Wildfire Omens (Wildwood #1)

Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

Rhett

I’d screwed up.

My apology to Cheyenne seemed to have made her mad, something I couldn’t begin to comprehend. Women. They didn’t make sense to me at all.

I tried to earn some brownie points by being a model patient. Spent the whole damn day in bed resting, even though I was about to go out of my mind with boredom.

And what did I get for it?

Cheyenne avoided me all day and turned me over to Beth that night. Worse, she’d apparently called in my mom for the next day.

Nothing said “I want to be as far away from you as possible” as calling in Mom to take over.

If I’d thought boredom was bad during my mind-numbingly slow day with Cheyenne, the day with Mom was infinitely worse. She vacillated between refusing to talk to me at all and questioning me about how Cheyenne was doing with the whole thing. Twice, she even started lecturing me on how I should thank Cheyenne for opening up her home to me. How grateful I should be.

Dammit, I was grateful. But there was nothing like a lecture to stop those feelings short.

When Mom brought me a dinner tray that night, I asked if Cheyenne would be back soon. Framed it as wanting to thank her again, just to get Mom off my back, when what I really wanted to know was when I was going to get a break from the lectures.

Mom shook her head, fussing over the tray and straightening the blankets on the bed. “Not for a few hours. She trains on Thursday nights.”

“Trains?”

“Yeah. The search-and-rescue group trains every week.”

“What kind of training do they do?” I asked, suddenly interested.

She pointed a finger at me. “You’re supposed to be resting.” She turned to leave.

“Please, Mom. I’m dying of boredom. All I’m asking for is a few minutes of conversation that isn’t about my poor life choices and how grateful I need to be.” I gave her a pointed look.

She paused at the door and her face softened. “Was I that bad today?”

“Whatever you’re thinking, you were worse.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, coming over to sit on the edge of the bed. She sighed heavily as she began smoothing the patchwork quilt. “You don’t know what Cheyenne means to us. She saved us when we were drowning at the ranch. The guests love her. She keeps Claire grounded and helps Beth break out of her shell. I honestly don’t know what we would do without her.”

It stung a bit. On one hand, I was damn proud of Cheyenne. She had built an amazing life for herself, and she was adored by my family. On the other hand, it reminded me of what I’d given up—and how, when it came down to it, my family would always prefer her over me.

“I get it,” I said, my voice rough.

Mom gave me a long look, like she was trying to see deep into my soul.

Damn uncomfortable.

“So tell me about the training,” I said, trying to change the subject.

“First, I need to tell you something else,” she said softly. “We’re grateful to Cheyenne for what she does at the ranch. But do you know what I’m most thankful for?”

“What?”

She touched my cheek. “That she found you and saved your life . ”

I swallowed hard. “I’m pretty thankful for that myself.”

“You weren’t around to see how broken she was when you left. She could have done the same to you and left you in that ditch.”

I shook my head. “No, she couldn’t have. Cheyenne doesn’t have that in her.”

“You’re right,” she said, smiling. “She doesn’t. Rhett, whether you see it or not, she still cares for you. Maybe I’ve gone too far, said too much. But I think you still care for her, too.”

I stared at her. “I do,” I said, the words coming out all strangled over the lump in my throat.

“Whatever happened… Is it something you can get past?”

I waited a long time to answer. “I can. I’m not sure if she can though. ” I hesitated, then told her the truth. “She’s pretty angry at me right now. There were some misunderstandings about what happened back then. We talked about it some yesterday. I think it made things worse somehow.”

Mom sighed. “I’m sorry to hear that. She hasn’t said anything to me about it, but she wouldn’t. I’ve always tried to let her know that I’m there for her, but she keeps everyone at arm’s length.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Everyone except Claire, that is,” Mom said with a small laugh. “And you, back in the day.” She was quiet for a moment. “You two were always good together. Even if I didn’t approve of the choices you made.” She raised an eyebrow and gave me the mom look.

Even now, at almost thirty years old, it made my heart stammer. “Uh, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, I think you do,” she said, winking. “You weren’t as smooth and discreet as you think you were.”

“I wasn’t smooth at all,” I admitted. “Mom, I’ve got to tell you… I don’t know if there’s a second chance for us. But if there is, I’m going to fight for it.”

