ChapterTen
Greer could hardly believe how pleasantly the day had passed. Even harder to wrap his mind around was how perfect Emery Reeder was.
They weeded his garden and flower beds, mucked out stalls, and put fresh wood shavings down in the barn. They took a break and went on a ride on the lake in his kayaks. She made him smile and even laugh as she exclaimed over how cold the water was and kept begging him not to tip her over or splash her. Of course he said nothing and did neither, but he thought she was hilarious.
That night, they made dinner together. He had leftover steak from last night. He’d grilled a large pack and planned to use the extra meat in something. They made steak fajitas that were delicious, or in Emery’s words, “delectable, appetizing, scrumptious, and mouthwatering.” She teased him about slowing down and savoring the taste. He tried. He mostly savored being with her.
They headed back out into the perfect summer evening to do the night feeding and administer the medicine to the cows in the sick herd. Emery talked him into a short walk around the south side of the lake, asking him about his family. He told her each member of his family’s name and thought that would suffice. Nope. Not for Emery. She wanted to know ages, what they did for work, where they lived, what their personalities were like, and what his favorite memory was of each one of them, cousins and all.
He talked more in that half-hour walk than he had in years. Crazily enough … it didn’t kill him and he might have even enjoyed it. At least he enjoyed Emery being so interested in him and his family. Her ex-boyfriend didn’t come up, and neither did anything that might point to her not being Taylor. Frankly, he was happy to avoid the whole topic.
But there was a warning bell clanging somewhere in his mind. If she was after the secret, of course she’d want to draw him out about his family and gain his trust.
He pushed that away and focused on Emery’s long, dark hair curling down her back and swishing with each step she took. The setting sun sparkled along the east shoreline of the lake, but Emery’s dark eyes sparkled more. He wished he could take her hand, but didn’t feel he had that right.
After they washed up, she talked him into watching the old cowboy show Maverick with Mel Gibson. He’d seen it before, but they laughed a lot throughout. He was nothing like the smiling, charming Maverick on the show, but he wouldn’t complain about being compared to Mel Gibson. His only regret was there was almost half a foot between the two of them on the couch during the movie. He would’ve loved to ease close and cuddle her against his side while he watched, but logically knew he should keep his distance from Travis Reeder’s sister.
They stood and stretched after the movie. She inclined her head and gave him an appealing grin as the lights from the television lit her face. “Goodnight, Maverick.”
“Night,” he said in a weird, husky voice. He wanted to clear his throat but was afraid it would be too telling.
Her smile got bigger, and she turned and sashayed into her room. She shut the door behind her, but she didn’t click the lock. What did that mean? Last night, the door had been locked and he’d had to pick it when she had the nightmare. Then after he held her, she’d pulled away and said her funny line about letting her scream and it was good for her vocal cords. She couldn’t really mean that, but she’d seemed scared of him last night. He’d been certain that she knew exactly what he’d done. After spending the day together today, he could sense she’d grown comfortable with him and he thought she trusted him.
He groaned and pushed a hand through his hair. Turning, he strode into his own room and got ready for bed, but even after a very lengthy prayer, he had no answers and couldn’t settle down and sleep.
Then he heard her screaming, “Travis, stop! No! Stop!” at the top of her lungs.
He was instantly out of his bed and running, grateful he’d slept in a T-shirt and shorts again just in case. Hurrying through the main area, his phone beeped on the dresser back in his room to warn him that there was movement in the main area. He hoped he wouldn’t wake Papa with a notification. Papa could look in the cameras and see it was him if it did wake him up.
He stopped next to her door. Should he burst in there like he had last night? He didn’t want to scare her again.
“Help! Stop! No!”
That made the decision for him.
Twisting the knob, he was grateful she hadn’t locked the door so he didn’t have to waste the time breaking in or feel guilty that he was picking the lock.
She was twisted in the sheets, and his eyes were adjusted enough to the darkness to see she was only in his T-shirt again. Emery in his shirt and sleeping in his guest room did funny things to his stomach, but he couldn’t dwell on that. He had to rescue her from whatever violent dream she was having.
“No!” she screamed again, her voice hoarse.
Greer couldn’t handle her being afraid. She’d been through enough being raised in foster care, losing her brother violently, and being brave enough to walk through the mountains straight to the man she should fear and loathe.
Maybe he was insane. He had no idea what twisted assumptions or instructions had brought her here, but he could remember asking Papa what he could do for Travis Reeder’s sister. Papa had said all he could do was pray. He would keep praying, but now Emery was here with him, and he could take care of her and protect her, try to ease her pain.
“Em …”
Wait—he couldn’t call her Emery and force her hand. He wanted her to admit to him who she was. At that point, though, he’d have to admit to her face what he’d done. So maybe he wanted to keep her as Taylor for a good, long time.
“Taylor,” he tried again, resting his hand on her shoulder.
“Help!” she screamed.
He sat on the bed next to her, wrapped his arms around her back, and lifted her off the mattress and against his chest. She was trembling and her face was scrunched up as if she were in pain. He wanted to stop her pain.
“Taylor,” he tried again.
Her eyelids fluttered open. For half a beat she looked confused, and then she melted against him. “Ah, Greer. Thank you.”