Well if you would just change that will around I wouldn’t have to marry that big bitch in order to get my hands on Frank’s money.” he said. Raymond shook his head.

“No. I have helped you out as much as I can by keeping the will a secret from Callie but that is as far as I’m taking it. That money and the home are hers on her wedding day. No matter who she marries.” he added. Thomas snorted and slammed his fist down on the desk.

“I did not kill Frank Logan and marry that pathetic Susannah to wind up empty handed!” he said angrily. Raymond sighed and shook his head.

“Frank knew you were sleeping around with Susannah, that’s why he changed the will. He wasn’t about to leave anything to his unfaithful wife.” Thomas snorted.

“I never would have married that useless woman if I had known that Frank left his money to Callie as a wedding present. Six long years I had to put up with that damn whore until I finally gave her enough laudanum to finish her off.” Raymond shook his head. He knew Thomas was a dangerous man and it made him fear for Callie’s safety. Of course Raymond knew that Thomas wouldn’t kill Callie because he wanted her money and he would never get his hands on it if she were dead.

“Thomas, Callie is never going to marry you.” Anger flashed across Thomas’s face and he slammed his fist on the desk again.

“Oh yes she will!” he spat. “Is your cousin still a justice of the peace?” Raymond was caught of guard at the question but nodded.

“Yes.” he replied. Thomas smiled.

“Good. Get in touch with him and get him to town.”

“He’s out in Virginia so it will take time.” Raymond replied. “I still don’t see how that is going to help you. Callie won’t marry you.”

“She won’t have a choice. You’re going to convince your cousin to marry us whether Callie is willing or not or else I am going to pay a little visit to Raymond Junior and his beautiful mother.” Thomas said. Raymond felt both anger and fear fill him.

“You won’t lay a finger on my wife and son!” he shouted. Thomas chuckled and stood up, smoothing out his suit jacket.

“Of course not, Raymond. Just as long as you and your cousin do what I want. I will marry Callie and I will have that money.”

“Grayson will make her a widow just as soon as he finds out what you’ve done.” Raymond argued. Thomas thought for a moment. Raymond was right of course. This plan would not work as long as Grayson Fields was breathing.

“I’ll take care of Grayson.” Thomas assured him. “Let me know when your cousin gets to town.”

Chapter Seven

Callie and Grayson rode in silence. He had left the road and they were riding together through the forest. Callie recognized the small pond as they approached it. She and Grayson had come here a lot before he’d left five years ago. Grayson had taught her how to fish here and Grayson, Phillip, Lauren, Callie and many others they had been friends with had come here together all the time to swim in the summer and play on the ice in the winter.

Callie raised her head from Grayson’s chest as he pulled the buckskin to a stop.

“Is this place okay?” he asked. Callie looked at the long flowing grasses that were waving in the gentle breeze. Orange wildflowers added pops of color to the endless sea of green. The pond was glistening in the bright sunlight and tiny fish kept bringing their mouths up to the surface, to grab the insects floating there, and their disturbances caused ripples to cover the pond. The sunlight danced off of these ripples and waves causing them to sparkle brightly.

Crickets chirped and birds sang and Callie felt her heart begin to race as she realized that she and Grayson were completely alone here in this beautiful place.

“This is perfect.” Callie whispered and Grayson turned and looked down at her. Their eyes locked. Green and blue both full of a mixture of confusion, sadness and love gazed into each other. For a moment Callie was sure that Grayson was going to kiss her but then he cleared his throat and slid her from his lap. She smoothed out her skirt once she was down on the ground and walked away from him. She sat down in the grass beside the pond and stared down into the water.

Grayson couldn’t help but stare at her as he jumped down from his horse and tied the reins to a nearby branch. She was just as beautiful as he had imagined she would be. That light blond hair full of waves as it hung down her back and her tanned face and light freckles paying tribute to the fact that she enjoyed nature and sunlight. She had her side to him but he could see the profile of her tiny nose and her curved jaw. His eyes began to wander down her long neck but quickly flew back to her chin when he saw it quiver. He realized she was about to cry.

He walked over to her and sat down in the grass beside of her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and was surprised when she leaned into him and buried her face in his chest. He could feel her trembling as she cried and he held her tight and kissed her lavender scented hair.

Callie clung to him, almost desperately, grasping at the folds of his flannel shirt with her hands. She had never been one to cry in front of anyone but this wasn’t just anyone. This was Grayson and he was back and he was holding her and for some reason she could not stop her tears from falling.

“Shhh… Callie, sweetheart, why are you crying?” he asked gently.

“Because I never thought I’d see you again.” she replied honestly as she kept her face pressed into his shirt and punched his chest with her clenched fist. “You hurt me so bad when you took off but I need to tell you that I didn’t mean what I said when you left. I don’t hate you.” Grayson smiled into her hair.

“I think we both said some things we didn’t mean that night.” he admitted. Callie knew he was referring to himself saying that he didn’t love her. She knew, had known all along, deep down that Grayson loved her.

“Why didn’t you tell me that night what was going on, Gray? I had to hear about it from my mother and stepfather.” she said pulling away from him and wiping her face dry with her hands as she looked out at the water. Grayson sighed and crossed his arms over his knees.

“Everybody that I cared about, everybody that I thought cared about me, turned their backs on me that night, Callie. Everybody looked at me like I was a murderer… Like I was the lowest form of life. There was hatred and disgust in all of their eyes. I didn’t want to see you look at me that way. It would have killed me if your eyes had looked at me that way.” Callie shook her head and then laid it on his shoulder as they both stared into the water.

“I never would have looked at you that way, Gray.” she said. “Never once did I believe that story Thomas made up about what happened between you and Phillip.” Grayson tensed.

“What do you mean the story Thomas made up?” he demanded.

“He is the one that told everyone you killed Phillip in cold blood.” she said. “Didn’t you know? I assumed that you knew and that was why you acted so angry with him today.” Grayson shook his head.

“No I didn’t know.” he said and he figured it really didn’t matter who made up the story. All that mattered was that everybody had believed it. Except Callie, if she was telling him the truth. “I was angry with him today because of the way he has always treated you.” Grayson said. Callie smiled.

“You always were too protective of me.” she said. He frowned.

“Until I left you.” he said sadly.

“Yeah. Until you abandoned me.” she agreed. “But I understand now why you had to leave, Gray, and I even understand why you didn’t take me with you. But what I don’t understand is why you were gone for five years and never even checked on me once.” Grayson stared out at the water for a long while in silence. Callie heard squirrels fighting off in the woods and a whippoorwill started singing its long lonesome song.

“I thought I was doing what was best for you, Callie.” Was all he said in response. Callie sighed. Grayson never had been one to talk a whole lot and when he believed something it was impossible to make him see things any differently.

“You’re a foolish, stubborn man, Grayson Fields.” she replied and she heard him chuckle.

“I missed you, Callie.” he said knowing that no truer words had ever been spoken. There hadn’t been a single day in the last five years that he hadn’t thought about her smile or the way that she could always make even his bad days seem okay.

“I missed you too, Gray.” she replied. “Do you plan on staying a while or are you going to leave again?”

“I’m staying for now.” he replied and she felt her heart fall at the words ‘for now’. She didn’t like the way they sounded. “But I can promise you that if I do leave again, I’m really hoping I don’t have to do it alone.” Callie bit her lip to try to hide her happy smile. Grayson had hurt her badly once, and while she understood why he had left and she knew that he truly had thought he was doing what was best for her by staying away, she was still afraid of being hurt again.

“So where have you been all this time?” Callie asked him. He sighed and picked a piece of grass and began peeling long strips off of it.

“I just wandered around for the first year. I made it all the way out to Wyoming before heading back this way. I found a man in Kansas that had a big farm. He was looking for somebody to help him out and I got the job. I was there for about four years. Right up until James found me about a week ago.”

“Have you been out to see Lauren?” Grayson nodded and she saw sadness come back in his green eyes as he looked out over the water.

“Yeah.” he said simply.

“How did it go?” Callie asked though she could tell by the look on his face that it hadn’t gone well.

“Not good.” he said with a sigh as he threw the shredded piece of long grass into the pond. “It was going just fine until my father decided to come out and join our conversation. Let’s just say they both still have their doubts about what happened between Phillip and I.”

“I’m sorry, Gray. I know how much your family always meant to you.” Callie said. Their eyes locked and Callie’s breath caught in her chest.

“There is one person that means more.” he admitted. Callie saw his cheeks redden and he quickly looked away from her and stood up. He walked down to the rocky sand closer to the water and started picking up pebbles and throwing them out into the calm pond.

“So you and Peter Hanes, huh?” he asked and Callie could hear jealousy in his voice. She could tell that he was trying to hide It but she knew Grayson too well for him to be able to hide it from her.

“Do you care?” she asked looking down at the toes of her boots. Grayson threw a handful of rocks into the water with so much force that water droplets landed on the grass beside her. She looked over at him and he looked at her and shoved his hand through his hair.

“Dammit, Callie, that’s not fair and you know it.” he said angrily. “You know I care about you. I have always cared about you! I didn’t want to leave you but I had to and I thought that I was doing what was best by leaving you alone so you could move on. I made a mistake and I realize that now so just tell me straight whether or not I’m gonna get a chance to make it up to you.”

“You never did have an ounce of patience.” Callie replied. She stood up and walked over to him as he stood there still as stone and watched her. She could see hope, fear and love in his green eyes. She couldn’t believe this was happening. Five long years she had been waiting for this to moment and here it was.

“Callie…” he said and she knew that waiting for her answer was killing him. She laid a gentle hand on his strong cheek and her heart sped up when he leaned into it just the way he had that night five years ago.

“I still love you, Grayson. Just as much as I did five years ago. You can ask anyone in town and they’ll tell you that I’ve been waiting for you ever since you left because I knew deep down that you did love me and eventually you would come back for me.” Callie saw his green eyes light up as a smile came to his face and all the sad lines and shadows that had been there disappeared.

“I ain’t leaving you again, Callie.” he promised and he pressed his lips gently to hers. Callie was sure her heart was going to explode as it raced in her chest. Grayson’s lips were surprisingly soft against her own as he kissed her and wrapped his big arms tight around her waist.

The rest of the world seemed to disappear as Grayson deepened the kiss and explored her mouth hungrily with his tongue. The sounds of the birds disappeared and the breeze stopped blowing. Nothing existed except the two of them. Grayson forgot about his past and his family. In that moment only Callie was real.

Suddenly the silence and the passion was shattered when a gunshot exploded in the air. Callie heard Grayson grunt and then he stiffened. She heard hoof beats galloping away quickly.

“Are you okay, Callie?” Grayson asked and Callie could hear tension in his voice. She pulled away from him and could see that his face was pale and full of pain.

“I’m fine. Are you okay?” she asked although she knew he wasn’t. He shook his head and turned away from her. She saw the blood soaking through the back of his shirt on his right shoulder blade.

“Oh my God!” she said. “You were shot!” Grayson didn’t say anything as he untied his horse and lifted himself painfully into the saddle.

“Come on, Callie, I think I need to get to the doc.” he said. He could already feel his head starting to swim as the blood poured freely from his shoulder. Callie looked around and wondered if another shot was going to sound.

“Whoever it was is gone, Callie.” Grayson assured her. “Come on let’s go.” He held his hand out and she took it and climbed up into the saddle in front of him.

“Are you going to be okay?” she asked as they started quickly back for town.

“I’ll be fine.” he replied though he knew he might be lying. He was bleeding awfully bad. He could feel her trembling as she cried in his lap and he kissed her hair.

They were nearly to town when Callie felt Grayson slump against her. She looked over her shoulder at him and saw that his face was ghost white and his eyes were closed.

“Grayson Fields! Damn you, you had better wake up!” She exclaimed grabbing the reins from his limp hands. She heard him moan and saw a small weak smile pull at the corners of his mouth.

“I love you, Callie Logan.” he said his voice so quiet that Callie could barely hear him.

“Don’t you dare say goodbye to me, Gray.” she replied through her tears. “You are going to be fine.” Grayson didn’t respond and she felt even more of his weight fall against her back. She knew he was unconscious and she had never felt more afraid in her life. She could barely see through her tear filled eyes as she urged the horse toward town.

She prayed that Grayson would be okay. She begged God not to take this man away from her when she had just gotten him back.

She pulled the buckskin to a stop in front of Doctor Mason’s office on main street.

“Help! Somebody help!” she yelled. She was stuck on the horse. Grayson’s full weight was against her back and she was pinned to the saddle.

“Callie?” Peter said and he came running over from the mercantile just as Doctor Mason walked out of his office.

“Gray got shot. We were down at the pond and somebody shot him in the back.” she said.

“Are you okay?” Peter asked. Callie nodded.

“Please help him.” she begged looking over at the doctor. Peter looked over toward the bank and saw James walking out.

“James! Get over here and help!” he yelled. It took all three men to lift Grayson’s huge frame from the saddle and carry him inside to a bed. Doctor Mason made Peter take Callie out to the porch while James stayed inside to help.

“Peter, he can’t die.” Callie whispered. Peter looked over at Callie who was sitting on the bench with her arms crossed over her stomach. She was staring off into space and rocking back and forth. Her eyes were red and swollen but the tears had finally stopped falling however he figured that was simply because her eyes had run dry.

“What happened, Callie?” he asked scooting closer to her and putting his arm around her shoulders. She gave no indication that she noticed his effort to comfort her as she continued to stare off into nothing and rock.

“We were talking and then we were standing by the water and he kissed me and then someone shot him in the back and rode away.”

“Who shot him?” Peter asked deciding that now was not the time to scold her for moving too quickly with Grayson.

“If I knew that I would have told the sheriff when he asked.” she replied with annoyance and Peter nodded.

“Sorry.” he said. “Everything is going to be okay, Callie. That damn man is bigger than a horse. It would take one hell of a bullet to take him out.” Peter had meant to make her feel better but he could tell by the green color that came to her face that his words had not had his desired effect.

It felt like hours before the door opened and James walked out. Callie jumped to her feet.

“Is he okay?” she asked. James nodded.

“He’s alive. He’s still unconscious but Doc says that could be from the laudanum. It took us a long time to find the bullet because the big guy has a hell of a lot of shoulder.”

“I’m going in.” Callie said.

“I’m going to go out to the house and tell Lauren and Jack what happened.” James replied and he walked away to the bank where his horse was still hitched.

“If you need me, Callie, I’ll be at the shop.” Peter said placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. Callie nodded and then walked into the docs office. The doc smiled at her and pointed to the closed door leading to the back room Grayson was in. She walked into the room and curled her nose at the horrible scent of laudanum and the coppery smell of blood that filled the air.

She walked through the dusty haze the sun cast coming through the window and over to his bedside. She looked down at him laying there and felt new tears beginning to fall. He was lying so still and pale that she would have thought he was dead if not for the steady rise and fall of his chest.

She sat down in the chair beside the bed and laid her head on his chest.

“You gotta wake up, Gray.” she whispered in the silence. The only other sound was the steady ticking of the clock on the wall. “You can’t leave me now. You promised you’d never leave me alone again.”

Callie sat there in the silence with her head on his chest and her hand resting against his cheek. After several long silent minutes the steady beat of his heart beneath her ear lulled her to sleep.

Chapter Eight

“She won’t leave his side.” Peter said to Annie the next day as he sat in the porch swing outside the doctors office with his arm wrapped tight around Peggy Sue. “His fever finally broke last night but still he just lays there and she sits there next to him with her head on his chest.”

“She even talks to him even though he can’t hear her.” Peggy Sue added. Annie sighed and leaned against the porch banister.

“Maybe he can hear her.” she said. “Has the sheriff figured out who shot him?”

“No.” Lauren spoke up from where she was standing wrapped in James arms next to the door. “The sheriff said he probably won’t ever know for sure unless whoever shot Grayson walks up and admits to it.”

“Yeah it could have been anybody. I mean hell Grayson hadn’t been in town a full day before Garth tried to kill him.” Peter said.

“I’m worried about Callie. She hasn’t left his bedside since yesterday morning.” Lauren said. Annie sighed.

“I’ll go get her and make her come out. She needs to go get some food in her.” she said. Everyone on the porch wished her luck and she walked into the doctors office. She made her way to the back room and felt her heart break a little at the sight that met her eyes.

Here was Callie. Strong-willed, high tempered, brave, independent Callie looking like a lost and scared little girl as she laid with her head on Grayson’s chest and stared up at his face while whispering softly. Annie hated to disturb the intimate moment but she knew that Callie had not eaten in over twenty-four hours and she was worried about her.

“Callie.” Annie whispered gently and Callie sat up quickly and her face turned red with embarrassment.

“Hi Annie.” she said. She was not happy that she had been caught talking to an unconscious Grayson. She knew that everyone thought she had gone crazy but she prayed that one of these times she would speak and he would give some indication that he could hear her. She was frightened by his stillness more than anything. No matter how long she stared at him he did not move at all. Not even the twitch of an eyelid.

“How is he?” Annie asked. Callie sighed and wiped her face hoping to remove some of the fatigue she was sure was showing on it.

“Still asleep.” she replied. Annie nodded.

“Come on out and come to the diner and get something to eat.” Callie shook her head.

“No, I can’t leave him.” she said. Annie sighed.

“He’s not going anywhere. Callie.” she said. Callie looked at the woman who had been a second mother to her growing up and frowned.

“Of course he’s not. Why would you say that?” she asked.

“It is okay for you to come on out and get something to eat. He will be right here when you get back. I know you enough to know that you’re worried he’ll disappear if you take your eyes off of him for longer than two seconds.” Callie bit her lip and looked down at Grayson’s handsome face. She knew Annie was right about her worrying Grayson would disappear. She knew it was a ridiculous fear given his current condition but she was afraid that if she left he would wake up and leave her again.

“Just bring me some dinner here.” she said.

“Callie this is ridiculous!” Annie snapped harshly and Callie’s gaze flew back to her. “Poor Lauren is worried sick about her brother and it is unfair of you to cause her to have to worry about her friend too because you refuse to take care or yourself.” Annie knew the best way to get Callie to do what she wanted was to play on her guilt. Callie was the type of person who would do anything for those she cared about and hated having her friends worry about her.

“I did not ask anybody to worry about me.” Callie snapped as she stood up and smoothed out her wrinkled skirt. “I can take care of myself.” Annie’s gaze softened.

“Of course you can.” she said gently. “But you have people that love you and worry about you whether you like it or not. Me, Lauren, James, Peter.. Even Peggy Sue.” Callie couldn’t help but laugh.

“Peggy Sue?” she asked raising her eyebrow. Annie shrugged and grinned.

“Okay, so she is probably just here to make sure you keep your hands off of her man but still…. The rest of us are here because we love you. Now please come with us to the diner and get something to eat so we at least know you’re not going to starve to death.” Callie nodded. She bent down and laid a gentle kiss to Grayson’s cheek before following Annie out the door.

Callie walked outside and realized that the breeze was much colder today. She rubbed her arms to fight off the chill.

“I need to go to the boardinghouse and get my shawl.” she said. Peter stood up and put his arm around her shoulders.

“I’ll go get it. You go on to the diner.” he said. She gave him an appreciative smile and followed Annie, Lauren and James off the porch and down the dusty road toward the diner.

“Go on with them, Peggy Sue. I’ll be along in a minute.” Peter said. Peggy Sue nodded and he kissed her gently and watched her walk away toward the others. Peter walked into the doctors office and back to Grayson’s room. The office was empty while Doctor Mason was out making house visits so Peter wasn’t worried about anybody overhearing him.

