Leave it for the Rain: A Love She Couldn't Remember—A Woman He Couldn't Forget (Grayson Brothers Book 6) by Wendy Lindstrom Page A
Authors: Wendy Lindstrom
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livery tomorrow. Until his head is clear, it’s too dangerous for him to be here.”
Adam’s gut clenched, knowing this would be another thing Radford could blame him for. “Why not just put him on a safe job?”
“Because we couldn’t enforce that without a fight, and we’ve had enough of those brotherly dramas. None of the crew will argue with Radford about where he can work. With Rebecca unable to manage the livery, it makes sense for Radford to step in there full time, plus he’ll be at home with her, so we’ll use that excuse and hope he goes along.”
Adam nodded. Radford enjoyed blacksmithing and doing a little of the livery work, but his heart was at the mill. Adam knew this because of the many conversations he’d had with Radford about the Grayson lumber mill. But maybe, hopefully, he would find comfort being home with Rebecca close at hand.
Boyd clapped Adam’s shoulder and gave him a small shake. “You listening to me?” he asked.
“Yes, sir.” Adam stepped back and gave his uncle his full attention.
“Radford and Rebecca are scared and neither of them can think clearly right now,” Boyd said. “You need to lead them through this. Be strong and be solid. For both of them.”
Boyd’s advice made sense, but Adam wasn’t sure how to lead when he felt as lost as the rest of them.
“Ease up now so you don’t injure yourself,” Boyd said. “We don’t need another accident.” With that, he shouldered his hand ax and headed across the yard.
Turning back to the cut lumber, Adam began stacking another pallet of quartersawn oak for the Wyatt Furniture job. He would call on Rebecca this evening—and he wouldn’t be sent away without seeing her.
For the balance of the day he immersed himself in stacking lumber and moving timber, planning what he would say to Rebecca, what he might do to assuage her discomfort with him and their relationship, what he would do if Radford tried to send him away.
Men talked and shouted across the mill. Horses snorted, their harnesses creaking as they worked. Saws and hammers and rattling chains, undercut by the intermittent scream of the circular saw, created a familiar backdrop at the mill, and Adam lost himself in his work. By day’s end, beads of sweat streaked down his forehead and his shirt was drenched, but he was full of purpose and determination as he laid down his hand maul and walked home. He would clean up, eat supper with his family, and then introduce himself to Rebecca Grayson.
o0o
The porch had become a haven for Rebecca, especially during the night when her family slept and she crept through the house, her mind barraged with images and fragments she couldn’t understand. Nightly she was driven from her bed by nauseating headaches. Doc Milton said her sleepless, restless nights were a symptom of her injury and that they would lessen as she healed. But she wasn’t healing.
She was harassed by headaches and tortured by disturbing thoughts and her own inability to remember any part of her life from before her accident.
Nightly, she sought sanctuary on the porch, finding herself there more often than not.
This evening, the scent of lilacs and fresh air and birdsong soothed her nerves and eased her headache. Everyone had returned to work or school, leaving her home alone with her mother and little Emma during the day and in a much calmer state of mind when they returned home at day’s end.
Today had been a repeat of all other days. Awake before dawn, her day was well underway when the others got up. She spent some time in the livery grooming horses while he father managed their customers and the heavy chores like cleaning stalls. Afterward, she took a nap and then helped her mother prepare supper.
Conversation was a bit overwhelming during supper, but there was something endearing about each of her siblings that made Rebecca feel connected to them whether she actually remembered them or not. Will and Joshua were quite the young men, each
Adam’s gut clenched, knowing this would be another thing Radford could blame him for. “Why not just put him on a safe job?”
“Because we couldn’t enforce that without a fight, and we’ve had enough of those brotherly dramas. None of the crew will argue with Radford about where he can work. With Rebecca unable to manage the livery, it makes sense for Radford to step in there full time, plus he’ll be at home with her, so we’ll use that excuse and hope he goes along.”
Adam nodded. Radford enjoyed blacksmithing and doing a little of the livery work, but his heart was at the mill. Adam knew this because of the many conversations he’d had with Radford about the Grayson lumber mill. But maybe, hopefully, he would find comfort being home with Rebecca close at hand.
Boyd clapped Adam’s shoulder and gave him a small shake. “You listening to me?” he asked.
“Yes, sir.” Adam stepped back and gave his uncle his full attention.
“Radford and Rebecca are scared and neither of them can think clearly right now,” Boyd said. “You need to lead them through this. Be strong and be solid. For both of them.”
Boyd’s advice made sense, but Adam wasn’t sure how to lead when he felt as lost as the rest of them.
“Ease up now so you don’t injure yourself,” Boyd said. “We don’t need another accident.” With that, he shouldered his hand ax and headed across the yard.
Turning back to the cut lumber, Adam began stacking another pallet of quartersawn oak for the Wyatt Furniture job. He would call on Rebecca this evening—and he wouldn’t be sent away without seeing her.
For the balance of the day he immersed himself in stacking lumber and moving timber, planning what he would say to Rebecca, what he might do to assuage her discomfort with him and their relationship, what he would do if Radford tried to send him away.
Men talked and shouted across the mill. Horses snorted, their harnesses creaking as they worked. Saws and hammers and rattling chains, undercut by the intermittent scream of the circular saw, created a familiar backdrop at the mill, and Adam lost himself in his work. By day’s end, beads of sweat streaked down his forehead and his shirt was drenched, but he was full of purpose and determination as he laid down his hand maul and walked home. He would clean up, eat supper with his family, and then introduce himself to Rebecca Grayson.
o0o
The porch had become a haven for Rebecca, especially during the night when her family slept and she crept through the house, her mind barraged with images and fragments she couldn’t understand. Nightly she was driven from her bed by nauseating headaches. Doc Milton said her sleepless, restless nights were a symptom of her injury and that they would lessen as she healed. But she wasn’t healing.
She was harassed by headaches and tortured by disturbing thoughts and her own inability to remember any part of her life from before her accident.
Nightly, she sought sanctuary on the porch, finding herself there more often than not.
This evening, the scent of lilacs and fresh air and birdsong soothed her nerves and eased her headache. Everyone had returned to work or school, leaving her home alone with her mother and little Emma during the day and in a much calmer state of mind when they returned home at day’s end.
Today had been a repeat of all other days. Awake before dawn, her day was well underway when the others got up. She spent some time in the livery grooming horses while he father managed their customers and the heavy chores like cleaning stalls. Afterward, she took a nap and then helped her mother prepare supper.
Conversation was a bit overwhelming during supper, but there was something endearing about each of her siblings that made Rebecca feel connected to them whether she actually remembered them or not. Will and Joshua were quite the young men, each
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