Rescued Love (Sweetwater Valley #7)

CHAPTER 16

NATHAN

“Let me guess, you’re thinking about your woman?”

Grandpa’s raised voice has me jumping and almost falling over. Thankfully, I’m able to grab ahold of the side of the stall I’m finishing putting fresh hay in. His chuckle tells me he’s not the least bit concerned that I almost hit the floor because he scared the shit out of me.

I turn to find him standing just inside the barn with his arms crossed across his chest with a big smile on his face. I huff and shake my head at him, but I swear his smile only grows bigger in response.

“You know the answer to that question, Grandpa.”

“I do,” he agrees as he walks closer. “Haven’t seen much of you this week,” there’s a note of seriousness in his voice that has me feeling badly.

“I know I haven’t been around as much, I’m s-,” I start to apologize but he cuts me off with a curt shake of his head.

“No need to apologize, boy. I’m glad you made it right with my girl.” Grandpa calling Kimball ‘my girl’ has me gritting my teeth even though I know it’s completely ridiculous.

They’ve spent a lot of time together and bonded over their mutual love for animals. A love I have come to admire, respect, and join in with them on. I know it’s Kimball rubbing off on me, but it’s also been born of the amount of time and effort I’ve been putting into taking care of the animals at the sanctuary.

I’ve developed a kinship, of sorts, with them. Well, most of them. Salt still looks like she’s plotting my dismemberment, but she’s the exception and not the rule. Thankfully.

Even though I came to Sweetwater Valley for Grandpa, I’ve been spending all my spare time with Kimball lately. I can’t help myself. It’s been a week since the last time we were at The Goose to spend some time with Wesley and Hailey, but I’ve seen her every night since then.

There’s no way I can stay away from my woman. I need her.

When I’m not with her, I make sure to get everything done around the sanctuary that needs to be done. But I’ve also been looking into houses in the area. I wasn’t at all surprised that they’re much more affordable here.

I was content to stay in my apartment in the city since I didn’t even think about finding someone to settle down with. It wasn’t something that crossed my mind because I was too focused on my job. I didn’t even realize I was missing out on anything by not being with someone.

Or maybe it’s just as simple as the other half of my soul wasn’t there.

That’s why I always felt on edge and incomplete. That’s why I couldn’t get deep into a relationship with anyone when I had tried in the past.

It wasn’t the right time, and it wasn’t the right woman.

Now is the right time, even though I’m standing at a crossroads in my life. It’s definitely the right woman.

Kimball is everything I never knew I needed in my life. She adds a balance to my life along with a shit ton of compassion and genuine character. I’ve been missing both for a long fucking time.

Still, I feel a little guilty about not spending more time with Grandpa. He’s why I’m here.

“I’m glad I made it right with her too,” I admit to Grandpa. “She’s amazing.”

“She is,” he agrees. He gets a faraway look on his face that has me worried for a moment before his focus comes back to me. “Not everyone finds someone who makes them better just by existing. Kimball is that for you the same way your grandma was that for me.”

I can’t help but ask, “How do you know?”

“I know it’s only been a short time, but I’ve seen a change in you, Nathan. When you arrived, you were so tense. I could see easily that you thought the entire world was against you and you were spoiling for the fight.”

I grab the back of my neck and look down. He’s not wrong. Part of that was being in an environment where competition was valued over camaraderie. Loyalty was a foreign concept, especially if you could throw someone under the bus to get ahead.

The effect that had on me wasn’t even something I could recognize.

Now though? It’s so glaringly obvious.

“I feel lighter,” I admit to him. “I didn’t realize how unhappy I was and how the stress of the life I was leading weighed on me.”

“Sometimes you’re too close and get caught up in things,” he tries to make me feel better about not realizing how shitty my life was. “Now that you know and now that you have Kimball in your life, what is your plan?”

His face is serious, and I know he’s not just asking because he’s curious. He wants to protect Kimball. Even though I should probably be pissed, I understand where he’s coming from.

“What are you really asking, Grandpa?”

He sighs and relaxes his posture. “I’m not her father or grandfather, but I love that girl. I don’t want to see her hurt. She has a big heart, and she hasn’t had good luck when it comes to love. She deserves to have someone see her, really see her, and devote themselves to her.”

I swallow hard. Not because he’s telling me something I don’t know but because taking this step, admitting to Grandpa my plans and how much Kimball means to me, is huge.