“Hey there, Grayson.” he said to the motionless man lying in the bed. “You’re scaring my best friend to death.” Peter sat down in the chair next to the bed.

“You and I never did like each other, Grayson, and that’s no secret. I had a crush on Callie a long time ago but she had eyes only for you and I couldn’t compete with you because I was her age and you were the handsome mature older boy. But now Callie is like a sister to me and I’ll do anything to keep her safe and happy even beg you not to die. I don’t know whether or not you’re a cold blooded murderer.  I don’t really think you are. What I do know though is that up until you lost your damn mind five years ago, you were always there for Callie and even though you tried to deny it back then, you loved her just as much as she loved you.

“You broke her heart when you left. You’re not good enough for Callie, you know. You never were but that doesn’t matter to her. You are who she wants to be with and you and I both know how damn stubborn she can be so I’m left with no choice but to accept it even though I think you’re a hot headed jackass.” Pete stopped talking and just stared at Grayson’s still form. He kept expecting the man to sit up at any moment and break his jaw for saying these things about him but it wasn’t happening and that just made Peter even angrier.

“Listen here, you damn son of a bitch.” Peter exclaimed standing up and pointing down at Grayson. “That damn girl loves you and you broke her damn heart when you took off and left her five years ago! Then you came back and she gave her heart to you all over again and I’m warning you right now, Grayson Fields, if you break her heart again, if you leave her again, if you die on her, so help me God I will piss on your damn grave every chance I get!” Peter turned quickly and stormed out of the room.

Grayson moaned and opened his eyes slowly, blinking and wincing at the pain in his head. He raised his hand and rubbed his face and could feel the two days worth of stubble covering his jaw. He flicked his dry tongue over his chapped lips and looked around the room for something to drink. There was glass of water on the bedside table and after several long, painful moments he managed to sit up and reach it.

As he took several long sips and let the cool water soothe his parched throat he thought about what Peter had said. Grayson had been unconscious during the first few moments but had started to hear Peters words when he reached the part in his speech about not thinking Grayson was a cold blooded murderer.

Grayson was surprised by the relief he felt at hearing there was at least a few people who didn’t believe the stories about what had happened that night between him and Phillip. Grayson shook his head to clear the images of his brother’s enraged drunken face just before he’d pulled his gun on Grayson from his mind. Everybody had loved Phillip. Phillip had always been the level headed of the two brothers. Everyone’s favorite. Grayson had looked up to him and admired him right up until that night. Phillip had lost his mind that night and because of that Grayson had been forced to kill him….

Grayson heard footsteps approaching and Doctor Mason walked into the small, dusty room.

“You’re awake.” he said with surprise. Grayson nodded.

“Yep.” he replied. “But I feel like my head is going to blow.” he added. Doctor Mason nodded.

“You lost quite a bit of blood and you’re dehydrated, that combined with the laudanum I gave you yesterday will make your head hurt.” Grayson nodded and stood up slowly feeling the weakness in his legs.

“Is there a reason you’re getting up so quick. You just got shot and you were asleep for over twenty-four hours… Maybe you should give your body some time.” Doctor Mason said. Grayson shook his head.

“If I’ve been asleep for that long then my body has had plenty of time.” he replied. “Where’s Callie?” Doctor Mason chuckled at the look on Grayson’s face. Grayson was the biggest man that most folks had ever seen and he was damn intimidating when he wanted to be, but right now he looked like a lost little puppy as he asked about Callie.

“She sat by this bed every single second you were in here until about thirty minutes ago when her friends drug her out of here to make her go get something to eat. I came back just as Peter was leaving and I was out in the main office when I heard you moving around in here.” Grayson nodded. He felt a warm feeling in his heart at knowing that Callie had been at his bedside. He had dreamed of her head against his chest and her soft fingers on his face. Her gentle voice had somehow broken through the blackness of his mind and though he could not respond he had heard her words of love. Maybe it hadn’t only been a dream.

“So how bad is it?” Grayson asked trying to look over his shoulder at the bandaged wound.

“Not that bad really. The bullet didn’t go very deep and was stopped completely once it hit your shoulder blade. Whoever shot you forgot about the fact that you’re built like a buffalo and they weren’t using one of those big buffalo hunting rifles.” Grayson chuckled. “Loss of blood was your biggest danger but now that you’re awake I know you’re gonna be fine.”

“I need to get dressed.” Grayson said looking down at his bare torso and dirty pants. Doctor Mason looked over at the remains of Grayson’s tattered, bloodstained shirt they’d had to cut off of him. Grayson followed his eyes.

“Guess I’ll have to go over to the hotel and get me some clean clothes.” he said. Doctor Mason shook his head.

“You need to be resting.” he said. Grayson raised his eyebrow.

“You and I both know this isn’t the first time I have been shot.” he said. “I didn’t stay down the last time either.” Doctor Mason thought back to that day five years ago when Grayson had stumbled into his office with a bullet in his hip. Grayson had not told him how it had happened but then the news of Phillip’s death at Grayson’s hands had reached him and he knew that Phillip had shot Grayson. Mason often wondered why Grayson had never told anyone about Phillip shooting him first but he figured it was none of his business. Grayson must have his reasons and though Mason didn’t understand them he respected them.

“Well if you insist on being up and about then at least promise me you’ll put that arm up in a sling once you get your shirt on. You need to try to keep from moving that shoulder around too much or else you’ll start bleeding again,” Grayson nodded.

“Do you want some laudanum?” Doctor Mason asked. Grayson was about to say yes because the pain in his head and his shoulder was so great it was making him nauseous but then he remembered Callie’s tears over her mothers addiction to the stuff and he remembered how she had always hated it and he shook his head.

“No, I’ll be okay.” he said. Doctor Mason nodded. “Yesterday, Thomas Whitaker said that Susannah was gone.” Grayson said as he went about trying to get his boots on. Doctor Mason leaned against the wall and played with his gray handlebar mustache.

“Yeah she passed away about a year ago. The laudanum and alcohol finally got to be too much for her body.” Grayson felt guilt tear at his heart. He should have been here to help Callie through that. Oh well he couldn’t go back in time and change anything and feeling guilty about it wouldn’t make it better. All he could do was make sure he was there for her from now on.

“Do you have any idea who shot you, Grayson?” Doctor Mason asked. Grayson gritted his teeth and cursed under his breath as he used his right arm to tug his boot on. He took a deep breath through his nose to fight back the pain and then stood up and looked at Doctor Mason.

“No.” he said simply.

“Probably one of Phillip’s friends.” the doc said. Grayson shook his head.

“I don’t think so.” he said laying his hand on the scarred up wooden wall and leaning against it fighting the waves of nausea and pain that were coursing through him. “They would have wanted to make sure I knew they were shooting me. They would have wanted me to know they were getting vengeance and they certainly would have made sure they finished the job.”

“Then who could it have been?” Doctor Mason asked. Grayson shrugged his left shoulder, (his right one hurt too bad) and sighed.

“Don’t know. Don’t care. But if I ever find out who it was I’ll kill them for shooting me while Callie was with me. They could have missed me and gotten her instead.”

“They’d have to be one hell of a bad shot to miss someone as big as you, Grayson.” the doc said with a laugh. Grayson chuckled too and then walked toward the door.

“Thanks for taking care of me doc. I’ll get some money to you.” Doctor Mason shook his head.

“Already paid for.” he said.

“Who?” Grayson asked. If Callie had paid for his treatment he would make sure he paid her back.

“Your father.” Doctor Mason replied. “He came in yesterday around noon and checked on you and paid for your care.” Grayson tried to keep his shock at hearing this from showing on his face but Doctor Mason saw it.

“Well I’m gonna go then.” Grayson said and made his way out onto the dusty street. Doctor Mason followed him out and climbed up into his buggy. He had a few more visits to make before nightfall.

888

Thomas Whitaker walked into Doctor Mason’s office. He was thoroughly pissed that Grayson was not yet dead. He had shot him in the back himself.. The man should have died. Thomas knew that Callie and her friends were at the diner and he knew that Doctor Mason was gone. He would end Grayson’s life for good this time. There was no way he was going to let that giant of a man ruin all his plans and take his money by marrying Callie.

He walked into the dark dusty back room ready to smother the unconscious man with a pillow only to find the bed was empty. Where the hell had Grayson gone? Thomas heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Callie standing in the doorway.

“What are you doing here?” she asked and then her eyes fell on the empty bed. “Where is Grayson?” Thomas walked closer to her and he could see her whole body tense up. He couldn’t wait until Raymond’s cousin got to town so he could just marry this bitch, take her money and then kill her off.

“I came in to check on Grayson. I know what good friends the two of you used to be.” he replied. “I’m not sure where he is. The room was empty when I got here.”

“He left…?” she said aloud. She was speaking to herself not Thomas but he seized the opportunity.

“It looks that way.” he said walking around Callie and shutting the bedroom door silently. “He never was good for you, my dear.” Thomas ran his hand down her arm gently and Callie felt herself shiver.

“What are you doing, Thomas?” she demanded.

“I want to talk to you about us.” he replied. He ran his fingers along her cheek and she jerked away.

“There is no us.” she spat.

“You really should just marry me, Callie. I will take care of you. I will never leave you the way
he
has.” Thomas replied. Just as he was pressing his lips against her ear and she was preparing to drive her knee into his groin the door to the room burst open.

“GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HER!” Grayson yelled in a booming voice so loud that Callie was sure the windows shook. Thomas looked like he was ready to either vomit or pass out as his face paled and he starting stuttering and backing away from Callie with his hands raised.

“You are one sick son of a bitch.” Grayson said using his left hand to grab Callie’s arm and pull her behind him. “She is your step daughter and the fact that you can even think about laying a hand on her or marrying her is just….” Grayson couldn’t think of a word fitting the depth of his repulsion so he just shivered.

“Callie is a beautiful woman and I have very deep feelings for her and want her to marry me.” Thomas said. He wished he could just pull his derringer pistol from his jacket and kill Grayson now but he couldn’t do that with Callie standing here as a witness. Thomas looked up at Grayson’s face, which was full of rage, and realized he’d probably just said the wrong thing.

“There is only one damn man in this room that Callie Logan is going to marry and I can tell you right now he ain’t you.” Grayson growled and then without another word he grabbed Callie’s hand and led her back out onto the street and down to the diner. He led her to the table full of her friends and pulled out a chair signaling for her to sit down. She was still in too much shock from what had just happened to argue and she sat down quickly. He used his left arm to push her in and then sat down in the chair next to her.

The table was silent as everyone stared at the anger on Grayson’s face. No one wanted to be the first to speak and risk the big guys wrath.

“Can anybody here fill me in on exactly what has happened since I’ve been gone and exactly what the hell is wrong with Thomas Whitaker?” Grayson growled. Callie snapped out of her daze then and laid her hand on his arm.

“Aren’t you supposed to be laying down?” she asked. Grayson shook his head.

“No. Now answer me.” he said. Callie sighed and the table full of people did their best to fill Grayson in on the last five years

Chapter Nine

A few hours later Callie and Grayson found themselves alone in Grayson’s hotel room. The sun was setting and the lamps they had lighted cast a glow in the room and cast shadows on the walls. Instead of the romance that most newly reunited couples would be enjoying Callie and Grayson were standing toe to toe having a battle of wills and Grayson was quickly losing.

“You need rest!” Callie said putting her finger in his chest.

“I am fine, Callie.” Grayson replied though he really wasn’t. He was in a hell of a lot of pain and he was feeling a lot of guilt over leaving Callie alone after hearing from her friends about all the hell she’d been through the last five years.

“No you’re not! You almost bled to death yesterday, Gray, and you need to rest.” Grayson sighed. “Now get in that bed and get some sleep.”

“Do you realize that you are the only person in the world that I have ever let boss me around?” he asked as he stretched his long frame down on the too short bed. Callie laughed when she saw that his booted feet hung several inches off the end.

She walked over and pulled his boots off earning a deep rumbling chuckle from him as he looked at her.

“What are you doing?” he asked. She sat his boots at the foot of the bed.

“I am making sure you’re comfortable.” she replied. Grayson held his left arm out and motioned for her to come to him.

“I’d be more comfortable if you would lay down here with me.” he said cursing at the way his heart was beating out of his chest at the thought of her in his bed. He had been dreaming for as long as he could remember of holding her in his arms. Making love to her and falling asleep with her head on his chest. He knew the making love part wasn’t going to happen tonight since he was in so much pain he could barely move but he could hold her in his arms and he could fall asleep with her head on his chest.

“Gray…” she whispered uncertainly and she saw that familiar grin that made his handsome face look boyish and the familiar rise of his amused left eyebrow.

“I just want to hold you while I sleep, Callie.” he assured her. Callie bit her lip and Grayson’s eyes were immediately drawn to her perfect white teeth pressing against her plump pink bottom lip. Callie felt like her body was on fire as she blew out the lamps in the room, pulled off her boots and climbed into the bed.

Her heart had never beaten as fast as it was currently beating as she stretched out on her side and pressed herself against him, laying her head on his chest. She heard the familiar sound of his heartbeat. She knew its rhythms and beats because she had listened to it the whole time he’d been unconscious at the docs.

Grayson wrapped his arm around her and traced patterns on her arm with his fingers. Holding her in his arms like this felt better than he had ever imagined it would. It was almost enough to make him forget about the pain in his shoulder.

“Gray, didn’t doc Mason give you anything for pain?” Callie asked gently.

“I’m not in pain.” Grayson lied and he could practically ‘hear’ her eyes rolling.

“Yes you are.” she countered and she felt his chest vibrate as he chuckled. “Didn’t he give you anything?”

“He offered but I refused.” Grayson replied moving his hand up to her light blond hair and wrapping it around his fingers. It felt like silk against the roughness of his hand.

“Why would you….” Callie stopped talking when the answer to her question popped into her mind. She knew why he had refused the laudanum.

“You fool headed stubborn man.” she scolded, raising up on her elbow so she could look at his face. “You refused it because of me didn’t you?” Grayson refused to meet her gaze as he laid there and remained silent giving Callie all the answer she needed.

“I’m going to go get you some right now.” she said trying to rise. Grayson muttered under his breath and wrapped his arm tighter around her locking her in place. Callie was surprised by the amount of strength he had in just this one arm. She was not a small woman and he was holding her in place as if she were no bigger than a child.

“Gray, let me up. You’re in pain and you need medicine.” she said. He shook his head.

“Callie Logan, I have been waiting for a long long time for the day to come that I could hold you in my arms like this. Now I can handle the pain just fine as long as you’re laying here with me so you’re staying right where you are.” Callie had never heard sweeter words in her life. Sure it wasn’t poetry and his voice had a very possessive and demanding tone to it but coming from Grayson the words made her heart swell.

“Well I wouldn’t want for you to be in pain.” she replied with a smile as she relaxed against him once again and laid her head on his chest. They lay there in silence for long while simply enjoying the closeness and the intimacy. The only sounds interrupting the quiet were the occasional voices floating up to the window from the street below as people went about their evenings and the steady ticking of the clock on the wall.

“Gray.” Callie said finally, ending the silence.

“Hmm.”

“What Garth said yesterday about you always being in love with me and just waiting for me to be old enough to marry…. Was that true?” Callie felt like a swarm of butterflies were attacking her stomach as she waiting for his answer.

“Yes.” Grayson replied. “I knew I wanted to marry you but I was five years older than you and had to wait until you were old enough.”

“Am I old enough yet?” Grayson chuckled and kissed her hair.

“I sure hope so.” he replied. Callie snuggled closer to him and breathed in the scent of soap that was still clinging to his body from the bath he had taken after they’d left the diner.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been here for you the last few years.” Grayson said and Callie felt her heart break at the guilt she could hear in his voice.

“Gray, you have apologized one hundred times already today. I told you I understand why you left. It couldn’t have been easy to have your family and friends turn their backs on you.”

“No it wasn’t.” Grayson replied. “Do you know how much it means to me that when I look in your eyes I don’t see any of the doubt or blame that I see in everyone else’s.”

“I believe in you, Gray. If you say what happened that day was self defense then that is what it was. I understand why your father and Lauren want to hear the full story about what happened but I don’t need to hear it in order to believe you with my whole heart.”

“Phillip had left out early that morning from the farm to go into town. He was hoping to catch the stage before it left town because he was in love with that singer who had been in town and he wanted to ask her to stay with him. He was gone a long time and then the storm hit. Do you remember how bad that storm was that day?” Callie nodded her head against his chest.

“Yes I remember. But, Gray, you don’t have to tell me about this.” she said. She knew that he had kept what happened that day a secret for five years.

“Yes I do have to tell you, Callie. I don’t give a rats ass what anyone else in this town thinks about me other than you. I want you to know what really happened.” he replied. Callie kissed the bottom of his jaw and then laid her head back down and waited silently for him to continue.

“Lauren and dad were worried about Phillip when he still wasn’t home after lunch so I saddled a horse and rode through the rain into town. I found him at the saloon. He was already three sheets to the wind and that shocked me because Phillip had never been a drinker. The saloon was empty other than the bartender and the two of us because of the storm. It had everyone staying at home I guess.

“I asked Phillip what was wrong and he took me upstairs to a room saying he wanted to have privacy. He took his whiskey bottle with him and once we were in the room he broke down in tears. I didn’t know what to do because I’d never seen another man cry before. He said that the woman, I don’t even remember her name now, had laughed at him when he’d proposed to her. She had let him know that he wasn’t the only farm boy she’d been spending time with and he certainly wasn’t enough to make her stay

“I didn’t know what to say. I’d never had to try to cheer my brother up before, he’d always been the one that was there for me. So I told him to forget about the whore and find him a decent woman. This sent him over the edge. He was so damn drunk he didn’t know what he was doing. He attacked me and was trying to beat the hell out of me. I was always bigger than Phillip and since I knew he was drunk I didn’t try to hit him back I just held him down.

“Once he was calmed down some I let go of him and he apologized and started crying again.” Grayson paused a moment before continuing. “Then suddenly his whole face, posture and attitude all changed.” Callie noticed that Grayson’s voice was becoming more cold and more sad with every word he was saying. She looked up at his face. He was staring at the ceiling and even in the darkness she could see the haunted shadows on his face as he remembered that night.

“He accused me of sleeping with her, whoever she was, and I knew then that he was so damn drunk he didn’t have a clue what he was saying or doing because he was the one person who knew how I felt about you and he knew I wouldn’t ever had slept with some singing woman that was passing through.

“The rage in his eyes shocked me because it just wasn’t like Phillip to act that way. I was always the one that lost my temper, not him. I tried to calm him down but it was like he couldn’t hear me as he screamed and yelled. I turned to open the door so I could leave because there wasn’t any getting through to him and that’s when he fired the first shot. It missed and I turned back to him in shock and he fired another shot. The second one grazed my hip.” He paused and Callie laid a comforting hand on his cheek. The clock continued to tick as Grayson took a deep breath, cleared his throat and continued in a voice filled with so much sadness it made her heart ache.

“I remember saying ‘Phillip what the hell are you doing? I’m your brother.’ He was just so angry and drunk and it was like he couldn’t hear me and he wasn’t even the same person. He wasn’t my brother in that moment, he was just some crazy ass man that wanted me dead. He aimed the gun at me again and I knew this time he was going to kill me….” Grayson’s voice broke and he took another deep breath before continuing.

