Saving Grace (#1 in the Red Valley Series)

Chapter 5

"How is she this morning? Is she awake? How's she feeling?" Sam bombarded Cole with questions as soon as he opened the door.

"Relax old man." Cole said with a smile, the first one in weeks. "She woke up this morning and we were actually talking when you knocked. The crazy woman tried to get up and work." Sam shook his head in disbelief. "I told her that she is to stay in bed at least today and tomorrow."

Sam breathed a sigh of relief, Grace was the closest thing to a daughter he had. "I had hoped that today would be the day, so I made up a good breakfast for her. I'll go get it and be right back."

While Sam was gone, Cole made a pot of fresh coffee and walked back into his bedroom. "Grace, do you want to eat in here or do you think you can make it to the table?"

"No, I can get up. I told you I'm not sick." Throwing back the covers she sat up and slid her legs over the side of the bed. As soon as she stood up her knees buckled. Cole rushed across the room and caught her in his strong arms carrying her to the kitchen table. Grace threw her arms around his neck and laid her head on his chest. If she lived to be one hundred, she would never forget the feeling of being in his arms or the spicy scent that was uniquely his.

Raising one dark brow, Cole looked down at her and gave her a heart stopping smile. "I thought you could go by yourself?"

He was sitting her down in a chair when Sam walked back in with several bowls of food. The smell of bacon and fresh biscuits made her mouth water and her stomach growl. Sam laughed as he set a plate of food in front of her.

"Now Miss Grace, I want you to do like Cole here said and rest for the next week. You haven't eaten properly in the last couple of weeks and you need to get your strength up."

"I promise that I will rest when I get tired but I am not going to stay in bed. There are plenty of other things I can do here inside." Grace smiled. "This will be the perfect time to catch up on my sewing."

"NNOOO!" The ear piercing scream woke Cole from a sound sleep, grabbing his gun and running downstairs to his bedroom. He threw open the door and stood there with his chest heaving and his hair in a wild disarray from sleep. Thank God he had decided to sleep with his drawers on otherwise he'd be standing there buck naked. The silvery light of the half-moon filtering through the curtains gave just enough light to see Grace in the bed.