Running to You: Small Town Romance

Chapter Four

**This has not been edited or proofread.**

GRAYSON

Farrah was a trembling mess in my arms. Her brother was standing beside us, a scowl on his normally happy features. There was only one other time in my life I'd ever seen Chase look this angry, and it was after his wife had been attacked.

"Second barn fire in less than a week, and both times, my little sister has been in the barn," Chase growled.

I grunted. "I'm aware," I muttered. Didn't I have enough of a reminder of that currently shaking in my arms like a leaf in a harsh, summer storm wind?

Chase scratched at the light beard on his jaw, shaking his head. He looked down at Farrah, his blue eyes a steely gray now. Then, he looked up at me. "I don't want her in a barn by herself anymore. Someone has got to be watching to see when she's alone."

I nodded in agreement. I was already ahead of him on that score. "Already came to that conclusion."

Farrah hiccupped. I tightened my arms around her and gripped the back of her head, holding her closer. "It's alright," I soothed as I rested my chin on the top of her head. "I've got you. You're safe."

Deek nodded once in greeting as he walked over to us. "Fire's just about put out," he told me. "You want to take a look at everything?"

I looked down at Farrah. "You mind staying with your brother for a moment?" I asked her.

She sniffled and stepped back from me. Chase wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to his side. I walked off with Deek just as the last of the fire got put out.

I swallowed thickly at the damage.

I'd put my blood, sweat, and tears into this barn when I'd first bought this place. I hadn't had much money. I'd learned the building codes, and I built this thing from the ground up all by myself.

To see it all burnt down to practically nothing gutted me.

But at least Farrah was safe, and all of the animals were unharmed and accounted for.

Deek clapped a hand to my shoulder. "We'll help you get this thing rebuilt," he told me. He shook his head. "Whoever did this was smarter this time. They made sure the entire thing would go up pretty quickly." He scuffed his worn boot against the ground. "Looks like it was started the same way as well: with motor oil."

I dragged a hand down my face. Motor oil was extremely flammable, just about as bad as gasoline, if not worse. I filed that piece of information away for later.

"It's not about rebuilding," I quietly told him. "Months upon months of hard work just went within minutes, Deek."

"I know, man."

I shook my head and walked back over to Farrah. There was nothing in that barn that was salvageable, at least not upon first glance. I'd have to wait for everything to cool off before I could walk through.

But I had my money on everything being absolutely worthless now.

~*~*~

After all the cops and fire department officials finally left, I got Farrah settled on my horse and slid on behind her, taking her for a leisure ride. She remained silent the entire ride, her hands resting on the saddle horn. She still smelled like burning wood, and I knew I did, too. I couldn't wait to get it washed off of both of us and to put this horrible day behind us, but for the time being, I just needed to focus on distracting her.

"Wait, did you get a pony?" she asked me as she looked at the pen Vern was in. I'd bought a pony a few days ago. It had been abused and horribly mistreated. I just hadn't had the time to work with it.

"Yeah," I told her. "You want to see if he'll let you near? He's pretty skittish and temperamental. He was abused. Has no name."

She nodded. I led the horse we were on over to the pen and slid down before lifting her down. She slipped into the pen without a second thought. Vern moved to her and lipped at her hair, making her giggle.

I smiled. After the day we'd had, that giggle was music to my ears.

I watched as she sat on the wooden fence and began to pet Vern, using one of the oldest tricks in the book to get the scared, timid pony to come near her.

And it worked like a charm.

By essentially ignoring the pony, she made him jealous. After constantly moving towards her and then backing away, the pony finally allowed Farrah to pet him.

I grinned.

She was magical.