“I didn’t have a choice because I wasn’t ready to die. I pulled my gun and I shot him in the chest. He died instantly and I just stood there. I knew that the thunder and the rain outside had probably hidden the shots we’d fired. I looked down at my dead brother and I couldn’t let it end that way. Phillip had always done everything for everyone. I couldn’t tell people what had really happened. I didn’t want anybody to think less of my brother. So I reloaded his gun but I kept it in his hand because I knew if I didn’t the sheriff would arrest me for murder, and I left.

“I went to Doc Grayson’s to get patched up and I told him Phillip was over at the saloon. I didn’t go home right away. I just kinda rode around in circles in the woods for hours and by the time I made it home my father and Lauren had already heard the story that Thomas had made up. At the time I thought the bartender had made it up since he’d been the only person around but it didn’t matter to me who made it up, all that mattered was that everyone believed it.

“Dad pointed his gun at me and told me to leave and that both his sons were dead to him. Lauren screamed at me and called me a monster. I went back into town but left quickly because the stares and the whispers and the accusations were just too much. The sheriff stopped me in town and told me he believed it was self defense but by then it didn’t matter. I knew I couldn’t stay. I was going to just take off but then I remembered that you would be waiting for me and I couldn’t leave you without saying goodbye.”

“Gray, I’m sorry.” Callie said. She wished there was more she could say but she didn’t know what she could possibly say to make up for all the pain he’d suffered the last five years just because he’d wanted to save his brothers reputation. He had sacrificed his family, friends, everything in his life for his brothers memory.

“Don’t be sorry, Callie, you didn’t do anything and I don’t want your pity. I just wanted you to know what really happened.”

“I love you, Gray.” Grayson squeezed her tighter and kissed her hair. He felt some of the weight he’d been carrying around disappear from his shoulders now that someone else knew what had happened that night.

“I love you too.” he replied. “But there is something that’s been bothering me all day.”

“What?” Callie asked.

“You thought I’d left you didn’t you?” When Callie didn’t respond Grayson realized he needed to be more specific. “Earlier today when you walked into Doc Mason’s office and I was gone, you thought that I had left you.”

“No…” Callie lied. “I didn’t think that.” Grayson nodded.

“Yes you did. Don’t lie to me, Callie, you never were very good at it.” Callie grinned a guilty grin.

“It’s just that I never expected you to come back and now that you are back I just keep expecting you to disappear again.”

“I won’t leave you again.” Grayson promised. Callie nodded.

“Okay.” she said and Grayson felt his heart break just a little when he heard the smallest shadow of doubt still in her voice. “What about what you said to Thomas. Do you really want to marry me still?”

“Of course I do.” Grayson replied. “But I think we need to wait.” he added. Callie sat up quickly and looked down at him.

“Why?” she asked. “I have been waiting to be your wife for as long as I can remember.” Grayson saw her temper flash in her eyes. He had missed the spark that lit up their blueness when she was mad.

“Because you don’t trust me yet.” he replied gently. She rolled her eyes.

“Yes I do.” she said. “I would trust you with my life, Gray.” Grayson smoothed some of her hair from her face and ran his finger along her cheek.

“I know that but you don’t trust me with your heart yet. You still think I’m going to leave and hurt you.” He saw her take a deep breath and knew she was about to give him a piece of her mind so he laid his finger over her lips to silence her. “Now before you say something mean to me, I don’t blame you for not trusting me. I know I hurt you and I know that it’s going to take time for you to trust that I’m not going to do it again. But until I’ve earned that trust back, I’m not gonna marry you.”

“But..” He raised his brow and gave her a stern look and she stopped speaking.

“I’m not going to marry you just to convince you that I’m going to stick around. I’m gonna wait and be at your side everyday for a while. I’m going to be around so much that you are going to get sick and tired of seeing my face and you are going to be begging me to marry you in the hopes that maybe then you’ll get a break from me.” Callie glared at him and he couldn’t help but laugh.

“Let’s get some rest, Callie.” he said.

“You are going to marry me, Gray.” she replied matter of factly. He nodded.

“Yes I am.” he agreed. “Just as soon as I deserve you again.” Callie wanted to argue with him but she knew it was pointless and she could see the lines of fatigue and pain on his face and knew that he needed rest.

“Goodnight Gray.” she said softly. She pressed a gentle kiss to his lips that caused sparks to shoot between them and then laid her head back on his chest.

“Sweet dreams.” he whispered in the darkness. He knew this was going to be the best night of his life thus far because he was finally falling asleep with the other half of his soul wrapped in his arms.

Chapter Ten

“I need to go out to the farm.” Grayson said as he and Callie walked out of the hotel the next morning. The air was already warmer than it had been the day before and Callie was happy that springtime was finally really making its way to western Missouri.

“I need to go get some work done at Annie’s. Trina Phillips is getting married in three days and I still don’t have her dress ready.” Callie replied. Grayson looked back in his memory and found an image of Trina Phillips.

“She’s getting married?” he asked raising his eyebrow. He remembered her as being a short, squat woman who greatly resembled a troll in both build and looks. Callie nodded.

“Yes she is. To the bankers son, Scott Schmidt.” Callie saw Grayson get a far off look in his eye and then he nodded.

“Short guy, skinny, bushy red hair, freckles and really big glasses.”

“He had a growth spurt after you left.” Callie replied. “Now he’s tall and skinny with bushy red hair, freckles and really big glasses.” Grayson laughed loudly and it was the best sound Callie had ever heard and it cleared away every painful line and shadow from his face.

“God, I missed you, Callie. You always could make me laugh.” He wrapped his arms tight around her and hugged her close.

“It is just ridiculous that sheriff Potter lets that cold blooded murderer walk the same streets as the rest of us.” An older woman, that Callie recognized as Miss Rena the organ player at the church, spat as she walked past them. Callie felt her temper flare.

“Good thing Jesus forgives, Miss Rena, because I think that being a judgmental hypocrite is a sin.” She said pulling away from Grayson and sticking her hands on her hips. Miss Rena turned and looked at her.

“Yes, dear, it is a good thing that Jesus forgives because I am sure there is some kind of sin in a woman spending the night in the bed with a cold blooded brother killer and playing whore.”

“Wait just one damn minute now.” Grayson growled stepping forward and pointing one large finger at the older woman. “You can think what you want about me, Miss Rena, but I will not put up with anybody calling Callie a whore.” Miss Rena looked at his finger pointed at her nose and sneered.

“What are you going to do, Grayson? Kill me too?”

“I might.” Grayson replied in a cold whisper. Miss Rena’s face paled and she suddenly looked very ill. She turned quickly and walked away as fast as her old legs could carry her, nearly falling off the boardwalk in her haste. Callie turned to Grayson and shook her head.

“You really should not have told her you might kill her. That’s really not going to help your reputation.” Grayson snorted and crossed his arms over his chest.

“I couldn’t really care less about what these people think of me, Callie.” he said matter of factly. “And there is no way I am gonna let somebody call you a whore without putting the fear of God into them for it.” Callie sighed and laid her hand on his cheek.

“You do care what people think but you are pretty good at acting like you don’t.” she replied. Grayson was about to argue but she laid her finger on his lips. “What am I going to do with you, Gray?”

“If you were smart then you would forget about me and find somebody else that you could be with without turning more than half the town against you.” he replied after grabbing her wrist gently and moving her finger away from his mouth. Callie rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest while cocking her hip to the side.

“Unlike you, I
really
don’t care what these people think about you and I being together. I have been waiting on you to come back for five years and listening to their judgments. As far as I am concerned it’s none of their business.”

“I always knew you were tougher than you thought you were when you were younger.” he said kissing her forehead.

“I have to get to work.” Callie said. “Please be careful today and watch your back. Whoever tried to kill you might decide to give it another go.” Grayson could tell Callie was trying to hide the depth of her fear from him but he knew her too well.

“I’ll be okay, Callie.” he promised. He pulled a derringer pistol from his boot and her eyes widened.

“When did you put that in there?” she asked. He just smiled and tucked it in the waistband of her skirt.

“Keep it with you.” he said. He knew that she knew how to use a pistol because he had taught her when they were kids.

“Why?”

“Because I want you to be able to protect yourself if Thomas messes with you again.” he replied. “And just in case whoever tried to kill me decides that they don’t like you either.”

“Okay, if it will make you feel better I’ll keep it with me.” Callie conceded.

“I’ll see you this evening. I’ll be back to town before supper and we’ll go eat together at the diner.” Grayson gave her a soft kiss and then walked away toward the town stable to get his horse. He cursed at the pain in his shoulder as he rolled it and tried to work the soreness out of his muscles. He painfully saddled his horse while praying that he wouldn’t start bleeding again and earn himself a talking to from both Callie and Doc Mason and then he headed out for the farm staying very aware of his surroundings. There was no way he was going to let someone sneak up on him again and put another bullet in his back.

888

“Grayson!” Lauren called out running from the porch and throwing her arms around her big brothers neck as he jumped from his horse. Grayson grunted in pain and patted her back. She jumped away and smiled guiltily while she wrung her hands.

“I’m sorry I hurt you! I was just so scared that you were going to die and I didn’t really get a chance to hug you or anything at the diner yesterday because you were so angry and I guess I just got carried away.” Grayson chuckled and nodded.

“It’s okay.” he promised. “The damn thing is just sore. It didn’t really go deep at all but it bruised the hell out of my shoulder blade.” Lauren nodded.

“So… You and Callie?” she asked with a twinkle in her brown eyes. Grayson nodded and was unable to stop the goofy grin that came to his face.

“Yes.” he replied simply.

“So what did you come out here for?” Lauren asked. “There is no way I’m letting you work and risk ripping your shoulder open again.”

“People don’t
let
me do things little sister. If I want to do something then I do it.” he replied and Lauren couldn’t help but smile. She was happy to hear that her big brother hadn’t changed much since he’d been gone. He was still just as independent, confident and hard headed as he’d always been.

“Where is dad?” he asked. Lauren looked back at the house and then back at Grayson.

“In his bed. He hasn’t been feeling well.” she replied. Grayson nodded.

“I’m gonna go talk to him and then I’ll find something I can help out with around here.”

“You are not working here today.” Lauren argued. Grayson scowled down at her.

“Don’t you have some damn biscuits or something you need to be baking?” he asked. She slapped his arm and turned on her heel, storming back into the house and he chuckled. Grayson walked up onto the porch breathing deep to fight back his nerves. He unhooked his gun belt from his waist and laid it on the rocking chair. He didn’t want to upset his father with the sight of it like he had a few days ago.

His feet echoed loudly off the silent walls of the hallway as he walked up the stairs to his father’s room. He raised his hand, ran it through his messy hair, which immediately fell back across his forehead, counted to three and knocked on the scarred oak door.

“Come in.” he heard his father’s weakened and raspy voice say. Grayson opened the door, ducking slightly as he walked into the room to avoid hitting his head on the door frame and then stood straight, looking at his father laying in the bed.

“What the hell are you doing here again?” Jack demanded rising up slowly from his bed so he could stand toe to toe with his son instead of looking like an invalid laying in the bed.

“I wanted to thank you for paying the doc for my care.” Grayson replied. He saw anger flash in his fathers green eyes.

“He wasn’t supposed to tell you about that.” he spat. “Anyway I didn’t do it for you. I did it for Lauren because she was so upset. I couldn’t care less whether you live or die, Grayson. As far as I’m concerned both of my sons died five years ago.” Grayson felt the familiar pain deep inside of him. He tried to tell people he didn’t care what anyone thought about him but this man was still his father and he wanted to have a relationship with him again. Unfortunately it didn’t appear his father wanted the same.

“Here.” Grayson said reaching into his pocket and pulling out some money. “I figured I’d pay you back.” Jack slapped Grayson’s hand away and the money fell to the floor. Grayson looked down at his father’s tired face and swallowed hard. He didn’t want his father to know how badly he was hurting.

“I don’t want your damn money, Grayson!” Jack yelled angrily. Grayson felt his patience snap.

“Then what the hell do you want?” he yelled back his strong voice sounding like booming thunder when compared to his father’s weak, raspy shouts.

“I want my oldest son back!” Jack exclaimed grabbing onto the bed post because his legs were growing weak and he was having trouble breathing.

“Well I can’t give him back to you, dad. Phillip is dead.” Grayson replied coldly. Jack nodded and stuck his finger in Grayson’s chest.

“Yes because you killed him.” he spat. Grayson felt the urge to tell his father what had really happened that night. Tell him that Phillip is the one that had lost his mind and fired the first shot at his brother but Grayson knew there was no point. Jack Fields was a stubborn old man that was set in his ways and in his beliefs. No matter what Grayson told him now, his father would never believe that Phillips murder had been anything other than cold blooded.

“Yes I did.” Grayson said and then he turned and walked out of the room with his father yelling at him to never come back. Lauren had heard the argument between her brother and father and she was crying when she tried to stop Grayson on the porch.

“Please, Grayson, he just needs time.” she said. Grayson just grunted and pushed her out of the way. He walked out to the barn and found James raking out the stalls.

“You okay?” James asked setting the rake down and running his hand over his red beard. Grayson nodded.

“I’m perfect.” he replied.

“Do you want to talk about it?” James asked though he already knew the answer.

“Do I look like I want to talk about it?” Grayson demanded shoving his hand through his hair. James shook his head.

“How’s your shoulder?”

“My shoulder is fine.” Grayson lied. “Now give me some work to. I’m sure there is something more useful I could be doing other than standing around here talking to you.” James nodded and sent Grayson to the cow barn to milk since he knew that wouldn’t be too rough on his friends shoulder.

James didn’t let Grayson’s bad temper make him angry. He knew that Grayson had always had a hard time expressing any emotions other than happiness or anger so when he was feeling hurt or upset over something he tended to act like he was pissed at the world.

888

“You can eat supper here.” Lauren said to Grayson that afternoon as he saddled his buckskin.

“No. Dad doesn’t want me in the house and I am going to respect that.” he replied. Lauren nodded sadly and James wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders.

“Besides, Lauren, I’m sure he has dinner plans with a certain tall, hot headed blond in town,” he said. Grayson chuckled and nodded.

“That I do.” he replied.

“Take care of yourself riding into town, Grayson.” Lauren warned and Grayson nodded.

“The bastard won’t sneak up on me again, little sister. I can promise you that.”

“Haha.. Grayson was a bit distracted the first time.” James teased. Grayson nodded and remembered the passionate kiss he and Callie had shared down at that pond and the way the sunlight had danced off the light golden strands of her hair.

“That I was.” he replied. He jumped up in the saddle, clenching his jaw to keep from yelling out in pain.

“I’m glad you’re back, Grayson.” Lauren said feeling new tears filling her eyes. Grayson sighed. His sister had always been the type to cry a lot.

“Me too.” he replied and then he rode away. James led his wife back up to the porch and they sat down together on the swing.

“Do you think Grayson and dad will work things about before dad dies?” Lauren asked as she curled up against James’ chest and he rubbed gentle circles on her back.

“Do you want me to lie to you or tell you what I really think?” he asked. Lauren sighed.

“Tell me what you really think.” she replied.

“Jack is going to die long before he ever forgives Grayson.” Lauren wiped a tear from her face and nodded.

“That’s what I really think too.” she replied. “It would help if Grayson would at least tell us what happened.” she added with frustration. James shook his head.

“No that wouldn’t make a difference to your father. He has it in his mind that Grayson murdered Phillip in cold blood and there is nothing in this world that would convince him otherwise.”

“Well why won’t he at least tell me.” Lauren asked and James could hear how badly her feelings were hurt.

“Because he’s just as stubborn and hard headed as your dad.” he replied kissing her hair. He opened his mouth to say something else but then decided against it and shut it again.

“Might as well tell me what you were wanting to say.” Lauren said and James wondered how she had known when her head was on his chest and she couldn’t see his face. “I love you, James, and I know you better than anybody else. I can tell there is something you’re wanting to say.” Lauren said in answer to his unspoken question.

“It’s just that…” James sighed unsure of how to continue. Lauren waited patiently for him. “All these years everyone has blamed Grayson. Everyone has said that Grayson was the drunk one and Grayson was the one that picked the fight and Phillip was innocent in it all and Grayson shot him for no good reason. What if everyone was wrong?”

“What do you mean?” Lauren asked raising up so she could look at her husbands face.

“Maybe Phillip was the one that was drunk.” Lauren was about to jump to her oldest brothers defense but she stopped herself and forced her mind to think about this new possibility.

“Grayson wasn’t a big drinker back then.” James reminded her. “He never drank enough to get so drunk he’d shoot his brother for no reason… Remember? Every time he’d get real drunk he’d end up spending the rest of the day puking his guts up.”

“Yeah and you used to make fun of him and tell him that for such a big man he couldn’t handle whiskey any better than a woman.” Lauren replied with a smile but then she frowned. “But Phillip wasn’t a drinker either.”

“If you remember though, he had a pretty good excuse to be drinking that day.” James reminded her. Lauren thought back and nodded as she remembered the woman Phillip had been in love with that had left town that day on the stage coach.

“If that bartender hadn’t disappeared the day Phillip died we could have asked him.” Lauren said.

“I always thought it was weird that he left and nobody has even heard from him since.” James replied rubbing his beard as he thought. “And it never made sense that Thomas Whitaker was the one that told everyone the story about what had happened.. I mean I don’t think he was even there.”

“Poor Grayson. Everyone just believed the first story they heard.. Even me.”

“Don’t blame yourself honey. I believed it too at first. But maybe Phillip was drunk and Phillip picked a fight and Grayson had to shoot him.”

“Okay but if that’s what happened then why was Phillips gun fully loaded? Grayson could have just wounded him and taken his gun but he killed him.” Lauren countered. James thought for a moment before responding.

“I can’t say for sure, Lauren, because I wasn’t there but it’s pretty easy to reload a gun and Grayson is the kind of man that would sacrifice everything for somebody he loved.”

“You think Phillip shot at him first and Grayson reloaded his gun so nobody would know? Why would he do that?” James shrugged as he looked out over the woods surrounding them.

“I don’t know and I value my teeth too much to ever question him about it.” he replied. “This is something he wants kept to himself.”

“If he won’t tell me and he won’t tell you… Maybe he’ll tell Callie.” Lauren said hopefully.

“Even if he does Callie would never tell us. She loves Grayson and she knows that he doesn’t want anyone to know.” Lauren sighed because she knew James was right. Lauren heard the sound of the bell ringing in her fathers room. She had given him the bell so he could let her know when he needed something without having to yell or try to make his way down the stairs.

“He must be hungry.” she said standing up. “Come on in and I’ll get you both some dinner.” James stood up and pulled her to him. He laid a hand on either side of her face and angled her face up to his.

“I love you, Lauren. Please try to not worry too much about Grayson and Jack. This is just something they have to deal with on their own.”

“I love you too but I am the only woman in the family and so it is my job to worry about everyone.” she replied. She kissed him gently and then pulled away and walked into the house. James shook his head and followed her.

Chapter Eleven

“Hey beautiful! Wait up!” Peter yelled and Callie stopped walking and waited for him. He wrapped her tight in a hug and she pulled away and glared at him when she saw the coal ash smudged all over her white work dress.

“Dang you, Peter! I wanted to look nice for Grayson.” she said. Peter looked her up and down and winked.

“You still look pretty damn good to me.” Callie just laughed and shook her head. “So have you got plans for dinner?” Peter asked.

