Page 16 of Wild Highway (Runaway 2)

“Let’s get this fixed.” I jerked my chin to the fence.

Thirty minutes later, the section was fixed and we were moving down the line. As the hours passed, the tension in my shoulders eased. There was something comforting about physical labor that soothed my soul. Something relaxing about being on a horse.

It was in my blood. Working here called to my soul.

Cash was right about Dad and Granddad. They loved this work too. They didn’t challenge me to be malicious, but they acted out of habit and because they were stubborn.

So was I.

It was a trait famously passed through the Greer bloodline. And while I could rationalize it in my head, it still annoyed me on the day-to-day.

By lunch, we’d finished checking the pasture’s fence and my stomach was growling. I gave Cash a nod to head on back to the barn while Jigsaw and I made the return trip at an easier pace.

Most of my frustration from my family had worked its way out. Now it was mostly Gemma plaguing my mind.

Why was she here? How long was she staying? No matter the duration, I’d make sure to keep myself busy. There was no reason to see her except . . .

Shit. My family had loved Gemma, especially Grandma.

When she’d worked here, they’d been some of our first employees. Grandma had hired them after a phone interview with Katherine because she’d liked the girl’s spirit.

Grandma didn’t hire much anymore, but she’d always been a good judge of character.

And when three young women had arrived at the lodge, fresh faced and excited, Grandma had taken them under her wing. To this day, Grandma believed that was the best hiring decision she’d ever made.

Those three had cleaned, washed laundry, gardened and waitressed. Any job they were given, they did without question while wearing real smiles.

The first time I’d seen Gemma, she’d been polishing silverware in the kitchen. I’d walked in, expecting it to be empty, but there she was, sitting on the stainless-steel table, rubbing a rag over a knife until she could see her reflection in the metal.

She’d flashed me a smile, hopped down and stuck out her hand.

I’d almost fallen over at that smile.

Then I’d done what all arrogant and stupid twenty-two-year-old guys did when faced with a gorgeous woman. I’d played it cool and ignored her. I’d pretended like I hadn’t had the biggest crush of my life.

That had backfired spectacularly.

Because Gemma hadn’t craved my attention. She’d been a force of her own, so tied up in her own life that others were forgotten.

What she’d done to Katherine was the perfect example.

And what she’d done to me.

Things were different now. I wasn’t a young man driven by hormones and lust who wanted a young woman. Ignoring Gemma wouldn’t be some tactic to woo her into my bed. I’d ignore her because sooner than later, she’d be gone anyway. I just had to bide my time for a week, maybe two.

Then Gemma Lane would disappear.

And I’d go back to forgetting the breathtaking woman with the sparkling hazel eyes who, turns out, I hadn’t forgotten about, after all.

Chapter Four

Gemma

“So basically, you quit your life?”

“Well, when you say it like that it makes me sound crazy.”

“Wow.” Katherine grabbed the bottle of wine from the middle of the table and topped off my glass. “How many days ago was this?”