Page 37 of The Fear (The Hillers of Barratt County #7)

If Grady could have his way, he would stay right where he was, and hold this completely maddening, utterly fascinating woman forever.

But there were people pulling in and he didn’t want her to be bothered by curious busybodies like he’d seen Gunn get at the barbecue. His brother liked talking to people all the time. Grady did not. And the last thing he wanted was for people to be gossiping about her.

She was an unmarried kindergarten teacher—she didn’t need to be the butt of rumors. Hell, her job could be dependent on her not doing something to get gossiped about. Didn’t some school district have those kinds of rules?

So, he just kissed her on her forehead and lowered her from his truck. “Come on, kid. We have cookies to load up and ferry to the library.”

There were totes full of baked goods in cardboard containers, just ready to go. The rest of his family that was able to help were on their way in a few hours. They’d meet them at the town library, right in the middle of everything.

But somehow, his mama had asked him and Hala specifically to be there at the church early. To get the donated baked goods to the library to begin with. Grady wasn’t certain why the baked goods couldn’t have been left at the library in the first place, that would have made more sense.

“I don’t remember if I’ve ever been at a bake sale,” Hala said. “Maybe when we were kids? I think I remember baking dozens of cookies with your mom once a few years ago. Right after…what had happened to me with…my ex. She came and picked me up and…put me to work.”

Grady just kind of grunted. That bastard was someone he had long wanted to find and show him right from wrong.

He almost had. That night. He and Gene—when they had heard what had happened to Hala in her own apartment.

When Greer, in tears, had told them what had happened to her best friend on the planet.

He and Gene had wanted to go find her ex-boyfriend themselves. Right then and there.

But Hudson had already handled it.

And their mother had stopped them, telling them the last thing Hala would want was for them to get into real trouble for what they had fully intended to do that night. Grady had just intended to rip the guy apart. Into tiny pieces no one would ever find.

Grady would always want to protect her. He just would.

“You were always around for a long time. Then you weren’t.” And he had missed her. Her laugh, mostly. The way those big brown eyes would light up when she was happy…the world was a darker place when she wasn’t around. He would always believe that.

“I was at the ranch when I could be, but…then Greer moved into her apartment, and we just spent our free time there. And we were avoiding…the former Missus Gene Hiller, who thought she was a goddess and everything, and we were to bow and serve.”

Well. Grady could understand that. Gene’s ex-wife was a first-class bitch.

In every way. She had always had a problem with Greer, too.

Grady had always thought that woman was just jealous.

Greer was smart and beautiful and well-liked and sweet.

Mostly. His sister could be a bit prickly at times—they all could.

Grady and his brothers had made sure of it.

“I missed you. House was too quiet without all you girls there all the time. Just don’t tell the girls that, okay?”

“Your secret is safe with me. Softy.”

“Now, give me a quick kiss. We’ve got work to do.

” He took the initiative. Hell, he just couldn’t help himself.

He would kiss her forever, if he could. But…

there were people pulling in the parking lot of the church now.

Including his very curious mother and his ever-tolerant father .

So he just kissed her on her forehead and stepped back. Being good. For now.

Grady had some serious thinking to do where this woman was concerned. One thing was clear—Hala was back. She wasn’t ever going away. And that meant…he was hers. Completely.

And that was never going to change.

He wouldn’t ever want it to, either.