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“I’ll come by the office at lunch. You can tell me about the houses.”
All of Everly’s worries melted away in the wake of Blake’s thoughtfulness. “Good night,” she whispered.
Blake took a step back, clearly reluctant to leave. “Good night.”
The impact of their conversation hit her all at once. She definitely loved Blake Lawson, and containing her feelings only made them stronger.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Blake
Blake strapped the last of the tools into Applejack’s saddlebag and unlatched the canteen. Taking a few big gulps, he let a little extra run on his face. The sun was just beginning to give off a little heat, but he’d only felt cold sweat in the shade of the trail all morning.
“You ready, Paul?” Blake shouted into the woods. Blake, Ridge, and Paul had been clearing a trail all day. Paul had gone to get his horse, Bolt, from where they’d left him grazing in a clearing up the mountain.
Blake turned and felt pressure against the backs of his legs. Falling backward, he flailed his arms, but it did little good. His right shoulder hit the ground first, jarring everything up to his ears.
“Thane!” Paul shouted from the tree line. Bolt followed close behind Paul, unfazed by Blake’s fall.
Blake rolled onto his back and rubbed his aching shoulder. Narrowing his eyes at Thane, he growled, “Why are you out to get me?”
The wolf dog gave Blake a half-second glance before walking off to meet Paul.
Ridge extended a hand toward Blake. “I think he knows you’re moving in on his favorite person.”
Blake clasped the hand and pulled himself up. “Paul’s a great guy, but I don’t like him that way.”
Ridge chuckled low and slapped Blake’s throbbing shoulder. “I meant Everly.”
“Ridge is right,” Paul said. “Thane will run over someone to get to Everly when he sees her.”
Blake dusted himself off and gave Thane a menacing stare. “I don’t blame him, but we’ll just have to fight over her.”
“Not trying to hide it anymore?” Ridge asked.
Blake turned to face Ridge. This talk was a long time coming. “I don’t see why we should.”
Ridge picked up a pack and headed toward his horse without a word.
Unsure what to think of Ridge’s lack of reaction, Blake climbed on Applejack and settled in for the ride back to the barn. There had always been plenty of respect between Blake and Ridge, but he’d expected Ridge to say something. Anything. But Ridge wasn’t the type of guy to make a mountain out of a molehill, and he only overreacted when his family was threatened.
The trail was new, and the horses needed extra time to descend on the uneven ground. A hundred yards from the base of the mountain, the forest cleared, and Blake, Ridge, and Paul spread out on their mounts. Thane walked nearby, continually scanning the valley.
“I’ve been thinking about moving on soon,” Ridge said, breaking up the rhythmic clomping of the horses' footsteps.
“What? Moving on where?” Blake asked. When they moved to Blackwater, they agreed to plan further as the need arose. “Did something happen?”
Ridge kept his attention on the path ahead. “No, but I’ve been here long enough that if someone wanted to dig up the old dirt, it would be too easy. I don’t care if they find me, but it would be hard for Everly if it got brought back up.”
The sentencing. Ridge had received a minimal sentence for assault, but there had been other factors at play. Motives, intent, and defense. Those three things had saved Ridge from a lifetime in prison.
And Everly still didn’t know the half of it.
Blake gripped the reins. “We should tell her.”
Ridge didn’t answer right away, and when he did, his word was hollow. “Yeah.”
Blake rubbed his jaw. He’d packed up his life and followed Ridge the last time because it was the right thing to do. If Ridge hadn’t confronted the man first, Blake would have been the one to do jail time.
