Wild Cowboy Country by Erin Marsh

Author:Erin Marsh
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2020-05-19T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

“So this is where you’ve been spending all your time?” Lacey’s grandfather asked as they walked through the Sagebrush Zoo about two weeks later.

“Yup,” she said. “Wait until you see the wolf pups. They’re getting really active.”

Her grandfather shot her a look. “Are you sure this is good for your noggin? You’re off work to rest, kiddo.”

Lacey laughed. “I know, I know, but I’m too much like you. I can’t sit still. Plus, I have been improving since I started therapy.”

He harrumphed, but Lacey could hear the affection underlying his grumbling. She’d always been close to him. When she was a little girl, he’d take her up on his horse and shown her the ranch. He’d passed his love for the land on to her father and then to her. Although she watched over wolves instead of wrangling cows, in some ways, she hadn’t strayed too far from her family’s roots.

“I wish you’d let me take you to your appointments,” her grandfather said, his gravelly voice tinged with annoyance.

“It’s okay, Grandpa,” she said. “It would be a lot of driving and then sitting around waiting.”

“I could find a coffee shop nearby.”

She laughed. Up until ten years ago, her grandfather would have balked at the idea of setting foot in a dang-blasted establishment meant for yuppies and hippies. Then June Winters had revitalized her grandmother’s tea shop in Sagebrush. All the locals loved it…even the surliest old-timers like her grandfather and his best friend, Stanley. The two widowers went there every morning. It didn’t hurt that the owner served up a sunny smile along with her hearty breakfast platters.

“The closest coffee shop is filled with hipsters, and there’d be no Stanley or June to keep you company.”

“I’d make do,” her grandfather said stubbornly as Lacey opened the door to the main building. “It would be better than letting that Clay Stevens fellow drive you.”

Ah, Clay. The reason Lacey had invited her grandfather to the zoo. The past two weeks with Clay had been wonderful…well, as wonderful as they could be with the sneaking around. Lacey didn’t enjoy hiding a major part of her life from her mother and grandfather, and she liked keeping Clay a secret even less. Some people might find clandestine affairs thrilling, but she didn’t. The subterfuge drained her more than therapy for her concussion. She constantly worried her family would learn about her new relationship in the worst way possible.

Although Clay hadn’t complained, she knew the secrecy weighed on him too. And he deserved better. The man drove her to every appointment. Lately, he’d even started bringing groceries to her house because he knew the lights in the stores aggravated her symptoms. On the nights when she slept over, he kept her company as she did her therapy exercises…and watching someone stare at letters pinned to the wall while moving her head slowly up and down and then left to right couldn’t be scintillating. When she’d finally finished her assigned tasks and her mental fog seemed thicker than green chili stew, he’d hold her close until a semblance of steadiness returned.

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