Chapter Three
As Willow walked away, Hunter spotted a few of the cowboys he’d worked with on the Circle C. He hadn’t seen them for a while, it would be nice to catch up. Maybe they would help to take his mind off of a certain brunette, even if it was only for a couple of hours.
As he turned to leave, he heard his name. Becket, Cooper, and Hayden were approaching him.
“Come and join us,” Becket invited.
“It’s fine, I don’t want to intrude on your family.”
Cooper slapped him on the back. “You’re part of the family now, come on. Have you been on one of these strolls before?”
“Once or twice, but I don’t think I’ve ever made it further than Grey’s Saloon.” Hunter’s hands were in the pockets of his jeans, his eyes on Willow who was walking ahead of them, her hand tucked in her mom’s arm. Laura, Ellie, and Rose, her sisters-in-law on her other side.
Main Street, dressed in Christmas, had been closed to traffic, only pedestrians were allowed. It was a cheerful, festive occasion and it seemed as if the whole town had turned up to share in the fun.
All the shops had Christmas displays in the window and the diner, Grey’s Saloon, the bookshop, Java Café, and the chocolate shop were open.
Elves were having a picnic in the window of one of the beauty shops, a fashion store featured a Christmas ball with tiny woodland animals formally dressed for the occasion in their window, and a store with Western clothes had Santa and his elves in a rodeo scene.
All very Chrismassy, but not even the bright lights could take his focus away from the gentle sway of Willow’s hips.
Along the way, the Westons often stopped to talk to neighbors and friends.
The Weston cousins, Dylan and Carson, also stopped to talk to them at some point.
Hayden had been talking to them over the last few months.
Apparently, some family feud had split up the original Weston ranch, and they were going to work together to join the two ranches again.
Hunter liked the two cousins, they were good people; hopefully Hayden’s plan would work.
They met the O’Sullivans and Mitch Miller and his wife, Riley at the chocolate shop. The women, he’d gathered over the past few months while working on the Weston ranch, were firm friends and met up weekly for their book club.
Hunter offered to get hot chocolate for everyone and ended up at the counter with Willow at his side.
“I don’t know how my mother does it,” she was muttering under her breath.
“Does what?” he asked after he’d placed the order.
“As if you don’t know. You’d think she’d be happy and content that her three sons are married, but no, she keeps pestering me to get a husband. She makes me so mad.”
“You don’t wanna get married?” he asked as he took out his wallet.
Willow touched his hand. “I’ll pay and no, I don’t want to get married. I’m simply not bride material.”
Shaking his head, he caught her hand in his. “I’m paying.”
“Don’t be silly, I …”
Ignoring her, he paid the bill and picked up two of the trays with hot chocolate. “Can you manage the other one?”
“Of course I can manage it,” she just about snarled.
He had a hard time not smiling. “Good. After you. Why?” he asked as they made their way through the crowd.
“Why what?” she asked as they left the shop.
Outside people were mingling around, laughing and talking.
“Why don’t you want to get married?” he asked, the last four words ringing out in an unexpected lull in the conversation outside the chocolate shop.
Willow’s mother inhaled sharply. “Willow?” she shrieked so loudly everyone around them turned their way. “I don’t believe my ears! Has Hunter just asked you to marry him?”
All the eyes were on them. Willow had a dazed look on her face.
“Hot chocolate for everyone,” he said, hoping to change the topic. He quickly handed the trays to Cooper and Hayden.
Willow’s mom clapped her hands. “Oh, I love this! What an adorable romantic gesture! Celebrating your engagement with hot chocolate.”
“Mom!” Willow called out, finally coming out of her stupor. “We’re not …”
But her mother was on a roll. “Oh, I’ve been hoping for this day. You’ll make such a beautiful couple. Imagine the babies you’ll have …”
Willow groaned. “Mom, you’re not listening …”
“Oh, Willow, I’m so, so happy!” Sniffing, she searched for a tissue in her bag and blew her nose.
With what he could swear was a muffled cuss word, Willow pushed the tray in Becket’s hands and grabbed Hunter’s arm. “Excuse us, we have lots to talk about.”
Before he could blink, she was dragging him away from her family and the curious eyes of the bystanders.
“Grant?” Hayden called out behind him.
As Hunter turned around, Cooper, Hayden, and Becket were glaring at him.
“What the hell, man? You have something to say to us?” Hayden’s voice was icy cold.
