Chapter Seventeen
Willow stared at the new portrait on her easel that she’d just finished. It was Monday morning; she’d been working since the previous night. She’d arrived back home Saturday evening and had fallen into a deep sleep.
When she’d finally woken up the day before it was nearly lunch time. She’d had laundry to do, emails to answer, a studio to clean but instead, she’d found herself in front of her easel, brush and palette ready, not quite sure why she was there.
Within seconds, though her brush had been moving over the canvas and the outline of Hunter’s face had appeared.
Painting had always been her way of expressing herself, her feelings and emotions.
In the landscapes she loved doing, she poured out her love of the land, the cattle, the mountains, the wide-open spaces.
Problem was, at the moment though, not only was she consumed by her own feelings of heartache and despair, but she also had Hunter’s every emotion to deal with as well.
Sighing, she looked at the face she’d painted.
The expression on his face was the one he’d had when they’d made love.
He was lying on his elbow, his chest bare, his eyes on someone who was next to him.
This was how she would probably always remember him, although Hunter riding his grey was also an image she’d always carry with her.
Rolling her shoulders to get rid of the kinks after sitting in front of the easel for hours, she put the palette on the table. The diamond in Hunter’s ring winked cheekily at her.
Argh! She had to get this ring off her finger today and return it to Hunter, she couldn’t bear having to look at it anymore, it was too painful.
Turning on her heel, she rushed to her room.
She couldn’t have this done in Marietta; the news would spread like a wildfire.
There should be more than one jewelry store in Bozeman where someone could hopefully cut the thing off if need be.
She would try the one mall she knew well first.
An hour later, she was in the Gallatin Valley Mall in Bozeman. The whole place was decorated for Christmas, jolly music about sleigh bells followed her every step as she searched for a jewelry store. Around the next corner she saw one. Relieved, she hurried closer and entered the store.
A friendly older woman welcomed her with a big smile. “Good morning, how can I help you today?”
Putting her bag on the counter, Willow lifted her hand. “I can’t get this ring off my finger. I’ve tried everything. Do you have a solution, or can someone cut it off, please?”
The woman smiled as she took Willow’s hand.
“It’s one of our rings, I’d recognize it anywhere.
Probably because of the very handsome cowboy who came to buy it.
” She chuckled. “He was clearly out of his comfort zone in a jewelry store but determined to buy the ring, nevertheless. I asked him to tell me about you. I see all kinds of people coming in here to buy rings, but this guy was something else.”
“What did he say about me?” slipped out before Willow could stop herself.
The woman’s eyes sparkled. “She’s beautiful, he said.
But what made the words so memorable, was the expression on his face.
He just lit up when he talked about you.
” She pointed to Willow’s hair. “Even in his description of your long, dark hair and Irish blue eyes, it was clear he’s very much in love with you.
Oh,” she winked, “and he also mentioned your gorgeous legs.”
Willow tried to swallow against the lump in her throat. “He … he said all that?”
The woman nodded. “He did. I showed him two trays with rings, he immediately knew which one he wanted.” She wiggled the ring on Willow’s finger. “He didn’t even look at the price. I’m not sure about cutting this ring, though. It isn’t a tight fit, you should be able to take it of easily.”
“I know!” Willow said. “But look …” Frustrated, she pulled at the ring to demonstrate her problem, but this time it easily slipped off her finger.
“I thought so,” the woman said. “It really is a perfect fit. He knew your size right away.”
Willow slipped the ring back on and took it off again. “I’ve been trying for days to get it off, I don’t understand.”
“Maybe it’s trying to tell you something,” the sales lady said. “Shall I clean it for you?”
“Yes, thanks. How long will it take?”
“A few minutes. There are chairs over there, if you want to wait?”
Sitting down, Willow stared down at her ringless finger. She’d only been wearing the ring for about a week, but her finger looked strangely empty without it.
Sighing, she closed her eyes. She was being ridiculous. Hunter had lef., She’d sent him away; she had to return his ring. Maybe the friendly lady would have a box or something she could put it in before she couriered it. Hayden should have an address of the ranch, surely?
*
Hunter was in the barn late Monday morning, saddling his horse when Jade strolled in. He was hurting and needed to get away from walls and people. The wide-open spaces might help.
“Jade, hi. You just got back?”
“Yes, Wilder has just dropped me off. You okay?”
