Chapter Eighteen
B y late Friday afternoon, Hayden was restless, moody, irritated. Fed up with the whole situation, he got out of his truck. It had been a long day.
Frustration was a live thing, clawing at his insides. He hadn’t seen Laura since Sunday. They’d texted and he’d phoned her every night, but there hadn’t been a chance to be with her again. When he was free, she was teaching, and when she had free time, he had Luke with him.
Willow had been in Bozeman for the week to finalize the upcoming exhibition of her artwork, so he couldn’t even ask her to babysit. Of course, there was always his mother, but he didn’t feel comfortable asking her to look after his son while he had sex with her neighbor.
With his hand on the front door, he froze. Sex? What happened when he was with Laura was not just sex. That had become crystal clear over the past week. Something so much more was at play when he was with her. They connected on a level much deeper than he’d ever experienced before, one that instinctively guided him to give her what she needed, made it clear what she liked, what made her fly—that had never happened before.
Just the thought of her cresting over and over when they were together was enough to send his blood roaring through his body.
Inhaling deeply, he rubbed his face. How could he feel this way? Wasn’t he betraying what he and Madeline had?
As he opened the front door, Willow’s truck stopped behind him.
He turned around to welcome her. “How was your week?” he asked as she got out of her car.
Giving him a once-over, she angled her head. “I had a great week, thanks. Something tells me you’re not so happy, though.”
“It’s been a difficult week. Laura and I have both been so busy. Can you stay with Luke for a while? I want to fetch Laura. I’m hoping she’ll come to the ranch for the weekend.”
Willow laughed. “You’ve got it bad, don’t you?”
He couldn’t stop the grin even if he tried. “I must go. Thanks, Sis,” he called out, already on his way to his truck.
By the time he reached the outskirts of Marietta, he was on fire. He’d had to force himself not to drive too fast. In a few minutes, he was going to see her, touch her, and make love to her.
Make love to her. Love. Something inside him that had been trying to escape for weeks now finally struggled free. He slowed down and stopped the truck. Of course he loved her. He probably had since that very first moment she’d opened her class door. And he also remembered the exact moment his heart had acknowledged it—when she’d lifted her arms so that he could pull her top over her head.
With his heart lighter and a stupid grin on his face, he started his truck again. Surely she felt the same way? He stepped on the gas. The urgency to be with her, to hold her, and to tell her how he felt was rushing through his veins.
*
Laura quickly put the very unhappy Molly in her room and closed the door before she jogged toward the front door. Tanner had texted earlier while she was still at school. He’d finished the kitchen cabinets and could bring them during the afternoon—apparently, he had extra help that would make transporting the cabinets easier.
It had been a frustrating week. She missed Hayden something fierce. They’d texted and he’d phoned every night, but she wanted to be with him and touch him, not just talk to him on the phone, damn it. Hayden had Luke to consider, but there wasn’t anything that said she couldn’t go to him. It was the weekend, after all.
Smiling, she opened the door. Just the thought that she’d see Hayden soon had her just about dancing. Tanner and another man were standing on her porch with the cabinets.
Tanner introduced her to his friend. “If you’re thinking of asking, I must warn you, though. You only get one date with this lady,” Tanner teased.
Laughing, she opened the door wider. “This town and the gossip! I don’t understand why everyone is so interested in my dating habits. Come on in, thanks.”
It didn’t take them long, and within fifteen minutes they were on their way. Tanner was willing to come back tomorrow to paint the wall, but she had other plans. Painting a wall was something she could do on her own, anyway.
With a still-barking Molly in her arms, Laura took a minute to admire the beautiful cabinets. Tanner had painted them in a dove’s egg blue paint—she loved the look.
“Oh, shush.” She laughed and scratched Molly behind the ears. “They’re gone. Look at my pretty cupboards!”
Molly was still seriously indignant about the strangers who’d been in her house, though, and gave a few more yelps before she quieted down. “There we go…” Laura crooned as she walked toward her bedroom. “Let me quickly grab a few things. Then we can go.”
She put Molly on her bed and put a few necessary items in her bag. It was nearly half past five and the sun had already set. Hopefully, she could reach the ranch before it was completely dark.
*
Feeling betrayed, Hayden parked in front of the homestead and got out of his truck. He was angry, hurt, and frustrated. Well, he’d wanted to know whether Laura felt the same way and now he knew. She obviously didn’t.
For a moment, he wanted to get back in his truck and just keep driving. With a sigh, he entered the house. His family would know something was wrong. He didn’t even need to pretend to be okay.
From the direction of Luke’s room, he could hear Jessie barking. Everyone else was in the living room, drinking beer, when he entered.
Willow frowned. “Where’s Laura?”
Trying to get his breath under control, he threw up his hand.
“Hayden?” Willow got up. “What’s wrong?”
“Aren’t you supposed to know these things?” he barked and immediately felt like an idiot. “Sorry…I’m…sorry. Laura is at home. With Tanner Olsen.”
Willow’s eyes widened. “Surely, you’re mistaken—”
“I was there. I saw his truck. I saw him entering her house!” He only realized how loudly he was talking when Luke came running into the living room and hid behind Willow. “I’m sorry for yelling, Luke. You haven’t done anything. Come here.”
Reluctantly, Luke walked closer to him. “Are you angry with Miss Anderson? ’Cos she likes you too.”
Fortunately, Becket handed him a beer and he didn’t have to answer. He couldn’t sit down. Different motions and feelings were churning inside him, driving him nuts. There was something he was supposed to grasp, but it stayed just out of his reach.
“Hayden!” Willow’s voice penetrated his muddled thoughts.