This will change the trajectory of my life.

And I’m ready for it.

“I can’t imagine going back,” I admit to Grandpa. “I can’t go back. If I do, my soul will continue to be sucked straight out of me. I realize now how jaded I’ve become. I know I wasn’t always this way. I hate the thought of going the rest of my life like that. Kimball makes me a better man and I want to embrace it and everything that comes with it. I’m not leaving her.”

“You’re moving here permanently?”

“Yes?” I hate that it comes out more like a question than a fact. Grandpa must as well because he narrows his eyes at me. I clear my throat and straighten my spine. “Yes. I’m moving here.”

Grandpa smirks. “Glad you were able to make it sound more solid the second time.”

I bark out a laugh and shake my head. “I know it’s the right thing for me, but it’s kind of scary.”

“Sometimes the scariest thing is what brings the most to your life,” he intones sagely.

“It is scary. I do know it’s the right thing for me.” I glance around the barn and take a deep breath. “I can breathe here. I don’t remember the last time I was able to take a deep breath. Does that make sense?”

He tilts his head and studies me before nodding slowly. “I do understand. I’m sure it’s this place, but also meeting Kimball that makes you feel that way. You can slow down here without it costing you too much. You can also give yourself and your time to Kimball without worrying about your job suffering.”

“I’m not working right now,” I point out.

Grandpa’s eyes sparkle with amusement. “No, you’re not,” he concedes, “but I can’t imagine that’ll last long.”

I shrug one shoulder and realize that while working has crossed my mind, I haven’t been worried about it. Honestly, I haven’t thought about my job at the firm at home or finding work here. It should be something I’m considering, but after being so focused for so damn long, this is a nice change.

One I’m more than willing to go with. For now.

I scoff and tease him, “I don’t know. I’m quite enjoying getting my hands dirty and working out here at the sanctuary.”

Grandpa chuckles but arches an eyebrow in challenge. I scowl at him, but there’s no real anger behind it. I just don’t like him calling me out on my bluff.

“Fine. I know that I’ll have to look for work. I’ve already been looking at houses in the area. I’ve saved quite a nest egg and with the cost of living being lower here than in the city I can get something nice for my woman and I,” I share with him.

“I knew I was proud of you for a reason.” The pride shining in his eyes as he lays his words at my feet make me grin from ear to ear.

His praise makes me feel good. It’s the kind of feeling I’ve been chasing for years at the firm, but never got. I realize now, with a little perspective, that the life I was living was all about dangling carrots. The thing is, though, the game was always rigged, and I don’t believe you’d ever actually get the carrot.

If you did, then they wouldn’t be able to keep you chasing it.

When I was in school, it was being at the top of your class and having your pick of internships. When I was an intern, it was about getting one of a few, coveted positions when it was time to hire. When I was at the firm, it was becoming a partner.

The prize kept getting bigger, and they roped you into believing that you wanted that prize, but then there was always another one.

When did I go from wanting to follow my dreams and become a lawyer to help people navigate the law to only looking toward the next, big win for myself. When did my ego grow bigger than my conscience?

I have no idea, but I do know I don’t have to keep going down that path.

“I might have a lead on a job for you?” Grandpa’s voice pulls me out of my spiraling thoughts, and I look at him as my eyebrows shoot up to my hairline. He holds his hands up just as I open my mouth. “Now, I’m not saying I don’t want you out here and helping with the animals, but I also want you to build a life here, one with a solid foundation, which will allow you to still do what you love while making our girl fall in love with you.”

I can’t help but grin. “I’m pretty sure she’s already in love with me, Grandpa,” I tell him, feeling smug as fuck about it.

“Has she said that?”

“Uh,” I wince and rub the back of my neck, “not in so many words, but I can see it in her eyes. This thing between us is real and it’s forever.”

“Can’t make assumptions when it comes to women, Nathan,” there’s admonishment in his words. “That’s how people get in trouble. They make assumptions, take their partner for granted, and forget why they’re together in the first place.”

My heart sinks because I know he’s right. We’re still so fresh, but maybe I have been making assumptions. Like believing that she knows how I feel about her. It’s not like I’ve told her that I love her even though I’m certain I do.

“Still, doesn’t mean Kimball doesn’t love you. But the words are important. So are the actions,” he lays his sage advice on me like the elder he is.