“Nope, but I’ll get there eventually.”
“I went to see Willow Saturday morning.”
He frowned. “Why?”
“Because I don’t understand what happened.”
Shaking his head, he got on the horse. “That makes two of us. I’m going for a ride. Don’t wait for me for lunch, I’m not hungry.”
“It’s cold out there.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“She loves you.”
“I know. I love her, too, but it doesn’t seem to make a difference.”
“I think it matters too much. Don’t give up on her, okay?”
“See you later.” As he and Nellie left the yard, she lengthened her strides. “That’s it, girl, let’s fly.”
Leaning forward, he loosened the reins. Whether it was the cold air or his tears, he didn’t know but within minutes his face was wet. “Come on, girl,” he urged her on, and Nellie galloped faster and faster.
Closing his eyes, he sighed. He missed Willow with every breath he took, how was he ever going to get over loving her? How did he survive not being around her?
The realtor had phoned again this morning about the property outside Marietta. He’d think about it, Hunter had said. What the hell was there to think about? Did he really want to buy a ranch adjacent to the Walkers, knowing he could never be with Willow? What kind of fool did something like that?
As they neared a small hilltop, Nellie suddenly neighed in fright, and stopping abruptly, reared up.
One minute Hunter was on the horse and the next he was flying through the air.
He hadn’t even kissed Willow goodbye, was his last thought before his head hit something and a darkness covered him.
*
Willow’s eyes were on the ring on her hand as she turned off on to the highway around lunchtime. It wasn’t in a box on its way back to Hunter. She’d never even asked for one.
Hunter had described her as beautiful to the saleslady. Somehow, what he’d said to a stranger had changed something inside of her. Or maybe it had been Jade’s words that made her look at herself differently.
Whether she wanted to know it or not, after Walker’s death she’d been using her sixth sense or whatever you wanted to call it as an excuse, as a shield to protect her heart from breaking again.
Hunter, though, had managed to break down all her defenses and had stolen her heart anyway.
For some or other reason he really loved her, weirdness and all.
For the first time she understood what love meant: it wasn’t shielding yourself, it was opening yourself up in spite of the fear of getting hurt.
She loved her ring, and she wasn’t ready to take it off. What she needed was a plan to get Hunter to trust her again.
As she looked back at the road, a cold hand suddenly gripped her throat. Inhaling sharply, she pulled off the road. Her phone was in her hand before the car had come to a complete stop. Something was wrong. She phoned Cooper.
“Willow?” he asked.
Clasping the phone tightly, she tried to push down the feeling of panic. “Are you all okay?”
“As far as I know, yes. What’s going on?”
“I don’t know! Something’s happened to someone …”
“Sit tight, let me make sure. I’ll call you back.”
Closing her eyes, Willow tried to focus on her breath, but this time, it wouldn’t work. Everything inside her was telling her something had happened to one of her loved ones.
Her phone rang. It was Cooper.
“Everyone’s okay.”
“Are you sure?”
“Becket and Hayden are with me. The women are all in town with mom, I’ve just spoken to her. Luke is with Laura, he’s also fine.”
“But something’s wrong!” she insisted.
Cooper waited a beat. “Have you spoken to Hunter?”
Gasping she leaned back against the seat. “No, I haven’t,” she whispered.
“Let me call him.”
The line went dead. Willow felt sick. Opening the door, she got out of the car, inhaling the crisp, cold air. Minutes later, she was so cold, she quickly got back in her car and checked her phone. No call or text from Cooper.
It had to be Hunter. Everyone else was fine. Five minutes passed, then ten, then fifteen. Just as she was about to call Cooper again, he phoned.
“Sorry. Hunter wasn’t answering his phone, so we went back to Hayden’s office to find the phone numbers of his family. I’ve just spoken to his sister. She doesn’t know where he is, his horse returned without him … just wait, she’s trying to call me back.”
“Cooper?” Willow tried, but he’d ended the call.
For another moment, she sat there before she started her car and made U-turn. She was flying to Colorado to be with Hunter, whatever happened.
Of course she couldn’t switch off knowing what was in Hunter’s heart, she loved him. Missing him, aching to hear his voice, to feel his touch was killing her anyway, she might as well be with him and enjoy knowing he loved her.
Something had happened to him, she didn’t have to hear from Cooper to know that. She had to get to him and tell him she wanted to be with him.
*