“Yes. Grayson should be coming into town anytime now and we’re going to eat at the diner.” The lopsided grin left Peter’s face and he looked at her very seriously.

“Are you spending the night with him again tonight?”

“So what if I am?” Callie asked crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at him. “That is none of your business.”

“Don’t get your bloomers in a bunch, Callie, I’m just trying to look out for you. I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

“I don’t need your protection when it comes to Gray. He won’t hurt me.” she replied curtly. Peter nodded and he wrapped his arm tight around her shoulders and kissed her temple.

“Come on, beautiful, I’ll walk you to the diner and stay with you until the big guy gets here.”

“You better get your arm off of me before the big guy gets here or else he’s liable to remove it for you.” Callie teased. Peter snorted and squeezed her tighter.

“I’m not afraid of him. Nobody is going to keep me away from my Callie.”

“Oh really?” Grayson’s deep voice said from behind them. Callie saw every ounce of blood drain from Peter’s face and his slight double chin worked up and down in fear. He put distance between himself and Callie before turning around.

“Well hi there, Grayson.” he said with false enthusiasm “We were just talking about you.” Grayson nodded and Callie laughed at the amusement on his face. Grayson was clearly enjoying Peter’s obvious discomfort.

“Leave him alone, Gray.” she said walking to him and raising on her toes so she could kiss his cheek.

“I wouldn’t want to come between him and his Callie.” Grayson replied doing his best to sound angry. Although Callie could tell it was an act, it was clear that Peter could not.

“Uh.. I was uh.. That is to say Callie and I are just…” Peter realized he was mumbling so he shut his mouth with a snap.

“Go get us a table, Callie, I want to talk to Peter.” Grayson said.

“Gray…” Callie’s tone was full of warning. Grayson pointed toward the diner.

“Go, Callie. I’ll leave him in one piece, I promise.” Callie looked between the two men. Grayson’s expression showed that he expected to be listened to and Peter’s expression was begging her to stay and protect him. She couldn’t help but walk away to the diner. She still owed Peter for teasing her about seeing her bloomers when she’d climbed out of Annie’s window.

Grayson watched her until she disappeared into the diner and he heard Peter shifting his feet nervously beside him.

“You never were very good at keeping that lost puppy dog look off of your face whenever she would walk away from you.” Peter said. Grayson just shrugged and turned back to Peter.

“Like you said, I never have been good enough for her but for some reason she wants to be with me.” he said. Peter’s face paled.

“You heard me at the docs?” he asked. Grayson nodded.

“Yeah. I believe you called me a hot headed bastard, a son of a bitch and you said something about pissing on my grave, which wasn’t very nice by the way.”

“Sorry about that.” Peter said. “Callie is my best friend and I’m protective of her.” Grayson nodded.

“Thank you for looking out for her the last few years.” he said. Peter looked at Grayson with surprise. He had expected Grayson to break his jaw for saying what he had said or at least yell at him… What he hadn’t expected was for the man to say thank you.

“Sure Grayson.” he replied. “Now go eat some dinner with the woman. She’s been waiting a long time for you to come back.” Grayson nodded and walked away. Peter watched him go into the diner and he prayed that this didn’t end with Callie having her heart broken yet again.

888

Thomas Whitaker was fuming as he sat alone inside his home with only his whiskey bottle for company. He had spoken to Raymond Collier again today and Raymond had let him know it would be two weeks before his cousin would be in town.

Two weeks was a long time and plenty of time for Callie to marry Grayson because Callie was not the type of woman to want a fancy wedding. Thomas had let Raymond know that even if Callie married Grayson before Thomas could kill him, the will was to remain a secret. The lives of Raymond’s wife and son depended on it. Even if Grayson and Callie married before Raymond’s cousin arrived Thomas would still kill Grayson and make Callie a widow and then he would marry her and take Frank Logan’s fortune.

Thomas would leave Callie and Grayson alone for a while. He would wait until their guard was down and then he would figure out a way to kill Grayson once and for all. He leaned back in his chair and stretched his legs out in front of him. He took a long drink of whiskey and smiled to himself. It wouldn’t be long now and he would be a rich man.

888

“So do we need to get working on your wedding dress?” Annie asked Callie three days later as the two women put the finishing touches on some skirts and blouses for the display window.

“No, he won’t marry me.” Callie replied. Annie looked over her small glasses as she ran the needle and thread through a skirt with practiced ease.

“Why not?” she asked.

“He says he wants to wait until he deserves me again.” Callie said with a sigh.

“Well that’s kinda sweet and really stupid all at the same time.” Callie laughed.

“Well that’s Gray I guess. Kinda sweet and really stupid.” she replied.

“So you’ve been staying with him at the hotel?” Annie asked after she stopped laughing and Callie nodded.

“Yes.” she replied. Anyone else asking that would have made Callie angry but this was Annie who had been like a mother to Callie and so she got a free pass to invade her privacy.

“Have the two of you…..” Annie raised her eyebrows suggestively. Callie blushed and shook her head.

“No, we have not.” she said quickly. “For goodness sakes, Annie, the man is recovering from a bullet in the back.” Annie snorted.

“He’s a big man and that was a little bullet!” she replied. “Maybe you need to make the first move on him. Do a little seducing.”

“I wouldn’t even know how to start doing something like that.” Callie replied matter of factly.

“Throwing him down on the bed and kissing him absolutely senseless would be a good start.” Annie replied. Callie blushed again and in her embarrassment she poked her thumb with the needle.

“Ouch!” she shouted sticking her thumb in her mouth.

“Are you okay?” Annie asked with an amused laugh.

“I am just fine.” Callie replied her voice muffled around her thumb in her mouth. “No more talking about seducing men or throwing them down in beds and kissing them senseless, okay?”

“Sounds like fun.” Grayson’s voice came from behind them. Callie nearly choked on her embarrassment and her face flamed red as she turned to face him.

“You okay?” he asked. She nodded and stuck her thumb up in the air.

“I just poked it is all.” Grayson walked toward her and grabbed her wrist gently. He bent down and lifted her thumb to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss against it. Callie felt sparks and flames shoot through her and she could tell by the way Grayson’s eyes darkened that he could feel it too. They stared into each others eyes for several long moments until Annie cleared her throat.

“I believe I can handle the rest of this if you would like to leave a little early, Callie.” she said with a knowing smile.

“No, I can’t….” Grayson covered Callie’s mouth with his rough calloused hand to silence her.

“She’ll be in in the morning.” he said and then Callie nearly screamed with shock when he lifted her into his arms. She threw her arms around his neck and glared at him.

“You are going to hurt your shoulder.” she scolded. He chuckled and kissed her nose.

“My shoulder is fine.” he promised.”Have a good day, Annie.” Grayson said with a nod and then he carried Callie out the door.

Annie sighed and leaned back in her chair. The more time she spent around Grayson and Callie the more she could see what Callie saw in the man. He really loved her and he wasn’t ashamed to let others see just how much. Annie had known Grayson his whole life and after seeing how he’d been acting this past week she was starting to have her own doubts about Phillip’s murder. Grayson had always been hot headed, stubborn and set in his ways but as far as she knew he was as honest as a man could be. Maybe it had been self-defense after all.

888

“Did you see the way everybody stared at us?” Callie asked with a laugh as Grayson kicked the hotel room door closed with dirty heel of his boot.

“I don’t care.” Grayson replied laying kisses along her jawbone. Callie trembled and tightened her hold on his neck.

“It could hurt your quiet, brooding, tough guy image.” Grayson chuckled and felt her tremble as he moved his lips down her long graceful neck.

“I’ve told you before I don’t care about what anyone thinks of me. The only person I care about is you.” Callie moaned his name as he pulled away from her and sat her down on her feet. He walked away and stood in front of the bed.

“So do you think you could show me what you had in mind when you talked about throwing a man down in the bed and kissing him senseless?” Callie’s knees nearly buckled at the intensity in his green eyes.

“Your shoulder….” she said.

“Callie, my shoulder is fine… The rest of me though really needs to feel you.”

“Gray, it’s only been five days, are you sure your’e okay?” Callie asked in a breathless voice. Her body was on fire and begging for his touch but she didn’t want to cause him to hurt himself. Grayson sighed and raised his eyebrow.

“Have I ever lied to you?” he asked. “I promise it’s fine.” He could tell that she still wasn’t convinced. “All right fine. I’ll show you that it’s okay.” Callie felt her heart speed to an out of control rhythm as he undid the buttons of his flannel shirt and slid it off. He dropped it to the floor as her eyes took in the sight of his muscular body. He was tan and solid with layer upon layer of muscle covering his arms, chest and stomach.

She forced her eyes back to his face and saw him run his hand through his blond hair which fell messily back across his forehead. He turned his back to her and looked over his shoulder at her.

“See it’s fine.” he said. Callie looked over the hard smooth planes of his back. She looked at his shoulder and saw that it did look okay. It was already healing and there was no redness or swelling around it. He smiled over his shoulder at her.

“Does it meet with your approval doc?” he asked. Callie nodded.

“Yes you do… I mean it does.” she said and Grayson chuckled when he saw the deep blush color her cheeks. He walked over to her and buried his hands in her long blond hair.

“I love you, Callie. I have loved you for as long as I can remember and I have been dreaming of making love to you for a long time.” Callie could hear the longing and desire in his voice and it made her knees weak.

“I love you too, Gray.” she said her voice breathless from the kisses he was pressing to her neck. Grayson smiled against her neck as she pushed him backwards and led him to the bed. When he felt her hands trying to shove him he allowed her to push him back and he fell onto the bed. There was a mixture of nerves and confidence on her face as she climbed into the bed next to him and pressed her lips against his.

Grayson growled, grabbed her face in his hands and deepened the kiss. Callie moaned and ran her teeth across his lip. Grayson didn’t break the kiss as he rose from the bed and pulled her up with him. He undid her dress and it slid to the floor around her feet.

“God you are beautiful.” he said and his voice sounded deep and rough with passion. Callie ran her hands through his hair and pressed her lips against his neck. She felt him stiffen and groan and felt her confidence rise as she slid her hands down along his chest. She didn’t notice when he slid out of his boots and pants until he lowered her back onto the bed and she felt the heat of his skin as it pressed against her own.

They took their time exploring each others bodies with their hands and mouths. And when finally Grayson could not wait any longer and he slid himself inside of her it truly felt as if he was home… Every painful moment of the last five years was forgotten. None of that mattered now that he had Callie. He had read a book once that said everyone had a soul mate that was made just for them and he knew he was holding his in his arms right now.

Chapter Twelve

Three days later Callie was sitting outside of the diner waiting on Grayson to get back from the farm. She looked out over the dusty street and thought back over the last week and a half since Grayson had come back into her life. Callie should have been happier than she had ever been in her life but something was holding her back.

Grayson worked hard to put on a happy face and try to hide his pain from her but she could see it. She knew that he and his father were still not speaking and Callie had half a mind to go straight to Jack Fields and tell him what a fool he was being and tell him the real story about what had happened between Grayson and Phillip. She would not do that though because it was not her place.

Grayson had trusted her with his secret and she would not betray his trust. She understood his reasons for keeping the story from Jack and although she thought he was being foolish she was also proud of his devotion to his brothers memory.

Most of the whispers around town had stopped. She and Grayson could now walk through the streets without hearing the words ‘brother killer’, ‘cold blooded murderer, or ‘Grayson’s whore.’ Of course the last whisper, ‘Grayson’s whore’ had ended abruptly the first time that Paul Thomas had uttered it outside of the saloon when Grayson and Callie had been walking by and Grayson had proceeded to break his nose. No one else had had the nerve to utter that statement again, at least not where Grayson or Callie could hear them.

Callie knew that she and Grayson needed to speak about their future. She had been putting it off the last few days because she was enjoying their newfound life together but Callie needed to let Grayson know that if he did not want to live here in this town with all of the rumors and bad memories that she would follow him anywhere.

True she loved this town and she had friends here that she would miss dearly but she would do anything to make sure that Grayson was happy and she was starting to doubt that he could ever truly be happy here.

Callie’s thoughts were interrupted when she saw Thomas walking out of Raymond Colliers office. Thomas had a smug smile on his face but Raymond looked angry and scared.

“She must never know, Raymond.” Callie heard Thomas say. Raymond gave a curt nod and then walked back into his office, slamming the door behind him. She watched Thomas mount his horse and ride away before standing and smoothing out her tan skirt. She was very curious as to why Thomas was having meetings with Raymond and who 
she
was and what
she
could never know about.

Callie was about to knock on the green door of Raymond’s office when she heard a horse gallop to a stop behind her. She turned to see James on Grayson’s buckskin, his face full of worry.

“James, what’s wrong?” she demanded.

“It’s Jack. He’s dying and Grayson didn’t want to worry you but I thought that you should know….” Callie didn’t waste another second before reaching out for James’s hand. He helped her into the saddle behind him. They were riding out of town when Peter stopped them.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“Jack is dying.” Callie replied. Peter nodded.

“I’ll be on my way.” he said. Callie shook her head.

“No, you don’t need to worry about….”

“Hush, Callie, you know I’ve never been able to mind my own business.” he argued. Callie simply nodded and then wrapped her arms tight around James’ waist as they galloped out of town.

888

“Grayson Fields, how dare you not come to town and get me yourself.” Callie scolded as she jumped from the horse and ran to Grayson’s arms. Grayson glared over at James and Peter.

“I think some people need to learn how to mind their own business.” he said as he wrapped his arms tight around her and breathed in the comforting scent of lavenders.

“Don’t you dare act like this is none of my business.” Callie scolded.

“Callie, don’t be mad at me. I didn’t want you out here worrying about things. I was going to leave soon anyway.”

“Leave?” Callie demanded. “Gray, you should be up there with your father right now.” Grayson shoved his hand through his hair and shook his head.

“Why? Lauren is up there with him and that’s all he wants. I was told to get the hell out of his house.” he said. Callie could see the pain etched deeply on his face and it broke her heart. She laid her hand on his cheek and raised on her toes to press a gentle kiss to the corner of his mouth.

“I’m sorry, Gray.” she said. Grayson grunted and pulled his face away from her though he kept his arm tight around her waist.

“I’m gonna go check on Lauren.” James said.

“Good. She needs somebody up there with her. The doc left about an hour ago. He said there was nothing else he could do.” Grayson replied. James nodded and walked away.

“Is there anything I can do?” Peter asked. Grayson cleared his throat and looked around.

“Take the horses to the barn and get them something to drink.” he said. Peter nodded and grabbed the reins of the buckskin and his mare and led them toward the barn.

“Gray, you need to go back up there.” Callie said gently. Grayson shook his head and led her up to the porch. They sat down on the swing and Callie curled up against his chest.

“He doesn’t want me there.” Grayson said quietly as he ran his fingers through her hair.

“You need to tell him the truth, Gray.” she said matter-of-factly. “Before it’s too late.” Grayson was silent for a few moments and then he sighed.

“It won’t do any good, Callie. He doesn’t want me around and he wouldn’t believe me if I did tell him. I’d rather just let the man die believing that Phillip was innocent.”

“Do you really think Phillip would have wanted you to sacrifice this much for him? Do you think that he would have wanted you to sacrifice your reputation and your relationship with your family for him?” Callie demanded raising up and looking him in the eye. Grayson looked away from her.

“Phillip’s opinion doesn’t matter anymore. He lost the right to have one when he shot me.”

“What?” Lauren’s tear filled and tired voice came from the doorway. Grayson and Callie both looked over at her with shock. Her brown hair was a mess of tangles and flyaways around her face. The dark circles around her eyes looked like bruises and her face was as pale as snow.

“Nothing.” Grayson replied quickly. Lauren walked toward him slowly and then without warning she swung her hand and caught him sharply on the cheek.

“Don’t you dare lie to me for another second!” she yelled angrily. James ran out the door at the sound of her yell and looked from his wife to his brother-in-law with confusion.

“What’s going on?” he asked. Lauren pointed at Grayson.

“Grayson was about to tell us about the night that Phillip shot him.” she said. Grayson shook his head.

“No, I wasn’t.” he replied.

“Dammit, Grayson! You shot Phillip after he shot you didn’t you? And then you reloaded his gun and kept it a secret so that nobody would think badly about him.” Lauren exclaimed.

“You have an overactive imagination.” Grayson replied. Callie stood up and glared down at him.

“No she doesn’t, Gray. It’s time to tell your family the truth and quit lying to protect your brother! He’s dead, you’re not, and your family deserves to know the truth.” Grayson stood up as well, towering over Callie as he glared down at her angrily.

“Callie, I’m warning you…” Callie snorted and stuck her finger in his chest.

“Warning me of what, Gray? You don’t scare me so quit trying.” she said and she saw every bit of his defenses crumble. He no longer looked tough and intimidating. He was now sad and defeated.

“I did it for Phillip, Callie. I didn’t want anyone to judge him. He didn’t know what he was doing.”

“So it’s true?” Lauren asked. Grayson looked at her and gave a small nod.

“He was drunk, Lauren. He shot me and was going to do it again… I didn’t have a choice.” Lauren stared hard at her brother for several seconds before throwing her arms around his neck and clinging to him while crying tears through his shirt.

“I love you, Grayson. I’m so sorry I ever doubted you.” Grayson patted her on the back awkwardly while he fought back his own tears.

“Go talk to dad.” she said in his ear. “Quickly before it’s too late.” Grayson pulled away from her and was about to refuse when he looked over at Callie and saw her nod.

“Talk to him, Gray.” she said. Grayson sighed. He knew he could not deny any request that Callie made. He nodded once.

“Do you want me to come with you?” she asked gently. Grayson shook his head. Callie pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek.

“I love you.” she said. He nodded and then turned and walked into the house.

Grayson walked into his father’s room and immediately feared he’d come in too late. Jack was lying still as a corpse on the bed. His eyes were open but didn’t seem to be focused on anything as he stared up at the ceiling. Only when Grayson heard the rattling of Jack’s lungs as he took a breath did he realize that his father was still alive.

Grayson walked up to the bed and ran his hand through his hair. He cleared his throat and his father’s eyes looked into his own.

“Hi dad.” Grayson said.

“Hi…Grayson.” Jack said though his voice was barely more than a raspy whisper. His lips were dry and cracked and his old skin was so pale it was nearly translucent.

“How are you doing?” Grayson asked. Jack managed a weak chuckle and for just a moment Grayson saw something other than hatred in his father’s eyes as he looked at him.

“I’ve been better. I…need..to talk to you..” Jack said before a coughing fit hit him. Grayson looked at his father helplessly and then grabbed a glass of water off the bedside table. He lifted his father’s head up off the pillow and helped him take several small sips to calm his coughing.

“I’m sorry about Phillip, dad. I’m sorry I killed him.” Jack shook his head.

“I… don’t understand…what happened.. But I’m sorry.” Jack said. “I don’t.. hate you, son.” Grayson sat the glass back on the table as his eyes filled with tears. He was unable to fight them back and they slid down his cheeks.

“I love you, dad.” Jack nodded and then his entire body stiffened and his breathing became more shallow and harsh.

“Dad! Dad….” Grayson looked at his father helplessly. He listened to his father’s breaths as they became further and further apart and his eyes became less and less focused as the life drained from them.

Grayson waited until there was no sound in the room other than the ticking of the clock. His father’s breathing had stopped.  The shallow, raspy sounds ended quickly and Grayson shook his head in denial.  It just didn’t seem right. Jack Fields had always been a strong man. A stubborn man. Too strong and stubborn to die like this… Quietly in a bed after fighting tooth and nail for his last breaths.

