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“Who’ll make pancakes on Saturdays or pick up the eggs you always forget?”
“You don’t have to take care of me, Beth.” Dad gave a wry smile and nodded toward Dylan. “I’ll just crash his grill nights if I’m too tired to cook.”
“Who’ll remind you of your appointments and make your coffee—Dad, your coffee is awful.”
“I’m not the first person who’s had to learn how to cook for myself. Dylan, Marie, and Eli are here.” He flushed. “And Janet.”
Wait—what? “Are you two dating?”
Dad lifted his shoulder. “We’re getting reacquainted.”
“He means yes,” Dylan said. “They’re both going on that Rhine cruise.”
Oh.
“It’s time for you both to venture forth.” Dylan raised his arms, as if ushering them onward.
“I have the camp responsibilities. I actually still have a job.” She turned to Dylan. “Did you know that Grayson gave the camp the deed to the lot?”
Dylan shook his head. “I’m not surprised, though. As for the camp, Noah and Jesse can figure out the assistant camp director position. You said there were a ton of applicants from Minneapolis before Noah agreed to put you in as interim.”
Her camp, though? Could she give up her camp?
Beth ran her hands through her hair and leaned forward onto the kitchen counter. She tried to imagine packing her bags. The long drive to the airport. Good grief, she’d never even flown before. Oregon felt like it might be halfway around the world.
“I don’t know if I can leave Deep Haven.”
Dad placed both hands on her shoulders. “Sweetie, Dylan’s right. I don’t think you can stay.”
* * *
No amountof golden Oregon sunrises or miles in the saddle would ease the void in Grayson’s heart without Beth. Even after his cross-country drive and more than two weeks in Oregon, he still missed her.
The sweet softness she brought into the day. Her laughter floating on the breeze across the paddocks.
He’d rolled out of bed early to drive to the back end of the property and replace fencing. That was part of the deal he’d made with Vincent. Sweat equity and an owner-carry contract. At least until Grayson could afford to buy the place outright. Without the money from the lot sale, his bank loan had dissolved.
Unfortunately, repairing the fence didn’t hold the satisfaction Grayson had hoped for. What was the point if he didn’t have anyone to share it with? And not just anyone. Beth.
Nope. Being back in Oregon hadn’t dulled the ache in his chest. And Tally? He’d thought she’d ease the pain. Instead, she made it worse. He couldn’t look at the horse and not see Beth or hear her voice, chitchatting with the buckskin like they were old friends.
“So, let me get this straight—you had the girl and you just up and left her?” Vincent drew his arm across his forehead and set another fence post. His short gray hair stood up on end, a little wild from the hours of labor.
“Not my best moment,” Grayson said.
He’d thought the best thing he could do was put miles between himself and Deep Haven. Focus on his new property.
Because he’d leftforBeth. He hadn’t left Beth.
Not that anyone else would ever get that. Probably she wouldn’t, either.
“Uh-huh.” Vincent paused. “You know, I was hoping to get out of this property before the fence needed replacing. I’m too old for this.” He let out a laugh and rubbed his shoulder.
“I’m sorry.” Grayson took a breath. Yeah, it was hard work, and he used to find a lot of pleasure in it. “I’m going to make this contract worth your while.”
Vincent nodded. “We’ll get it sorted. I’m just glad you were able to get the bulk of the Klamath string.”
Grayson couldn’t see the horses from his vantage point. They were all being held in the paddocks near the barn on the front half of the acreage. Hopefully they didn’t have any fence pushers, because he and Vincent had a long way to go to replace the sketchy old strands of barbed wire with hotwire tape. Maybe someday he’d be able to afford split-rail fencing.
