Page 40 of Some Cowgirls are Worth Protecting

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not a hero.”

“But you do stuff to make the world better. I think that’s pretty super. If anyone gets to have that kind of power, I’m glad it’s you.”

19

Hudson

Over the next couple of weeks, Hudson’s relationship with Rachel continued to blossom. He made every excuse he could think of to stay by her side. While his brothers kept an eye on the massive property, he spent his time on site.

While none of his brothers had asked him outright if he had a thing for Rachel, he got the distinct feeling that they all assumed as much. They were smart enough to keep their mouths shut.

The shelters had been completed and the inspection soon after. The vandals still hadn’t shown their faces again. The only thing they were waiting for before they could have the horses brought to their new home was confirmation that they passed the inspection.

Hudson anticipated they’d be hearing back any day now.

Rachel was inside the house going over the paperwork for the sanctuary. Last he’d checked, she’d been on hold with someone, so he’d gone out to the barn to complete a few repairs. Mr. Hennesy had done a decent job at keeping up the property, but the barn had some siding that needed work. There was also a stall door that had come off its hinges.

Dust particles floated through the air, catching the afternoon light as he moved from one project to the next. He let his mind wander to that date they’d had at the restaurant. Afterwards, he’d taken her back home, and they visited on the couch while she drank some herbal tea.

He did feel a little guilty that he’d looked into her further. He didn’t know why he hadn’t thought about doing a little internet search before, but now that he’d gotten a taste, he’d continued to seek out more.

His favorite finds were the candid images of her. The moments when she didn’t know anyone was watching were those that taught him the most about her. She was an angel. While some people might think she was only participating in those charities because they were easy and her parents wanted her to, he thought he knew her a little better. She genuinely had a good heart. That was why she insisted on the horse sanctuary. There was nothing easy about running this project.

“Hudson!” Rachel screamed.

He stiffened, then threw down his screwdriver in exchange for a hammer. Without a second thought, he charged from the barn, then stopped short as he saw her running toward him with a big smile on her face. The hand holding the hammer dropped to his side as she flung herself at him. “We’re official! I just got off the phone and they confirmed we can move forward. The horses are going to be delivered next week.”

“That early?”

She nodded with another squeal. “Of course, there’s so much more to do. I have to get the carpenter on the phone to see about putting together the sign. We’re still on the waiting list for the security system. And there’s the?—”

He held up a finger to her mouth and laughed. “I get it. There’s a lot on our list. But this calls for a celebration! We should do something fun tonight. Any ideas?”

Her eyes danced with excitement, and she hopped from one foot to the other. “What would you say if I requested a cute little picnic out by that creek that runs through the property? We could sit under the trees and enjoy the pleasant weather.” Her arms remained locked around his neck. “We could bring the dogs. I bet they’d love to get out.”

“You never told me what you named yours.” He’d overheard her calling the dog, but he had refrained from saying something. He wanted to hear it from her lips.

Her grin was everything. A little bit of color filled her cheeks, making her glow even more than she had been. “I’m sure I told you.”

Hudson shook his head. “Nope. I think I would have remembered.” He hid his smile as well as he could under the circumstances.

“Don’t laugh.”

“I won’t.”

“I went with your suggestion.”

“My suggestion?” He pretended to be stumped. His suggestion had been a joke—one he was certain she wouldn’t use. Secretly, it thrilled him that she even considered it.

She withdrew from him, her sly smile more of an invitation to follow her. Step by step she walked backward. “Cookie. Her name is Cookie.”

He snickered, following her until he captured her once more in his arms. “Oh? I thought you said that name was ridiculous.”

“What can I say? It suited her.”

His voice lowered, and he dipped his mouth closer to hers. “I’m glad she has a name.”

“Me too,” she whispered, her breath catching. “Does that mean it’s a yes? We’re going to go on a picnic?”

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