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Story: Trusting a Cowgirl

Grace shrugged, then crossed her arms. “This is what I was trying to say. Some things aren’t worth saving because they’re just not.”

“Grace.” Riley’s soft voice gave her goosebumps. “We could help.”

“No. I don’t want you wasting your money on something so… frivolous.”

Riley’s eyes bore into hers as if he were telling her some kind of big secret, but she couldn’t grasp the code to decipher it. He turned to Faye. “I can help out a little bit. I’ll get the parts for you, but the labor is all up to you.”

Grace gasped, and before she knew what was happening, Faye had thrown her arms around Riley to give him a big hug. “Thank you so much.” She hurried over to the reception counter to speak with Adam.

Turning toward him, Grace fought the urge to yell at him. But the second she met his gaze and saw that silly little grin on his face, her fury melted. “Why did you do that?”

He pulled her close and she had no choice but to wrap her arms around his neck. “Because I can.”

She snorted. “That’s not a good reason to spend your money.”

Riley glanced over to where Faye was talking with Adam. “Nothing does us much good being locked away where no one can see it. Not our past, not our feelings, not even money. I’d rather see it do some good.”

His words gave her chills. “Have I told you how much I love you?” she whispered.

“You can always say it again.” He cocked his head, his eyes dancing with amusement before they grew serious. “BecauseIloveyou.”

Those words that she’d once refused to utter to anyone other than her family now easily slipped from her lips. She stood on her toes and kissed his nose. “I love you more.”

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