Page 90 of Devoted Enough

Grace looked to Haven who said, “Yes, please go ahead, Mom. I’m not in a rush.”

“Great! I won’t keep her long,” Uncle Brock stated as he motioned for Grace to follow him to Granddad’s office.

Haven wore a worried expression on her face.

“It’s nothing to worry about,” I said as I leaned against the kitchen counter.

Haven’s head snapped to look at me. “Do you know what it’s about?”

I looked at my mother who gave a slight nod of her head.

“Um, yes. We’re looking to hire someone on the ranch to be an administrative assistant. Someone to help Blayze with the day-to-day office work, as well as payroll, appointments, etc. The position pays well and would include health insurance.”

Haven’s eyes went expansive and hopeful. “Oh my goodness, what made you think of my mother for the position?”

My mother reached for Haven’s hand. “We all thought it would be something Grace might be interested in.”

Haven’s gaze met mine, and she smiled. A sense of relief washed over me. I had been worried Haven might have looked at it as a job offer made out of pity. I knew how proud she and her mother were, and none of us wanted them to think that was the case.

Haven walked over to me. “Did you have something to do with this?”

I shrugged. “Maverick said he had overheard Blayze and Hunter talking about the need to hire a full-time person to help them in the office, and my mother and I thought of Grace.”

She took my hand in hers. “Thank you. That was sweet of you to think of her.”

“Are you leaving with your mom, or did you drive separately?”

She grinned. “I left my car at her house.”

“Do you want me to drive you there to get it? You can stay the night with me if you want. I have the rest of this weekend off.”

Her eyes lit up. “I don’t have any dog walks planned this weekend. Most of my clients are either out of town or spending it with their family.”

I placed my hand on her hip and drew her a bit closer to me so I could lower my voice. “So, what you’re saying is, we have the whole weekend together?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

The urge to lean down and kiss her was almost too much, so I stepped back and dropped my hold on her. My chest squeezed when her eyes darkened.

“Can we leave now?”

Haven giggled. “I need to go say goodbye and thank you to Stella. I’ll be right back.”

Reaching up, she kissed me quickly, then made her way out of the kitchen.

I leaned against the counter and brought my hand up to my chest to rub at the familiar feeling I got whenever Haven was near me. Was that something I would get used to, or would I always feel this way? If I was being honest, it wasn’t anything new. The last few years I got this feeling whenever she was near me, but not as strong as over the last week.

“I’ve seen that look before.”

My mother’s words brought me out of my thoughts. “What look?”

She smiled. “The look of someone head over heels for another person.”

I couldn’t help it. I felt the corners of my mouth tip up. “I am head over heels for her. I’ve never felt this way before, Mom. Every day, it seems to grow stronger and stronger. She’s all I think about. When I’m at the ranch, I want to be where she is. When I’m with her, I’m thinking about how to keep her with me longer. It’s pure insanity.”

She laughed. “That, my dear, is called being in love. And it’s pretty clear she feels the same way about you with how she watches you when she doesn’t think anyone notices.”

I glanced to the floor and kicked at nothing. “I don’t know why I didn’t take the risk of loving her before now, but I’m glad I finally opened my eyes.”

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