Chapter Twelve
The moment Hunter opened his eyes, he knew Willow was gone. It didn’t stop him from running through her house, calling her name, searching for her, in every room, though.
Out of breath, he finally leaned against the wall, trying to figure out what was going on inside of him.
He’d known she would be leaving; he shouldn’t be surprised.
They’d spoken about this. Okay, he hadn’t thought she’d leave without saying a proper goodbye, but they both knew they’d reached the end of their fake engagement.
She was leaving for her exhibition; he would tell everyone their engagement had ended and leave for Colorado.
So why did it hurt so damn much? He could still smell her on his hands, taste her in his mouth—how the hell was he supposed to leave?
It was what she’d wanted.
In her room, he stripped the bed and took the bedding to her laundry room. After a shower, he looked around to make sure he’d taken all his things. He wouldn’t be back. Slowly, he walked to the front door. There was nothing left for him here.
He peeked inside her studio, but the easel was empty. A few paintings were left leaning against the walls, some facing the wall. Had she taken the one she’d made of him on his horse?
His eyes fell on one of her paintings of a winter Montana landscape. Where was this? Cocking his head, his gaze roamed over the bright colors for a few minutes before he clicked—it had to be the view she’d had while she’d been in the hot spring where he’d found her.
The picture of her rising from the water like an ancient goddess was one he’d carry in his heart forever.
And then he knew. He loved her. Deeply, irrevocably, desperately.
Stunned and slightly lightheaded, he leaned forward on his knees, his mind racing.
That’s the reason why he’d been so crazy ever since …
well, ever since he’d set eyes on Willow.
He’d lost his heart the moment his eyes had fallen on her.
Why the hell had it taken him so long to figure this out? He’d found her—the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, the one with whom he a special connection—but he hadn’t been able to hold on to her.
After last night he knew she felt something for him. It was in her touch, her kiss, the way her body moved when they’d made love. But whatever it was, it was obviously not enough to ask him to stay.
There was nothing left to keep him on the Weston ranch. All he had left to do was to inform his employers that Willow and he were going their separate ways, and he was returning to Colorado.
His thoughts chaotic, he drove toward Hayden’s house. He was hoping Becket and Cooper wouldn’t be there and that he only had to talk to one of the brothers, but their trucks were already parked in front of the homestead.
With his hat in his hand, he followed the voices to the kitchen.
Willow’s mom was smiling as he entered but when she noticed him, her smile slipped, and she slowly got up. “Hunter? What’s wrong?”
All the heads swiveled in his direction. Hayden, Becket, and Cooper also got up.
Clearing his throat, Hunter looked down at his hat in his hand. “The engagement is off. I’m leaving for Colorado today.”
You could hear a pin drop in the silence following his words. Even Luke was quiet.
Laura, Hayden’s wife was the first to respond. “Where’s Willow?”
“She … she’s already left for the airport.”
“What the hell did you do to her?” Hayden just about bellowed.
Shrugging, Hunter inhaled shakily. “I love her. She doesn’t feel the same.
Thanks for the opportunity to work here.
I’ve learned so much from all of you, not only about ranching but also about family.
I’m sorry I’m leaving like this, but it’s time I get back to my own ranch.
You don’t have to pay me for the last month, Hayden. Thanks for everything.”
Turning on his heel, he quickly left the house before he cried. That would be way too humiliating.
He’d made it to his truck, when a voice called after him. “Hunter!”
It was Cooper. Damn it, he didn’t want to have to explain anything else. What more was there to say? Swallowing against the lump in his throat, he waited for Cooper to reach him.
“Have you told her?” Cooper asked.
“Told her what?”
“How you feel?”
Hunter shook his head. “It’s no use. She’s way out of my league; we both know that. We move in different circles, want different things in life. I’m a beer-drinking cowboy, she’s champagne and art functions. Besides, her family and friends are here, she’ll never move to Colorado. She’s told me.”
Shaking his head, Cooper looked at Hunter. “You’re making a big mistake. Yeah, she drinks champagne, but like you, she loves small towns and living on a ranch. You’ve seen her on a horse helping out around here. What’s more, I think deep down you know that. Talk to her, tell her how you feel.”
“We’ve talked. I’m just following her orders. It was a privilege knowing you Westons, but it’s time to go back home, to put down roots.” He tried a smile. “Hell, maybe I’ll even get a dog.”
“I have a boxer puppy if you’re interested.”
“Not right now, sorry, but thanks.”
As Hunter drove away, he checked the rear window mirror. Cooper was still standing where he’d left him.
The stop at the house he’d lived in was quick.
It had actually been Walker’s house, he’d learned somewhere along the way.
It didn’t take him long to pack up his few possessions.
He’d intentionally always traveled lightly; but now it was time to go back home as he’d told Cooper, to put down roots, build a life.
Before he left the ranch, he stopped at the stables. He had to say goodbye to the grey he’d used while working on the Weston ranch. “Hi girl,” he crooned, putting out his hand.
Skye ignored him and didn’t come to him like she normally did.
“What’s wrong?”
Neighing softly, she shook her head.
Rubbing his face, he swallowed. Here he was, a huge hole where his heart was supposed to be, talking to a horse who also seemed ticked off with him. “So, you know I’m leaving? I wanted to say goodbye.”