Grayson broke down then. He cried like he had not cried since he’d been ten years old and his mother had died. He clung to his fathers body and buried his face in his shirt that smelled like stale sweat. Grayson didn’t know how long he stayed that way until finally he stood straight and dried his face with his hands.

He felt like his boots weighed one hundred pounds a piece as he made his way back down the stairs and out to the porch.

“He’s gone.” he managed to choke out. Lauren collapsed with heart wrenching sobs into James’s arms. Callie threw her arms around Grayson’s neck and he clung to her almost desperately.

“We’ll go to town and get the undertaker.” Grayson said after several minutes. Lauren nodded and let James lead her into the house. Peter walked up with his and Grayson’s horses.

“Did you tell him?” Callie asked gently as Grayson pulled her up into his lap on the saddle.

“We made our peace.” he replied kissing her hair. “I just thank God I have you, Callie. I love you.” Callie leaned closer into him.

“I love you too, Grayson. You’ll always have me.”

Chapter Thirteen

“Why are we going to the church again?” Callie asked Annie as they rode up the grassy hill to the church in Annie’s small buggy.

“Because the preachers wife, Mrs. Vently, wanted to see us about getting some skirts and dresses made.” Annie replied. Callie crossed her arms over her chest.

“Is there any reason why she couldn’t have come to us like every other person in this town does?” Annie fought to hide her smile at Callie’s bad mood. It had been four days since Jack had died and been laid to rest and Annie knew that Grayson had grown a little distant from Callie during the last few days. Though she knew the real reason for Grayson’s distance she was not about to let it slip to Callie. The girl would find out soon enough.

“Because she asked for us to come meet with her at the church.” Annie replied. Callie didn’t reply and Annie sighed and turned her attention back to the road. As they topped over the hill and the church came into view Callie’s eyes widened slightly when she recognized Peter, Peggy Sue, Lauren and James standing outside the big oak doors.

“What’s going on?” she demanded.

“He’ll tell you.” Annie replied nodding toward Grayson who was riding up on his large buckskin. Callie’s eyes widened as he came to a stop beside the buggy and held his hand out for her. Callie looked at him questioningly but jumped from the buggy and up into the saddle in front of him.

“You all go on in. We’ll be along in a minute.” he said to everybody and then he rode up to the top of the hill. He jumped down and helped Callie from the saddle as well. He walked her over to a large blooming dogwood tree and held both of her hands gently in one of his large calloused ones.

“I love you, Callie.” he said and Callie could hear the nervousness in his voice. She looked up at him questioningly.

“I love you too, Gray… What’s going on?”

“Callie when I left here five years ago I never expected to come back. And when I did come back I didn’t expect to stay. I was going to leave the same night I arrived but the thought of seeing you stopped me. I just wanted to check on you. To make sure you were okay after all these years. I thought for sure you’d be married and wouldn’t want to have anything to do with the likes of me after all this time. Then I saw your face and I saw the look in your eyes when you looked at me and I knew there was no way in this world I could leave you again..

“The biggest regret in my life this far is leaving you behind the first time I left here. I love you, Callie Logan. You are the only person in this world that I need. I’ve always been proud of being independent and not needing anyone but I need you. I know I said I wouldn’t marry you until I was sure I deserved you again but I’m beginning to realize that no matter what I do I will never really deserve you and I’m sick and tired of waiting. We should have gotten married five years ago Callie and while I can’t give you back the years that we lost, I can promise to make every single year we have left together better than the year before.

“Now I don’t have a ring and I can’t afford to give you a big wedding but the preacher is down there waiting and our friends and family are here to support us so….” Grayson got down on his knee and looked up at Callie as tears fell from her blue eyes and slid silently down her cheeks.

“Callie Logan, will you marry me today?” Callie couldn’t believe her ears. She had been waiting for so long for this moment that it truly felt like a dream.

“Is this real?” she asked breathlessly. Grayson looked up at her and prayed that her tears were a good thing.

“Yes honey, it’s real. You’ve got the big, brooding, tough guy down on his knees begging for you.. Please put me out of my misery, Callie.” Callie laughed happily and dropped to her knees in front of him. She laid her hands on his cheeks.

“Of course I’ll marry you, you big dummy. I have wanted to marry you since I was five.” Grayson shouted with joy and stood, lifting her to her feet and wrapping her so tightly in his arms that her feet came off the ground. He spun her around and around while she laughed happily and pressed sloppy tear filled kisses to his cheeks and neck.

“I’ll never disappoint you again, Callie. From this moment on my only reason for living is you.”

888

The next morning Callie woke up to Grayson laying gentle kisses to her shoulder and neck. She moaned and pressed her back closer against him.

“Haven’t you had enough?” she teased sleepily. Grayson shook his head.

“A life time of you wouldn’t be enough.” he replied. “Besides, judging by the way you keep rubbing you backside up against me, I’m thinking you haven’t had enough yet either.” Callie laughed and turned in his arms so she could look up at his face. Her body was sore… It was a good kind of sore but sore none the less.

“Gray…” she moaned as he pressed his lips against her collarbone. He smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Okay, Mrs. Fields. I guess I can let you have a little bit of a break.”

“Oh how kind of you.” Callie replied dryly. “So what are we going to do today?” she asked.

“What do you want to do?” he asked. She shrugged and buried her face in his broad chest.

“Sleep.” she replied. He chuckled.

“Sounds good to me.” They were both drifting back off to sleep when a loud angry knock sounded on the door. Grayson was on his feet within seconds with his pistol in his hand.

“Who is it?” he asked.

“I need to speak with my step daughter!” Thomas Whitaker’s angry voice came from the other side. Callie buried herself deeper under the covers and Grayson threw the door open and glared down at Thomas. Thomas seemed taken aback at first by the sight of the angry six foot eight inch Grayson seething with rage and butt naked with a pistol in his hand.

“What the hell do you need to speak with my wife about?”

“You had no right to marry Callie without my permission.” Thomas bellowed regaining his composure. Grayson snorted and walked back into the room. He found his pants on the floor and pulled them on.

“Last time I checked Callie was a grown woman and you aren’t her pa.” Grayson replied. Thomas’s eyes fell on Callie who had the blankets pulled up to her chin and was watching both men with wide eyes.

“You knew I had my eyes set on the girl. What right did you have to ride in here after all this time and steal her away from me?” Grayson crossed his muscular arms over his broad chest and looked down at Thomas who was over a foot shorter than him.

“And you know that I told you the other day that there was only one person in that room who was going to marry her and it wasn’t you… It looks like I knew what I was talking about.”

“Callie, how could you marry this man who killed his own brother and then ran away for years without so much as a letter to check on you?” Thomas demanded glaring down at her. Before Callie had a chance to respond Grayson reached his breaking point with Thomas Whitaker.

“Get the fuck out of my room!” he growled stalking across the room toward Thomas. Thomas wanted to look brave and unafraid but there was just something about a man like Grayson stalking toward you with a murderous look on his face that made even the bravest man’s legs turn yellow and take off running. He backed up until his back hit the side of the door jam. Grayson stopped less than a foot from Thomas and glared down at the man. His hand was itching to close around Thomas’s scrawny throat and choke the life from him but he fought the urge… He was trying to work on his temper after all.

“You stay away from my wife, Thomas. She is no longer any of your concern and if I find out that you so much as breath in her direction and make her uncomfortable again, I will kill you myself.” Grayson grabbed Thomas by the collar of his fancy suit and slid him up the wall so that their eyes were on the same level.

“Do you understand me, Thomas?” he growled. Thomas’s icy blue eyes were wide with fear and he nodded quickly.

“Yes, Grayson. Yes I understand.” he said. Grayson nodded and threw Thomas out the door. He slammed the door shut and locked it before walking back over to the bed and sitting down on the edge. Callie sat up and got on her knees behind him putting her arms around his neck.

“Well talk about a mood killer.” she joked lamely. Grayson chuckled.

“What the hell is Thomas so hard pressed to marry you for?” he asked. “The man doesn’t like you any more than you like him so what possible reason could he have for wanting you to be his wife?” Callie shrugged.

“I don’t know.” she said. “Do you know how incredibly sexy it is when you get all protective like that?”

“Really?” he asked as he turned his face to press his lips against hers. She nodded and pulled him backwards into the bed just before another knock at the door had Grayson storming across the room and jerking the door open.

“What the hell do you want!” he demanded and then he cleared his throat and shoved his hand through his hair when he realized it was Annie and Peter.

“Wow.” Annie said looking at his bare chest with a raised brow. Peter rolled his eyes.

“Put a shirt on, Grayson.” he said.

“Why, are you jealous?” Callie asked from the bed where she was once again buried beneath the blankets.

“I don’t have to be jealous of the giant. I got Peggy Sue and she likes me just fine.” he said.

“What do you two want?” Grayson asked, not even trying to hide his irritation at having his and Callie’s privacy interrupted again.

“Why was Thomas cussing and yelling as he left the hotel and went to Raymond’s office?” Annie asked.

“He’s been spending an awful lot of time with Raymond since my mom died.” Callie replied.

“Look I would like to know some things too but do you think the conversation could wait just a bit until Callie and I are dressed?”

“Uh.. Yeah sure.” Peter said. “How about you meet us at the diner and we’ll get some breakfast?”

“Fine.” Grayson said and he slammed the door shut in their faces.

888

“So what are we talking about?” Peter asked once all four of them were sitting in the diner and waiting on their food.

“I want to know why Thomas is so dead set on marrying Callie and I’d also like to know where Frank’s money is and why the hell Thomas is living in Frank’s house.”

“Well I have no idea why Thomas wants to marry me.” Callie replied. “And as far as my dad’s money and house goes, I was told that my dad’s money was gone before he died and his will left the land and house to my mom so it automatically went to Thomas when she died.”

“Your father’s money was not gone.” Grayson said matter-of-factly. “Did you see your father’s will for yourself?” Callie snorted and took a sip of her coffee.

“No.” she said.

“Raymond tells her that it’s not any of her business. She’s tried a dozen times since her mother died.” Peter said. Grayson nodded.

“Well after breakfast I believe my wife and I will just have to go have a talk with Mr. Collier.” he said. The server brought out their food and they all began to eat.

“Gray, it won’t do any good… I’ve tried.” Callie said. Grayson just grinned in that charming way that made his rough masculine face somehow look boyishly charming.

“Callie, you have every right to see your fathers will and I think that for some reason Thomas and Raymond don’t want you to and that makes me suspicious. Things will go better this time. I’m your husband so that makes the will my business and when I want something nobody keeps me from getting it.”

“Hell yeah! Maybe it’ll be a good thing that Grayson Fields came back to town after all.” Peter said with a lopsided grin.

“Shut-up, Peter.” Callie said tossing a piece of her scrambled eggs at him before turning to Grayson.

“What makes you so sure that my father’s money wasn’t gone?” she asked even though she had suspected the same thing.

“Callie, my father and I spent a lot of time with your father before he died. I know that his money wasn’t gone.”

“Well then why hasn’t Thomas spent any of it? Trust me, I wasn’t living a life of leisure with him and my mother and I have the stained dresses and calluses on my hands to prove it.” She regretted her words instantly when she saw the guilt on Grayson’s face.

“Callie, I know he hadn’t spent the last of his money and I know he didn’t will it or the house to your mother.” Grayson said after several seconds of silence. Callie pushed her eggs around on her plate finding that her appetite had disappeared.

“How do you know that? Why wouldn’t he have left his money to his wife?” Callie looked over at Annie who was avoiding her gaze as she ate her breakfast. Peter looked just as confused as Callie.

“What do you and Annie know that I don’t?” Callie demanded.

“Tell her, Grayson.” Annie said quietly. Grayson sighed and pushed his plate away.

“Callie, your dad would not have left all his money to your mother because he knew she wasn’t being faithful.” Callie’s eyes widened and she dropped her fork onto her plate with a clink.

“That’s ridiculous! My mother was a lot of things but not an adulteress.”

“She was having an affair with Thomas. Your father found out about it a few weeks before he was murdered. That’s why I’m sure he didn’t will all of his money and property to her.”

“Are you sure?” Callie asked quietly. She wanted to call Grayson a bold faced liar but she knew that Grayson was an honest man and he had never once lied to her. He wouldn’t have any reason to start lying now.

Grayson sighed and nodded.

“I’m sure, honey.” he said. Callie stood up quickly.

“Then I would like to go have that talk with Raymond right now.” she said squaring her shoulders and smoothing out her skirt. Grayson nodded and stood as well.

“We’ll see you all later.” he said and he followed Callie out the door.

“Do you think Grayson will be able to talk Raymond into showing Callie the will?” Annie asked Peter. Peter shrugged.

“Would you tell Grayson Fields no?” he asked. Annie shook her head.

“No.” she replied. Peter smiled and pulled Callie’s plate over to himself to finish off her breakfast.

“Me either.” he replied.

Chapter Fourteen

“Grayson, I’m afraid there is nothing I can tell you that I haven’t already told Callie.” Raymond said as he sat across from Callie and Grayson at his desk. His leg was bouncing nervously and his adams apple was working up and down as he tapped his pen on his desktop.

Grayson leaned back in his chair and stretched his long legs out the best he could in front of the tiny desk.

“I want to see my father-in-laws will, Mr. Collier.” he replied calmly. Raymond’s face paled considerably though he had already heard the marriage news from Thomas.

“Grayson, there is nothing to see.” Raymond replied as he shuffled through some papers on his desk. “Now if you two don’t mind I have work I need to be getting done.” Grayson laid his forearms on the desk and leaned forward.

“Actually we do mind, Raymond. You see that will is very much my wife’s business and I don’t know if you’ve heard or not but I’ve got a bit of a temper when it comes to people not giving Callie what she wants.” Callie bit her lip to keep from laughing as Raymond’s face turned green. She had often wondered why everyone was so afraid of Grayson. Yeah he was big and he looked awfully scary when he wanted to but he was actually pretty harmless… Or at least he was with her.

“I can’t help you, Grayson. Now the two of you need leave my office or else I’ll have to call Sheriff Potter.” Raymond said and Grayson noticed his eyes fly to the green safe in the corner for easily the fiftieth time since they’d come into his office. Grayson nodded and stood up holding his hands up as a sign of peace.

“Okay, we’ll leave.” he said. Callie stood quickly and glared up at him and he saw her temper flare in her blue eyes.

“What do you mean we’ll leave! I want to see that will!”

“Come on, honey, the man said there is nothing to see.” Grayson said turning his back to Raymond and giving Callie a look that clearly said ‘trust me’. Callie nodded and then smiled over at Raymond.

“Thank you for your time, Mr. Collier.” she said politely. Raymond didn’t know what to make of this sudden change in her attitude but he was thankful for it. He tipped his bowler hat to her and then Grayson led her out the door.

Raymond leaned back in his chair and looked at the picture of his wife and son sitting on his desk. He hated lying to Callie but Thomas had made it clear that Clair and Raymond Junior would die if Raymond told her the truth and he would not risk their lives.

“Would you mind telling me why we walked away that easily?” Callie asked Grayson as they made their way back to the hotel.

“Let’s just say I realized he wasn’t going to talk and I came up with a new plan.” he replied. Callie raised her brow.

“What kind of plan?” she asked.

“I’d rather not tell you, that way if I get caught sheriff Potter won’t be able to arrest you.”

“You’re going to do something illegal!” Callie demanded. Grayson shrugged as he opened the door to their room and motioned her inside.

“It’s only illegal if I get caught.” he said. “You have every right to see that will and I’m going to make sure you do.” Grayson shut the door and started laying kisses along the back of her neck. Callie stiffened and pulled away from him.

“I’m not in the mood.” she stated. “I’m going to go see what I can get done at Annie’s.” She started back for the door.

“Callie…” Grayson said reaching for her hand but she moved her hand out of his reach.

“I’m not mad, Gray, but I’m not going to encourage this idea of yours and I’m sure there is something I can be doing at Annie’s.” Grayson stared at the door after she’d slammed it walking out and he shoved his hand through his hair.

He had always known Callie had a temper and a stubborn streak a mile wide but he hadn’t expected it to kick in the day after they got married.

888

Grayson caught up with James later that evening as he walked out of the mercantile.

“James, I need your help with something tonight.” Grayson said. James scratched at his red beard and nodded.

“What do you need?”

“I plan on stealing Raymond Collier’s safe tonight and I need somebody standing guard out front.” Grayson replied in a calm voice as if the two men were merely discussing the weather.

“Have you lost your mind!” James demanded wide-eyed. Grayson shook his head.

“I don’t think so.” he said. Grayson was happy that James and he were back to their old friendship. James no longer acted like he was afraid Grayson would kill him every time he opened his mouth.

“Why are you stealing his safe?”

“Because he won’t let Callie see her fathers will and I think it’s in that safe.” Grayson replied as if this should be obvious.

“So you’re going to break the law for Callie.” James asked shaking his head.

“Yeah.” Grayson replied with a shrug. “Look I don’t need you to do any actual stealing, just keep an eye out by the front door and I’m going to get Peter to watch at the back.”

“Does Callie know about this?” James asked leaning against his wagon full of supplies. Grayson shook his head.

“No.” he said quickly. “She knows I have something in mind but I didn’t tell her what.”

“I’ll bet that didn’t go over well did it?” James asked with a grin. Grayson shook his head.

“No, it didn’t go well at all. But she’ll forgive me.” James sighed.

“You’re my best friend, Grayson. You know I’ll have your back. What time are you doing this?”

“I was thinking about just after midnight.” James coughed and glared up at him.

“How the hell am I supposed to explain to Lauren what I’m doing when I sneak out of the house in the middle of the night?” he demanded.

“I don’t know. Just don’t let her catch you.” Grayson replied. James was mumbling under his breath as he climbed up in the wagon.

“I’ll help you, Grayson, but if she catches me I’m sending her your way.” Grayson laughed.

“I can handle Lauren.” he promised and then he patted James’s horse on the backside and sent him on his way.

Grayson made his way to the blacksmiths shop where Peter was currently pounding out a horseshoe. Grayson stood with his arms crossed in the doorway until Peter looked up and noticed him.

“For chrissakes, Grayson, you scared the hell out of me!” Peter exclaimed as he sat down his hammer. “What are you doing here?”

“I need your help tonight.” Grayson replied. Peter chuckled.

“Is Callie wearing you out? You need me to take over for a night?” he asked with a wink. Grayson took a step forward as he cracked his knuckles and Peter quickly picked his hammer back up.

“I’ve got a hammer.” he stated. Grayson smiled and grabbed a large metal rake off the wall.

“You still feel safe with that hammer?” he asked as he tapped the handle of the rake against his hand. Peter let out a loud laugh.

“You’re alright, Grayson. You’ve changed a lot.” he said as he sat his hammer back down. Grayson sat the rake down as well and nodded.

“So have you.” he replied.

“So what do you need my help with? Did you have any luck getting that will for Callie?”

“No.” Grayson replied with frustration. “That’s why I need your help. I’m going to break into Raymond’s office tonight and steal his safe so I can crack it open and find the will myself.”

“How the hell do you know how to crack a safe?” Peter asked. Grayson was surprised by the question. He had expected Peter to have the same reaction as James but then again Peter always had been a little crazy.

