Chapter Fifteen
Because he’d overslept after taking June home around two o’clock, Dylan missed breakfast so by lunchtime he was starving. When he walked into the kitchen for lunch on Thursday, Hayden and Cooper were talking about the difficult bull, and the women were whispering among themselves.
Willow quickly looked up when she saw him. “Everything okay, coz?”
“Everything’s fine.”
Becket cleared his throat. “Our dogs were very restless in the early hours of this morning. I wonder why?”
Dylan shook his head. This family. “I brought June back.”
Chuckling, Becket slapped him on the shoulder. “When’s the last time you had a good night’s sleep?”
Before Dylan could answer, he caught Willow’s eyes on him. “What?”
“You sure everything is okay with you and June?” she asked, frowning slightly.
“As far as I know, why?”
“I met her in town this morning and I don’t know … maybe I’m seeing things that aren’t there.” Willow shrugged. “The other person I noticed in town was Jeff Thomas, Mom’s friend who talked to us during the picnic.”
Hayden quickly looked up. “I hope you didn’t question him about Dad?”
Willow shook her head. “I didn’t have to. Mom said something during book club on Tuesday. She opened up for just a second, but it was long enough for me to get a glimpse of what she’s been carrying around for so long.” She didn’t elaborate, though.
Fortunately, Becket asked the question on Dylan’s lips. “Are you talking about the fight Dad had with Uncle Grayson?”
Willow shook her head. “I’m not saying another word.”
Hunter chuckled. “Really?”
“It’s Mom’s story to tell.” Willow smiled, leaning against her husband. “Hayden, you should talk to her.”
Grunting, Hayden got up. “If she wants to tell us, she’ll tell us. Leave her to figure this out on her own, please?”
When Hayden left, the conversation around the table changed to ranching again, but Dylan couldn’t concentrate. When he’d finished, he excused himself and with Daisy following him, he walked outside to his truck.
He phoned June.
“Hi,” she said as she picked up. “Everything okay?”
“That’s what I want to know.”
“Everything’s fine,” she said a tad too quickly. “I’ll see you at seven?”
“Yes, we can go for a pizza or …”
“I’m cooking. I’m no Gordon Ramsay, but I like to cook.”
“Gordon who?”
She laughed. “I’ll see you later.”
Frowning, he got into his truck and drove away. What was this strange disquiet inside of him, a feeling that something was just slightly off? Whining softly, Daisy moved closer and put her head on his leg.
“I don’t know what’s wrong, Daisy,” he said, stroking the dog.
*
June pulled out all the stops for Thursday night’s dinner.
After she’d made the food, a roast with potatoes and something sweet for dessert, she cleaned the house, emptied the fridge, packed most of her things, and put Fat Ruby in her car.
The few other items she’d simply take with her when she left the next day. After sh said goodbye to Dylan.
She refused to think about the fact that by tomorrow this time, she’d be halfway on her way back to Seattle.
When she’d called Barry earlier to say she was returning, he was thrilled.
He loved her story and couldn’t wait to discuss the cover and illustrations with her.
Apparently, he also had a proposal for her.
At this point she couldn’t get excited about any proposal, least of all something to do with work, but she’d tried her best to sound eager to return.
By seven the table was laid, the food was ready, and she was dressed in one of the dresses she’d bought in Bozeman. This one was a short, blue halter-neck dress in a soft material that ended way above her knees, much shorter than the dresses she normally wore.
Fifteen minutes later she was worried. Dylan was usually on time. Something had to have happened. As she picked up her phone to text Ellie, it rang. Her heart lurched. It was Willow.
“What’s wrong?” June asked.
“Take a deep breath …”
“Willow, what happened to Dylan?” June’s throat was so tight, she barely got the question out.
“He should be fine but he’s been injured. We’ve been struggling with a difficult bull over the last few days who went for Dylan this afternoon. Cooper is with him now. If need be, we’ll get him to the hospital.”
June had to sit down quickly. Her legs wouldn’t keep her upright. “Will he be okay?”