“I think staying, which I told her is what I want to do, is a big first step. I could,” I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, “feel her holding back, you know? I knew why too. Why go all in with someone who is planning to leave? It was totally fair for her to want to protect a part of herself and I don’t blame her for it.”

“Not to mention protect herself from a guy who didn’t make the best first impression by being a jackass,” he jabs at me.

I chuckle. “You’re not wrong about that, Grandpa. Something changed between us though when I admitted I wasn’t planning on leaving. Now,” I change the subject swiftly, “what were you saying about maybe having a lead on a job?”

“Well, my friend, Kenneth Wilder, who is also the great-uncle of our sheriff, has been the lawyer in town for a long time. We grew up together and have been friends our entire lives. He’s ready to retire but has been putting it off because his clients need him.”

I rub the underside of my jaw, the real and exciting possibility this presents makes my heart pound. It’s not like I hate practicing law, I just hate what the firm turned it into. This way I could stay here, be with Kimball, and find my passion again.

It sounds perfect.

Before I can say anything, I hear a door closing in the distance. When I look at Grandpa, he shrugs a shoulder like he’s not expecting anyone.

I head toward him to go and check it out, but I stop long enough to give his shoulder a squeeze. “Thanks, Grandpa. We’ll talk more about it later?”

He gives a nod and follows me out of the barn. I pause when I round the house and see Kimball’s truck there. But that’s not what makes me stop in my tracks.

Grandpa gives me a confused look as he steps up next to me, but his face melts into a neutral mask when he sees what I see. Kimball isn’t the only one out visiting the sanctuary. There’s a Sheriff’s department vehicle sitting right next to hers.

When Kimball turns my way, a smile lights up her face, but there’s sadness in her eyes. I’m torn. I want to go to her and find out what has made her sad, but I also want to know what the fuck is going on.

And maybe that makes me an asshole.

When a man steps out of the SUV, Grandpa speaks out of the side of his mouth, “That’s Rhodes Wilder, the sheriff.”

I suck in a sharp breath. Did Kimball bring him out here? Is this a coincidence?

My woman tilts her head to the side, her eyebrows pulling together in confusion, before she looks toward what has pulled my attention away from her. When she sees Sheriff Wilder, her shoulders hunch and she practically folds in on herself.

Her brown eyes turn and lock with mine again, this time they show hurt, and I know, deep in my gut, that I’ve fucked up. The worst part is that I haven’t said a damn word, but my woman has gotten to know me well enough to know where my mind has gone. I’m sure our first encounter, full of misunderstandings and colored by my jaded perspective, isn’t helping matters.

Part of me is expecting Kimball to yell at me. But she doesn’t. No, not my woman.

She squares her shoulders and marches right up to me where I’ve been frozen and doesn’t stop until our toes are almost touching. Even though her eyes narrow, she keeps her voice even and calm, “Are you making assumptions again, Nathan?”

I swallow hard and nod once. It’s not that I don’t trust her, I know she’ll always have the animals’ best interest at heart, and I know she loves Grandpa like her own, but I also know there are always other forces at work.

Before I can say anything, Sheriff Wilder steps up next to her and sticks his hand out between us. “Hello,” his voice is smooth and doesn’t hold even a hint of malice, “I’m Rhodes Wilder. You must be Nathan? I’ve heard a lot about you.”

I shake his hand, manners and instinct riding me. “Nice to meet you, Sheriff.”

Rhodes chuckles and shakes his head. “Just Rhodes is fine. I’m not out here in an official capacity.” I feel my eyes widen, but he doesn’t seem to pay it any mind. My girl on the other hand? She notices and I swear the corner of her lip twitches as she stares me down. Rhodes turns toward Grandpa and grins. “Good to see you, Mr. Jacobson.”

Grandpa huffs and mutters, “Don’t know how many times I’ve had to tell you to call me Calvin. You’re out here every couple of weeks, Rhodes, to help and make sure there aren’t any problems. It’s about time you drop the formalities, don’t you think?”

Rhodes chuckles and shrugs, his demeanor all ‘aw, shucks’ and good ol’ boy. “I’ll keep trying, Mr. Jacobson,” there’s amusement in his tone as he teases Grandpa. I find myself smiling a little even though Kimball’s eyes are still burning into me. Shit. Rhodes turns to me and explains, “I was just making sure Kimball got out here okay.” He turns to my woman, his eyes soft and his voice full of concern, “You good?”

