Page 72 of Grady

“I’d love to.”

“Anytime. Let’s get out of here. I’m ready for a hot bath and a good night’s sleep. Damn, I wish I had my phone.” Savannah shook her head.

“At least you don’t have to worry about someone getting into your accounts now, though.”

Savannah nodded as they walked out the door, locking it behind them, then Savannah made her way to her vehicle while Maggie walked around to the back of the building.

Chapter Eleven

Sunday evening as Grady pulled into his driveway, he could feel the anger boiling inside him like a pot about to boil over. He shut off the truck and stormed into the house, slamming the door behind him. The hardwood floors echoed with his heavy footsteps as he made his way toward the kitchen. But headed for the laundry room first, dropping his duffle bag abruptly onto the floor. He’d deal with it tomorrow. Right now, all he wanted was a hot shower and some much-needed sleep.

Ever since that prick answered Savannah’s phone and she didn’t have the courage to tell him herself that she was going back to her ex-husband, Grady hadn’t slept. The betrayal cut deep and all he could think about was how he shouldn’t have gotten involved with her in the first place. He should have listened to his instincts and kept things casual, but no, he had to go and fall for her.

“Fucking dumbass,” Grady muttered as he walked toward his bedroom. He entered the bathroom, stripped, turned on the shower, and stepped inside, letting the hot water cascade over him as he tried to clear his mind.

The next morning, Grady went about his routine of checking the stalls in the barn when he saw Maverick mucking out one of them.

“Hey, is it your turn already?” he asked.

Maverick looked at him, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his gloved hand. “No, but Charlene called to tell me Steve is sick so I’m filling in for him. She said he’d been throwing up all night. I told her to keep him home so none of us catch whatever he has.” He leaned against his rake and took off his gloves. “How was your time away?”

Grady shrugged nonchalantly. “It was fine.”

Maverick gave him a knowing look before crossing his arms over his chest. “What’s really going on?”

“Nothing,” Grady insisted.

“Bullshit. I’ve known you long enough to know when something’s bothering you. Why did you leave in the first place?”

“Savannah and I had a fight. She hung up on me, so I figured I’d give her some space.”

“And how did that work out for you?” Maverick pressed.

“I called her but her... ex-husband answered and told me she didn’t want to talk to me.” Grady shrugged, trying to brush off the hurt he felt.

“Bullshit! You don’t believe that, do you?” Maverick asked.

“Why else would he be answering her phone?” Grady snapped back.

Maverick took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair before putting the hat back on. “I don’t know about that, but something doesn’t seem right. She’s not in love with him, she’s in love with you.”

Grady scoffed. “No, she’s not.”

Maverick laughed. “You are one blind son of a bitch. Of course, she is. And I’d bet money that you’re in love with her too.”

“I am not in love with her,” Grady protested, feeling a twinge of guilt at his own denial.

Maverick just chuckled. “Sure man, whatever you say.”

“I have work to do,” Grady muttered, needing to get away from this conversation and his thoughts.

“For someone who supposedly isn’t in love, it seems like it’s really eating at you that her ex answered her phone and fed you a line of bullshit,” Maverick commented slyly.

“Go fuck yourself, Whitaker,” Grady growled as he stormed off toward his horse’s stall.

He quickly saddled his horse and rode out to check the fenceline in the west pasture. A new section had been strung and he wanted to make sure it had been done correctly. But deep down, he just wanted to get out and clear his head of thoughts of Savannah.

But Maverick’s words kept nagging at him. Was there something off about the situation? Why did her ex answer her phone? Grady couldn’t come up with any answers, but he knew one thing for sure, he wasn’t calling her again. If she couldn’t be honest with him about her ex, then there was no point in pursuing anything further. It was over and he needed to accept it, as much as it hurt.

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