Page 105 of Traces Of You
“Really? Like bears?”
“There are bears around, coyote, fox, deer. Be aware at all times.”
She thought she was. Guess she thought wrong.
They arrived at Clay’s ranch with her almost running to keep up with his stride.
Clay unlocked his back door using a security code. She followed him in and toed her sneakers off on the mat.
“I’m sorry you had to come out tonight.”
He grunted at her. What did she expect? That he’d accept her apology? She’d done nothing more than be a pain in his ass and a stress on his shoulders.
He walked away from her, but she followed quickly. “You can stay in here. My room is right next door.”
“Does Ford stay here?”
“In this room, yes. Don’t shut the door all the way, just keep it open a crack.”
“Okay.”
“The bathroom is across the hall. It’s all yours. I’ve got one in my room.”
“Thanks.”
He walked away from her. What she came to expect from him most times.
She went into the room, put her bag on the bed and pulled out her toothbrush, then went to the bathroom and got ready for bed.
She shut the bedroom door to change into Ford’s T-shirt and removed her jeans, then opened the door a crack. The hall light was on, but she assumed Clay would deal with that.
There was a TV in the room, but she wasn’t about to turn it on or do anything that might keep Clay up longer than necessary.
She hugged the pillow to her chest, knowing Ford had slept here not long ago. It smelled fresh and clean, but in her mind,she was holding him, and that comforting thought was enough to lull her to sleep.
29
MY RESPONSIBILITY
“What the fuck, Clay? Why the hell didn’t you call me last night when all this shit happened?”
His phone ringing at six with his brother’s name popping up had his heart ready to detonate in his chest. The minute he found out Reenie was safe, he took a few deep breaths to calm down.
All his brother said was he wanted him to come out this morning to show him where he was putting security cameras.
It wasn’t until he got out of his SUV at Reenie’s place that Clay hit him with what happened last night.
“I had it covered,” Clay said. “She didn’t want you to stay after everything that happened yesterday for a reason. Forcing you together wouldn’t help anyone.”
“I would have been here.” He ran his hands through his hair and paced. “She’s my responsibility.”
“She’s not. That’s the problem. You need to realize that.”
His brother wasn’t wrong.
He was in love with Reenie.
If he was honest with himself, he never fell out of love with her.
