Read Online Heart of Grace (Return to Grace Trilogy #1) by Abigail Easton - Free Book Online
Authors: Abigail Easton
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enough to attract another buyer.”
Reed’s eyes lit up. He looked at her as though she were a
saint. Angela stifled the urge to squirm. She could choose to
view her decision as a call to action; a purpose she was
determined to fulfil. But she knew she was just a coward, still
terrified of going home.
Six
She found Cole behind the house, in a field swinging an ax
beneath the harsh glare of sunlight. He was cutting logs on a
tree stump, the resonating whap and thump of the blade
matching the rhythm of her steps as she neared him.
He had removed the sling, his arm still bound in a cast
from biceps to knuckles. Sweat dripped down his face and
chest. He noticed her in mid-swing and did a double-take,
missing the log. The ax connected sharply with the tree stump.
He let out a harsh exclamation – something about donkey
brains – and pulled his injured arm against his ribs. His eyes
raised to her, his breath heavy and uneven.
“Why chop so much firewood in summer?” she asked.
“Stockpiling. I imagine I’ll need it come October.” Cole
removed his hat and wiped sweat from his face with a
handkerchief. He picked up the pieces of wood he had just cut
and tossed them into the woodpile. “I lost this oak a few weeks
back. Might as well make use of it. Don’t you have a plane to
catch?”
“I’m staying.”
“Say that again?” He squinted and leaned toward her.
“I’m staying.”
Cole smirked and tucked the handkerchief into his back
pocket. He put his hat back on and looked her straight in the
eye. “Why the change of heart?”
Why ? It was a simple question with too many answers.
Overwhelmed, Angela looked toward the endless sky and
considered letting her resolve fall away. If she let it fall, if it was her choice to let go for just a moment, she could still to pick up
the pieces again.
She chose to hold on.
“Three months,” she said. “I’ll give you three months.
That’ll get us through the summer circuit season and the pro
event. Come September, I’ll be gone. No matter what. But I’ll
do what I can to help bring the arena into the black before I
go. And I’ll be selling my half for a profit. That’s my
motivation, Cole. Nothing else.”
He dropped the ax. “What about New York? Don’t you
have a job? A life?”
She closed her eyes tightly. It was too late to stop the tears
that ran down her cheeks. They were cold against the summer
heat on her skin. He reached for her. She stepped way.
“New York will go on fine without me for a bit.” She
wiped the tears with the heels of her hands. “But it’s none of
your concern. I’ll be your business partner, and I’ll do what I
can to bring the arena back. Not for you, nor my father. For
me. And that’s the end of it.”
“Alright. Come on into the house, then. We have details to
work out.”
She nodded and followed him inside.
****
They spent the next hour talking business in his den,
strategizing and breaking up responsibilities. Angie sat on the
edge of the desk, among the papers they’d spread out over it.
Cole sat in the chair and looked up at her.
Her
tears
had
dried,
replaced
with
a
spark
of
determination.
He knew this situation was misery for her, but it worked
out great for him. If Angie stayed and took care of the arena,
he’d have his old arrangement back. He could return to rodeo
when his arm healed and barely skip a beat.
He had reminded himself of that many times over the last
hour, but he knew it was much more complicated. He was
worried for her. Worried for them both.
Shoot . He pushed away from the desk.
“I think that about covers it for today.” Cole gathered up
papers and slid them into a drawer. “We’ll drive ourselves nuts
trying to figure it all out.”
Angie looked away and slid off the desk. He wondered if
she knew he wasn’t just talking about the arena.
“I ask just one thing,” he said.
She snapped her gaze to him.
“Don’t look so suspicious,” he laughed.
“The last time you said ‘I
Reed’s eyes lit up. He looked at her as though she were a
saint. Angela stifled the urge to squirm. She could choose to
view her decision as a call to action; a purpose she was
determined to fulfil. But she knew she was just a coward, still
terrified of going home.
Six
She found Cole behind the house, in a field swinging an ax
beneath the harsh glare of sunlight. He was cutting logs on a
tree stump, the resonating whap and thump of the blade
matching the rhythm of her steps as she neared him.
He had removed the sling, his arm still bound in a cast
from biceps to knuckles. Sweat dripped down his face and
chest. He noticed her in mid-swing and did a double-take,
missing the log. The ax connected sharply with the tree stump.
He let out a harsh exclamation – something about donkey
brains – and pulled his injured arm against his ribs. His eyes
raised to her, his breath heavy and uneven.
“Why chop so much firewood in summer?” she asked.
“Stockpiling. I imagine I’ll need it come October.” Cole
removed his hat and wiped sweat from his face with a
handkerchief. He picked up the pieces of wood he had just cut
and tossed them into the woodpile. “I lost this oak a few weeks
back. Might as well make use of it. Don’t you have a plane to
catch?”
“I’m staying.”
“Say that again?” He squinted and leaned toward her.
“I’m staying.”
Cole smirked and tucked the handkerchief into his back
pocket. He put his hat back on and looked her straight in the
eye. “Why the change of heart?”
Why ? It was a simple question with too many answers.
Overwhelmed, Angela looked toward the endless sky and
considered letting her resolve fall away. If she let it fall, if it was her choice to let go for just a moment, she could still to pick up
the pieces again.
She chose to hold on.
“Three months,” she said. “I’ll give you three months.
That’ll get us through the summer circuit season and the pro
event. Come September, I’ll be gone. No matter what. But I’ll
do what I can to help bring the arena into the black before I
go. And I’ll be selling my half for a profit. That’s my
motivation, Cole. Nothing else.”
He dropped the ax. “What about New York? Don’t you
have a job? A life?”
She closed her eyes tightly. It was too late to stop the tears
that ran down her cheeks. They were cold against the summer
heat on her skin. He reached for her. She stepped way.
“New York will go on fine without me for a bit.” She
wiped the tears with the heels of her hands. “But it’s none of
your concern. I’ll be your business partner, and I’ll do what I
can to bring the arena back. Not for you, nor my father. For
me. And that’s the end of it.”
“Alright. Come on into the house, then. We have details to
work out.”
She nodded and followed him inside.
****
They spent the next hour talking business in his den,
strategizing and breaking up responsibilities. Angie sat on the
edge of the desk, among the papers they’d spread out over it.
Cole sat in the chair and looked up at her.
Her
tears
had
dried,
replaced
with
a
spark
of
determination.
He knew this situation was misery for her, but it worked
out great for him. If Angie stayed and took care of the arena,
he’d have his old arrangement back. He could return to rodeo
when his arm healed and barely skip a beat.
He had reminded himself of that many times over the last
hour, but he knew it was much more complicated. He was
worried for her. Worried for them both.
Shoot . He pushed away from the desk.
“I think that about covers it for today.” Cole gathered up
papers and slid them into a drawer. “We’ll drive ourselves nuts
trying to figure it all out.”
Angie looked away and slid off the desk. He wondered if
she knew he wasn’t just talking about the arena.
“I ask just one thing,” he said.
She snapped her gaze to him.
“Don’t look so suspicious,” he laughed.
“The last time you said ‘I
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