Grant (Riding Hard) - Jennifer Ashley Page 0,13

my dad.”

Her smile shone out. “All right, then, Grant. Good night.”

“Good night. Drive careful, now.”

Karen slid gracefully into her sleek sedan. “I will. Sweet dreams.” She closed the door, started the car, gave him a last wave through the window, and pulled away.

She’d indicated before that she needed directions, but she didn’t seem to need them now. Karen maneuvered her car slowly around the other vehicles, then headed down the long drive and turned right at the end, which was the way to go for the highway to Fredericksburg. Asking for directions had been a pretense to get Grant to walk her to her car.

Oh, well. Grant got propositioned by women all the time. He wasn’t egotistical enough to think it was because he was the greatest guy ever. The buckle bunnies wanted to sleep with the stunt-riding cowboy, and didn’t really care what Grant was like as a person. He’d come to terms with that long ago too.

Grant hiked back toward the house. He was only glad Karen hadn’t propositioned him to do it right there in the back of her car. He’d have had to refuse, she might have canceled the deal, and Carter would have been pissed off.

But Grant only wanted to find Christina. So he could … what? Continue where they left off?

Or apologize for the make-out session—hell, why should he? He wasn’t sorry. And it wasn’t like Christina hadn’t been climbing all over him. That had been a mutual, desperate groping.

Halfway down to the tent, he met Carter coming up the path, heading for the house, a sleeping Faith in his arms.

“Karen gone?” Carter asked him in a low voice.

Grant nodded. “Yeah, she’s fine.” He too kept his voice down so they wouldn’t wake Faith. “You seen Christina around?”

Carter gave him a once-over, taking in the mess that was Grant. “No, I haven’t.”

His gaze went to Grant’s coat over his arm, which Grant realized had mud all over it. He couldn’t put it back on—anyone seeing him would have a pretty good idea how he’d mucked it up.

“Take mine,” Carter said. “I’ve already said good-bye to Adam. I’m not going back.”

He held out Faith, who was sound asleep. In her satin flower girl’s dress, a miniature of Christina’s, tulle bow and all, she looked adorable.

Before Grant could reach for her, another flutter of satin pushed past him. Grace Malory, who’d been hurrying up the path, held out her arms for Faith.

“I’ll take her, Carter,” she said. “Poor little thing is worn out.”

“Thanks.” Carter passed off his daughter to Grace. Faith remained limp, completely trusting. “If she wakes up, tell her I’ll be right there.”

“Will do.” Grace flashed Carter a warm smile before carefully carrying Faith up the path and into the house.

Carter stripped off his coat and handed it to Grant.

Grant took it absently. What he’d seen in Grace’s glance explained the weird request by Kyle that Grant ask his sister out. Kyle must have noticed the way Grace looked at Carter, and decided that if Grace had to throw herself away on one of the Campbell family, better it was Grant than Carter.

The realization pissed Grant off. Carter should have earned some trust and respect by now.

But Carter was still an outsider, never mind he’d lived in Riverbend since he was thirteen, never mind Olivia Campbell had adopted him. Carter had gotten himself into bad trouble throughout high school, and no one could forget that either. Carter hadn’t got his head figured out until Faith came along when he’d been eighteen. He’d cleaned up real quick after that.

Grant remembered walking in on Carter in the nursery they’d set up for Faith. Carter, scared shitless that he had this little baby to take care of, had been looking into the crib in silent wonder. His hand had lowered to touch Faith’s downy hair, his big fingers shaking.

He’d pulled back when Grant came in, then Carter’s terrified look had gone defiant. “I’m gonna take care of her,” he’d said, balling one fist. “I don’t care what everyone says. I’m gonna take care of her, and I’m not gonna let anyone hurt her. Not ever.”

Grant had believed him. From then on, Carter had looked after Faith with fierce intensity.

Even so, it had taken a long time for folks in Riverbend to accept Carter as one of their own, and some were still wary. We don’t know anything about his people, was the common explanation.

While Kyle had always seemed cool with Carter, Grant guessed that the easygoing acceptance