She squeezed my hand. “I’m glad to hear that.”

“I’m sorry I hurt her, but I’m not sorry I left. It was the right choice for me. I needed to get out of here, figure out who I was outside the family. Needed to grow the hell up, become the kind of man who had something decent to offer a woman like Cheyenne. But I’ve had a lot of time to think things over in this bed, and I’m going to try to be that man now.”

She gave me a smile, her eyes watery. “I hope, for both your sakes, that she sees what I see—that you’re a wonderful man with everything in the world to offer. I don’t tell you often enough, but I’m proud of you, Rhett. You may not have taken the path your father planned for you, but in some ways, that makes me even prouder.”

“Really?” I gave her a skeptical look, waiting for the punchline.

But she was serious. “Yes. You were strong enough to forge your own path, to chase after your own dreams. I think I always knew the ranch wasn’t for you. Not long term, anyway. Your father loves it so much he can’t imagine any other way of life, but that didn’t mean it was right for you.”

I stared at her. Wasn’t sure I’d ever heard anything like that from her before.

“You’re a good man,” she continued. “And while I may not like the way you left, I do understand why you did it.”

“You do?”

“I do.” She nodded.

“That … that means a lot.”

She squeezed my hand. “We love you, and we’re proud of you. And we’ll keep loving you and being proud of you whether you and Cheyenne get back together or not. I don’t want you to ever think any differently.”

“I love you, too, Mom,” I finally said over the lump in my throat.

“So, the training,” she said, sniffing as she changed the subject. Even she wasn’t comfortable with long, drawn-out, emotional conversations. So she filled the time by telling me all about the things the SAR group did—and left me even more in awe of Cheyenne and the incredible life she’d built with me gone.

Cheyenne was in the kitchen when I made my way down the hallway the next morning in search of coffee. I lit up when I saw her, glad it was her instead of another one of my family members there to babysit. I loved my family and was grateful for their concern. But after years of living alone, it was all feeling like a bit much.

Oddly enough, Cheyenne never made me feel that way. Having her around all the time was different.

“You look happy this morning,” she commented, giving me a little smile.

“First time I’ve woken up without a headache.” It was true. Just not the whole truth.

“That’s great,” she said, beaming. “Perfect timing, too.”

“Why’s that?” I reached past her to get a coffee mug, letting my fingers brush her arm as I did.

She stared at me quizzically but didn’t move away. “You have a doctor’s appointment. Didn’t your mom tell you?”

“Must have slipped her mind.”

I found an excuse to touch her again, putting a hand on her hip as I stepped around her to the coffee pot. This was fun. Almost like a dance. Reminded me of the way my parents used to be when they thought us kids weren’t looking. Always finding a reason to touch each other even while they were doing the simple, everyday things, like pouring a cup of coffee before starting the day.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Getting coffee.” I gave her a quick wink before pouring my cup. “What are you doing?”

“I mean, what are you doing touching me?”

I turned toward her, leaning a hip on the counter as I looked her dead in the eye. “I like touching you. But if you want me to stop, say the word and I’ll never touch you without your permission again.”

She held my gaze. But she didn’t tell me to stop.

“We need to leave in an hour,” she finally said, cutting her eyes away from mine. “I have a couple of chores to do outside. Your mom left you a clean change of clothes. I put them in the guest bath. Figured you might want to shower before we leave. I can help you rewrap your ribs after if you want. There are some muffins in the fridge, courtesy of your mom. Do you need anything else?”

“Well, I don’t know,” I said, speaking slowly. “I haven’t tried taking a shower yet. That’s a long time to stand up without any assistance. I might get dizzy, you know, with all the hot water. Maybe I need some help in there.” I stared into her eyes, letting her see the heat in them before giving her another wink.

Her lips twisted into an amused smile. “Then make it a cold one and make it fast, because my nursing duties don’t extend that far. Unless you need me to call Travis? I’ll ask him to give you a sponge bath.”

I fisted my hand and held it to my heart. “You wouldn’t.”

“Don’t try me.” She winked and flounced out, leaving me grinning as I watched her go.

A shower and clean clothes made me feel like a new man, and the hour-long drive to the appointment felt great. I wasn’t used to being so cooped up, and the fresh air and change of scenery lifted my spirits.

