The Last Goodbye (The Women of Independence) (20 page)

“You still here?” The editor poked his
head in the door and glanced at the screen, not surprised by what Grayson was
watching. He couldn’t count how many times the director had watched that scene.
“My wife is happy that we finished a day early, so I’m off. It’s been nice
working with you.”

“Me, too.” Grayson stopped the film and
turned up the lights from the console beside his chair. “Thanks, Eddie.”

He’d signed off on all the reports
earlier in the day. If he’d missed anything they could get in touch with him,
but for all intents and purposes, his work was done. Usually at this point in a
project he could scarcely wait to get home to his ranch. Today, not so much,
even though he desperately needed a rest.

“Get over it,”
he said aloud,
chastising himself.
“She made it clear how she feels.”

Easier said than done.

* * *

Danielle’s nose wrinkled in distaste as
the aircraft descended through a thick layer of smog. Did people actually live
with this? She shouldn’t be surprised; she’d seen nothing but highways out the
window, twisting and turning on each other like pasta that had lost its way. A
little knot formed in her stomach as she considered what lay ahead.

Maya’s words had spurred her to action,
and she’d moved quickly, before she could change her mind. Her passport was
current, and she had the US dollars she’d been paid for her work as an extra.
Then she’d contacted Carmen, who had been delighted to give her directions to
Grayson’s ranch from LAX, along with enthusiastic encouragement. Now, all she
had to do was find the car rental booth, and Highway 101, and she’d be on her
way north. Located outside of San Luis Obispo, Carmen had assured her that
Grayson’s ranch was easy to find.
Too late for second thoughts
, she told
herself, striding toward the car rental.

* * *

Carmen had been right. The turnoff to
Grayson’s ranch had been easy to find. Danielle rolled down her window, slowed
down, and laughed at herself. She hadn’t expected the lush countryside, the
vineyards, or the breathtaking backdrop of treed hills. In many ways, Grayson’s
chosen area resembled Green Lake Ranch... green where irrigated, giving way to
harvested hay fields and gentle rolling hills in the distance.

A dirt road led her to a cattle guard. Tacked
to a post, a discreet sign announced that she’d arrived at Crawford Ranch.
Swallowing nervously, she rolled across the guard, drove about a quarter of a
mile, and came to a stop in front of a sprawling single-storey ranch house.

She sat for a moment, wondering if
anyone would come out, but the only movement came from a Crow. The bird landed
in a nearby tree, looked at her and then flew off, its raucous call fading in
the distance.

Two tall-backed rocking chairs sat side
by side on the low porch. She could visualize Grayson sitting there with a
woman, making plans. Or perhaps this was where they sat in the evenings,
enjoying the stillness as well as each other’s company.

Prickles of doubt crept down her spine
as she stared at the chairs. She’d made a huge mistake coming here. After all,
it had been two months since she’d seen him, and he hadn’t attempted to contact
her. But it wasn’t too late; she could drive away and he’d never know the
difference. She reached for the key, still in the ignition.

“Can I help you?”

Danielle jumped in her seat. She didn’t
know where he’d come from, but a man stood a few feet away from the car. He
took a step forward, a tentative smile of welcome on his face.

“You must be Buddy.”

He stood his ground and Danielle stepped
out of the car, her hand extended.

His grip was firm, his hands work
hardened. “Yes, ma’am. But I don’t think we’ve met.” A fleeting smile touched
his lips, then he shook his head. “No, indeed. I’d remember meeting you for
sure.” He released her hand.

“I’m looking for Grayson, actually. My
name is Danielle Flynn.” She laughed nervously. “We met in Canada.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Is he around?”

“No, ma’am. He’s...”

“Who is it, Buddy?” A tall, lean woman
came around the side of the house. She wore faded jeans and a long-sleeved
plaid shirt. “If it’s...” She spotted Danielle and stopped in her tracks. “Oh,
hello.”

“Hi, you must be Kylie.”

“Yes, that’s me.” The woman shot a quick
glance at her husband, then looked back at Danielle.

“I was just telling Buddy that I’m
looking for Grayson.” She took a step forward. “Do you know when he’ll be
back?”

“Does he know you’re coming?” She didn’t
seem upset, just curious. “He didn’t mention anything about having visitors.”

Danielle felt a blush creep up her neck.
“No. It was a last minute sort of thing. I decided to surprise him.”

“I see.” Kylie looked her over and
seemed to approve. “I think he’s coming home tomorrow, but you never know with
Gray.”

“She came from Canada.” Buddy
volunteered, exchanging a knowing glance with his wife.

Kylie suddenly became businesslike. “In
that case, you’re welcome to stay. There are a couple of spare bedrooms in the
main house. Come on, I’ll show you around.” She looked in the back seat of the
car. “That your suitcase?”

Danielle nodded.

“Better bring it, then.” Kylie headed
toward the porch

“But...” Danielle sputtered. “Do you
think it will be all right? I mean, I shouldn’t really have shown up like this,
unannounced.”

“Are you a stalker?”

“What? No, but I never actually accepted
his invitation. He doesn’t know I’m coming.”

The other woman closed the space between
them. “Honey, if he invited you here, then I can assure you, it’s all right.”
The look on her face softened. “We’ve been with him six years, and other than
Carmen, he’s never invited a woman out here.”

It took a moment for the message to sink
in. “Oh.” It was all she could do not to pump her fist. “In that case, thanks
for the welcome.”

The house settled around her like a
comfortable shawl. The deceptively simple open floor plan flowed smoothly from
one area to the next. Tasteful, masculine furnishings in desert tones were
grouped around a massive stone fireplace. The kitchen area had recently been
renovated; recycled aggregate countertops gleamed softly in the late afternoon
sun. Danielle could easily imagine Grayson cooking a meal while she watched
from a stool on the bar-height counter.