“Phillip and I weren’t always little angels.” Grayson replied with a chuckle. “Dad kept his liquor locked up in a safe like that one and we learned real quick how to crack it open.” Peter laughed loudly.

“Yeah I’d say that’ll do the trick.” he said. “But, Grayson, that safe has to weigh at least four hundred pounds. You can’t just pick it up and walk out of there with it.” Grayson raised his brow.

“I can’t?” Peter looked him up and down and then shrugged.

“Aww hell, yeah you probably can. What do you need me to do?”

“Stand guard at the back. James is gonna stand guard at the front. I’ll go in and get the safe and I want to bring it back here to crack it since that can take a little bit of time. Then once I get what I’m looking for I’ll put the safe back just the way I found it and we’ll finally know what those two men have been working so hard to hide from Callie.”

“Sounds good. What time?”

“A little after midnight.” Peter nodded and picked his hammer back up.

“I’ll be there. I gotta get back to work.” Grayson nodded and then walked back out. He saw Annie and Callie walking out of the diner. They must have eaten dinner without him. He sighed and caught up to them at the hotel.

“Callie, I need to talk to you.” he said. Callie shook her head.

“No you obviously won’t be happy until you’re in jail and I’m alone so I really don’t think I have anything to say to you.” she said. Grayson growled under his breath and then without warning he scooped Callie up and threw her over his shoulder.

“Have a good evening, Annie.” he said though he could barely be heard over Callie’s angry shouts and threats against his life. Annie just laughed and walked away shaking her head.

Grayson stopped at the clerks desk inside the hotel and asked for some hot water to be brought up for a bath and then he carried Callie up to the room and sat her down once they were inside.

“Grayson Fields, just because you are a giant does not mean you can just toss me over your shoulder and boss me around!” Callie scolded angrily. Grayson nodded.

“Yes it does.” he replied fighting back a grin as he saw her blue eyes flash. Before Callie could respond there was a knock on the door and Grayson let in the maids who were carrying bucket fulls of hot water. They filled the tub quickly and then walked back out.

“Who is the bath for?” Callie asked.

“You.” Grayson replied as he walked behind her and pulled the pins from her light blond hair, letting it escape and cascade down her back in waves.

“Gray, I’m not happy with you right now.” Callie said though the fact that she was breathless and pressing her back against him made her words meaningless.

“Yes I know.” he replied as he wrapped his arms around her and began undoing the buttons of her light blue blouse. He pulled the blouse off and tossed it aside before moving his hands down to her skirt.

“You better not get yourself into trouble with whatever it is you have planned.” Callie said as Grayson undid her skirt and it fell to the floor.

“I never get in trouble.” Grayson said laying kisses along her bare shoulder as she stood there in nothing but her thin chemise. She raised her arms over her head and Grayson ran his fingers along her thighs as he grabbed the bottom hem of the chemise and pulled it over her head before tossing it in the corner.

Callie trembled as his hands roamed over her body causing fires everywhere his calloused fingers lingered. She forced herself away from him and walked to the tub swinging her hips slowly to tease him. She heard him growl out her name and smiled to herself. She climbed into the tub and sank down letting the hot water raise to her chin.

“Oh it feels like heaven.” she said huskily and then she bit her bottom lip.

“You’re an evil woman.” Grayson said. Callie looked back at him.

“I could use some help washing my back.” she said. Grayson smiled and began undoing his shirt.

“You can leave your clothes on, Gray.” Callie teased. “You’re only going to wash my back.” Grayson threw his shirt aside and slid out of his pants and boots.

“That’s what you think.” he replied and Callie laughed happily as he slid into the tub behind her.

888

Grayson found James and Peter both waiting for him that night around twelve-thirty in the shadows behind Raymond Collier’s office.

“So I see you managed to sneak away from Lauren.” Grayson said to James as they looked up and down the quiet deserted streets of town.

“Yeah but if she wakes up and catches me gone I will put a bullet in your ass, Grayson.” Grayson just laughed. “What about you? How’d you get away from Callie?”

“Let’s just say she’ll be out until morning.” Grayson replied thinking back on the love they’d made all evening and well into the night. Peter chuckled.

“What about you, Peter?” Grayson asked. “Won’t Peggy Sue be wondering where her man is at?” Peter snorted.

“Peggy Sue don’t tell me what I can and can’t do.” he said smugly. Then he shrugged. “Besides she’s out of town for the next week or so visiting her parents.”

“Alright well let’s get this over with so I can get back home before Lauren realizes I’m gone.” James said. Peter stayed at the back while James and Grayson walked to the front door.

“It’s locked.” James said matter of factly. “How are you going to get in?” Grayson looked up and down the dark empty street and shrugged.

“I hadn’t really thought of that.” he replied. Then without warning he kicked out with his dirty boot and the lock gave way with a crack of splintering wood as the door flew open.

“That was loud.” James said as the two men waited to see if anyone would be alerted by the sound and catch them in the act. Once they were satisfied they had not been heard Grayson grinned.

“It worked.” he said and then he walked inside. Grayson looked around the dark office and his eyes fell on the green safe against the wall. He bent down and hoisted the heavy iron safe into his arms. Peter had been wrong. The safe didn’t weight four hundred pounds, it weighed more like five hundred. He carried it out the door and whistled for Peter who came running around the building.

“Do you need some help?” James and Peter asked him at the same time. Grayson shook his head.

“I got it.” he said. The three men made their way quickly to the blacksmith shop where Grayson happily sat the heavy safe back on the ground and then took several minutes to stretch his back out. Carrying that safe had tested his newly healed shoulder and Grayson was currently feeling the pain.

“So now what?” James’ asked.

“Now I open it.” Grayson replied. He placed his ear against the door of the safe and began to twist the dial.

“What the hell are doing?” Peter asked. Grayson glared up at him.

“I need it to be silent in order for this to work.” he said. Peter nodded and put his hand over his mouth. Grayson smiled when he heard the click and he started twisting the dial slowly in the other direction until he heard the second click. Slowly, slowly he turned it back and at the sound of the third click he twisted the handle and the safe popped open.

“Well I’ll be damned.” James said. Grayson handed a pile full of papers to each man and grabbed a pile for himself.

“All we’re interested in is Frank Logan’s will.” he said. The men got busy going through each paper. They were losing hope as the pile of papers they’d looked through grew taller and the pile still to be checked began to dwindle down to nothing.

Grayson was about to give up and shove everything back into the safe when Peter stood quickly.

“Found it!” he said. “And now it makes sense that Thomas wanted to marry Callie.” Grayson grabbed the will and read over it quickly.

“Yes it does. I believe Callie and I will be going and having a talk with Thomas in the morning

Chapter Fifteen

“So outlaw, did you find what you were looking for last night?” Callie asked when she felt Grayson pressing gentle kisses to her bare shoulders. The morning sun was shining through the window and dancing off of the dust floating in the air.

“Yes I did and I think you’ll be happy.” Grayson replied. He sat up and grabbed the will off of the beside table before holding it in front of her face. She grunted and snatched it away holding it further away from her nose so she could look at it without going cross-eyed.

“Why that no good, lying, piece of….” Grayson cut her off by pressing his finger to her lips.

“My thoughts exactly.” he said.

“All of this time they were hiding this from me…. That’s why Thomas wanted to marry me. Because he knew that I would inherit my fathers money and property on my wedding day!”

“Yeah it looks that way.”

“I want my house back.” Callie said matter-of-factly. Grayson nodded.

“Let’s go have a talk with Raymond and get the deed to the house and then we’ll go out and kick Thomas’s ass off your property.”

“Our property.” Callie reminded him. Grayson nodded and kissed her hair. It looked like he and his wife were going to be staying in Missouri after all.

---

“Where did you get that!” Raymond demanded as Callie held up the will for him to see.

“I found it.” Grayson replied calmly. Raymond’s face was the color of pea soup as he clutched at his stomach.

“Is there a reason you kept this from my wife?” Grayson demanded. Raymond shook his head.

“I uh.. I didn’t want her to marry just to get the money.” he said as he stood from his chair and began pacing around his office. Callie and Grayson looked at each other questioningly and then back at him.

“Why are you so upset, Raymond? Did you and my stepfather have some sort of deal worked out for me? He marries me and takes my money and let’s you have a share of it?” Raymond laughed harshly, though it sounded as if it may have actually been a sound of pain.

“My door was broken this morning. You wouldn’t happen to know how that happened would you?” Raymond demanded of Grayson. Grayson shrugged.

“Yeah I might. Do you think the sheriff would appreciate the fact that you’ve kept this will a secret from Callie for seven years?” he asked. “I’m sure there is something illegal about that isn’t there?” Raymond sat down hard in his chair and looked at the two of them.

“Thomas will not be happy about this.” he said quietly. Grayson and Callie both shrugged.

“I don’t really care how my step father feels. I want the deed to my home so I can go and kick him out of it.” Callie replied. Raymond laughed harshly however it once again came out sounding more like he was in pain.

“Fine.” he said knowing he was defeated. He walked over to his safe and turned the dial to open it. After several minutes of shuffling through the papers he pulled one out and handed it to Callie. It was the deed to her fathers property. Callie stood and smoothed her skirts.

“Thank you, Mr. Collier. I’m just sorry it took so long for you to finally do the right thing.” she said. Raymond just looked at the far wall and waved his hand distractedly. Grayson stood as well and he and Callie walked out of Raymond’s office and headed down the road to the bank.

Schmidt Bank was a large brick building with large white letters across the front bragging about the banks age and safety. They walked up to Trina Schmidt, Scott Schmidt’s new wife, who was the only clerk working behind the dark cherry wooden counter.

“Grayson Fields, I heard you were back in town.” she said with a smile and Grayson realized that she still looked an awful lot like a troll. Even her teeth were small and pointy.

“Yeah I’m back.” he replied. “My wife and I need to speak with Mr. Schmidt.” Trina’s dark eyes widened as she laid a hand on her brown hair that was up in a tight bun.

“You and Callie are married?” she asked. Callie cleared her throat, not at all liking the way Trina’s eyes were staying glued to Grayson.

“Callie is right here.” she said. “And yes we’re married.” Trina cleared her throat and looked over at Callie guiltily.

“I’m sorry.” she said. “I have always found Grayson to be attractive.” Grayson shifted his feet uncomfortably. He liked to hear he was good looking but only when it was Callie talking and he had forgotten just how outspoken and strange Trina was.

“Ed is out on business for the week but Scott is handling everything for him. Let me go check and see if he has a few minutes to speak with you.” Trina said and then she waddled away on her short legs.

“Seems you had a secret admirer all those years.” Callie teased Grayson. Grayson shivered.

“You’re the only one for me.” he replied. Trina waved them toward the large cherry wood door with the brass nameplate on it that read ‘Scott Schmidt’.

“He says he has time.” she said. “Nice to see you again, Grayson.” she added as she looked Grayson up and down.

“Yeah sure.” Grayson replied awkwardly and then he quickly ushered Callie into the office.

“You ready to go get your house back?” Grayson asked as they walked back out into the sunlight. They had placed all of Callie’s newfound money, all forty thousand dollars worth, into an account bearing Grayson’s name. That had been Callie’s idea. She had said that Thomas would be less likely to try to talk Ed into letting him have the money if it was in Grayson’s name.

“Let’s go.” Callie replied. Grayson pulled his pistol and checked it to make sure it was loaded before putting it back.

“Do you have that derringer with you?” he asked Callie. She nodded and lifted her skirt to show the gun sticking out of her boot.

“Do you think Thomas will get violent?” she asked. “I don’t think he has ever hurt anybody.” Grayson didn’t think that was entirely true. He was starting to have his own suspicions about Frank’s death seven years ago.

“Do not use that pistol unless you have to though. Just let me keep you safe if something happens.” he said sternly.

“Yeah right. Like I would just stand by and let something happen to you.” Grayson’s face suddenly became very serious as he looked at her.

“You listen to me, Callie Fields, and you listen to me good. There is no way I would ever want you to sacrifice yourself to try to protect me, do you understand? You are the only thing in this world that I have to live for and if you were suddenly gone then I would have nothing.” Callie smiled and blinked away a tear.

“I love you, Gray, and nothing bad is going to happen to either one of us so let’s just get on out to our house.” Grayson nodded and wrapped his arm tight around her as they walked to the stable.

---

Callie felt tears fill her eyes as she looked upon the home her father had built with his own hands. The home that she had been born in and lived in her whole life until a year ago.

The yellow paint she had always loved was faded, cracked and peeling and now looked more like gray clouds instead of bright sunshine. The green shutters and front door were also faded and cracked and more than one of the shutters were hanging crookedly and being held up by only one stubborn rusted hinge.

The porch banisters were broken and did not look as if they could support the weight of a newborn kitten leaning against them without collapsing. The flower gardens lining the porch and walkway were overgrown and dying and Callie felt her heart break at the sight. She had always put so much work and pride into those flowers.

The barn was not in much better shape than the house with a giant hole in the roof and one of the giant doors hanging crooked. Callie had seen that the field behind the house which had always been her responsibility to plow, plant and harvest when she had lived here with her mother and Thomas was also overgrown and clearly had not seen any care since she’d left. The chicken coop and pig pen were empty. The woodshed and smoke house were in bad need of repair. Grayson let out a long low whistle.

“Looks like we got our work cut out for us.” he said. Callie nodded in silent agreement.

“He has let it just fall down.” she said. Grayson sat her down on her feet and he jumped down beside her. He wiped away her tears with his thumbs.

“We’ll build it back like new, honey. I promise.” she nodded.

“Is he even here?” she asked. Grayson nodded and pointed to the horse that was poking it’s head out of a hole in the side of the barn.

“Thomas Whitaker!” Grayson shouted as they stood at the foot of the porch steps. After several long moments the door to the house opened and Thomas was standing there looking very much like he’d worn his suit to bed the night before.

“Grayson Fields, you are not welcome on my property.” he said glaring at them with blood shot eyes. His gray hair was standing on edge around his face and he looked old and tired.

“Actually this is mine and my husbands property and you are the one that is not welcome.” Callie replied, pulling the deed from her pocket and holding it up to show Thomas. She jerked it away when he reached for it.

“I’d rather just keep hold of it if you don’t mind.” she said. Thomas’s face turned red with rage.

“Where did you get that?” he demanded. Callie folded the deed and put it back in her skirt pocket.

“Why Raymond Collier gave it to me of course. It was in his safe along with the copy of my father’s will.”

“This is my home.” Thomas argued. Grayson stepped forward and laid his hand on the .45 Colt revolver on his hip.

“No, actually this is my wife’s house and you have exactly ten minutes to get your stuff together and get out.” Thomas’s eyes went to Grayson’s revolver and his face paled. He knew he was no match head on for Grayson Fields. The man was bigger then a damn buffalo and Thomas had heard rumors that he was faster than a rattlesnake when it came to drawing that gun.

“Fine.” he said and he turned and walked back into the house. Callie looked up at Grayson with confusion.

“That’s it? He’s not going to fight?” Grayson shrugged but kept his body in between Callie’s and the house. He wasn’t about to let Thomas take aim out of one of those windows and shoot his wife.

“Most people don’t want to fight with me, Callie. Not only am I a big guy with a reputation for having a temper, I’m also a ‘cold blooded murderer’ remember?”

“I guess there are times when that reputation can come in handy.” she replied. Grayson chuckled and then turned his full attention back to the house. He didn’t want Thomas to try something and catch him off guard.

Thomas was fuming as he walked back outside several minutes later with a bag full of what few clothes and personal belongings he had. The tension in the air was so thick that it could easily be felt as he saddled his horse.

“You’re not welcome back here.” Grayson said before Thomas rode away. “If we find anything that you forgot we’ll drop it off in town.” Thomas spit on the ground at Grayson’s feet and then rode away. He would make Raymond Collier pay for this betrayal. Seven long years Thomas had been working to get his hands on Frank Logan’s money.

He had killed Frank and married his whore of a wife. He had killed that bartender five years ago to get rid of the one witness Grayson had in his defense in hopes that Grayson would hang and not be able to marry Callie but no, Grayson had come back and married Callie anyway. And now that no good worthless lawyer had allowed Callie to get her fathers money and property leaving Thomas nearly penniless and completely homeless and also hopeless. He would never have that money now.

Oh yes, Raymond Collier and his beautiful wife and small son would learn what happens when you betray Thomas Whitaker and get in the way of what he wants. And after he was done making them pay, Thomas would kill Grayson Fields and his fat bitch of a wife for taking what was rightfully his.

Chapter Sixteen

Raymond was on edge that night as he listened to Claire singing a lullaby as she tucked little Ray into bed. He heard Ray tell his mother that he loved her and several moments later he heard the shutting of a door and Claire walked back into the sitting room.

Claire wrapped her arms around Raymond’s neck from behind his arm chair and kissed his cheek. Raymond loved this woman more than life. They had been married nearly twelve years before, after several years she had finally gotten pregnant with Raymond Junior and now little Ray was nearly seven and still an only child. Raymond was just thankful that God had given them at least one miracle.

“You act as if something is on your mind tonight.” Claire said softly. Raymond grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her around the chair and into his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist which was still just as tiny as it had been when they’d gotten married.

“It’s nothing, dear.” he replied and he could tell that she didn’t believe him but she respected him enough not to question him further.

“Come on to bed, my husband, and I will take care of you.” She said pressing her lips to his ear. He raised his hand to her soft red curls and smiled.

“Go on.” he said. “I’ll be there as soon as I get this place locked up.” Claire nodded and stood up. He looked up at her warm smile and noticed the tiny wrinkles around her eyes and mouth that hadn’t been there twenty years ago when they’d met. She was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

“Don’t take too long.” she teased and then walked down the hall to their bedroom. Raymond sighed and rose from his chair. He had expected to hear from Thomas by now but still had heard nothing. He nervously looked out the curtains but the night was cloudy and dark and he could not see very far.

He checked the door to make sure it was locked and secured and was about to blow the lamps out in the sitting room and kitchen when he heard a thud in his and Claire’s bedroom.

“Claire, are you okay?” he called out. Silence followed and he felt panic set in. He ran down the hallway and then screamed out in horror when he saw his beautiful Claire lying on the bed with a pool of her own blood around her head, soaking her red hair and the crisp white quilt.

“Claire!” he yelled, running to her and pulling her into his arms. She was sputtering but could not seem to form words as every bit of her life and blood poured from the long cut in her throat. Her dark eyes met his and he could see her pain and her fear.

“I love you, Claire. I am so sorry.” Raymond said through his tears. He looked around the room for signs of whoever had attacked his wife but no one was there.

“Daddy!” Ray yelled from his room. Raymond’s heart froze in his chest when he heard a familiar laugh.

“Let’s go see daddy, shall we?” Thomas said. Raymond’s heart fell into the pit of his stomach when Thomas walked into the room holding Ray by the arm.

“Mommy!” Ray screamed when he caught sight of Raymond sitting in the bed holding Claire’s blood covered and now lifeless body in his arms. Raymond saw this son was pale and his blue eyes were wide and full of tears.

“It’s going to be okay Ray.” Raymond said trying his best to sound comforting. He looked up at Thomas.

“Please Thomas, don’t hurt my son.” he begged. Thomas smiled and Raymond realized that the man had lost his mind. Whatever small shred of humanity that Thomas had once had was gone. His eyes were wild and cold and there was not a sign of guilt, compassion or decency on his face.

“You knew the price you would pay, Raymond. I warned you about what would happen if Callie and Grayson got my money. And do you know what? They have my money. They are in my house and it is your fault.

