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I tugged at my earlobe, fighting a stab of self-consciousness. The ashes of what had once been my barn were in full view, right behind me. I didn’t feel like I deserved anyone’s praise right now.
“Grady has graciously offered the services of his ranch hands for the barn raising,” Grandma said.
It took a moment for her words to sink in.
“Wait…what? What barn raising?”
Grandma Cora simply smiled sweetly.
“Oh, I couldn’t say. You’ll have to ask Landon about that.”
…Landon? Now I was really confused.
My grandmother made a shooing gesture in Grady’s direction.
“Go on now, Grady, get moving. That’s enough of the pleasantries. I’ll call when I’m ready for you to pick me up.”
To my surprise, Grady leaned over and kissed Grandma’s cheek—a strangely warm and affectionate gesture coming from a man who didn’t seem to know how to smile.
“Stay out of trouble, Miss Cora,” he said.
“Never,” she shot back with a grin.
I waited until Grady had driven away before I turned on my grandmother.
“I had no idea you were on such friendly terms with Grady McCall, of all people.”
She shrugged as the wind blew her wispy white curls into her eyes.
“I used to babysit him back in the day. That boy was so damn broody. I managed to soften him up with some apple pie though. He might be tough as rawhide on the outside, but you’d be amazed to see how sweet he is underneath it all. Especially when it comes to a woman who knows how to handle him.”
“Like you?” I pointed out.
Grandma Cora gave a wry little smirk.
“That’s different. He’s a bit scared of me. Always has been.”
I couldn’t imagine someone like Grady being scared of anyone or anything, let alone my 90-year-old grandmother.
“Grandma,” I said. “Someday, you have to tell me your secret.”
She chuckled.
“I have a lot of those, bumblebee. Which one would you like to know?”
“Do you have every damn cowboy in this town wrapped around your little finger?”
She threw back her head and laughed.
“I’m taking that secret to my grave, sweetie. Wild horses couldn’t pry it out of me. Now, about that barn raising…”
Grandma Cora turned toward the pasture and raised her hand in a big wave. I turned to look and spotted Landon standing at the fence line. I had to admit he cut a handsomefigure, lean, wiry body, snug jeans, and his hat pulled low to shield his eyes from the blazing summer sun.
After ducking under the fence, Landon crossed the pasture with long-legged strides. Grandma Cora didn’t give him a chance to catch his breath before she pulled him down into a hug. I expected Landon to stand there and endure it, stiff and uncomfortable, but instead, he melted into her embrace. Wrapped his arms around her gently as if he was afraid of his own strength and didn’t want to crush her.
“I was just telling Callie about the barn raising,” Grandma said, breaking apart. “Let’s see that list.”
Landon cleared his throat with a quick glance in my direction that seemed on the verge of shyness. Then he pulled a roll of paper from his back pocket and smoothed it out. Dozens of signatures sprawled down the page, some neat and tidy, others nothing more than a messy slash of ink. The paper trembled slightly as he held it out to me and I realized his hands were shaking.
