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She wore her straw Stetson and a pale green T-shirt tucked into her Wranglers. The breeze lifted her long hair, tugging locks across her face and neck. She rode right up like she belonged there.
She drew Daisy to a halt.
“I don’t understand.” He blinked away the blurriness in his eyes.
Vincent let out a deep laugh, smacked Grayson on the back, and walked back to the truck. “I think we’re done here. I’ll see you back at the barn.” He threw the gear into the truck bed. “Why don’t we pick back up on this tomorrow.” He got in, started up the truck, and drove off.
Grayson took a step toward Beth. What in the world?
Beth sat atop the bay, her face glowing. “Hi.” She was wearing the jade necklace he’d given her and, oh, how he wanted to trace his fingers along the delicate notch of her collarbone that it had settled into.
“Hi.” The greeting was far too small for the million different thoughts and emotions pinging through his brain. “I’m sorry.” Well, that sounded so pitifully lame. “I shouldn’t have left like that.” He swiped a tear from his cheek. “You were right.”
“I know.” She slid to the ground and gave him a soft smile that settled in his soul. “And I forgive you.”
He stepped forward, dropped his gloves. Beth was standing in front of him. In Oregon.
“I would have been here sooner, but my first flight got canceled.”
“You flew to get here?”
She gave a shy smile. “They even gave me wings for my first flight.” She flipped the ends of the reins in her fingers. “I don’t recommend a connection in Salt Lake, though. A wee bit bumpy.”
He nodded and took a step closer. “I’ve heard that.”
“But I checked it off my list.” She took another step.
Her lips curved in a smile that made his heart flip-flop.
“And you rode Daisy all the way out here?”
“Yes. The woman at the house—Rose?—grabbed the only horse in the barn, pointed me this direction, and told Daisy here to go find you and Vincent.” Her smile turned coy. She rubbed the horse’s neck and wrinkled her nose. “It took a while, though—she only walks.”
“I know. She’s twenty-eight and has arthritis in her hocks.” He stepped closer. “But you’re here—and I can’t even believe you’re here.” He reached out and tucked a loose lock behind her ear. She was a whisper away from him. “I tried to call you. To tell you what a jerk I was…to ask you to come.”
Trust Him.
“And here I am.” She closed the gap that remained until he could smell her coconut and orange blossoms and see the freckles on her nose and the gold sparks in her eyes. “Vivien scorched me.”
“Oh?”
She nodded. “I’ve hidden behind a lot of fear excuses—so has my dad.”
“It’s understandable the two of you would lean into each other. Be a little cautious about the world.”
She pressed her hands against his chest. Looked up at him. “I didn’t understand why God would allow you to walk away.” She worried her lower lip. “Then Vivien…well, let’s just say that she pointed out I might have been looking at things backward.”
“Oh yeah?” He let his fingers skim across her cheek. “I’ll be sure to thank her.” He studied her. “You came all this way to tell me that?”
She shook her head. “I came to stay. If you want me here.”
Everything in his head screamed yes.
Oh, good and gracious God.
He held himself together. Barely. “Are you sure?”
She nodded, fierce confidence in her eyes. “Dad’s been afraid to let go as much as I have. He probably needed a little nudge too. We aren’t losing each other.” She waggled her brow. “He’s signed up for that river cruise with several of his classmates from high school. Did you know he and Janet have been dating? Well, he doesn’t want to call it that, but that’s exactly what it is.”