“Yes, he’ll be fine. He’s not going to make dinner tonight, though.”
“Thanks for letting me know.”
“And June?”
“Yeah?”
“Tell him how you feel before you go. See you later.”
As Willow ended the call, June stared at it for another minute. Willow knew she was leaving Marietta, that she had feelings for Dylan, and that June was on her way to see her cowboy.
Within half an hour, she’d put all her belongings that were in the house in her car.
She was probably a tad overdressed, but she didn’t want to waste more time changing into other clothes.
She cleaned out the fridge, packed up the meal, and put everything in her car.
Hopefully Dylan would be fine enough to eat it tomorrow. After she’d left.
The books she’d taken out from the library she left on the table in the kitchen. She’d text Ellie to ask her to return them. The key to the house she left under the flowerpot where Ellie had put it for her when she’d arrived.
She hadn’t finished speaking to either Mitch or Carson about signing them, but she’d schedule a Zoom meeting once she was back in Seattle and email them the necessary papers.
Without looking back to the house, she quickly got into her car and drove away. These two weeks had been like a dream, but it was time to get back to the real world. After she’d seen Dylan.
*
Flowers. Was that the smell? Slowly Dylan opened his eyes.
He was in his own bedroom. Everything that had happened yesterday flitted in slow motion through his mind.
He’d gotten off his horse, his mind elsewhere when the bull had charged.
The shouts from the other cowboys alerted him, but he had been just too late to miss being hit.
A movement to his left had him turn his head. June was fast asleep in a chair next to his bed, Daisy snuggling in her arms. Still expecting to feel the pain after his encounter with the bull yesterday, he cautiously sat up.
Exhaling slowly, he looked down at himself.
He’d seen the lacerations and contusions that the bull had left, but apart from one faintly bluish bruise, there weren’t any signs of what had happened.
Stunned he looked over his shoulder. Even the mark he had there was gone and …
he rolled his shoulders. He had no pain.
What Cooper had done, he didn’t know, but apart from a faint ache, he was fine.
June moved and Daisy jumped down quickly, scampering closer.
As he bent down to pick her up, June opened her eyes. “Hey, cowboy.” She smiled sleepily as she sat up, combing her hair out of her face.
“Hey, you,” He grinned, looking his fill. “You look so beautiful, I’m sorry about dinner last night.”
Getting up, June came closer and frowning, she moved her hands over his arms. “Are you okay?”
“I can’t quite believe it myself, but I’m fine. I had a hell of a bruise right here,” he said, pointing toward his chest. “And I was bleeding, but look at me now—” He stopped speaking as her hands trailed over his chest and down his arms.
“What happened?” she asked as she proceeded to inspect his back, her hands skimming down over his skin.
“It’s my own fault. The damn bull has been bellowing all week, trying to keep the other bulls away from his cows. I wasn’t concentrating …”
Soft lips were moving across his shoulder, igniting embers that had been simmering since the previous night. Catching her hand, he brought her around to face him. “I can see your freckles again. Kiss me,” he demanded just as Daisy barked. Someone was knocking on the front door.
“Dylan!” Cooper called out. “Vivian is here to check on you.”
June quickly moved away so when Cooper and Vivian entered, she was standing near the window.
“Morning, June,” Cooper smiled before he stepped closer to Dylan. “How are you feeling, coz?”
“Hello, Coop, Vivian, I’m fine. You didn’t have to come, Vivian.”
“You’re my patient, of course I have to be here,” Vivian smiled. “Lie down so that I can see for myself you’re fine.”
“Coffee, anyone?” June asked as she walked to the door.
“Thank you, yes,” Vivian smiled.
“I’ll help,” Cooper said as he followed June out.
*
Adding water to the coffeemaker, taking out coffee mugs were such mundane tasks, but at this moment being busy was what June needed.
While waiting for the coffee machine to finish, she cleaned the few plates and cutlery in the sink while trying her best not to think that in a few minutes she’d be leaving this place forever.
“You don’t have to, you know?” Cooper said softly as he stepped into the kitchen.
