Page 12 of Wild Hearts

Doesn’t stop me from making one last promise, though. “If you need anything, call Dusty’s and ask for me. I’ll be here.” Then I finally leave.

CHAPTER FIVE

GRACE

Once Wes leaves, most of my cool deserts me as I grab my phone and send a frantic text to the group chat with Elsie and Avery.

“What a morning, huh, Shadow?” He looks at me with his intelligent golden eyes. The whole time with Wes, he’d been on guard. Not quite threatened but wary of a man in his home. “You did great today.”

He listened when I told him to come, using the German command like I was taught, and eased my anxiety with the two men. Not that I feared them, but it’s not often that I’m alone and injured with strangers, so it's better to be safe than sorry. I scratch Shadow’s pointed ears as I gaze out my front window, recalling the whirlwind morning events.

Wes tearing off his clothes to reveal a tattooed chest sprinkled with wiry hair.

The strength of his muscled body as he hauled me out of Max’s truck.

Me insulting his beard and shaggy hair with the ‘mountain man’ comment.

“You’re lucky you can’t say dumb shit like that, Shadow.” It was the first thing that came to mind after blurting out the nonsense about a haircut.

Something he doesn’t even need.

Because mountain man or grizzly bear like Kayla said, he’s hot and rugged, and the combination sends my hormones into a frenzy whenever he’s near. A reaction that sucks since it turns me into a stuttering mess who struggles to have a conversation with the man.

There were so many silences today.

First, because I couldn’t breathe due to the accident, and then, because any interesting thought I’d ever had evaporated under the heat of his presence.

Did that magically stop me from humiliating myself by insulting him, though? Of course not.

My phone rings with a call from Elsie. Guess my nonchalant text wasn’t as casual as I thought. Avery’s call probably isn’t too far behind.

“Hey…”

“Oh my god, Grace! Are you okay? I’m almost home. The stupid breakfast lasted longer than expected.”

“I’m fine. Just a little beat up. Nothing rest won’t cure.”

“Are you sure you shouldn’t go to urgent care or something?”

“Nah, I’m good.” I have health insurance now, but after handling every injury on my own for so long, I can’t justify a visit to the hospital unless I know I’m not fine. Like on death’s doorstep not fine.

This doesn’t qualify.

Elsie’s sigh could blow over one of the trees lining our street. “So stubborn. I’ll be home soon, then I’ll judge for myself how good you are. See you in five.”

Hanging up, I preemptively call Avery to fill her in as my head sinks into the back of the overstuffed chair.

What a weekend.

The Ole Aces fiasco then the bike run-in this morning.

Maybe I should’ve been more specific with the universe when I said I wanted change…

***

To continue my campaign of being more social—and to avoid letting the disaster of last weekend scare me off from trying again—I message Susie, the receptionist at Casey & Sons, asking if she wants to hang out at the Apple Fest carnival tonight.

It’s short notice, but I’m hoping for the best.

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