“Nature’s call woke me, Bailee Anne, not you. I heard someone in the kitchen and thought I’d see if you needed anything. I wasn’t expecting you to be entertaining guests.”
Easton grinned, pleased with the intel Darby Anne unwittingly provided. “It’s just me, Darby Anne. I was helping Bailee inside, and I thought I’d get some ice for her ankle before I left.”
Darby Anne pierced her granddaughter with an intense stare while Bailee Anne glared at him for ratting her out. He wasn’t winning her over, but he was getting under her skin. He found that entertaining.
“You went running. In the middle of the night. Alone. What were you thinking, Bailee Anne? What would you have done if Easton hadn’t come by to help you? What if it was someone whose intentions weren’t honorable? This may be Fire Creek, Bailee Anne, but we do have our share of crime sometimes.”
“Gran, I can take care of myself. I’ve been trained to do just that. Plus, I had Roxy with me. She’s a better deterrent than my gun.”
Darby Anne cut her eyes to Easton. “Now how am I supposed to argue with that?”
Easton held up his hands — one still holding the cold dish towel with the melting ice — in mock surrender. “Now don’t drag me into this. I offered my help, not advice.”
“Well, considering my granddaughter’s disgruntled look, I’m guessing she hasn’t thanked you for your help, so allow me to. Thank you. I appreciate you looking out for her.”
Easton tilted his head in acknowledgment. “Of course.”
He moved forward to hand Bailee Anne the dish towel. His fingers brushed against hers, and the heat spreading up his arm surely melted the ice completely. The sensation wasn’t unpleasant. Far from it. He could have continued to touch her hand for the rest of the night, only she pulled it away hastily.
“Yes, thank you. I appreciate your help, but I don’t want to keep you. It’s late, and I’m sure you’re ready to be home. I know Gran and I are ready to go to bed.”
Easton was certain if he once again mentioned taking a look at Bailee Anne’s ankle, Darby Anne would insist he stay to do that. But this time, he accepted Bailee Anne’s not-so-subtle hint.
“Yes, you definitely need to rest and elevate that ankle. I’ll be going. I’m sorry to disturb you, Darby Anne, but it’s always good to see you. And nice to meet you, Roxy.” He patted the dog’s head once more before raising his eyes to rest on her face. “And nice to meet you, Bailee Anne.”
“Bailee. It’s just Bailee. Gran’s the only one to middle-name me.”
“Goodnight, just Bailee. I look forward to seeing you again.”
With a quick wink meant only for her, he stepped outside and crossed the yard to let himself in his back door. He had a feeling that sleep would be slow in coming now that his thoughts were preoccupied with the gorgeous brunette staying next door to him for who knew how long. His sisters-in-law may not want himhooking up with women at the bar, but nothing said he couldn’t try winning over the sexy Bailee while she was in town.
Chapter Six
Bailee stirred from sleep, rolling to press her back against the mattress. The sheet and duvet bunched underneath her, but she didn’t bother to straighten them. She rubbed her eyes as if that would erase the cobwebs from her mind. An old-fashioned digital alarm clock told the time in dashed red numbers. Six-twenty-three. Her late-night run had tired her out enough for her to sleep a good four hours, which was unheard of for her. Add to that her throbbing ankle, and she was surprised she slept at all.
As soon as she had the thought, the pain in her ankle registered. Not as severe as when she injured it last night, the ache was enough to remind her it was time for another dose of over-the-counter pain reliever and probably another ice pack. She loathed to think of what it must look like after a night of tossing and turning. She still believed it was only sprained, not broken, but she dreaded climbing from the bed. Without moving around for several hours, the joint had likely stiffened and may not support her weight.
She was tempted to linger, but unlike most women she knew, she never liked to lie in bed just to be lazy. Her mind never quieted enough for her to enjoy it. She inevitably thought of all the things she should be doing, which turned into whatshe wanted for breakfast and possibly lunch, which turned into wondering if she needed to make a trip to the grocery store, and so on and so on. While her body longed for relaxation, her mind never grasped the concept.
Untangling from the covers, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat up. Her sleep shorts left her tanned legs bare, and her eyes rested on her ankle. A brilliant gradient of dark blue and purple discolored the skin, but the swelling was noticeably less than when Gran examined it last night.
She pushed herself up, balancing on her uninjured ankle. Then she put a little weight on the other one and was relieved when the pain was no more than a tight soreness that would lessen the more she moved. She hobbled to the adjoining bathroom to take care of her morning needs.
Bailee showered and dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. She left her hair to air dry, toweling the strands until water no longer dripped from the ends. She’d style it later, but with nowhere to be, she had no reason to fuss over her appearance.
Roxy eyed her owner from her large, padded bed in the corner of the room. Though Bailee was an early riser, she’d quickly learned Roxy wasn’t. The fluffy dog would sleep a bit longer before venturing out for breakfast.
Darby Anne was already in the kitchen, sipping her coffee, lost in the text of a newspaper, when Bailee stepped into the kitchen. Her grandmother was one of the few people she knew who still preferred a physical newspaper over getting news on the internet.
“Morning, Gran.” Bailee helped herself to the fresh coffee, muffins, and fruit Darby Anne had placed on the kitchen island.
“Hi, sweetie. How’d you sleep?”
“Fine, once I went to sleep.”
Darby Anne’s head popped up. “Ankle bothering you?”
Bailee sighed. “A little. Usually, a run helps me fall asleep, but the ankle kept me from drifting off right away.”