“No! He stole the will.” Raymond argued desperately though he could see that Thomas was beyond reason.

“You should have hidden it better.” he said. “Now poor Clair and little Ray have to pay for your mistakes.” Ray screamed as Thomas raised the bloody knife. Raymond leapt the from the bed, desperate to save his son but he was too late.

Thomas laughed as Raymond fell to his knees and cradled Ray’s body in his arms. His wife’s blood and his son’s blood mixed together on his skin and clothes and became one.

“You’re a bastard.” Raymond managed to choke out through his tears and pain. Thomas laughed.

“It’s your fault they are dead.” he said. “I won’t kill you, Raymond. We have been friends too long.” Raymond wanted to stand up and beat the life from Thomas with his bare hands but he could not find the strength. His very reasons for living were dead and he was covered in their blood.

“Goodbye. Raymond.” Thomas said. He tipped the kerosene lamp over and it shattered on the bedroom floor quickly igniting in the carpet. Thomas walked out of the room. Raymond stood, cradling his son against his chest and he crawled into the bed beside his wife. He held them both tight in his arms and as the flames grew hotter his body was wracked with heartbroken sobs. He told them both goodbye and screamed in pain as the flames consumed them all.

888

“How’s it going?” Grayson asked walking into the house and wiping his sweaty face on his sleeve. Callie stood up and threw the rag she’d been to wipe down the kitchen floor back into the bucket of hot soapy water.

“I almost have everything cleaned up.” she replied. “How’s it going outside?”

“I got the porch patched up and the shutters fixed but I gotta run back into town and pick up some more nails.” Callie nodded.

“We’ll both go.” she said. “I wanted to get some fabrics for some fresh new curtains.” Grayson held his arm out for her.

“Let’s go then.” he said. Callie wrapped her arm through his and he led her out to where he had his buckskin hooked to the small wagon they had borrowed from James and Lauren the day before when they had made their first trip for supplies.

“Life is finally turning out how I always knew it would.” Callie said as Grayson flicked the reins and they started down the road.

“How’s that?” he asked looking out at the sun shining through the gaps in the trees.

“Well I’m your wife just like I always knew I would be. I finally have my house back that my father built and we are going to fix it back up and soon it will be just as beautiful as it was before my father died” Callie replied tilting her head back and letting a ray of sunlight shine on her face. Grayson felt his mouth go dry at the sight of her long slender neck and he fought the urge to pull the wagon to the side of the road and carry her off into the woods for a few hours.

“I’ll do whatever I can to make your life everything you want it to be, Callie. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, you are all I’ve got.”

“You have Lauren and James.” Callie reminded him.

“You are all I have that I could never live without.” he countered. “I know that because I lived for five years without you and I thought about and missed you every single day. I could never live without you again.”

“For such a big tough guy, you sure are a sweetheart.” Callie teased laying her head on his shoulder. He chuckled.

“Let’s just keep that between us, okay?” Callie yawned into his shoulder and found herself drifting off to sleep.

“Good morning beautiful!” Peter’s voice woke her as Grayson pulled the wagon to a stop in town. Callie sat up quickly and blushed when she realized she had slept all the way to town. She looked up at Grayson but he was glaring over at Peter.

“Don’t you have some other woman to flirt with today? One that isn’t my wife?” he demanded. Peter thought for a moment and then shook his head.

“Nope, I can’t think of any.” he replied. Grayson growled and jumped down from the wagon. He helped Callie down as well and Peter looked at the dirt covering both of them.

“Either you’ve been working hard or you stopped off and had a romp in the woods.” he said with a laugh. Callie rolled her eyes.

“Grow up, Peter.” she said. “We’ve been working on that house.”

“Can I help?” Peter asked.

“Don’t you have something to do at the shop?” Grayson replied pointedly. Peter shook his head.

“Nope. And I’m going absolutely crazy! I’d bug Peggy Sue but she is still gone to her parents and so that leaves me stuck with you two.”

“How special.” Grayson said dryly. Callie laughed.

“Aww.. He’s lovesick.” she said. “You can help us Peter. We need all the help we can get.” Grayson was still grumbling under his breath as he walked away.

“I don’t think he likes me.” Peter said wrapping his arm around Callie’s shoulders as they followed after Grayson.

“I wonder why.” Callie said looking at Peter’s hand that was resting dangerously low on her chest. Peter just grinned his lopsided grin.

“We’re not each others type remember?” he teased.

“Gray’s not really that mean. He’s actually a big softie, he just doesn’t want everybody else to know.” Peter looked at Grayson’s broad back that was wider across than a tabletop and twice as hard and shook his head.

“There is no way that gigantic monster of a man is a big softie.” he said. Callie slapped him on the back of the head.

“Yes he is.”

“Quit talking about me, Callie. We were supposed to keep that between us.” Grayson interrupted from in front of them.

“No we were supposed to keep the fact that you’re a sweetheart between us.” Callie reminded him. He sighed and turned to face them.

“Can I borrow her for a minute?” he asked Peter. Peter let her go and nodded. Grayson grabbed Callie’s arm and pulled her tight into his arms.

“What am I going to do with you, Callie Fields?” he asked her gently as he smoothed her hair. She smiled up at him.

“Love me forever.” He smiled and his green eyes filled with love.

“I think that’s pretty much a guarantee.” he replied. Peter rolled his eyes.

“You’re right, Callie. A big old softie sweetheart.” he said. Grayson glared over at him and Peter took a step back. His spirit was brave but his damn legs were nothing but yellow cowards.

“A big old softie sweetheart who could kick my ass with one hand.” Peter amended.

The three of them got the rest of the supplies they were needing and as they were loading up the wagon and getting ready to head to the house, sheriff Potter came walking over.

“Grayson, I need to talk to you.” he said, his voice and the look on his face full of seriousness.

“What seems to be the problem, sheriff?” Grayson asked calmly. He figured that either Raymond Collier had run crying to the sheriff over Grayson breaking into his safe or Thomas Whitaker had run crying to the sheriff over being kicked out of Callie’s home.

“Maybe we should talk privately.” sheriff Potter replied throwing a meaningful glance at Callie. Callie crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head.

“Anything you have to say to my husband, you can say in front of me.” sheriff Potter nodded. Peter crouched down where he was standing in the back of the wagon so he could hear the sheriff more clearly.

“Raymond Collier and his family were found dead last night. Their house was burned to the ground while they were inside.” Callie gasped and Grayson and Peter both shared a look of surprise.

“Was the fire accidental or was it arson?” Grayson asked. The sheriff shrugged.

“I don’t think it was an accident but then again that’s pretty hard to prove.”

“What does this have to do with my husband?” Callie asked.

“Well, ma’am, I hear that you and your husband were the last clients that Raymond Collier saw yesterday and after you left he was on edge and nervous the rest of the day.”

“You think Gray had something to do with their deaths?” she demanded. “I am sick and tired of people thinking bad things about my husband! He is a good man and he is not a murderer and if you would just quit being such a judgmental hypocrite you would realize that we got what we wanted from Raymond Collier yesterday and Gray would have had zero reason to want to hurt him or his family!” Sheriff Potter took a step back as he stared down Callie’s temper. Her blue eyes were flashing and her cheeks were flushed as she swung her hands and stomped her feet to emphasize her words.

“Callie, I have to question everybody that could be a suspect.”

“He is not….” Grayson put his hand over Callie’s mouth to stop her from going on yet another rant.

“Callie, the sheriff is not out to get me. He has every right to question me and if you remember he stuck up for me with Phillip so he’s not trying to make me out to be a murderer.” Callie took a deep breath beneath his hand and nodded. Grayson moved his hand and Callie looked back at sheriff Potter.

“I’m sorry about that, sheriff.” she said as she smoothed out her skirt. “It has just been hard since Gray got back, with all the insults and accusations that seem to be constantly aimed at him.” Sheriff Potter nodded and Peter reached his hand down and patted Callie’s blond hair on the top of her head.

“It will be okay, firecracker.” he said in the kind of voice one would use to calm an angry child. Callie glared up at him but kept her mouth shut.

“Sheriff, I’m sorry to hear about Raymond and his family but I had nothing to do with that. Callie and I saw him yesterday morning and got a copy of her fathers will and that was the last time we saw him,” Grayson said. Sheriff Potter nodded.

“I didn’t think you had anything to do with it but I had to ask.” he said. He tipped his hat to Callie and Peter. “Have a good day.” he said and he walked away, happy to have escaped Callie’s temper with no physical injuries, though he doubted he would have gotten so lucky if Grayson hadn’t been there to stop her.

“Gray, what if Thomas killed them?” Callie asked as they headed out of town toward the house. Grayson’s eyes widened when he looked over at her. He had been thinking the same thing.

“Why would he do that?” Peter asked from where he was riding his mare beside them.

“Thomas and Raymond had some kind of deal worked out over my money.. That is why they hid it from me. What if Thomas thought that Raymond hadn’t held up his end of the deal and burnt his house down as payback.” Callie said. Grayson thought about Claire and Raymond Junior and felt sadness at the thought that they were dead. Claire had always been a kind, warm woman and Raymond Junior was only a child and far too young to die.

“Callie, I’m sure it wasn’t anything like that. I’m sure it was just an accident.” Grayson lied. He was starting to suspect more and more that Thomas Whitaker was a very dangerous man who had killed before and would kill again. He was even beginning to think that it might have been Thomas’s bullet that had struck his shoulder.

“Grayson’s right, Callie. Thomas might be a perverted old bastard but I don’t think he’s a murderer.” Peter added. Callie just kept looking straight ahead and chewing on her bottom lip while she was deep in thought. Grayson looked over at Peter and the two men shared a knowing look. Neither of them really believed that Thomas Whitaker was innocent in the deaths of Raymond and his family.

Chapter Seventeen

The clouds were gathering and thunder was starting to rumble in the distance when they got back to the house. Peter looked up at the sky and shook his head.

“Doesn’t look like we’re gonna get much work in.” he said matter-of-factly as he walked his mare toward the barn.

“There’s some dry hay in the back stall.” Grayson said. “And there some water in a bucket in there you can give her to drink.”

“Alrighty.” Peter replied.

“I’ll go in and start something for us all to eat. I’d say Peter will be staying here if this storm hits.” Callie said. Grayson nodded and kissed her forehead.

“I’ll put the supplies away and then we’ll be in.” Callie walked into the kitchen and took a deep breath of the ham scented air. She had put a ham in the cook stove before leaving for town and its scent made her mouth water. Callie grabbed some flour, yeast and water and mixed up dough for the bread. She stuck in the stove next to the ham and then opened a jar of canned beans and put them in a pot to heat on top of the stove.

She mixed up some dough for a pie crust and rolled them out on the flour dusted table top. She put her bottom crust into a pan and she was mixing together the canned peaches and sugar for the pie when the thunder rumbled so loudly that the glass windowpanes shook. She wiped her hands on her apron and walked out onto the porch. Grayson and Peter were pounding nails into the tiny fence that lined the road.

Callie saw the big fat drops of rain starting to fall and leave their impressions in the dust and she whistled loudly.

“Come on you two! Don’t want you out here catching a cold.” she said. Peter shook his head and looked over at Grayson.

“Women.” he said. Grayson chuckled and stood up straight stretching his arms. Peter and Grayson barely made it under the protection of the porch before the sky opened up in a downpour of cold spring rain.

“This is going to be a bad one.” Grayson said a short time later, once they were all sitting at the table. The wind was howling outside, the sky was nearly as dark as night except for when a bright streak of lightning would brighten it momentarily and then the thunder would rattle the windows. Grayson had lit a fire in the sitting room and between it and the heat from the cook stove the house was at least warm.

“Damn, Callie, if I had known you could cook this good I would have married you a long time ago.” Peter said as Callie sat a plate of ham, bread, beans and potatoes in front of each of man.

“Then I would have just had to kill you when I rode back into town.” Grayson replied before stuffing a big bite of ham into his mouth and closing his eyes in ecstasy. “Callie, this is absolutely delicious.” he said and he saw her beam with pride.

Peter looked around the kitchen. The floors and counters were spotless and shining. The white cupboards needed a new coat of paint and the floral curtains were stained. He had noticed that everything in the house seemed to be clean but worn while the outside and all the surrounding buildings were in bad need of a lot of repair.

Grayson and Callie had a long road of work ahead of them but judging by the way they were staring into each others eyes across the table, he didn’t think they would mind all the time and hard work together. He was feeling mighty sorry for himself and missing Peggy Sue when he thought for sure he heard the sound of hoof beats on the road outside.

He pushed aside his now empty plate and walked over to the small kitchen window.

“What is it?” Grayson asked as Peter pulled the dirty curtain aside and looked out through the rain and wind.

“I thought I heard somebody riding outside but I don’t see nobody.” Peter replied walking back to the table and sitting down. Callie stood up and started clearing the plates from the table.

“A person would have to be crazy to be out riding in this kind of weather.” she said as she scraped the leftover food into a bucket. “Gray, are we going to see about getting some pigs tomorrow?”

“Yeah honey, sure.” Grayson replied distractedly. He and Peter shared a look. Both of them deciding at the same time that Peter was staying around until they figured out exactly where Thomas Whitaker was.

After dinner, Callie put Grayson and Peter to work fixing the loose banisters on the stairs in the house while she cleaned the mess up from dinner. She saw that Grayson had taken his gun belt off and since the derringer was making her foot sore, she removed it from her boot and laid it on the counter.

She was just wiping off the table top when she heard a horse neighing outside. She walked to the front door and opened it. The storm and wind had let up but the rain was still falling hard and cold. Callie looked out through it and saw a black horse standing out by the road. It was saddled but standing there alone. She looked around for the rider but could see no one.

“Gray.” she said. Grayson and Peter both walked out onto the porch with her.

“Whose horse is that?” she asked. Grayson and Peter both shrugged.

“I don’t recognize it.” Grayson said.

“I would say it spooked and got loose from somebody during that storm.” Peter added. Grayson stuck his hand out to test the rain and made a face.

“I better go get it and put it up in the barn.” he said. Peter and Callie did not offer to help, since helping would involve going out in that downpour.

“He won’t melt will he?” Peter asked with a laugh when Grayson winced as the cold rain started soaking through his clothes. Callie covered her own smile with her hand.

“No, he won’t melt.” she replied.

“Good because that would be one hell of a puddle.” Callie and Peter both laughed and turned to walk back into the house only to find themselves standing face to face with a pistol.

“Hello, little Callie.” Thomas said with a sneer. Callie nearly screamed with fear but managed to hold it in.

“What do you want?” she demanded. She was happy that her voice sounded much more calm than she was feeling.

“You and your man stole from me, Callie, and I want my money and my property back.” he replied. His icy blue eyes had a crazy light in them. It was as if any sane or human part of Thomas was gone. He looked like a cold blooded animal.

“Thomas, put the gun down.” Peter said calmly. He spared a glance back at Grayson but the man was still preoccupied with the horse and hadn’t yet looked up to the porch and noticed the trouble.

“Shut up. You are the single most worthless person I have ever met. You do nothing but crack stupid jokes and stick your nose where it doesn’t belong.” Thomas spat and then he turned his attention back to Callie. “I am going to kill that husband of yours and then you and I are going to go and get married so that I can have my money.”

“You are crazy.” Callie said loudly. Grayson looked up at the porch and instantly reached for his gun only to realize that he had left it in the house. He had never before felt anything like the ice cold panic that froze his veins at the sight of Thomas holding Callie had gunpoint.

“Thomas Whitaker! Get that gun away from my wife!” he shouted. Thomas’s eyes flickered to him momentarily.

“She will be your widow before I leave here.” he sneered. Thomas reached out his free hand to grab Callie’s arm but Peter jumped between the two of them.

“Keep your hands off of her, you son of a bitch.” he warned. Thomas laughed and the brought his pistol down hard on the side of Peter’s head. Callie screamed as Peter fell backwards off the porch and onto the ground. Callie ran from the porch and fell on her knees beside Peter trying to wake him up as blood ran from a cut on his temple.

Grayson started toward Callie but Thomas cocked the pistol and he stopped in his tracks. Callie looked up, her face was pale and her tears drops were mixing with the rain drops as they fell down her cheeks.

“Thomas, I’ll give you the money.” she said quickly. “I’ll give you all of it! Just please don’t hurt Gray.” Thomas shook his head.

“Not good enough, Callie. Do you know how hard I have worked to make sure I would get that money. I killed your worthless father, I married your whore of a mother, I spread those stories the night Phillip died to get rid of Grayson…. All of that means nothing now! I am going to kill Grayson for making such a fool of me. I tried to kill him once before but my aim was a little off, I can promise that it will be better today.”

“You killed my father?” Callie asked feeling her stomach turn over. Thomas nodded.

“Yes and now I am going to kill your husband and then you are going to marry me and I am going to get your money and then kill you too.”

“You aren’t going to touch, Callie.” Grayson growled from where he was standing five feet away. “I won’t let you hurt her.”

“You’ll be dead.” Thomas replied simply. He took aim at Grayson and Callie screamed and launched herself through the air. Thomas pulled the trigger and the bullet flew straight toward Grayson’s chest. Grayson yelled in horror as Callie’s body appeared between him and the bullet and the sickening wet thud of a bullet hitting flesh sounded in the rain filled air.

“Callie!” Grayson screamed. He forgot about Thomas and Peter. He forgot about guns. He forgot about danger. He fell to his knees and gathered Callie up into his arms. He looked down at her and saw the blood spreading on her rain soaked dress from the hole in her chest.

“I love you, Gray.” she gasped weakly. Grayson didn’t even try to stop the tears that were pouring from his eyes as he looked down at her pale, pain filled face. Her blue eyes were losing their shine and she was trembling in his arms.

“You stupid woman!” he shouted down at her. “You cannot die for me! I told you I can’t live without you!” Callie managed a small smile but her head was spinning and her vision was growing blurry. She raised her hand and laid her fingers against Grayson’s tear and rain streaked cheek.

“I love you, Callie.” Grayson choked out and then he yelled in a mixture of rage, fear, frustration and heart ache when her eyes closed and her hand fell limply to the ground.

“Thomas took off.” Peter’s voice broke through Grayson’s pain. “I’ll find him. You get her to the doc.” Peter added. Grayson nodded. He stood and grabbed the black horse which amazingly enough had not spooked at the sound of the gunshot. He jumped in the saddle and Peter helped lift Callie up to him.

“She’ll be okay, Grayson.” Peter said. He knew it was probably a lie but the big guy looked as if he needed to hear it right now. Grayson just nodded slowly and then let out a yell as he urged the horse to a fast gallop through the pouring rain.

Peter put his hand on his head which was throbbing and blinked several times. His vision was blurry and he was dizzier than he had ever been in his life. He went into the house and grabbed Grayson’s gun belt and the derringer. He saddled his horse and took off into the woods in the same direction that Thomas had gone. Thomas would pay for what he had done to Callie.

Chapter Eighteen

“Dammit, doc, don’t tell me that! Tell me whether or not she is going to be okay!” Grayson yelled as he paced back and forth in the tiny room and swung his arms in rage. Doctor Mason’s eyes were full of pity and guilt as he shrugged and looked down at Callie’s motionless body in the bed. He had done his best to stop the blood and sew her up. He had changed her rain and blood soaked clothes and covered her with warm dry blankets to fight off the chill but he truly believed that she was going to die tonight.

