A Family For The Soldier

And that was all he was giving her.

“That’s fine,” his grandmother said with a bright smile. “One step at a time.”

He watched her leave, eyes narrowed, feeling as though he had just agreed to something he would regret.

He returned to the nursery to check on Cody.

Chloe stood in profile to him, rocking the baby, such a maternal smile on her face that Grady’s knees grew weak. This was what a mother looked like, he thought, taking in the sight of this beautiful woman holding this baby so tenderly.

“I think he’s asleep,” Chloe whispered, her attention still focused on Cody. As she gently laid him down, Cody started, his hands shooting into the air, then as Chloe stroked his face he settled again, his breathing growing deep and even. It was amazing, he thought, envious of her ability to soothe the child, yet so grateful she could.

She gave his face another stroke of her hand and stepped away.

“We can go now,” she said, keeping her voice down.

She left ahead of Grady and he gently closed the door behind him. Together they walked down the hallway.

“Thanks so much for your help,” Grady said, following her to the top of the stairs. “I didn’t know what to do anymore. You seem to be a natural mother.”

She stopped there, her hand gripping the railing, her knuckles white, a look of fear on her face.

Had he said something wrong? Hurt her in some way?

She turned, folded her arms over her stomach. “Before we see your grandmother, I need to know how comfortable you are with working with me. I don’t think my coming to help you was your idea.”

Grady held her steady gaze, appreciating her straightforward honesty, such a refreshing change from her manipulative stepsister.

And that’s not the only thing you appreciate about her, a perfidious voice teased.

He shook it off, his injury a grim reminder of why she was here and what he had to offer someone like her.

“It wasn’t my idea. For now, let’s just leave it at you taking care of Cody.”

“But I saw your file. You need to keep working on your mobility.”

“I will. I just don’t have time yet. I’ve got the ranch and the program Ben set up to oversee. If Ben hadn’t been so foolhardy...” He stopped himself there. Chloe may be employed here, but she didn’t need to know all the ins and outs of their lives. “Anyhow, let’s go have some coffee with my grandma, because I’m sure she’s getting some ready.”

“I have your assessment. Dr. Schuster gave that to me so we could start from there.”

“You don’t give up, do you?”

“One of the characteristics of being a physical therapist. A quiet stubbornness.”

He laughed at that, glancing sidelong at her. But he didn’t look away and neither did Chloe. Their eyes held and a peculiar feeling of awareness rose up. An echo of older emotions she had once created.

She swallowed and he saw her take a quick breath.

Did she feel it, too?

Then he took a step closer and his foot caught on the carpet of the hallway. He faltered, thankfully just for a moment, as reality shot down any foolish thoughts he might have entertained.

She turned away, went down the stairs, quickly outpacing him.

And as he made his slow, painful way behind her he was reminded once again the foolishness of allowing himself to feel anything for any woman.

The only trouble was Chloe wasn’t just any woman. At one time he had cared for her. But she’d given him no indication that she returned his feelings. And then Vanessa had come along. After that, the war.

Now his life was a tangle of obligations and unmet expectations. He knew he had to be realistic. He couldn’t offer her anything. Not anymore.

* * *

“So you took the job?” Lucy was asking.

Holding her cell phone close to her ear, Chloe sat back on the bed of the room Mamie Stillwater had shown her to. It was off the nursery and a full floor away from the room Grady stayed in, which was a good thing.

Her room was lovely, though. Painted a soft aqua, trimmed with white casings, the room was large, cozy and welcoming. A chair and small reading table were tucked into a corner beside an expansive bay window that overlooked the ranch. The bed filled another corner, and a small walk-in closet and en suite gave her all the privacy she needed. It was lavish and luxurious compared to the cramped furnished apartment she had been renting.

“I didn’t have much choice,” Chloe said.

“Won’t hurt to see Grady every day,” Lucy teased.

“It’s strictly professional,” Chloe said, trying not to let the image of Vanessa fawning over Grady get to her. “Besides, I don’t know how much one-on-one time I’ll be spending with him. He seems intent on avoiding therapy.”

“If he’s as stubborn as his brother, you’ve got your work cut out for you.”

Lucy sighed lightly and Chloe sensed her friend’s extra stress. “You sound tired. Have there been more thefts?”

“Another one at the Cutler ranch last night,” Lucy said. “Some ATVs and a horse. I’m getting worried that this is more organized than people think.”

Chloe twisted a thread from the cuff of her worn blue jeans around her finger. “Do you have any leads?”

“None. Though something has been puzzling me greatly. The Stillwater ranch is the only large ranch that doesn’t seem to have had any thefts at all. A few of the smaller ones have been avoided as well, but I’m still trying to see if there’s a connection. A pattern that I can’t find. I was hoping you could help me out.”

“How?”

“Just keep your eyes and ears open. Maybe get closer to Mamie. I don’t know.”

“And report anything I might hear back to you.”

“Please.”

“Okay. I’ll see what I can find out.” She stifled the feeling of guilt that accompanied her statement. She was thankful for the job and she didn’t want to take advantage of that.

Yet Lucy was her friend. And she would be helping her and the community out.

“I should go. Mamie said that dinner was in a few minutes.”

“Hey, thanks for doing this for me,” Lucy said. “I appreciate any help I can get.”