Chapter 5
Damon hated lying to Grace, but he was afraid if he told her he wanted much more than friendship, he'd scare her away. He'd seen that wary, distrustful look on her face and had backpedaled. They hardly knew each other. It would sound crazy to tell her he could see himself marrying her.
She was right though; he was leaving in two weeks. It wasn't fair to put expectations of a serious relationship on her, but Damon doubted he'd be able to get her off his mind when he left Providence.
He gave her a reassuring smile before putting the car into gear and continued toward the ranch. He pointed out the white rail fence on both sides of the road as soon as it came into view and took note of what must be his cousin Riley and her husband Daniel's house that was under construction.
"All of this land belongs to the Double Diamond Ranch. My Uncle Blake and Aunt Faith used to own it, but after Uncle Blake passed away six years ago, my cousin Jake took over the ranch."
"Oh, I've met Jake and Emily. They're really nice."
"Yes, they are. Well, Jake is. I don't know Emily all that well, but everyone in the family seems to like her." Damon slowed down to make the turn into the ranch. "I should have known Paige had already introduced you to everyone."
"Yes, she recruited some of your family to help Gabe and I do a little remodeling and updating on our duplex. Then a bunch of them showed up last week to help us move in." She eyed him. "I have to say you don’t look like your brothers, Steven and Matt."
"They have a different mother. My dad was married before meeting my mom. Their mother was Italian. "
"That explains it. I might have recognized you in the elevator or seen a family resemblance if you had the same black hair and olive complexion as them."
Damon brought the car to a stop outside the stables just as Jake walked out leading a buckskin horse. They climbed from the car, and Damon greeted Jake with a bear hug and a slap on the back.
"Easy man," Jake said in a strained voice. "I came off a horse a few days ago and cracked a couple of ribs."
"Sorry." Damon let go. "I'll bet they hurt like he— Like the dickens."
"They do." Jake turned to Damon's pretty companion. "Hi, Grace. You get all settled in?"
"Almost. Thanks for all your help over the last few weeks."
"Happy to help." Jake led the horse to the hitching post where another horse already stood. "I'll have your horses saddled in a few minutes."
"No rush. In fact, I can saddle them, but first, I need a tour of this monstrosity.
" Damon turned to the massive building on the other side of the lane that was even bigger than the stables.
"When I was home for Riley's wedding in January, your rec center was little more than a cement slab and a few walls. "
"It's pretty much done now." Jake led them across the lane after tying the horse's lead rope to the hitching post. "The swimming pool isn't operational yet, but hopefully, we'll be able to put water in it by the wedding. Paige wants to have little tea lights floating on the water."
"Oh, that will be pretty." Grace's pace slowed as she looked up at the outside peak. "I like how the exterior mimics the stables and keeps that country feeling."
"Daniel did a great job designing it."
Damon let out a low whistle when they stepped inside. "Is this a full-size basketball court?"
"Yep. Basketball, volleyball, dance hall, whatever you want to do.
..we can do it here." Jake pointed in one direction then the other.
"We don't have much equipment in it yet, but there's a weight room back there in that corner.
And a kitchen and bathroom over here." He continued to point out the sound system, and the dozen other little and not so little things that made the space incredible.
"I see why Paige wants to have the wedding here. It's beautiful." Grace's eyes were as wide with amazement as Damon's.
"We're excited to host the wedding. We built it for family to enjoy." A pleased expression filled Jake's face. "And a wedding is the perfect inaugural event."
When they finally walked out of the rec center, Damon stopped Jake. "Before we ride, do you mind if Grace and I borrow one of your old farm trucks?"
Jake's face grew puzzled. "I can't vouch for how clean they are, but sure."
"Thanks. Grace wants to learn how to drive a stick shift."
"What?" Grace's chin dropped as she turned wide eyes on him. "We don't have to do that today. Riding horses is enough."
"Oh, we’re doing this." Damon grinned at her.
"Knock yourself out." Jake motioned toward the big shed where they kept all the farm equipment. "Stay away from the white one. The brakes are going out on it."
Ten minutes later, Damon parked the truck on the side of the road headed away from the ranch. "Okay, it's your turn." He opened his door and jumped out. Grace still sat on the passenger side when he opened her door. "What's wrong?"