“Chill, Hayden,” Willow groaned. “You can talk to him tomorrow.” With her hand in Hunter’s arm, she quickly steered them away. “Ugh, they can be so maddening. Put your arm around me and look happy,” she grumbled as she quickly walked back toward the courthouse.
Dutifully, he obliged. “Care to tell me what’s going on?”
“For the past few years, my mom has been on a mission to get all her kids married. You’d think she’d be happy all my brothers are married, but noooo.
Find yourself a nice husband, Willow, you should learn to cook, Willow, update your kitchen, Willow and get married—she’s driving me crazy.
So, when she heard you mentioned the m-word she deduced you’d asked me to marry you then and there.
You saw what she’s like. It’s no use trying to explain to her what really happened, she simply won’t listen right now.
That’s why I dragged you away. Let her think what she wants for tonight, but don’t worry, I’ll talk to her tomorrow and tell her we’re not actually engaged.
Would you mind taking me back to the ranch, please? ”
“Of course. You could’ve warned me about your plans, though.”
“I have no plans, damn it. You were the one who was going on and on about getting married, it’s not my fault.
” She sighed. “Okay, maybe I should’ve tried harder to explain to her, but with just about the whole town looking at us, I didn’t think it was a good idea.
Don’t worry, I’ll speak to her and clear up this whole mess. ”
They quickly reached his truck again. For once, Willow didn’t grumble when he opened her door.
Minutes later, they were on the road back to the ranch.
“I’m sorry you’re missing all the fun,” she said after a while. “I hope you go back after you’ve dropped me off.”
“I only went because of you.”
She rolled her eyes. “We’re alone, you can drop the act.”
“No act. You know I like you, Willow. Have since the first time I laid eyes on you.”
“I told you I’m not bride material, don’t you remember?”
“I haven’t asked you to be my bride,” he said. “When I do, there’ll be no uncertainty about it.”
Sighing, she rubbed her temple. “Well, you can’t like me, I can’t get involved with anyone.
I’m … weird. I’m sure you’ve heard that talk about town about me.
You’ve probably also noticed I feel what people close to me feel.
I know when something bad is about to happen to anyone I care for.
Especially after Walker’s death … I can’t ever go through that again.
It’s bad enough coping with my family and their feelings, I’m not adding anyone else to that list.”
“So how does it work? This thing you do?”
“There is no rhyme or reason to it. It’s not as if I can switch it on or off.
I don’t know everything, but I do pick up on thoughts, sometimes their wishes.
I wish I hadn’t been born this way, but I try to manage it as best I can.
It becomes overwhelming at times, especially when my brothers are struggling, and they don’t want to talk about it.
The worst thing, though, is that I know when something bad has happened.
Sometimes even when it was about to happen.
Except with Walker’s death, I was so wrapped up in my own stupid world, I didn’t know that was going to happen.
Anyway, I have to live with this even though I didn’t ask for it.
Apparently, it’s something I’ve inherited from my Irish grandma. ”
“Cooper and Luke have something similar.”
She nodded.
“So you don’t want to get involved or get married because you don’t want to experience someone else’s feelings?” he asked as they drove through the entrance to the ranch.
“It’s more than that. Emotions, feelings can be overwhelming, but I can handle that. It’s when something happens to anyone I care about—that’s what I’m trying to avoid. That’s about it.”
“Is that the reason why you don’t have a dog or cat or some sort of pet like all the other Westons?”
She nodded. “Yes. I couldn’t bear it if anything should happen to them.”
He parked in front of her house. “Have you been in a relationship before?”
“No, I decided a long time ago I’d rather be on my own.”
“So, you don’t know for sure that having a relationship with someone will also mean you’ll necessarily have to cope with that person’s feelings?”
“No, I don’t know for sure, but …”
Chuckling, he opened his door. “Practice on me. Everyone thinks we’re engaged, you might as well use the opportunity.” He was still smiling as he opened her door.
With a slight frown, she got out of the truck and walked toward the front door.
He was going to make sure she was safely inside before he left, but as she opened the door, she looked at him. “Come on in. Isabella has sent leftovers, and I have wine. Let’s talk about your idea.”
And damn, if he didn’t just follow her into her house.
*
The evening had quickly moved from strange to downright bizarre. Willow stared at the wine in her glass. Her mother had already phoned five times and had left a bunch of messages she hadn’t yet responded to.