Page 44 of Savage Secrets

Tipping his head back, he looked up at the beams overhead. In one leap, he grabbed on to one and began doing pullups. His muscles warmed up quickly, and he got faster.

The exertion cleared his mind, and he saw what he had to do. Since his talk with Brooks, he had the information he needed to go forward. He unclenched his fingers from the wood and dropped to his feet.

He drifted to the open door, automatically scanning the ranch for dangers, while he took out his phone and made the call to Sean Gracey.

Everything was on the line in this moment. He either got what he wanted—or didn’t.

His former boss picked up on the third ring.

“Webb. What can I do for you?”

He didn’t pull any punches. That wasn’t him. He blurted out what he needed to say.

“I have a solution to help everyone. You sell me the piece of the Gracey and you get capital for what you need to keep the ranch. I get the land without Feldman digging up more dirt on me.”

“More dirt?” His voice carried an edge.

“Yeah, he knows things.” A beat of silence between him and Sean Gracey was enough acknowledgement of the fact. He continued, “But I spoke with a lawyer. I know how to do this. I’ll set up a corporation and a trust. I can hide my name behind those walls until this thing with Feldman resolves.”

“You did your homework. I like that.”

The sigh he released made his shoulders slump with relief. He hoped what he’d done proved his worth to Mr. Gracey.

To Opal.

Chapter Twelve

The golden sun cast a glow over the field dotted with pumpkins. Opal held Rainie’s hand as they stepped into the field to choose a pumpkin.

“Punkin, punkin, punkin!” Rainie bounced up and down as she chanted.

“This was such a good idea.” Opal shot a look at Zach. His face was cast into shadow beneath his cowboy hat, but she made out his warm stare on hers.

At her words, he shifted his shoulders in an awkward shrug. He pointed at the other kids running through the field from pumpkin to pumpkin, excited to choose their favorite from the patch.

“Looks like every family in Eden had the same idea about coming today.”

The rumble of an engine made them both turn to see a big green tractor pulling a hay wagon. People seated on the bales along each side jostled with the swaying movement of the tractor.

“Momma, look! I wanna ride!” Rainie bent her knees to get a good jump in to punctuate her request. The chill that lingered in the air made her little cheeks rosy.

Opal opened her mouth, but Zach cut across her.

“Of course we’ll take a hayride.”

“Yay!” Rainie bounced again, then thrust her hand at Zach.

His gaze zeroed in on Rainie’s hand before lifting to Opal’s face.

“Zach doesn’t want to—” The words faded on her lips as the cowboy clasped her daughter’s hand. Her throat tightened with emotion as they walked along with the child between them. Like a family.

To cover the emotions sparked by the moment, she bent over, putting her line of sight at Rainie’s level and pointed at a pumpkin. “Look how big that one is, Rainie!”

She tore away from them and took off running, rubber boots kicking up soil. She dropped onto her knees and wrapped her arms around the pumpkin. Her arms barely made it halfway around it.

Zach chuckled. “That thing must weigh fifty pounds.”

Opal took a step, and he did too, mirroring her slow gait as they wandered over to Rainie. “What do you think, sweetie? Is that your pumpkin?”

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