Page 74 of Trusting a Cowgirl

Riley stiffened. She couldn’t tell if it was her tone, the look on her face, or the way she’d called him by his last name that threw him off. But it didn’t matter. She shifted to move past him and his arm came up.

“Grace—”

She didn’t let him finish his sentence as she pushed past his arm and strode toward her new clients. Dust flew into the air as her boots carried her across the barn floor. The way her heart hammered in her chest heightened the way her other senses interpreted everything around her. She could hear even the smallest movement Riley made behind her. The smell of the barn triggered memories of their time shared here, but that wasn’t the strangest part. She could have sworn she could taste him—like she was reliving their kisses in real time.

Her throat closed up and her vision blurred until she closed her eyes to shut it all out. When she opened them, Tyler was staring at her with concern shining in his eyes. His features were pinched together and he took a step toward her to take the saddle from her hands. “You okay?”

She swallowed, nodding but unable to speak. A reaction like this was foreign to her. She’d never experienced anything like it, but there was no time for her to examine what it meant. Plastering a smile on her face, she turned her focus to Kristin again. “Let’s pick out that horse.”

* * *

“She’s doing great,don’t you think?” Tyler strode beside her as she led the horse around the corral. The sun was shining, making it an unseasonably warm spring day. They had opted to remain outside rather than heading into the indoor arena.

Riley had gotten back from a short trail ride and was in an adjacent corral with Bud working on communicating small things to his horse.

“Miss Callahan?”

Grace jumped. She blinked at Tyler, chastising herself for watching Riley in the first place. “What?” Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She was supposed to be focused on helping Kristin right now. After this session, Tyler would probably go to Shane and tell him she wasn’t cut out for this gig.

Tyler’s brows pulled together. “You okay? Cuz really, if you need to take a break, I can stay by her side.”

“Oh, I couldn’t do that. I’m supposed to—”

“I won’t tell anyone. I signed a waiver anyway, right?” He chuckled. “Go take a breath. I’ll stay right here just in case she needs me.”

She didn’t know what prompted her to release the lead rope that Tyler grabbed from her hand, but she did. He practically shoved her toward the side of the corral, a wide, reassuring smile on his face.

Grace leaned up against the fence and watched as Tyler encouraged his sister. Kristin reacted with her own wide smile.

“He’s cute.”

She was startled again and turned to find Dianna behind her. Arms folded atop the corral fence, Dianna nodded toward Tyler. “Is he single?”

Grace scowled at her sister, ignoring the question. She probably knew that Grace’s relationship with Riley wasn’t doing so well. Technically, it didn’t even exist. Grace didn’t have any interest in starting another romantic chapter any time soon.

“I heard about what happened with Riley,” Dianna’s soft voice broke through Grace’s thoughts, and it took every ounce of self-control not to react. “I’m sorry, Grace.”

“Yeah, well, I should have known better than to fall for someone I was trying to help.”

“There was nothing wrong with developing feelings for him.”

Grace arched a brow. “Really?”

Dianna snickered. “Well, I didn’t say there was anythinggoodabout dating him either.”

And that was the problem. Grace was inexperienced, and she’d made a stupid choice. She’d opened her heart to someone she shouldn’t have. From the very beginning she’d been hesitant. So why hadn’t she just listened to her instincts in the first place?

“So you gonna flirt with him?” Dianna’s teasing voice only served to irritate Grace further.

“I’m not going to be dating anyone anytime soon. Maybe I won’t date at all.”

“Oh, come on. Don’t do that.”

“Don’t do what? Be smart for once?” Grace shot a look in Dianna’s direction once more, finding her smile had faded. She sighed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to suggest that you dating Tristan wasn’t smart. I just…” She what? There were no excuses. She’d known what she was getting into when she started to fall for Riley. And she’d gone and thrown caution to the wind anyway. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. Riley wanted something I wasn’t ready for, and I needed something from him he wasn’t ready to give. That’s life, and life is hard.” She crossed her arms as if the gesture could shield her from the ache in her chest that returned with a vengeance.

“Even if you don’t think you want todateanyone, you really should at least consider hanging out with someone. If not with the new guy, find someone in town. You have to get back on the horse and figure out what you want—what makes you happy.”

“Yeah. Maybe.”

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