Page 27 of Trails of Temptation

“I think so. He was up before the sun.”

My heart fell a bit at that, not because I wanted to see Grant, but because if he was out of the house that meant George wasn’t coming.

The screen door snapped open and Grant strode in, checking his watch.

“You better eat fast, Day. We gotta leave in twenty minutes if you’re going to catch the camp bus taking you to Helena today.”

Day responded by shoveling food into his mouth so quickly I thought he was going to choke. Moira rolled her eyes and starting pouring an ungodly amount of gravy onto her hashbrowns.

“Damn, Keely? What’s the occasion?” Grant mused as I handed him a plate. He sat down, glancing at his phone before digging into his breakfast.

“I—Well, I just felt like cooking something big today,” I said, shrugging. “I’m making barbeque chicken sandwiches for lunch, and shepherd’s pie for dinner tonight.”

“That all sounds great,” Moira replied, smiling up at me as I set my plate on the table and took a seat.

Grant finished off his plate in record time, then practically dragged Day out of his seat in his haste to get them both into his truck and on the road.

My heart continued to fall into my stomach as the front door closed. I toyed with my food and listened as Grant’s truck roared out of the driveway and out of earshot.

“Hey, what’s the matter?” Moira asked.

I looked down at the food I’d been so hungry for just a moment ago but could barely stomach now. I took a deep breath and met her eye, then told hereverything.

“I slept with George.”

“Really?” She gaped, setting down her fork. “Keely, that’s great—”

“We got into a huge fight yesterday. He said it was a mistake, alluded to that fact Pete is going to kill us both and now… Last night he was drunk, Moira. And when he came downstairs after talking to Grant he—He kissed me. Like, pinned me to my bedroom door and took my breath away—” I sucked in a breath, my heart racing out of my chest. “He said he was sorry. I don’t know if he meant that he was sorry for kissing me again, or sorry for the fight. I thought… I’d hoped he be here this morning. I figured he’d be feeling like trash and wanted to make sure he ate something—” I set down my fork and held my face in my hands. “I’m such an idiot!”

Moira laid her hand over my back. “You’re not an idiot, Keely. Look, I talked to Grant last night. I was concerned about George. You’re right, he was drunk at dinner. Grant said he can tell George has a lot on his mind, but I didn’t tell him about you two. I won’t, I promise… But I think you should talk to George—”

“He won’t say anything to me. He barely speaks, anyway.”

“He’s the definition of a man of few words. He communicates by action.”

“And his actions are telling me he wants me, that he feels the same way. But when he does speak, it’s the totally opposite!”

Moira blew out her breath. “Maybe I should talk to him. Give him a piece of my mind—”

“I don’t want you or Grant mixed up in this. I am sorry, Moira. I’m losing my mind here, and I should be focused on you—”

“I didn’t hire you to be my keeper!” She laughed, then motioned to my plate. “You need to eat something, Keely. Please. You didn’t touch your dinner last night. Look, I’m glad you told me what was really going on. I was worried about you yesterday, so was Grant.”

“What are you going to tell him?”

“Honestly it depends on what George says to him today. I won’t say shit about you and George, of course. Cross my heart and hope to die,” she giggled. “But Grant plans on pulling him aside to talk to him today, to ask what’s wrong.”

“Is George in trouble?”

Moira snorted, shaking her head. “I love my husband dearly and he is a hardworking and capable man, but this ranch is run by George. Grant is a tech guy, you know. He’s better at the administrative side of things. George is the reason Grant has any reason to be here. Grant is just worried about his friend.”

“Do you think there’s something else going on with him?” I hated that I was the reason George was acting like this, but if he couldn’t talk to me, what could I do?

“I don’t know. I’ve known George for just over two years and I still don’t know the man very well.” She took a bite of food, contemplating. “Do you think this just has to do with how your brother would feel about it?”

“Honestly, Pete can go to hell if he thinks he has any say in my life,” I bit out, finally taking a bite of my own food. It was great, so I took another bite, then said, “But George and Pete have been friends since they were kids. I think Pete would see it as crossing a line, and George does, too… but that line was already crossed, so what now?”

That was what I needed to talk to him about.

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