"It's such a big truck. I've never driven a vehicle this big."
"You've got this." He waved his arm. "There's nothing but wide-open road. There's rarely much traffic out here. And if you run off the road, you won't hit anything but sagebrush."
Grace shot him a scowl before scooting across the bench seat.
He waited for her to move the seat forward and adjust her mirrors. By the time she had the seat positioned so she could reach the pedals, his knees brushed the dash. "Just don't crash into anything. I don't think my knees will survive."
She smirked at him. "Maybe we should do this another day."
"Nope. No time like the present. You're going to feel so accomplished by the time we're done."
"Or maybe I'll feel like strangling you."
He gave her a cheesy grin. "That's a possibility, but hey, at least you’ll have learned how to drive a stick shift before you go to jail."
"Jail. Now there's something to check off the bucket list," Grace said in a dry voice.
Damon busted out laughing, and Grace joined him.
"Yeah, that's definitely one you put on after the fact.
I'd hate to think anyone would actually aspire to that.
" He motioned toward the pedals. "Okay, now quit stalling.
Left foot on the clutch, right on the brake.
Now put it into first gear and slowly let out the clutch and apply pressure to the gas. "
The truck lurched forward and died.
"Push in the clutch and start it up. Now this time, let the clutch out slower." Damon continued to coach Grace as she jerked her way through the gears. Once she got to fifth gear, he made her slow and drop down a couple gears before coming to a stop. "That was great. Now go again."
By the time they returned to the ranch, Grace drove the truck with a manual transmission almost like a pro. Judging by the smile on her face, she felt every ounce of her accomplishment.
"Wait." Damon stopped her before they walked out of the equipment shed. "Take out your phone and put a check mark by Learn to Drive a Stick Shift."
"I've hardly mastered it."
"No, but you're off to a good start. Don't worry, we'll squeeze in a few more lessons while I'm here."
Tempering her smile, Grace pulled out her phone.
He watched as she checked the box. "Good. Now add: Go Four-Wheeling."
"What?" When she gave him a puzzled look, he pointed at the ATVs in the corner.
She studied the machines for a moment, then her grin widened as she typed on her phone.
"You might make a good country mouse yet.
But those will have to wait for another day.
Today, we have a date with some horses." Damon led her to his rental car where he pulled a pair of ladies’ cowboy boots from the back seat.
"Paige said you could borrow her boots since you guys wear the same shoe size.
" He waited for her to change her shoes, then he grabbed a bag containing the lunch his mom packed for them and led her to the horses Jake had saddled.
Jake stepped out of the stables as they approached. After giving Damon a few instructions regarding Trigger, the high-spirited horse that needed a tight rein, he introduced Grace to Honey. "She's the gentlest horse I own, and she's great with beginners. She'll follow Trigger no problem."
"But you just told Damon Trigger needed a firm hand, because he could be flighty."
"Yes, but Damon knows how to handle a horse. You'll be fine."
Damon and Jake took turns giving Grace instructions on mounting and dismounting and how to use the reins to guide her horse. Then Damon helped Grace into the saddle. She was so stiff, he feared she'd fall off.
After Jake adjusted the stirrups for Grace, he opened a gate for them to cross a pasture. "Stay away from the river at sandy flats. Spring floods washed out large sections of the riverbank. It's not safe."
"What about Rocky Falls?" Damon asked.
"Water is still pretty high there too, but it's safe, and as pretty as ever."
Damon kept a close eye on Grace as they rode in silence.
Her knuckles were white from gripping the saddle horn so tight.
"Relax. Honey has a smooth gait. Let your body sway with your horse."
It took another full minute for her to release the pommel, and another five before she truly relaxed in the saddle.
They made small talk for a while, and Damon told her about coming to the ranch every chance he got when he was young. He entertained her with stories of how he and Paige got into all kinds of trouble with their cousin Riley and the ranch foreman's son, Daniel.
"It must have been great to have cousins to hang out with."
"Don't you have cousins?" He gave her a surprised look.
"No, both of my parents were only children. My mom's mom suffered several miscarriages before she managed to carry my mom to term. Then she was never able to get pregnant again."
"Wow, I'll bet that was hard on them."