“I am sorry, Grayson. I wish I could tell you that she is going to be fine but I don’t know. I got the bullet out but she lost a lot of blood and her lung was hit… There is a good chance that she won’t ever wake up.” Grayson yelled in rage and sent his fist hard into the wall, splintering the wood and causing Annie to scream in surprise and grab at her chest from where she was sitting in a chair next to Callie’s bedside. They were in the same small dusty room they’d been in not long ago after Grayson had been shot.

“Let me look at your hand.” Doc Mason said. Grayson shook his head and pulled a large sliver of wood from between his knuckles gritting his teeth against the pain as blood covered his hand.

“It’s fine.” he replied through clenched teeth. The only sound in the room was the sound of the clock ticking on the wall for several long tense moments and then Peter, Lauren and James came into the office.

“Where’s Thomas?” Grayson demanded of Peter. Peter was almost too weak to raise his head and look up at him and blood was pouring steady from the wound on his temple.

“I lost him.” Peter said weakly. His eyes went to Callie and he saw that she was as pale as a ghost and had a sickly gray color to her face. “How’s Callie?”

“It doesn’t look good.” Annie replied softly her voice raspy from all the tears she had been crying. Grayson shoved his bloody hand through his hair and Lauren felt her heart break for her brother. He looked like a lost and scared little boy. He was covered in Callie’s blood and still soaked from the rain. He was pale and his green eyes were full of fear and sadness.

“How the hell did you lose him Peter?” Grayson demanded angrily. Everyone in the room shared knowing looks. Grayson was scared and sad and therefore everyone was fair game for his temper.

“Grayson, he tried. That hit to the head he got was bad.” Lauren said. She tried to hug Grayson to offer him some sort of comfort but he pulled out of her reach and walked over to the far wall. He pressed his palms flat against it, kept his arms straight and looked down at the floor.

“Let me look at your head, Peter.” Doc Mason said as Lauren and James helped Peter sit down in a chair.

“These are yours.” James said holding out Grayson’s gun belt and the Derringer.

“Just put them over in the corner or something. They aren’t going to do me any good now.” Grayson replied quietly. James nodded and sat them on the desk in the corner.

“Come on, Grayson, let’s go wait in the main office.” Lauren said grabbing her brother’s arm.

“I’m not leaving, Callie.” he replied planting his feet firmly and becoming as immovable as a giant oak. Lauren was about to argue when Garth Corbin came running into the room.

“What do you want? You want to kill me once and for all?” Grayson demanded turning to face him. Grayson held his hands up. “Go ahead and kill me. I won’t try to stop you. I already lost the only good thing I had today.”

“Callie’s not dead yet, Grayson.” Annie reminded him.

“No, but according to the doc she isn’t going to wake up.” Grayson replied. Doc Mason sighed as he wrapped a bandage tight around Peter’s head.

“I don’t want to give you false hope, Grayson. I’ve never seen anybody live after getting shot like that.” Grayson growled loudly and was about to send his fist into the wall again when Garth spoke up for the first time.

“I heard what happened.” he said. “I saw Thomas, Grayson. He’s at the church.” Grayson’s entire posture and face changed instantly. The lost, scared, defeated look left him and was replaced by a mask of cold rage, hatred and anger that made the blood of everyone in the room run cold. Grayson didn’t say a word as he walked over and grabbed his gun belt. He hooked it to his waist and then pulled his pistol to ensure it was still loaded. He holstered it and then walked over to Callie’s bedside.

“Hi my angel.” he said gently as he smoothed her light blond hair from her face. “I’m mad at you for doing what you did, Callie. You had no right to take that bullet for me. Now you are going to listen to me and you are going to listen to me good, Callie Fields. You cannot die on me do you hear me? I won’t allow it…” his voice broke as he laid a large calloused hand on her pale, cold cheek.

“I am not a selfish man, Callie, you know that better than anybody. You know just what I have given up for other people, but dammit, I won’t give you up just because God might want you. He can’t have you. You are my angel. You are the one and only person who has
always
believed that I was a good person. And if God takes you away from me tonight then dammit I’m going to one selfish son of a bitch because I am going to find a way to get up there to you and I am going to bring you right back down here. We haven’t had enough time love. Not near enough time.” Grayson kissed her colorless heart shaped lips gently and then he stood and started for the door.

“Grayson, what are you going to do?” Lauren demanded through her tears. Grayson stopped but didn’t turn back to look at anyone.

“I’m going to kill that worthless bastard.” he replied coldly and then he walked the rest of the way out of the office and into the rain.

“James, go with him!” Lauren said. “Garth you go and get the sheriff to go out there too.” James and Garth both nodded and walked out of the office. Lauren settled down on the edge of the bed as Doc Mason walked out into the main office.

“Callie, you have to come back to my brother.” Lauren said quietly as she ran her fingers through Callie’s damp hair. “He won’t make it without you.”

The room became silent as Annie, Peter and Lauren all became lost in their own thoughts. Lauren felt like she was losing a sister and if she lost her sister then she knew she would lose her brother as well. Annie felt as if it was her daughter lying there in that bed fighting for her life and she was helpless to stop her steady flow of tears. Peter looked over at Callie and felt his heart breaking.

He couldn’t lose that girl. She was his best friend. Sure he loved Peggy Sue and was going to marry her someday but Callie was like sunshine and if she died then Peter knew that every day for the rest of his life would be cloudy. He prayed that Grayson would be able to kill Thomas Whitaker and make him pay for what he’d done to Callie. And he prayed that Callie would wake up not only for Peter’s sake but for Grayson’s as well.

888

It was a ten minute walk through the rain to get up the hill to the church where Grayson and Callie had been married only days before. Grayson pulled his pistol and walked straight through the wide oak doors. The inside of the church was small. Ten pews lined either side of the narrow aisle. The stained glass windows didn’t let in much light even on a sunny day and none tonight at dusk as the rain continued to fall.

Lanterns were lit on the walls to light the inside and there were candles glowing up around the alter. Grayson’s eyes fell on Thomas who was knelt down as if in prayer on the steps in front of the alter and the giant cross on the wall behind it.

“I sure hope you’re making what peace you can with God, Thomas, because you’re fixing to meet him.” Grayson said. Thomas stood and turned quickly and Grayson could see fear in his eyes and he could see that Thomas was unarmed.

“Grayson, what point is there in killing me?” he asked. “It won’t bring Callie back.”

“No but it’ll make me feel a whole hell of a lot better.” Grayson replied raising his pistol and cocking it.

“Before you kill me I want to get some things out in the open.” Thomas said. “I killed Frank Logan and married his wife to get his money. He had changed his will without my knowledge and so I was stuck with Susannah and no money. I learned I would have to marry Callie to get the money so I began supplying Susannah with all the laudanum and alcohol I could get my hands on. It took six years but she finally died. In the meantime Callie was falling in love with you and I could tell you loved her too. I couldn’t let the two of you get married and I was thinking of a plan to kill you when I was walking past the saloon that night and heard you shoot Phillip.

“It was perfect. The perfect chance to be rid of you. I killed the bartender and hid his body until I had time to dispose of it so that he wouldn’t be able to vouch for you and then I told everyone about your drunken rage and the cold blooded murder of your brother. You didn’t hang the way I had hoped you would but you were gone none the less so it worked.

“But you came back…. You weren’t supposed to ever come back. You see my foolish stepdaughter had been waiting on you all those years you were gone. So I shot you in the back to get rid of you and again it didn’t work. Sometimes I think that God sent you to earth just to be a pain in my side. You stole the will, you married Callie, you took everything that was supposed to be mine.

“But the last laugh is on me Grayson because even if you kill me now I have already taken everything from you. I killed her Grayson and I would do it again just to see that look on your face that was there as Callie’s body fell to the ground at your feet.”

“Are you done?” Grayson asked. Thomas smiled coldly.

“I believe so.” Grayson nodded.

“Good.” He aimed the pistol at Thomas’s head and was about to blow that cold smile right off his face when the sheriff’s voice stopped him.

“You can’t shoot him, Grayson.” he said.

“Why the hell not?” Grayson demanded not taking his gun or his eyes off of Thomas.

“Because he’s unarmed and it would be cold blooded murder and you’d hang right next to him.” sheriff Potter said matter-of-factly. “I heard everything he just said and trust me when I tell you that I’m gonna lock him up real tight and I’m sure the judge will see fit to have him swinging from the gallows in no time.”

“With all due respect sheriff, I don’t give a damn what you say. I want to kill the man.” Grayson replied. Thomas was looking from Grayson to the sheriff and rubbing his hands excitedly. Looks like he wasn’t going to die just now after all.

“Grayson, Callie isn’t dead yet son. If she wakes up she’s gonna need her husband and you won’t be able to be there for her if you kill Thomas and I have to lock you up. She’ll need you, Grayson.” sheriff Potter said knowing that if anything could break through to Grayson it would be the thought of Callie needing him.

Grayson’s mind was racing. On one hand he wanted nothing more then to pull this trigger and splatter Thomas’s brains all over the church altar he’d been praying at but on the other hand he knew that he had to be there for Callie if she woke up…
When she wakes up,

not if
. He argued to himself.

Grayson let the hammer down slowly and slid the pistol back in his gun belt. Thomas breathed an audible sigh of relief and Grayson closed the distance between them. He grabbed Thomas by the collar of his shirt and lifted him in the air so that their eyes were level.

“I’m going to tell you something right now.” Grayson said his green eyes flashing. “You had better hope that my wife wakes up and lives Thomas because if she doesn’t, there is nowhere that sheriff Potter can hide you that I won’t get to you. There is no corner of hell I won’t chase you too. If my wife dies I will march right to wherever you are and I will blow your good for nothing brains out and I will kill anyone who tries to stand in my way.” Thomas nodded and Grayson threw him to the floor.

Grayson turned and saw that both sheriff Potter and James were standing just inside the church.

“I meant what I said sheriff. If Callie dies, I will kill Thomas and you’d be wise to just stay out of my way when I do or else I’ll just have to kill you too.” Grayson warned. Sheriff Potter knew the look of a desperate, angry man when he saw one and that is the look that Grayson had right now. Sheriff Potter knew that Grayson was being honest and he knew that if Callie died Grayson would kill whoever he had to in order to get to Thomas.

“I understand, Grayson.” sheriff Potter said with a nod. Grayson nodded as well and then started walking toward them.

Thomas’s mind was racing as he stood watching Grayson walk away. He was a dead man. Either way he was a dead man. There was no way that Callie was going to live through taking that bullet to her chest and if she died then Thomas would die slowly at Grayson’s hands. That was not an option for Thomas. He was going to end Grayson now. The sheriff would more then likely put a bullet in him for it but at least then Thomas knew he was taking Grayson with him.

He pulled the derringer pistol from his shoe and aimed it at Grayson’s back. Grayson heard the pistol cock and he dropped to his knee and spun as four gunshots filled the air.

Thomas grabbed at his shirt and looked down surprised at the blood flowing freely from the three holes in his chest. He looked up at Grayson, James and sheriff Potter who were all holstering their pistols.

“Did I miss?” he managed to gasp. Grayson looked down at his uninjured body and nodded.

“Yeah you missed, you son of a bitch.” Thomas took a small step forward then fell face first onto the dark green rug in the aisle.

“Come on, Grayson, let’s go back to Callie.” James said. “We’ll leave this mess to the sheriff.”

“You boys take care now.” sheriff Potter said. Grayson and James nodded and walked out the door of the church.

“Everything is going to be okay ,Grayson.” James assured him. Grayson shook his head and cursed at the rain that was still falling. He shoved his hand through his wet hair and looked down at the grass as he walked.

“Not if I lose her, James. If I lose her then nothing will ever be okay again.”

888

The rain was still falling the next day as Grayson stood beneath the blooming dogwood tree and watched the caretaker throwing dirt down on the wooden casket in the cemetery below. Everyone else had already left but Grayson could not bring himself to.

The last time he had been beneath this tree he had been asking Callie to be his wife. He had been happier than he had ever been in his life. Now standing beneath this tree and thinking of Callie filled him with a sadness so deep and profound he was afraid it would cause his heart to stop beating.

With shovel full after shovel full of dirt the caretaker buried the casket deep under the ground. Grayson waited until he was nearly done and then he turned to his buckskin. He scratched the horse on the side of the head.

“You ready boy?” he asked. He swung himself up into the saddle and sniffed. This rain was quickly giving him a cold. He hadn’t seen the sun since yesterday and now he was fairly certain that the sun would never shine again. He pointed the horse in the direction of his and Callie’s house. He had promised Callie that one day that house would be just as beautiful as it had been when her father was alive and he planned to keep his word even if Callie never would get to see it.

Chapter Nineteen

Grayson stood on the road and looked up at the house. He had done a damn good job if he did say so himself. Of course he hadn’t done it alone. Peter, Peggy Sue, Annie, Lauren, James and Garth had helped him every step of the way over the last six weeks.

The yellow paint was fresh and bright and the shutters and door were dark green and all hanging straight. The porch banisters and railings were white and sturdy. The flower gardens Callie had always been so proud of were neat, tidy and flourishing. The chicken coop and pig pens were repaired and full of animals and the barn roof and door were patched and the barn was full of horses and cows.

It had been too late to plant but the field behind the house was at least plowed up to make planting a little easier next spring. The house looked just like it had when Frank Logan had been alive.

Grayson pulled his watch from his pocket and saw that it was nearly noon. He looked down the road as if hoping he would suddenly develop vision that would let him see through the trees as he watched for Lauren and James. They were late and he was growing more impatient by the second. Grayson wiped his sweat covered face on the sleeve of his shirt and leaned against the fence post. He crossed his arms over his chest and waited.

When he finally heard the wagon coming he was nearly jumping up and down in his excitement. It came around the bend and he saw his brother-in-law and sister sitting up front. At first he was disappointed but then he saw her blond hair and realized she was riding in the back. Probably so she could stretch out more comfortably.

“Close your eyes! No peeking!” Grayson yelled and Lauren looked at him and gave him a thumbs up. James pulled the wagon to a stop and Grayson climbed up in the back. He saw her sitting there in her white dress with her blond hair hanging loose around her shoulders and had never seen anyone look more like an angel.

“You better not be peeking, Callie Fields.” Grayson warned. Callie smiled at the childlike excitement she could hear in his voice.

“I am not peeking, Gray, but I have been gone for six long weeks stuck in that dusty old room at the docs. I’d like to see our house again.” Grayson picked her up into his arms and cradled her against his chest. He jumped gently down to the ground and was going to keep carrying her when she set her jaw stubbornly.

“I can walk, Gray. I got shot in the chest, not in the legs.” she reminded him. Grayson nodded and sat her down on her feet, though he kept his arm wrapped tight around her. Since almost losing her, he looked for any excuse to touch her. Whether it was brushing his fingers across her arm, smoothing her hair, or keeping his arm tight around her, he felt he had to have his hands on her at all times.

She was recovering well. She had gained back most of the weight that she had lost in the beginning and her skin was beginning to regain some color now that she had been allowed to go outside the last week. She could walk fine on her own though she got out of breath easily. The doc said that was because of the damage to her lung but he was pretty certain it would get better in time and Grayson figured he was right since it already seemed to be improving.

“Okay, keep your eyes closed and walk forward slowly. I won’t let you fall.” Grayson said.

“I know you won’t.” Callie replied. He led her to the walkway and stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders.

“Okay, my angel. Open your eyes.” he said. Callie opened her eyes and clapped her hands happily as tears filled her eyes.

“Grayson, it’s beautiful!” she exclaimed. “It looks just like it used to.”

“Do you need anything else?” James asked from where he and Lauren were still sitting on the wagon. Grayson shook his head but didn’t look back at them. Lauren laughed lightly.

“Come on, let’s go home and leave the two lovebirds alone for a while.” she said. James nodded and flicked the reigns and the old wagon rattled on down the road.

“Do you really like it, Callie?” Grayson asked. Callie nodded.

“I love it.” she said. “Thank you.”

“I had help.” he admitted.

“I know you did but no one would have done any of this if you hadn’t asked so it was still your doing.” she replied. Grayson smiled proudly and kissed her hair.

“Let’s go inside.” he said. Callie stopped to smell some of the beautiful lilies planted along the walkway and then Grayson led her into the house. Callie couldn’t believe her eyes. It was as if she’d stepped back in time.

Everything was fresh and painted and shining. The curtains were made of the fabric that she had picked in town all those weeks ago.

“Lauren, Peggy Sue and Annie made the curtains and reupholstered the couches and stuff. They made new bedspreads for the beds too.” Grayson said. Callie nodded and looked up at him.

“You are an amazing man. How did you manage to do all this? It didn’t seem like you left my side much over the past weeks.”

“You slept a lot.” Grayson replied. He bent down and pressed his lips softly against hers. “Come on and I’ll show you our bedroom.” he said. They made their way slowly up the stairs, taking their time to keep Callie from growing too winded since she refused to let him carry her. They walked down to the back bedroom that had been Callie’s parents room. Grayson opened the door and Callie realized that this room looked nothing like it had before.

The dark green paint had been replaced by a bright cheery yellow. The dark cherry wainscoting had been painted white. The bed was large and sitting in the center of the room with a bright yellow and white floral quilt on it. The two dressers and the wardrobe were light oak and beautiful with intricate designs carved into them.

“Grayson, this is beautiful.” Callie said looking around the room. A washbasin and giant copper tub bigger than any Callie had ever seen was in one corner along with a floor length silver mirror.

“I did this room myself. I picked out the fabric and Lauren sewed the stuff for me but I picked out everything and chose how I wanted it to go. I didn’t think all the dark, heavy furniture, paint and curtains fit you. You are like sunshine and I wanted our room to be sunshine too.” he replied.

“I’m sunshine?” Callie asked. Grayson nodded.

“I thought I’d lost you, Callie. I thought you were gonna be gone forever and let me tell you those were the darkest and dreariest days of my life. I was sure I would never see the sun again. Then you woke up and you started getting stronger everyday and do you know what happened? The sun came back out.” Callie laughed happily.

“You big softie.” she teased. Grayson kissed her nose.

“I’m your big softie.” he replied. Callie yawned.

“Tired?” he asked. She blushed and bit her lip as she nodded.

“Yes. It seems that all I ever want to do is sleep.” Grayson shrugged.

“You almost died, Callie.” he said matter of factly. He led her over to the bed and pulled the covers back. He helped her get comfortable and he pulled the covers over her. He kissed her forehead.

“I’ll cook us something to eat and bring you some when it’s done.” he said. Callie raised her brow.

“You cook now?” she asked. Grayson feigned hurt.

“I’ve always been able to cook.”

“There is one thing missing from our house Grayson.” Callie said. Grayson frowned.

“What’s that?” he asked. She smiled and winked at him.

“Babies. Lots and lots of babies. Running through the barns. Scaring the chickens. Riding the pigs. Digging up my flowers and trampling your crops.” Grayson laughed and she saw the happiness light up his green eyes.

“Just as soon as you are feeling up to it, Mrs. Fields, I promise to get to work on them babies.” Callie felt herself shiver with anticipation and excitement.

“Just let me get a nap and we’ll see what happens.” she replied. Grayson laughed again and kissed her forehead.

“Get some rest angel. I’ll bring you up some burnt soup as soon as it’s done.”

“Burnt soup?” Callie asked and Grayson turned with his hand on the doorknob.

“I said I could cook.” he said with a grin. “I never said I could cook good.”