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“Drafts. Percherons, actually.” Griff reached around and pulled his phone out of his pocket. “I found this guy, Cord Stryker, in North Dakota. He raises draft horses, and makes sleighs. I thought it would be kind of fun to have draft horse sleigh rides to go along with the beach rides that the town offers in the summer.”
“Oh my goodness. That’s brilliant!” Chi exclaimed.
“We pretty much have Rodney to thank for it. It was mostly his idea.” Griff swiped on his phone. “It might not takeoff. It might just be something to keep the locals entertained during the winter, but Rodney seems really interested in it, and I thought that I have the means to encourage it, and it might be something... We could do together.” He lifted his eyes and met hers again, and Chi felt like maybe he was including her in that too.
“Here.” He handed her his phone.
“These are gorgeous!” Chi said, as she looked at the photo of a man with several small children around him, holding onto a big, docile-looking horse. A small woman who looked like she was expecting, held onto its partner. The horses towered over them, but even from the picture, Chi could tell from their eyes that they were sweet and gentle.
“They’re beautiful,” she breathed.
“That’s kind of my reaction too. And Rodney has been pretty interested.”
“I think it’s brilliant to give him something to keep his mind off of the things that have happened to him, and give him something constructive to do. And it would give you something to do to bond.”
“You always joined our discussions when we talked about the drafts. I... I thought you might be interested too.” Griff was so adorable, sounding a little insecure, but looking so tough and strong with his arms crossed over his chest, his bald head shining in the light, his muscles bulging and his boots planted in a wide stance on the floor.
Chi lost her train of thought as she looked at him.
“I’d really like to know what you’re thinking right now,” Griff murmured.
Which of course made her cheeks heat as she yanked her mind back from thinking about how good Griff looked, and tried to remember what they had been talking about.
“I don’t think you do,” She said, with a nervous laugh.
His arms dropped, and he took a step forward. “I assure you, I do.” He touched her shoulder, and she forgot how to breathe. “I like that look.”
“I like how you look,” she said, her eyes fixed on his chin, because she couldn’t quite look him in the eyes as she said that.
He grinned, a grin that showed her words made him happy.
“Are you trying to tell me that you’re not interested in the horses?”
“No,” she breathed, trying to pick up the train of that conversation and formulate her thoughts into words. “I just... I just... Like you. A lot.”
She hadn’t gotten her mind to focus on the horses. But Griff didn’t seem to mind.
His smile got bigger. “I like you too. I guess that’s why I want to spend time with you. That’s why I want to know if you’re interested in the draft horses too.”
“I’m interested.”
Not just in the draft horses.
Maybe she should tell him that.
She took a breath. “In you. And in the horses.”
“Seems like I might come with a kid.”
“I love Rodney too. And he’s not exactly a kid.”
“I think he’s someone who’s going to need some help for a while though.”
“Maybe he needs a mom and dad.”
“That’s what I was thinking.” His hand came up and brushed her cheek, and she leaned into it. But then his face grew serious.
“I told myself I would give you time to get over James.”
