Page 62 of Some Cowgirls are Worth Protecting

Rachel loved him. She was staying. And they were even closer to stopping the harassment that Rachel had been experiencing. It was hard to believe that everything they’d gone through together was coming to a resolution.

She glanced at him, a small smile on her face as they exited the building and stepped into the evening light. He offered a smile back. They slowed as they reached the foot of the steps that led to the sheriff’s station, and she turned to face him fully. “You’re probably wondering what happened while you were gone.”

“I won’t deny that,” he said with a chuckle. “There were so many times when I wanted to come back just to keep an eye on you. I questioned if I’d made the wrong decision over and over.”

“You remember that letter I got from Mr. Grant?”

He nodded, his stomach churning at the memory. That letter had been a catalyst of sorts. He hadn’t wanted to leave, and yet he knew if he didn’t do something, then he’d be left with nothing. When she’d gotten that offer, she hadn’t had any reason to stay.

Rachel’s gentle touch around the back of his neck pulled him to the present. He shook off that sense of trepidation. Things had changed. She wasn’t going to leave. She wrapped her other hand around his neck and tilted her head with a coy smile. “Turns out that Mr. Grant is in deep with that developer.”

Hudson’s brows shot up. “No.”

“Yep. He doesn’t work for the developer directly, but he’s on the board of a charity they support, and he’s been linked with their resort business holdings. I’m guessing he made his offer so that I would sell to whomever he recommended.”

“So, the charity he wanted you to run was a hoax?”

“No,” she mused, “I think the charity position was real. In fact, I think most of the charities that developer supports are on the up-and-up. But it’s possible that the only reason they have their fingers in so many pies is so they can stretch their reach across the country. If they’re known by groups who have a good standing in society, then it’s easier to get the town or city to approve their requests.”

Hudson frowned. “Do they know anyone here?” His brows rose. “Shane?—”

“It doesn’t appear so, no. That might be why it was so easy for me to make the purchase. Technically, I have family here. And that family is marrying into another bigger family. I think the people who were selling the property had a similar opinion of the resort. Copper Creek doesn’t need a big resort to pull tourists in when we already have that country club.”

He grinned. “Have I told you how much I like it that you say ‘we’?”

“You can say it as often as you like.” Her grin widened, and her eyes sparkled. They’d only been speaking for about fifteen minutes, but already he could tell she was lighter. Her burdens had been lifted, even if only by a little bit. She was happier—happier than he’d ever seen her.

Rachel glowed. The courage of this woman exceeded that of most of the men Hudson knew. She was too good for him, and it had become clearer and clearer the more time he spent with her. He couldn’t think of a single human being that could handle what she’d been put through.

He’d been a jerk and didn’t deserve her.

“I can’t believe I ever said you were scared.” He could feel the embarrassment of that conversation returning with a vengeance.

“When we’re put under pressure, we tend to say things we don’t mean.”

“Please don’t make excuses for me,” he said. “I want you to know that I’m going to spend every waking moment making up for what I said and how I treated you.”

Rachel laughed.

He stiffened, his head rearing backward. “What?”

She shook her head. “You can stop that right now.”

“Stop what?”

“That self-deprecating nonsense. I love you, Hudson. I know you better than anyone, and I know that you would never intentionally hurt me. This is all very new for both of us. We come with baggage, and that’s okay. As long as we learn from each other, I think we’ll turn out all right. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Me neither.”

“Good.” Rachel leaned into him, resting her cheek against his shoulder. “Because I don’t think Odin can handle you being gone much longer.”

He laughed.

“I mean it,” she said again. “That poor dog has been out on the porch day and night keeping watch—but also waiting for you to come back. I think he always knew that’s what you were going to do.” She pulled back and gazed up at him. “He might be smarter than the both of us.”

Hudson allowed himself to get lost in her gaze. It was easy to fall into those deep pools of blue. “Man, I missed you,” he said, looking deep into her eyes. “And if you’ll have me, I swear I will never leave your side again.”

Her smile stretched wider. “I’d like that.”

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