He stopped and stared at her. Something was wrong. By this time, he could read Willow’s face. Something had happened. “What?”
“Laura…” Willow said. “Her car…she’s in a ditch, a few miles from our gate.”
“Isabella!” Hayden yelled, as they all sprinted toward the door. “Watch Luke for me, please?”
*
For a few minutes, Laura couldn’t move. She was breathing and she could feel her toes, so she was okay. The car, maybe not.
Molly’s yelp brought her out of her shock. Poor Molly crawled toward her from the back seat. A sob escaped, and Laura picked up the trembling dog. “Oh, sweetie.” Cradling Molly close to her, Laura started shivering. “Oh, my goodness, Molly. I didn’t want to hit the elk. That’s why I swerved, but I didn’t know we’d end up in a ditch in the middle of nowhere.”
It was dark outside, the cold slowly seeping into the car. “Let’s see if we can get out of here…” She was shaking so much, it took a few tries to turn the key, but there was just nothing. Again, she tried. Still nothing.
“Well, Molly, we can sit here and cry, or we can do something about this. We can’t be too far away from the ranch. Well, I hope not. Let’s see, shall we?”
Hiking her bag over her shoulder and hugging Molly tightly, she tried to open the door. But it wouldn’t budge.
Feeling close to tears, she opened her bag and found her phone. The surprise for Hayden was turning out to be a disaster.
She phoned Hayden. No ringtone. With a groan, she looked at her phone. Of course there wouldn’t be a signal. Everything that could go wrong was going sideways simultaneously. A tear slipped out and rolled over her face. Whimpering, Molly cuddled closer to her.
Hugging the dog, she burst into tears and let her head drop on the steering wheel. All she’d wanted to do was to get to Hayden. The universe, it seemed, had other plans.
*
With his heart beating like a runaway train, Hayden raced down the dirt road. What the hell was Laura doing out here? Where was Tanner-freaking-Olsen?
As he drove over a hill, he saw the red taillights of a car in a ditch next to the road. It was too dark to immediately see whether it was Laura’s car, but as he stopped, the lights of the truck fell on the ditch. His breath left his body in one swoosh. It was her car.
He was out of his truck and running toward the red lights without conscious thought, his only need to get to Laura and make sure she was okay. Behind him was the sound of another vehicle stopping, but he kept going. It was probably his siblings in Willow’s truck.
“Laura!” he shouted, as he scrambled down the side of the ditch. “Laura!”
A tearful face lifted from the steering wheel. Laura. Exhaling, he hurried closer. She was alive, and that was all that mattered now. The door wouldn’t budge.
“Here, Hayden. This one is open!” Becket called from the passenger side of the truck, and, cussing, Hayden hurried around the car.
Becket’s upper body was in the car and when he stepped back, he had Molly in his arms. “Thanks,” Hayden muttered as he moved inside to help Laura.
She was shivering, her face pale in the lights of the truck. “What the hell are you doing out here?” he scolded as he picked her up. “You could’ve been killed!”
“Don’t shout at me!” she cried before she burst into tears. She buried her face against his chest.
“I’m sorry. I was just so scared.” He combed her hair out of her face and froze. “You’re bleeding,” he cried out. “Damn it, Laura…what happened?”
Cooper hurried closer. “Let me see.”
Sniffing, Laura lifted her head. Cooper placed one hand against her face. “It’s going to be okay,” he whispered, as he kept his hand against her temple.
“How did you know where to find me?” Laura hiccupped.
“Willow knew.”
“You okay, sweetie?” Willow asked as Cooper stepped back.
Sniffing, Laura nodded. “I think so. There was an elk in the road. One minute, there was nothing and then this big thing suddenly just stood there.”
Hayden’s heart just about stopped. That was exactly what happened the night Walker died. “So, in your effort not to hit it, you ended up in a ditch?” Hayden yelled, his blood roaring in his ears.
Willow stroked his back. “It’s okay. She’s fine. Look, no more blood either.”
His sister was right. The blood flow had stopped. Coop had done his thing—whatever it was—again.
“Sorry,” he mumbled. “It’s just…that’s what happened the night Walker died. The elks roam all over in winter, looking for food. This kind of thing happens all too often.”
“I’m sorry…”
“You reacted instinctively. Nothing to be sorry about,” Willow said.
Cradling her close, he followed the others out of the ditch. “Do you need to see a doctor?”
Laura shook her head. “Molly and I just had a scare, but we’re okay. Where is she?”
“I’ve got her,” said Coop. “She’s okay.”
“Thank you. Oh, I have a bag. It’s still in the car.”
“I’ll get it,” Willow offered. “There is a lovely hot meal waiting for us at home. Luke will be so happy to see his favorite teacher.”
Minutes later, they were on the road again, driving back to the homestead. Hayden had one hand on the wheel and one hand laced with Laura’s fingers. He knew she was with Tanner, but damn it, he simply had to touch her.
His heart hadn’t quite settled yet. Talking wasn’t possible right now. Now that his adrenaline had settled down, all the really bad scenarios were running through his mind. One of which in particular kept robbing him of his breath—she could’ve been killed.
As they stopped in front of the homestead minutes later, the front door flew open. Luke, with Jessie on his heels, ran toward them. “Miss Anderson…” he cried. “Is she okay?”
“She’s fine. See for yourself.” Hayden smiled as he climbed out of his truck.
Luke rushed to the passenger side and opened the door.
As Laura got out, he stepped closer and helped her. Luke hugged her legs. “You’re here,” he sighed.
Sniffing, she bent down and hugged him. “I’m okay. Really. Do you think there’s enough food for me too?”
Luke took Laura’s hand. “Yes, come on. Isabella always makes a lot.”