Just like the woman in the driver’s seat.

She didn’t talk much on the drive, reminding me that I was supposed to rest. But it gave me plenty of time to study her. I found myself wanting to memorize her features, comparing the woman in front of me to the girl from my memories. They were both gorgeous, but present-day Cheyenne was something else. That long hair, that lean body, the strength she’d built doing what she did every day. She was incredible, and I could have stared at her all day long.

“What are you doing?” she asked, eyeing me as she repeated the question from earlier.

“Looking at you. I like it almost as much as touching you.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re such a flirt.”

“Only with you.”

She snorted. “I doubt that.”

“Dead serious, Cheyenne. You’re the only woman I have any interest in flirting with.”

For a moment, she was silent. Then she changed the subject. “Where do you live now?”

I took a minute before replying, wondering if I was really ready to commit to staying. But one more glance at the incredible woman beside me and I knew I was.

“Wildwood, Wyoming.”

She rolled her eyes again. “I meant when you’re healed up and you go home. Where do you really live these days?”

“I’m not leaving.”

She glanced at me with a question on her face. “You’re not?”

I shook my head. “Nope. Decided I’m staying.”

“Why?”

I shrugged. “Lots of reasons.”

“Hmmm.” She let out a deep breath. “I’m not sure what to say about that.”

“No need to say anything at all.” I leaned my seat back and put my hands behind my head.

“Where did you live before this?”

“Austin, Texas.”

She glanced my way again. “That’s where you went when you left Wyoming?”

“Nope. Headed to Idaho first. Then Montana, Flathead Valley area. Then I went to Seattle, tried the city life there. Made my way down to California, but that didn’t last long. Ended up in Texas, minus a brief stint in New York.”

“Wow. You’ve really seen a lot.”

“I have.” Though none of it seemed quite as pretty as the view in front of me right now.

She was quiet again before asking her next question. “Do you have a girlfriend … or wife … or—”

“No,” I said, interrupting her.

“Ever married?” This time, she stared straight ahead, like she couldn’t bear to look at me while she asked.

“Never. Not even close. You?”

She shook her head. “Not even close.”

“Just another one of the ways we’re alike,” I murmured. “You’re the only girl who ever made me even contemplate the idea of settling down, setting up house.”

“Rhett…”

“I know. We can talk when you’re ready.”

She fell silent. But it didn’t last long. “So, are you going to work for your parents? You know, if you really stay?”

“Nope. You know ranching’s never been my dream.”

She glanced over at me. “When we were kids, you always dreamed of renovating houses. Did you ever do anything like that?”

This time, my grin was proud. “Yeah, I did. I’ve been working for a developer down in Austin. He buys the properties; I go in and remodel them. He sells, then we split the profits.”

“That sounds great,” she said, smiling.

“It has been. I’ve learned a ton and made good money doing it. But I’ve been saving up and I’m ready to start my own business. My partner has always been focused on the commercial space or flipping properties that turn into vacation rentals. I want to restore historical properties and create homes that people actually live in. I don’t need a partner anymore, and that gives me freedom to move where I want.”

“You’ve always loved your freedom.” A bit of wariness crept into her voice.

“Damn right. Going into business for myself has been a long time coming, and I’ve decided to do it here.” And it was only partly about the woman sitting next to me. It was her, it was my family, and it was more. I couldn’t explain it, but it was like the mountain was calling me home. I was tired of wandering. I wanted to be here in the wild, untamed land that spoke to my soul.

“But this is a small town.” Her voice was full of doubt. “You really think you can make enough here?”

I snorted out a laugh. “Haven’t you heard? Wyoming is about to be the new Texas.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s projected to have serious growth over the next few years. More people moving here means more buyers in the market. Besides, I have ways to diversify the business.” What I didn’t tell her was that I’d also made bank over the past ten years and had never seen a reason to spend any of it. I could almost retire, except that I’d be bored out of my mind in about ten seconds.

“Hmm.”

“What?”

“I don’t know.” She glanced over again. “It’s just hard to imagine you really settling down here. I guess I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“Cheyenne. I’m not leaving.”

But the look she gave me said she didn’t believe me.