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Trace paused, taking her in. Then he waved at her with his fingers. She smiled back.
“Hey, Momma,” Ben said. “Can you and Trace read me a story?”
She stood away from the door frame and walked into the room. “Of course we can.”
Chapter Five
Whenbothboysweretucked into bed, Lilah and Trace made their way downstairs. It was past nine o’clock, and Lilah should’ve been tired, but she hadn’t had a second to relax since she woke up this morning. She’d jumped into her day before sunrise, feeding animals and kids. By midafternoon, she’d finished financial reports for three clients, including Gayle and Randall’s farming business. Then it was dentist appointments, a quick dinner at McDonald’s, and Andy’s football practice. And if Trace hadn’t graciously taken care of evening chores already, she’d be heading out to the barn to do that now.
Lilah turned to Trace as they entered the kitchen. “Thank you so much for everything today. For helping with the animals. For helping with Ben. I really appreciate it.” Her words didn’t feel deep enough for how grateful she was.
“It’s no problem.” Trace gave her a lopsided grin which fluttered her stomach.
“Seriously,” she reiterated, mentally smothering the butterflies. “I really appreciate it. More than you know.” It wasn’t just the time Trace spent with the animals or how he selflessly took chores off her plate, it was the way he was with her kids. He was an important part of their lives, someone they looked up to and loved. That had been especially apparent tonight.
After getting Sofie settled in her crib, Lilah had walked over to the boys’ room, but stopped short when she heard Trace’s voice. Peeking from the doorway, she listened and watched as Trace had soothed her son’s worries. He’d said just the right thing to brighten Ben’s spirit, and that had brightened hers as well. Trace had been the shining light of her day . . .her flashlight. It was a moment so sweet that Lilah wished she could have bottled it up and kept it for later. For the next time she needed someone to swoop in and patch a bruised heart. But not just anyone would do. She realized she only wanted that person to be Trace.
Instead of saying anything remotely close to what she was thinking, Lilah asked, “Join me for a glass of wine?”
“Wine?” Trace raised one eyebrow, making Lilah question her invitation.
“I could use some company while I give Thunder his probiotics,” she quickly added. “I forgot to tell you I started him on a new supplement, so I’m giving him some probiotics to prevent any tummy issues.” Asking Trace for help felt safer than asking him for his company. It was an invitation to stay and hang out, just the two of them, without voicing her true feelings.
Because there was something between them. Something tangible. Trace made her feel safe, protected, cared for. She felt a level of comfort with him she hadn’t felt with anyone else. She also knew she couldn’t lose him. He was an important piece of her family, and stepping anywhere outside the lines of friendship could alter the happiness she’d worked so hard to get back to—for herself and her kids.
“Sure,” Trace replied, his chiseled features highlighted in the soft glow of the kitchen light. “Wine and probiotics sound like the perfect way to end an evening.”
His farm humor broke Lilah’s intense train of thought. She grinned and turned to peruse their options from the countertop wine rack. “How does a cabernet sound?” Lilah pulled the bottle from the rack, craving something bold. Instead of responding, Trace walked up beside her.
“Here, let me get that.” He dug the corkscrew out of a drawer and took the bottle from her, giving Lilah pause as she watched him cut the foil and open the wine. Trace’s rugged hands—which usually wielded a hammer or saw—easily finessed the cork from the bottle, and Lilah took a moment to appreciate his gesture. And his solid arms.
When the cork popped loose, Lilah opened a cabinet and pulled out two small mason jars, distracting herself from her attraction to Trace.
“I’d rather use these than the fancy wine glasses.” Lilah set the jars on the counter and twisted toward Trace. “Much harder to break, and I can throw them in the dishwasher.” Then she cringed. Why was she talking about her dishwasher?How much more boring could I be?
But Trace grinned as he poured wine into each glass. “Makes perfect sense to me.” He set the bottle down and handed her a jar. “I don’t use anything I can’t put in the dishwasher.”
Her internal wincing waned at his practical response.
Lilah raised her wine jar. “Cheers to you, Trace. For being so wonderful to my kids. And to me.”
Trace’s blue-steel gaze fell on hers in a way that prickled her spine. “Cheers,” he replied, and her whole body tightened.
He clicked his glass to hers and they both sipped their wine. Trace’s gaze hadn’t left hers, and Lilah took another sip that was more of a gulp. She wasn’t doing great smothering the sparks zipping through her or the sudden awkwardness of the moment. “Should we go check on Thunder?” she asked quickly.
Trace’s fixed gaze flickered and softened. “Yeah, let’s do that.”
Lilah turned away and grabbed the plastic tube of probiotics from her kitchen countertop. It sat next to a half full sippy cup and Andy’s football jersey, which needed to be washed tonight. Both reminded her that she had more to consider than just herself when it came to Trace. Her life was complicated. She was a widow with three small children. Dating wasn’t a priority right now.
Lilah gave Trace a smile and stuffed the tube of probiotics in her jean pocket. “Okay, let’s go.”
Trace followed her outside and they walked toward the pasture in silence. August heat hung in the evening air, mixed with the telltale scent of campfire smoke. Lilah took a deep breath, letting both soothe her like a soft blanket. From the pasture, Thunder’s high-pitched whinny greeted them, forcing Lilah to focus on her little critter crew. She grinned.
“Hi there, babies,” she cooed. Thunder gave her a nicker. The sassy miniature horse said “hello” to her every time she came out of the house. Mostly, he wanted treats, but Lilah liked to think he was always delighted to see her.
“He is such a ham,” Trace said, eying the pasture. Her critters were lined up along the fence in anticipation of their arrival.
“They all are.” Lilah smiled, her anxieties fading. “They each have such funny personalities.” Her critters were quirky, silly, and obnoxious. Lilah loved them.
