“You want to go for a walk?” Trace asked still feeling awkward and out of place.
“We like to get young horses out on the trails sometimes to let them get used to new things before we have them under saddle.”
Marissa nodded. A walk might be nice. She still didn’t know exactly what she wanted to say to Trace. She only knew that his idea wouldn’t leave her alone and that it seemed to answer so many of her fears.
Together they walked along the fence line, making a turn as they passed the barn behind her sister’s house and following the line.
The sun was still fairly low in the sky, but the cheerful yellow light glowed among the greens and golds of the open prairie.
“You do this often?” Marissa finally asked.
“Pretty much, I get a little tongue-tied with the guests, so I try to do more of the barn work when I can.”
Marissa stopped looking at him in surprise. “I find that hard to believe,” she said. “You’re very easy to talk to.”
“I don’t know about that. All I know is that when the girls start giggling, I get annoyed and want to run the other way.”
Marissa laughed. “I wouldn’t have pegged you as the shy type,” she chuckled.
Trace shook his head, his face heating. “I’ve always been that way,” he said. “I never had much time for anything growing up, but helping my dad and Daisy. We had a little farm and raised some sheep over at Biders Clump, but Daisy needed more care, and then when she started her center she felt she could do more good here,” he finished with a shrug.
“Does she live at the center full-time?” Marissa asked wondering about Trace’s sister again. “Or does she have a place of her own?”
“Technically she has a room at my place,” Trace admitted, “but she lives at the center full-time. She rarely takes a day off, but she’s happy, and I help when I can.”
“Were you serious last night?” Marissa blurted stopping so fast that he took a step past her and had to turn to meet her gaze.
“I was.”
“It’s tempting,” she said. “I’m just afraid I have some crazy hormones affecting my thinking. I know the whole thing would give me a safety net, but I don’t know what to expect. We barely know each other.”
“That didn’t stop your sister,” Trace said echoing her hidden thoughts. “Besides, I’m only trying to give you an alternative.”
“You know about Kade and Michelle?” Marissa asked surprised. It had taken Michelle months to explain the whole thing to their parents.
“Everyone knows about Kade and Michelle,” Trace said with a grin. “They’re our very own odd couple here at the Broken J.”
Marissa smiled, again feeling that warm stillness that being with Trace always brought.
“I’ll tell you what,” Trace said. “Why don’t you ride with me this evening on the mock cattle drive and chuckwagon dinner? You can protect me from the giggling girls, and we’ll get to know each other a little better. Whatever you decide, I promise you one thing, I’ll be here for you.”
“Isn’t that drive only for paying guests?” Marissa hedged.
“I can have a guest if I want,” Trace said. They were standing under the shade of one of the creekside cottonwoods and the sun filtering through the leaves was playing on Marissa’s soft skin like golden gems. “It’s not like we don’t have enough horses to go around,” he finished with a smile.
Marissa laughed. “I guess that’s true. What time do I need to be ready?”
“We start the drive at five and end up with the chuck wagon at about seven.”
“I’ll be there,” Marissa said. No matter what she decided to do she liked the fact that Trace was treating her with honesty. Even with his strong conviction on what her course of action should be, he didn’t seem to be judging her. She hoped that could last. For the first time in years, Marissa felt she had a connection with someone that went further than the comfort of a warm body to come home to each night.
Looking back, she realized how her relationship with Ray hadn’t been a true or lasting love, only a convenience.
It was somewhat of a shock to realize that her love for her former boyfriend had been an illusion. She had wanted someone to love, and now she had that chance if only she would go through with it.
“I’ll see you tonight,” she finally replied. “I’d better get back now,” she finished.
“I’ll walk you back,” Trace said turning and heading back along the fence line. He felt privileged to walk through the busy ranch next to Marissa.
As they made their way back behind the Ballard home, Trace stopped tipping his hat with a smile. “See you later,” he said leading the horse back toward the barn as Marissa headed for the back door.
***
Marissa hadn’t even made it across the hall when a knock fell on the door.
“Hello,” she said pulling the door open expecting that Trace had come to ask her one more question. Marissa was surprised to find the slim red-haired woman from the steakhouse the night before on the front porch.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” the other woman said, “Is Michelle here?”
“No, she and Kade headed down to the print-shop with Kadence a little while ago. I’m Marissa, Michelle’s sister.”
“I’m sorry to bother you,” the woman said, “I’m Florence Tate and I was hoping that Michelle had seen my daughter Elsie.”
Marissa tipped her head to the side. “Was she coming to visit Michelle?”
“No, but I went into the house to check Hunter’s schedule, and when I came back out, she wasn’t on the porch with Fred where I had left her,” Florence said biting her bottom lip with worry.
“I’ll help you look,” Marissa said stepping out on the front porch and looking around as she pulled the door closed. “What does she look like?”
“Thank you,” Florence said looking relieved. “She’s about this tall,” she