Acting as if she hadn’t heard him, she looked over her shoulder. “I haven’t had a chance to thank you for whatever it was you did on Tuesday night. I felt so much better when I woke up.”
“I’m glad you’re feeling better. You don’t have to leave. Tell Dylan how you feel.”
Sighing, she finally faced Cooper. “My life is back in Seattle. I’ve just been visiting.”
“You were going to stay for a month or two, if I remember correctly. Why leave now?”
Fortunately, at that moment the coffee was ready, and she had something to do.
Not that it would make a difference. Today she didn’t want anyone reading her mind.
“You know why. I don’t even know what I’m feeling.
In a few weeks, I’m sure I’ll have forgotten all about it.
I had a great time, but I stopped expecting happy outcomes a long time ago.
I’ll be okay. You’re such a great family, thank you all for making me feel welcome.
” It was on the tip of her tongue to ask Cooper to look after Dylan, when both Dylan and Vivian joined them in the kitchen.
“Well,” Vivian said, “I don’t know what you’ve done, Cooper, and I can’t pretend to understand, but Dylan is perfectly fine.”
“Thanks for coming, I appreciate it,” Dylan said.
Vivian checked her digital watch. “Of course. I have a patient waiting for me, so I’ll take a rain check on that coffee, thanks June.”
June moved forward. “Let me walk you out.”
Daisy followed them outside, staying close to June.
“Why don’t you look happy?” asked Vivian as she opened her car door.
“What do you mean?”
“I’m not Cooper, but I can see something is wrong.”
“I … I’m going back to Seattle. It’s been so lovely to meet all of you, but my work and life is back there.”
Stepping closer, Vivian hugged her. “You’ve fallen for Dylan, haven’t you?”
Swallowing against the lump in her throat, June nodded. “I have no idea what this craziness is! He’s not interested in anything permanent, though.”
“Why don’t you talk to him?”
Shaking her head, June moved back. “He’s been very clear. Take care, Vivian, and give my love to everyone, I’ll miss you guys.”
Shaking her head, Vivian got into her car. “You may as well tell him how you feel, you know?” With another wave, she drove away.
Crouching down, June stroked Daisy. “I’ll miss you,” she whispered. “You’ll look after him for me, won’t you?”
And as if the dog understood her perfectly, she licked June’s face. Laughing, she got up just as Cooper and Dylan stepped out.
Cooper gave her another look before he got into his truck and left.
“Are you really okay?” June asked as Dylan put an arm around her shoulders.
“I’m fine. I have to get to work, but why don’t you stay here?”
Shaking her head, she turned into his arms. “I’ve left last night’s dinner in your fridge.”
“Thanks, but I was hoping we could have it together tonight?”
She couldn’t answer him though and pulled down his head for a final kiss.
His mouth was warm and eager and for a few minutes she set her senses free to drown in everything Dylan Weston—his earthy smell, the stubble of his beard against her skin, his warm hands on her back, the ripple of muscles under her fingers, the groan deep in his throat.
His phone rang and gasping he took it out. “It’s probably Hayden, I have to get that.”
“I know,” she said, holding on to him for just another second before she finally stepped away. While he was still talking, she quickly walked to her car and got in. Pasting a big smile on her face, she waved as she drove away.
“June!” he called, but she didn’t look back.
As she drove through the gates of the ranch, the first tears rolled down her cheeks. She didn’t even try to stop them. Sniffing, she asked Siri to play sad music before she stepped on the pedal.
Her phone rang several times followed by a series of bleeps, but she didn’t answer or look at the texts.
It was a ten- to eleven-hour drive to Seattle. She’d have to stop for gas somewhere and probably get something to eat, but she was driving straight through.
Her heart splintering into tiny pieces, she left everything she’d never thought she wanted, her hand clasped tightly around the stone of the necklace Dylan had given her.
She was a whole different person than the woman who’d arrived two weeks earlier.
It was going to be so hard to forget this place and these people, but time, she’d learned, had a way of easing the pain.
She’d survived worse, she’d be okay. Eventually.