And Grover knew he wouldn’t change one damn thing about that life, if it meant he’d end up right here, with Sierra Clarkson in his lap, relaxed and happy—and all his.
Chapter Thirteen
Sierra was nervous and excited. It had been a full week and a half since she’d seen Grover, and she was anxious to be with him once more. Talking on the phone or FaceTiming wasn’t the same as being able to touch him. To hold his hand.
Her parents had been wary of her decision to move, but supportive. They’d liked Grover from the second they’d met him, and it didn’t hurt that he’d had a long talk with her dad the other night on the phone. Neither would say what they’d discussed. She was just glad they got along, so she didn’t push the issue.
Her dad had bought Sierra a car earlier in the week, ignoring her protests. He said that he couldn’t in good conscience send her off to Texas with no transportation. He’d planned on getting a moving company to transport her car with all her belongings, while she flew to Austin, but Sierra had insisted on driving herself.
Her parents also felt bad about selling her furniture, and replaced most of it. Sierra had sworn it wasn’t necessary, but when it was obvious it made them feel better, she stopped trying to talk them out of it.
Things were moving at lightning speed, but that was at her insistence. She was ready to start living again. Ever since she’d returned from Afghanistan, it felt as if the world was moving around her, and she hadn’t been ready to step back into the fray. But with her parents’ and Grover’s patience, and after two idyllic weeks in New Mexico, Sierra was ready.
Ember had texted nonstop, telling her about all the ideas she had for her fledgling gym. Gillian had started a group text with Sierra and all the other women, and it was hilarious to read their interactions. The fact that Sierra had been included at all blew her away. The women had been friendly and supportive since her return to the States, but they still didn’t know her. Not really. But the fact that she and Grover were officially dating was enough for them to embrace her completely.
Devyn had also been extremely welcoming. There was one text in which she’d kind of warned Sierra not to hurt her big brother, but otherwise, everything she’d sent had been friendly.
As much as Sierra wanted to move into Grover’s big farmhouse, she knew she needed to get her own place. She was always independent…at least, she’d been so before being taken captive. She needed to find that part of herself again.
Though she couldn’t deny she was looking forward to spending more time with Grover in the real world. Shopping. Cooking. Dating. He’d be busy working when she got to Texas, and that was all right. As much as she’d loved spending nearly twenty-four hours a day with him in New Mexico, she needed some balance. She wanted to go out with the girls, and have Grover hang with his team too.
She wanted to be normal, not just the woman who’d been a “guest” of the Taliban for a year.
Before she could be that person, she needed to satisfy the media’s desire to hear every grisly detail of her captivity. She’d done a couple of carefully chosen interviews—one before New Mexico and one after—and had set up a few more. The requests were coming in less and less frequently, so Sierra had hopes that before too long, they’d taper off altogether. Something would happen that would put the spotlight on someone else, as Ember and Grover constantly reminded her. And Ember should know. After she’d been shot by someone she thought was a friend, the media went into a crazed frenzy.
Sierra had been in contact with Grover almost the entire drive to Texas. He’d convinced her to put a location-sharing app on her phone. Tex might be able to track her, but he wanted that privilege too. After all she’d been through, Sierra had no issue whatsoever with that. Besides, she got to see where he was at all times, as well. She knew when he was working out with his team in the mornings, when he was at work on the Army post, and when he was at home.
They’d made plans to meet at Grover’s house when she got into town late this afternoon. She’d seen plenty of pictures of the beautiful property, house, and barn, but she couldn’t wait to see it in person. The plan was for her to spend the night at his place tonight, then he and some of the guys would help her move into her apartment tomorrow. Her belongings were scheduled to arrive in the morning.
Sierra followed her GPS directions to Grover’s street, then shortly after, turned down a very long dirt driveway to his house. There were trees here and there, but nothing like what she was used to seeing back in Colorado, or even like there’d been in New Mexico.
The second the house came into view, Sierra smiled in awe. It was beautiful, even more so than the pictures, and nothing like what she’d have imagined a rough-and-tough special forces soldier would have. But if she’d learned anything over the last month or so, she’d learned that Grover was unique in so many ways.
She saw him standing on the steps of the gorgeous front porch, and by the time she’d pulled to a stop in front of the house, he was waiting for her at her door. He pulled it open and the second she climbed out, she was in his arms.
Sierra had wondered if things would feel awkward when she saw Grover again in the “real world,” but with the way the butterflies in her belly were swirling, she felt anything but.
“Welcome to Texas,” Grover said.
Sierra couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’ve been here for like, eight hours already. This is a damn huge state,” she observed.
“Yup. One of the only states you can drive literally all day and never cross the border. How do you feel? You hungry? Stiff? What can I do to help?”
Gah. This guy. “I’m good,” she told him, looking around his property with interest.
“You want a tour? It’s a little early for dinner, but we can go in and eat anyway, if you’d prefer, and I can show you around after. I’ve got taco soup in the Crockpot. Figured that would be easiest since I didn’t know the exact time you’d arrive.”
Sierra had no idea what taco soup was, but it sounded amazing. First, she wanted to see Grover’s place. The pictures he’d sent were beautiful, but she could tell they hadn’t done the property and views justice. “Tour,” she told him.
“You got it. Come on.” Grover hadn’t taken his hands from her since ending their hug. Before he turned toward the barn, he intertwined their fingers. “This all right?”
“Oh yeah,” Sierra agreed. Having his hand in hers felt like coming home. She hadn’t realized how much she not only loved, but needed to hold his hand, until she got home to Colorado and felt kind of adrift. Grover had been her rock. Her anchor. Being here with him now, and having his hand in hers once more, was exactly what had been missing.
As they walked toward the barn, Grover explained how his team had helped him tear down the dilapidated structure that had been on the property. “The one we built in its place isn’t nearly as large as the old one, but it’s more manageable. And since I have no intentions of housing a ton of animals, this one suits my needs.”
“I don’t know, Melba was pretty darn cute,” Sierra teased.
“She was,” Grover agreed. “If you said you wanted some goats, chickens, or any other farm animals, I’d do it in a heartbeat.”