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Lilah froze in his grip. For a moment she was certain the kitchen had never been that quiet.
There was space between them, as Trace’s arms were straight out. Like a Ken doll. Except this doll was living and breathing, and his accidental proximity was making Lilah feel things she had no business feeling.
With his steel-blue gaze on her, Lilah was acutely aware of Trace’s big, warm palm resting just above her hip. Her stomach fluttered, and Lilah wanted to squash it like bug.
“Ketchup!” she nearly screamed. Trace’s eyebrows rose, and she rolled out of his grip. “I really hope I’m not out of it. I think I got an extra bottle at the market last week. Ben won’t eat . . . gosh dang.” The words gurgled out of her mouth as she hurried to the pantry. Once she was hidden amongst shelves of cereal boxes and canned vegetables, Lilah took a breath, trying to settle her pounding heart. Her attraction to Trace was growing, even though she didn’t want it to.
“I’m going to take the hamburger patties out and put them on the grill,” Trace said from the kitchen.
“Okay, thank you.” Lilah leaned back against a shelf, taking a moment to gather herself.
What was happening inside her head? She couldn’t think of Trace in any other way than as a friend. Trace had been a staple in her life for the past ten years. He’d been her husband’s best friend. That alone was enough to draw a line she should never cross. But beyond thathugelyimportant piece, Lilah wasn’t sure her heart could fall for another man. She’d gone through too much. She’d loved too deep. And then she’d helplessly watched her love disappear because his body had disowned him. Lilah shivered, recognizing the immense hole Henry had left in her heart.
The back door opened and closed. She faintly heard Trace talking with Randall outside.
Lilah closed her eyes and swore at the cancer that took her Henry. She gave herself five seconds to be angry. Then she took three slow, steady breaths, bringing herself back to the present and keeping her head from getting lost in the pain of the past.
When Lilah opened her eyes, a bright red bottle of ketchup was directly before her. She grabbed it, glad at least one of her dilemmas was solved.
Chapter Four
Tracedidn’tevengohome after work the next day. He went straight to Lilah’s. He knew she’d be home late after Andy’s football practice and figured he’d knock out chores so she wouldn’t have to worry about them. As he cleaned stalls, topped off water tanks, fed the menagerie, and brought the horses in from their paddocks, the events of yesterday resurfaced in his mind.
Spending time with Lilah, the kids, and Henry’s parents filled Trace’s heart and broke it at the same time. Because Henry should’ve been there with them—grilling burgers, tossing a football to his boys, laughing at his dad’s jokes. It was Henry that had built a beautiful family. Not Trace. Henry had made all the right choices, and he should have been rewarded for that. Instead, his life was cut short. And now Trace was the one who got to enjoy Henry’s family.
That was messed up.
Guilt burrowed in Trace’s gut, especially because his relationship with Lilah was skirting forbidden territory. Yesterday, when Lilah had fallen into his arms, Trace’s heart thudded into his throat, highlighting what he’d been ignoring.
He steadied himself against one of the barn walls as his heart rate sped up just remembering it. “I didn’t mean for this to happen,” he muttered into the quiet barn. He hoped his friend knew his intentions were good. “If I could turn off these feelings, I would.”
The second-best option was to bury his feelings deep, where no one would ever find them. He’d been doing that for a while—with more than just Lilah. It was a skill he’d learned in the army, and he was good at it. At least that’s what previous girlfriends had told him. He’d heard more than a few times that he could be distant and cold. Maybe if he continued ignoring his feelings, they’d disappear. That would be better than acting on them and risking his relationship with Lilah.
Trace shook his head at himself.
He would take care of Lilah and the kids.Always. That’s what he’d promised Henry the day before the tumor took his best friend’s life. Henry had asked him to look after his wife and kids. He hadn’t asked Trace to fall for Lilah or to take his place. So Trace would continue to do exactly what Henry had wanted—what was best for Lilah and the kids. He’d blatantly ignore his own heart for their benefit.
Gravel crunched, and Lilah’s car pulled in front of the barn. She got out and opened the back door. Ben took his seatbelt off and climbed out. He leaned into her for a moment, but when she started to talk, he ran off toward the house.
Trace’s ears perked up. Was Ben crying?
Andy rounded the front of the car and walked into the barn, wearing his Little League football jersey. “Hey, Trace. Did you feed already?”
Lilah turned toward her son, noticing Trace.
“I did,” Trace replied. Andy looked disappointed and Trace quickly added, “but I didn’t give the mares their grain yet. Want to help me with that?”
Andy’s face brightened. “Sure.”
“I’ve got their grain and supplements mixed up in the feed room. Can you grab the buckets?”
Andy went into the feed room and retrieved the two buckets. As he carried them to the stalls, Trace addressed Lilah. “Is Ben okay?”
She walked into the barn, leaving the car door open. Sofie looked to be sound asleep in her car seat.
“He got picked on during practice today.” Lilah sighed and crossed her arms over her chest.
“What happened?” Ben was the sweetest kid, and Trace knew he wouldn’t start anything with anyone. He wouldn’t even harm a bug. When a fly made its way into the house, Ben made sure to catch and release it.
