Page 358 of Conveniently Wed
“I know, Nik.” Aundy reached out a hand to the boy. He took it and sat beside her. She rubbed his back and sighed as she looked over the flock of sheep. The herd grazed peacefully on the green pasture with the blue sky above them. “I’m having a hard time understanding it myself. Let’s just pray whoever it is decides to leave us alone.”
“But what if they hurt you?”
“Oh, Nik.” Aundy gave the boy a one-armed hug. “I’ll be fine. Don’t you worry.”
She tried to talk him into going to the bunkhouse to rest, but he refused to leave the sheep.
“Don’t wear yourself out, Nik. You need your rest. If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be any good to the sheep.”Aundy gave Bob and Butter a little more attention before she mounted Bell.
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll get some rest later.” Nik waved as she rode off along the fence line.
Aundy let Bell have her head, riding with no direction in mind. She enjoyed the feel of the breeze on her face, the sun on her back, and the quiet of the afternoon.
Feeling much better than she had when she left the house, she stopped at the creek that ran through a section of the farm and let Bell get a drink.
She thought she saw a fish dart into the shadows and smiled. Light reflected off the water in shimmering beams, making the place seem almost magical.
As she sat on the bank, she studied the bugs landing on the surface of the water. A crawdad hid beneath a broken tree limb. Rocks of all types, shapes and sizes that made up the creek bed glistened in the sunlight.
She trailed her hand in the cool water and picked up a handful of rocks. Carefully sorting through them, she kept a few that caught her eye and stuffed them in her pocket.
Easily mounting Bell, she turned the horse toward home, in no hurry to get there. When she topped the rise behind the barn, she stopped to take in the sight of the farm.
If someone had told her a year, or even six months ago, she’d be riding a horse, sitting on a hill in the sunshine admiring a neat red barn, planted fields, and a pasture full of sheep, she would have thought they’d lost their ability to think rationally. Chicago, and the life she’d had there, seemed like a lifetime ago. It was a place where she’d been marking time instead of truly living before her arrival in Pendleton.
Aundy felt fully alive in her new home. She had good friends, something exciting that drove her out of bed each day and, ifshe’d let herself admit it, a man she loved who stirred feelings in her she’d never known existed.
Her love for Gunther had been real, even though it was the first love of a young girl. This passion, this demanding current that flowed between Garrett and her, was something entirely different. It had depth and breadth, lightness and darkness, gentleness and wildness all rolled into one.
It scared her. Unsettled her with its intensity. It also made her feel beautiful, wanted, and loved.
Determined not to become involved with another man, her heart whispered it was already far too late.
If she didn’t know Garrett, didn’t know how he made her feel, she wondered if she would have turned down Ashton. Despite his pretty face and southern charm, she would never marry Ashton.
Thanks to Erik and his belief in her, she no longer had to depend on a husband to be successful. She could do that on her own.
Grateful again for her many blessings, Aundy rode Bell home and gave her a good brushing before stopping by the bunkhouse. She asked Li to have Dent make sure Nik came in for the night. She knew he’d have someone else keep an eye on the sheep. The boy would collapse if he didn’t soon get some rest.
After spending a quiet evening reading, a big yawn nearly cracked her jaw, reminding her it was time for bed. She turned out the lights in the front room and kitchen then walked down the hallway to the bathroom when a thump resonated outside on the front porch.
Fearful of what she might find, she rushed into her room, grabbed the revolver from her reticule, and slipped out the kitchen door.
The smart thing to do would have been to run to the bunkhouse and get reinforcements, but Aundy didn’t want to take a chance her tormentor would get away.
Cautiously edging around the corner of the house, she peeked up on the porch and saw no one. Glad the moon illuminated the night, she stayed in the shadows and moved along the front of the house.
Quiet surrounded her so she decided to go back to make sure someone didn’t sneak in the kitchen door. She turned to retrace her steps and bumped into a solid wall of man.
“What are you doing?” Garrett’s voice sounded husky in her ear as his hands gripped her arms.
“Are you insane? I almost shot you,” Aundy hissed, dropping her arm away from Garrett. If she hadn’t been careful like he taught her, he’d be lying on the ground with a bullet in his chest. The thought of that made her lightheaded and woozy.
When she swayed on her feet, Garrett put his arm around her waist and pulled her against his side, hurrying up the steps and inside the kitchen.
Seating her at the table, he lit a lamp and studied her pale face.
“What do you mean almost shot me?” he asked, looking for evidence of Erik’s pistol.