Outside the kitchen windows, she admired
a good-sized vegetable garden, and beyond that, several outbuildings. Kylie
watched her take it all in.

“How many horses do you have here? Would
you mind if I check them out after I change?”

A flicker of appreciation crossed the
other woman’s face. “You like horses?”

“Yes. We have some at home.”

“We have four... no five. I keep
forgetting that Grayson bought a new one about a month ago.” She looked
Danielle up and down. “She would suit you, come to think of it.”

“What’s her name? Are there names on the
stalls?”

“He called her Zephyr, and yes, there
are names on the stalls. Buddy just finished putting her in the stable when you
drove up.” She walked over to the refrigerator and yanked open the door. “I’m
not sure what Gray has in here, so if he doesn’t come home and you get hungry,
come and have dinner with us. That’s our little house you saw at the end of the
driveway. Oh, and I saw that you left your keys in the car. I’ll move it around
to the side of the house.”

Danielle held out her hand. “Thanks for
everything, and I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

Kylie brushed her hand aside and gave
her a brief but fierce hug. “Think nothing of it.” She pulled back. “And I hope
you find what you’re looking for.”

Danielle watched her walk away. “Me,
too,” she said. “Me, too.”

* * *

As soon as he turned onto the dirt road,
Grayson rolled down his window. By this point in his journey, he was usually
relaxed and looking forward to a few days off, but today nothing had seemed normal.
Ever since waking, he’d had butterflies in his stomach; not something he
normally experienced. Maybe his unease was due to the fact that he didn’t have
another project lined up right away, meaning he’d have time on his hands...
time when he knew his thoughts would turn to Danielle.

In spite of his jumbled emotions, he
breathed a sigh of contentment when he drove onto his property. With the sun
behind him, the buildings and the land shimmered in a golden wash of colour.

He grabbed the bags of groceries he’d
picked up in SLO, and deposited them on the kitchen counter. Since coming back
from British Columbia, he’d often asked himself how Danielle would view his
sanctuary. In his daydreams, he envisioned her sitting on one of the stools,
but he really had to stop that; now he was imagining her scent. He dug out the
perishable grocery items, shoved them into the refrigerator, and headed for the
stable.

* * *

Anxious to meet Grayson’s horses,
Danielle pulled on a pair of jeans and a scoop-necked T-shirt. Not her most glamorous
outfit, but comfortable. Besides, she didn’t even know if he was coming home
tonight. She debated only a moment, then ran her fingers through her hair and
left it down. At ease now, she headed for the stable.

The building was situated in an east-west
direction, probably to take advantage of the prevailing winds. She stood for a
moment, letting the breeze caress her skin as she familiarized herself with the
layout. A paddock lay just beyond the stable, the four horses there sleek and
well cared for. They looked at her curiously, and one wandered over to the rail
to greet her.

“Hello there,” she crooned, stroking his
muzzle. “Aren’t you a handsome boy?”

The horse tossed his head, evidently
agreeing with her. She chucked softly and admired him as he walked back to join
the others.

The stable was, in her opinion,
perfection. Tiled floors sloped gently toward drains in several spots, and a
row of skylights collected the remaining daylight, illuminating the mostly
empty stalls.

She peered inside a well-equipped tack
room and couldn’t help smiling at the thought of her first encounter with
Grayson. That day seemed like a lifetime ago, and in some ways it was. She
could analyse it to death, or she could move forward. The choice was simple.

Standing calmly in her stall, Zephyr
watched Danielle approach, her ears pricked forward.

“Hello, Zephyr.” Danielle kept her voice
low and friendly. “My name is Danielle.” Zephyr hung her head over the stall
and Danielle stroked her, looking into the horse’s beautiful brown eyes. “I’d
love to ride you... that is, if things work out.”

The horse lifted her head and turned
toward the far end of the stable. Danielle stepped back to see what had caught
her attention, and her breath caught in her throat. There, silhouetted in the golden
sunshine, was the man she loved.

“Danielle.” He spoke her name softly, as
though to speak any louder might frighten her away. “You came.”

She looked at him, recalling the first
time she’d seen him. He’d been tired then, and he appeared the same now. He
needed a shave in the worst way, and dark smudges underlined his eyes, but he
was smiling as though all his dreams had come true.

She took a step, then another. He did
the same, until they were inches apart and their breaths mingled.

“I couldn’t stay away,” she said, and
walked into his arms.

He buried his face in her neck. “I can’t
believe you’re here.” He pulled back, but still held her tightly. “I’ve missed
you so much.”

“Show me how much.” She raised her lips.

His eyes glittered. “If I show you, there’ll
be no stopping.” He brushed the hair back from her face and held her head in
his strong hands. “I love you, Danielle.” Zephyr nickered again and he looked
up. “I see you met Zephyr. She’s yours.”

“She’s mine?” Danielle didn’t turn
toward the horse. She was too busy studying the face of the man she trusted
with her love.

“Uh-huh. You two will be perfect
together.”

“And what about you and I? Will we be
perfect together?”

He scooped her up into his arms. “I’m
counting on it.” He carried her into the house. “But there’s one way of making
sure.” He paused in the kitchen. “Unless you’d like to have dinner first.”

She nibbled on his neck. “Let’s have
dinner later.”

He grinned. “I was hoping you’d say
that.” He carried her into his bedroom and set her on her feet. “Before we
proceed, is there anything you want to say?”

“Yes,” she murmured, safe at last in the
circle of his arms. “I love you, Gray Crawford.”

Eight months later – Green Lake Ranch

Danielle looked up from putting the
finishing touches on the pergola. “You made it!” she cried, dropping the hammer
and racing across the lawn to greet her grandmother.