“I’m good,” Kimball tells him without even looking at him.

Panic takes hold of me and that’s when I allow myself to look, really look at my woman. There are remnants of tear tracks on her cheeks and her eyes are a little red rimmed. Fuck.

I bark, “What the fuck happened?”

When I take a step toward my woman, she takes one back, but that is simply not going to work for me right now. Not willing to allow her to put distance between us, I wrap my arms around her and pull her against my chest. Her body is still against mine, but I don’t let it deter me.

Rhodes clears his throat, authority seeping into his words, and I know he’s just gone into Sheriff mode. “There was an incident in the next county over. The Monroe County Sheriff was contacted about a dog fighting ring. They went in, busted it up, and was working with their county’s rescue for the animals.”

“There were too many for them to handle alone,” Kimball’s broken voice is muffled against my chest.

My heart fucking cracks wide open. Fuck. I fucked up big time.

My woman wanted comfort after dealing with that shit and she came here, to me. And I let the bad I’m used to finding in the word splatter all over her when she’s already dealing with enough bad all on her own.

I squeeze her a little tighter and hold my breath, hoping she doesn’t push me away even though she has every right to. I only relax when she melts into me.

“I escorted Kimball over there to help if needed,” Rhodes informed me. “When everything was wrapped up and the dogs that she’s taking in at the rescue were secured and on their way, she told me that she wanted to come here.”

I nod and shoot the man a grateful look before glancing at Gramps. He’s not looking at me, but at my woman with understanding and compassion on his face.

“Thank you for keeping her safe,” my voice is thick with emotion as I address Rhodes, and he gives me a nod in return.

I bury my face in my woman’s neck for a moment, kissing her skin and feeling her fingers twist in my shirt. When I pick her up and turn on my heel, she doesn’t make a sound as she wraps her limbs around me and holds on.

“I’m sorry, Kitten,” I whisper the words against the top of her head as I make my way back to the barn.

“It’s okay,” she chokes out.

“No,” I growl, “it’s not. I did it again and there’s no excuse. I know who you are, and I know your heart. I should have looked at you, really looked at you, the moment you got out of your truck.”

“I should have called you first, warned you, but I just needed to see you.”

This woman. My woman.

When we’re in the barn, I walk over to a bench set up along the front wall and sit with Kimball straddling my lap. I cup her face, putting just enough distance between us that I can look into her eyes.

Fuck.

Her eyes kill me. They’re glassy with unshed tears and the pain in them, the sheer fucking devastation, has me wanting to fall to my knees.

But I can’t. She needs me to be strong and I’m determined to be exactly what she needs.

“It was bad,” she sniffles. “There were so many dogs there who had open wounds, were underfed, and had endured so much trauma that they couldn’t realize we were there to help them.”

My eyes slide closed, and I pull her against my chest.

“Were you in danger?” I know she was there for the animals, but the thought of her being there while whoever was running the ring, of being around criminals, tears me up inside.

She shakes her head where she’s buried it in the crook of my neck. Her voice is so broken, “No. I was called in hours after the bust when they realized that there were more dogs than they could handle taking care of. Some of the ones I took will go straight to Doc to be put down.” She swallows hard, her voice watery, “They’re too far gone and can’t be saved.”

I clutch her against my chest, trying to absorb as much of her pain as I can.

“I’m sorry I let you down.”

Her hand slides up my chest and around my neck until her fingers curl around my nape. “I’m not mad at you. I’m a little hurt, but I also understand why you were concerned. I wasn’t even thinking about Rhodes,” I stiffen when she uses his name, instantly jealous, which causes her to chuckle softly, “being there. I just wanted to see you.”

“Fuck,” I breathe out, the weight of her wanting to see me to seek comfort soothes me while also making me feel even worse.

“It’s okay. You didn’t yell. You didn’t lob accusations at me. You waited, you listened, and now you’re giving me exactly what I need.”

“Kitten,” I choke out, unable to handle her understanding, when I struggled to give her the same. “I don’t deserve you, but I’ll do my best to show you how much I value you. All of you.”

“I know,” she whispers and melts against me.

I’ll stay right here and hold her for as long as she needs. Then I’ll take her home and care for her, letting her shut off her mind to the horrors she had to witness today. She’s going to need her strength because those animals need her at her best.