Chapter 5
CHAPTER 5
GRIFF
T hree days had passed since I’d seen Elle. I tried to think of every excuse under the sun to see her, but now that I had a small package on the seat beside me, I had the perfect excuse. The other day, she said she lived over at the old Hays place. That didn’t fill me with joy; in fact, I worried about her over there all alone. That family had been the bane of our existence for years; they had very a poor understanding of boundaries and liked hard liquor and drugs. She wasn’t safe out there alone.
Driving onto the property it was more run down than the last time I’d been here, but that was probably three years ago now. I’d tried to buy them out, make them an offer they couldn’t refuse but they didn’t take it. They were sure it was worth more than what I was offering. In reality it wasn’t and I wouldn’t bow to their insane demands.
The single-story house had been built by old man Hays, and he didn’t really care about comfort; he was cheap, and the two-bedroom house was barely the size of a postage stamp. While paint peeled off the siding, the once blue shutters were grey and were hanging onto the house for dear life. One more big wind, I was sure they’d fly off.
A small porch ran the width of the house, and it was pulling away from the outside wall. How was she living here? Anger rose in me thinking she was living here in squalor. Why was I having such a visceral reaction to this? I didn’t know this woman and wasn’t involved with her in any way. But I had the need to make sure she was protected.
Boxes were piled high on the porch, and it looked more like someone was moving out rather than living comfortably here. An unhitched stock trailer was sitting in the middle of the yard. The back door was open, and there were more boxes in the back of it, which made things even more confusing.
I didn’t have too look around long, Elle was in the open air riding arena a hundred or so yards from the house working with a horse. She looked elegant, poised, and gorgeous on the back of the large black horse. She rode around the arena like she was floating. Getting out of my truck, I leaned against the fence and watched her.
Elle pulled back on the reins and the horse twirled around, kicking up a cloud of dust before coming to a dead stop. “You enjoying the show, cowboy?” She called before she came to the fence. She swung her long leg over the back of the horse and jumped out of the saddle. Twisting the reins around the fence once she moved to me.
“I’m enjoying watching the woman putting on the show,” I said as I opened the gate for her to walk through. Motioning her with my head to follow me, I headed to get the reason I showed up out of the blue.
“What brings you all the way out here?” She asked as she leaned against the quarter panel of my truck, shoving her hands in the pockets of her jeans. Just like the last time I saw her, her blonde hair was wrapped messily on her head. I’d love to see it down, cascading around her bare shoulders. What the fuck Griff, head out of the gutter. I thought to myself. Shaking my head I remembered what I was doing here.
“I owe you an article of clothing.” Reaching through the open window I grabbed the box off the seat and handed it to her.
Her eyes widened as she stared at the pink box. “This is too much. I wasn’t actually serious.” She stammered as she lifted the lid. Lighter pink tissue paper lined the box and she carefully lifted it. I was sure her eyes would pop out of her head.
“Oh my god, this is beautiful.” She set the box on the hood of my truck and lifted the lingerie out. “Blue?” She asked, arching her brow.
“If I’m buying unmentionables for a woman, they’re going to be my favorite color.” I winked and watched the red hue of her cheeks grow even brighter.
“It’s see-through Griff,” she whispered as she clutched it close to her body, before looking at it again.
“Yes, it is,” I smirked.
“It’s too much, Griff. This was too kind of you. Thank you.” She placed the bra back in the box and put the lid on it. “Way too nice to wear to work, that’s for sure.”
“How about you wear it when you go out with me?” Crossing my arms over my chest, I winced as my shoulder pulled.
“Are you asking me out?” Elle arched her brow and stared at me with the darkest brown eyes I’d ever seen.
“Yes, I am.”
“I wish your timing was better.” She sighed and took the box, holding it close to her chest. “I need to keep packing and find someplace to move to. Apparently, this place has been sold and that’s left me weeks away from being homeless.”
Sold? How could that have happened? I’m called before every land deal is done, and I hadn’t even heard a whisper of this place changing hands. I was going to have to call Tawnie down at the county office tomorrow.
“Move into my place.” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. What kind of man just blurts out move in with me to a woman he doesn’t even know? “Look, I lied the other day. My arm is fucked. By the end of the day, I can barely use it. Hell, by noon, I have no feeling left in it.” I shrugged and watched her eyes drift to my hand.
“Griff, that’s not good.” She frowned and took a step closer to me. She stared at my shoulder, and I felt like she could see right through it like she was a human X-ray. The way her eyes focused on me made me feel like she was really trying to figure things out.
“How do you function by the end of the day?”
Shrugging, I looked toward the house. “I don’t. By the time I get home, I fall asleep and hope the feeling returns by morning.” Shifting my gaze to the ground, I kicked at a rock on the gravel road I wanted this to be over. Why had I even told her anything? She didn’t need to know.
“If I were to take you up on your offer, you’d have to listen to everything I tell you to do.” She crossed her arms around the box she was still holding. “On the days I work obviously I’m not going to be around, but you’ll have exercises to do. I will clean your house, do your laundry and cook. In return you’ll have to be willing to be there for my boy when I work.”
What she was saying was all things I could agree on. I had no idea what to do with a kid, but I was one once, so it couldn’t be that hard.
“Where’s your son now?” I asked, looking around.
“Parker’s in the house, but I’m taking him to his dad’s for a few days later this afternoon.”
“Can I meet him?”
“Yeah, I’ll go get him.” She nodded and grinned up at me. Elle wasn’t gone very long, and when she came out of the house, the boy at her side was laughing. He was tall, he came up to her shoulder, and Elle wasn’t a short woman.
“Parker, this is Griffin Harp. He’s got a ranch up the road.”
“Nice to meet you.” He said as he held out his hand.
“Nice to meet you, Parker. You like living out here?” I asked and watched his bright eyes turn a little sad.
“I do, but we have to move.”
“I know I might have a plan.” I grinned at him, and Parker looked up at his mom, his eyes wide with wonder.
“Mr. Harp and I have to talk about some things. Don’t worry about it. I’ll figure it all out. Are you packed to go to your dads?” She asked putting her arm around his shoulders.
“No, not yet. I’ll go do it. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Harp.” He smiled at me.
“Please call me Griff. It was nice to meet you too, Parker.” The boy ran back to the house, and something in his hair caught my eye. Must just be headphones or something. Kids these days always seem to be connected to something.
“He likes you.” Elle beamed as she looked over her shoulder as Parker disappeared into the house.
“Come to the house, look around and see if it’s even something you’d even be comfortable in.” I took a step closer to her and waited for her answer.
“I have so much to do.” She shook her head and looked over to the house.
“Fine, will you go on a date with me, and if I happen to show you where I live would that be okay?”
“You think I have time for a date when I just told you I didn’t have time to go with you now?” She smirked.
“It’s supper, you have to eat right? So no matter what you’re doing you’d have to stop and cook, so let me handle the eating situation.” The second the words came out of my mouth I regretted them. Maybe not as much as I should though. Elle smiled and rolled her eyes.
“Well how could I say no, after that absolutely convincing point.” She rolled her lips together and stifled her laugh.
“I’ll be here to pick you up at six-thirty.” I watched her push off the side of my truck as I reached for the door handle. “Wear the bra Elle,” I said as I closed the door and started the truck.