Page 30 of The Fear (The Hillers of Barratt County #7)

It had been a beautiful evening. There were various Hillers around—Gene and Chantal had come back in time for dinner, so Calvin was there, too. He and Ryan played until they were exhausted.

Hala spent most of the evening watching out for him. Grady was all broody. And staring at her when no one else was looking. She seriously thought he would try to lure her away at some point. She was definitely disappointed when he didn’t.

She helped tuck the boys into bed—Gia was still sore from what had happened to her, but the other woman had taken off. To Hudson’s—she had said quite bluntly that he was using incomplete case law or something. And was going to get his ass handed to him if she didn’t reeducate Hudson very soon.

Hala was disappointed it was work related. Rumors had been flying around lately—amongst the Hiller clan—that Gia and Hudson were getting a lot closer. At least…Greer and Genny had speculated. Something about what Genny had seen between them at the hospital after Gia had been attacked…

Hala had so many questions.

But…at least Gia was going to be at Hudson’s alone. Things could happen, right?

She finished tucking Mr. Ryan Hanan in and told him that his daddy would get him tomorrow. That Daddy and Miss Gia were working. Ryan had questions—mostly about if Miss Gia liked really big shiny rings too, like Miss Genny and Miss Ayla and Doctor Aubrey.

Hala suspected her nephew was about ready to propose. He was utterly adorable, that kid.

She needed to find Greer and do some discussing. See what they had to do to get Gia and Hudson together for real. Those two were just taking too long to figure things out. For two such brilliant people…sigh.

Her work was never done.

Hala rounded the corner that led out of the hallway on the second floor—and smacked right into a hard, muscly, perfect Grady Hiller man-chest. “Ohh. Do you ever watch where you are going, Cowboy Hiller?”

“Hi, honey. Kids both asleep?” He just looked down at her, from those wicked, wicked eyes of his. “Want to sneak off with me for a little bit? I can show you the magic pony in my barn—or we can go count the puppies again?”

He held out a hand to her. Just like that.

Tempting her to play with fire.

Hala wrapped her fingers around his and let him pull her to the side door and to the second floor balcony. It led down a flight of stairs—to the garden below.

Then she found herself walking through the garden.

With the man who had changed everything.

“Just…what are you planning, Grady Treyton? Are you scheming like your mother?”

“Maybe. Maybe I just want to be with you.”

Oh, dear gravy. Her stomach had just dropped here. “Why? What are you really after?”

“Maybe just a moment. When everything is right. ” Then they were in the middle of the garden.

Gayle had planted it years and years ago.

Some of Hala’s best memories were of playing in the back garden of the Hiller ranch while Greer’s mother tended her flowers.

“When I can look at you and know that everything will be good again.”

And then he had her off her feet. And in his arms.

And Hala was just holding on tight. Because she knew exactly what he meant.

She just stayed there in his arms, kissing him right back, until his clone yelled his name. Urgently. Saying there was a fire in town and the volunteers were being called out now.

Grady had to go.

Hala just stood there next to Ayla, and watched Grady and Gunn as they left. To help someone else in need. Because that was the kind of men they were.

Ayla bumped her shoulder lightly. “They’ll be back, you know.”

Hala just nodded. But she was afraid. “I know.”

“You seduced him yet?”

“I think…it’s the other way around, really. That man…everything has changed, Ayl.”

“Believe me, I can understand that. ”

Hala looked at her other bestie. She adored this woman, through and through. No one had as sweet a soul as Ayla Fisher. No one. She was good for Gunn. The two of them together…they’d change the world someday. Hala had no doubt.

Ayla still had visible bruises from where she’d been attacked. They were fading now, but…Hala would never understand how someone could be so evil inside as the man who had hurt Ayla. “I am afraid.”

Ayla nodded. “Me, too. But…I’m afraid of what I’ll miss, too. More than anything. I…am less afraid when I am with Gunn, if that makes sense? The world feels right when he’s holding me.”

Hala just nodded.

Yes, that was a good way to describe it. She just wished he would hurry back. Something just felt wrong tonight.