Skye wasn’t interested. He was losing all his girls. Dropping his head, he let the pain of leaving, of saying goodbye crash over him. As he stood there, his heart shattering, he felt something nudging his hand.
Skye had walked up to him. Stroking her head, he teared up. The horse dropped her head to his shoulder. For long minutes, he stood quietly as he said goodbye, before he turned around and walked back to his truck.
As he drove through the gates for the last time, he rubbed his chest. His body was way too small today for all the emotions churning inside. Fortunately, he had roughly 669 miles to clear his head.
*
By Sunday night, Willow was settled in the apartment the gallery had rented for her in Seattle. It was a lovely place within walking distance of the gallery.
Pulling on a coat, she stepped out on the balcony overlooking the city. She’d had her phone on silent all day, but she knew she should talk to her family members. Her mother had phoned several times already. So had Hayden and Becket. Cooper was quiet, though; he knew she needed space.
Seattle was a beautiful city, especially during December.
Greg Davis and his wife, Eden, who was also his assistant at the gallery, had invited her for dinner with a promise to take her to see some displays of Christmas lights in the city, but she’d declined.
For one, she wasn’t very hungry and also, she’d never be able to watch another garden of lights without thinking of the walk she’d had with Hunter.
Her body was breaking open, her heart breaking. She had no idea what to do with it. Embrace it? Ignore it? Cradle it? It was difficult to feel excited about her exhibition when she was hurting this much. All she wanted to do was crawl into bed and sob her until she could somehow feel whole again.
Inhaling a shuddering breath, she looked up at the sky. How did she leave her heartache on hold for later when she’d be alone?
It was cold, but not nearly as cold as it could get on the ranch in Montana. The city lights were too bright; she couldn’t see the stars. The only sliver of light she could see in the sky was the waning crescent moon.
She loved visiting cities all over the country, but she could never live in one.
Her heart already missed the wide-open spaces of Montana, the reassuring presence of the mountains, her family.
But tonight, missing Hunter, the big cowboy who’d told her he cried easily, who’d kissed her like nobody else ever had, who’d made love to her so passionately, so ardently she could still feel his hands stroking her as he’d made her fly time and time again was a throbbing, unrelenting pain.
Rubbing her forehead, she walked back inside. Surely this emptiness, the deep ache inside of her would settle in time? Maybe not soon, but some day?
As she closed the door behind her, her eyes fell on the ring still sitting pretty on her finger. How was she going to get it off? Gritting her teeth, she tried again to slip it off, but it wouldn’t move, not even a tiny bit.
Her phone rang. Her heart lurched, but it was her mother, not Hunter. Of course he wouldn’t phone. It was over, as they’d decided.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Sweetheart, are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Mom. It’s a very nice apartment.
I’ve been to the gallery already. Greg has done a great job displaying the paintings.
He’s scheduled a few interviews with newspapers and television channels for me, so I’ll be busy until you guys arrive on Friday.
” She knew she was talking way too much and too fast, but she didn’t want to answer her mother’s questions about Hunter.
“Willow,” her mom said gently. “Hunter was here, he told us the engagement is over. The two of you looked so happy, he never took his eyes off of you, what happened?”
She didn’t have to ask what her mother was talking about. “Oh, Mom, it’s a mess,” she whispered.
“Talk to me.”
Inhaling deeply, she sat down on one of the coaches. It was time to tell her mother the truth. “You remember the Christmas Stroll?”
“The night Hunter asked you to marry him?”
“That’s the thing, Mom. That was not what happened. He never asked me to marry him.”
“I don’t understand. What do you mean?”
“Well, he wasn’t asking me to marry him, he was asking why I never wanted to get married.” Her mother was silent as she explained what had happened.
“… and so, we agreed to have a fake engagement.”
“So let me get this straight. Because I would like to see you get married, have babies and be happy, you and Hunter pretended to be engaged to keep me quiet?”
When her mother spelled it out like this, the whole thing sounded even more ludicrous. “Well, yes.”
“And now it’s over? Hunter is back in Colorado and you’re in Seattle?”
“Yes, it’s done. Mom, I have to go, thanks for calling.”
“Wait, do you know that Hunter…”
But Willow had already ended the call. She didn’t want to know anything about Hunter.
Minutes later, first Hayden and then Becket called, but she ignored the ringing.
They’d probably heard from their mother about the fake engagement.
Pressing her fingers against her tired eyes, she sighed.
If she had to talk about her fake engagement once more, she was going to bawl her eyes out. Why had she thought it was a good idea?
Her heart aching, she marched to the bathroom.
She had to get this blasted ring off, one way or the other.
In the bathroom, she lathered soap all over her fingers before she again tried to take the ring off.
Nothing worked. Not water, not soap. Frustrated, she lifted her hand.
Gleefully, the ring winked at her. Damn it, it wasn’t a tight fit, there was no reason why it shouldn’t be easy to take off.
Frustrated, she dropped her hand. She was going to bed, this was ridiculous.
Much later, as she lay staring at the ceiling yet again, she was restless. It was the same kind of niggling feeling that bothered her when something was wrong with one of her family members, but they were all fine, she knew that.
Her phoned pinged with a text. Her heart skipped a beat and even before she picked it up, she knew it was from Hunter.
“Safely back in Colorado. You okay?”
No, I’m not okay, I hurt, damn it, she wanted to shout, but there was nobody that could hear her. In the end she sent an emoji.
A thumbs-up emoji instead of words.