Chapter Seventeen #2
It was already dark when Willow drove through the gates of the Grant family ranch. It was easy to find the homestead, Christmas lights shone brightly all around the place.
As she parked in front of the house, her phone rang. It was Cooper. Instead of answering, she texted the family group to say she had arrived safely on Hunter’s ranch in Colorado.
The front door opened. Her heart lurched, but it wasn’t Hunter who stepped out but an older man and woman. His parents.
Quickly she got out of her car and walked to them.
“Hello, young lady,” the man said. Hunter had his eyes, the same indigo blue color. “Can we help you?”
“You’re Hunter’s parents?”
They looked at one another before the man nodded. “Yes, we are. I’m Harlan Grant and this is my wife, Tess, but …”
“I’m Willow Weston. Hunter worked on our ranch and I … well, I know something has happened to him …”
“Why do you say that?” Hunter’s mom asked, frowning.
“Where is he?” Willow asked. “I’m sorry to barge in like this, but something has happened to him, I just know it.”
A phone rang and Hunter’s dad took out his. “It’s Jade. She left a while ago. Jade?”
As he listened, his eyes widened, and he nodded.
“Willow Weston has just arrived here, we’ll wait.
” As he ended the call, he took his wife’s hand.
“Hunter is fine, but apparently when he went for a ride earlier, Nellie, his horse, was spooked by something and she reared. He fell off, hit his head and was lights out. When Nellie arrived back here when you and I were still in town, Jade knew something was wrong. With the help of some of the cowboys she found him quickly and took him to the hospital. The doctor wants to keep him overnight, but you know Hunter. They’re on their way back. ”
“But he’s okay?” Hunter’s mom asked the question Willow couldn’t get out.
“He’s fine, honey,” Hunter’s dad said. “Willow, come on in. I think we have a lot to talk about, don’t you?”
Willow nodded. Talking was difficult, she was close to tears. Her senses were overloaded with sensations. “But his head … if he’s hit it, shouldn’t he stay in the hospital?”
Hunter’s mom smiled. “The doctors wouldn’t have allowed him to leave if they’d been worried.
” She took Willow’s arm as they entered the house.
“The paintings you’ve made of my son are beautiful.
” Inside, she angled her head. “So, tell me, Willow Weston, are you the reason my son doesn’t eat and has lost weight? ”
*
“Maybe you should’ve stayed at the hospital,” Jade was saying to Hunter as Wilder parked his car in front of her parents’ house.
“I’m fine,” Hunter said, his eyes on the strange car in front of the house.
“Whose car is that?” Wilder asked as they all got out of the car.
“Let’s go and see,” Jade said with a smile as she got out.
The porch light was switched on and the front door opened. His mom stepped out, her hand against her heart. His dad was just behind her.
“You weren’t supposed to tell Mom and Dad what happened,” Hunter said under his breath as they moved closer.
“Mom would’ve killed me if I hadn’t and anyway, you know keeping silent isn’t really my thing. Sure you’re feeling okay?”
Irritated, he glared at his sister. “Stop fussing …”
“Just worried about your heart,” she said with a straight face.
“I hit my head, my heart’s fine,” he snapped. He had a headache and was probably bruised all over, but that was his business.
“Hi, Mom,” Jade said.
“Hunter!” His mother rushed closer and taking his arm turned him toward the light. “Where did you hit your head?”
“At the back …”
She’d turned his head before he could finish his sentence. “Hunter Grant, what happened to your head?”
He grabbed her waving hands. “Mom, relax, I’m fine. My head hit something when I fell but I didn’t even need stiches, I’m really fine.”
His mom sniffed. “Not according to Willow, you’re not.”
Hunter froze. “What …?” His turned around and there she was.
Her eyes were big, her face so pale, he was worried she’d keel over any moment. With two long strides he’d reached her. “Willow? Why are you here?”
“I knew something was wrong.”
“You could’ve phoned.”
He was vaguely aware everyone else was leaving and going into the house, but his eyes were fixed on Willow.
Everything inside him was egging him on to pick her up and throw her over his shoulder.
Apart from the fact that his whole body was aching, though, he wasn’t sure whether he’d survived if she were to leave again.
“You’re very pale and you have a headache,” she said. “We’ll talk later …”
But he wasn’t interested in talking later. “We’ll talk now. You sent me away. You told me you can’t be with me because you’re scared of what you’ll feel if something happens to me. Now something has happened, but you came to see me, nevertheless. I don’t get it.”
“I was in the jewelry store this morning. The one where you bought my ring. I was going to ask them to cut it off if necessary. Funny thing was, when I tried to show the saleslady the ring wouldn’t come off, it slipped off easily.
She cleaned it for me. My plan was to post it to you but when she returned it, I put it back on again and … well, I’m not taking it off again.”
Around them everything quieted down. He should probably breathe, but not before he understood exactly what the hell she was saying.
“I’m tired, my head hurts and where my heart is supposed to be, is a big hole, so you’ll have to explain to me precisely why you’re still wearing my ring. All the words, Willow.”
With her eyes on him, she stepped closer until they were standing toe to toe. “I was hoping we could talk about trying a long-distance relationship, if you’re still willing.”
“Hey, you two,” Jade said from the doorway. “Mom has made coffee and there’s some left-over dinner. Come on in.”
Without saying another word, Willow turned around and followed Jade inside.
Muttering under his breath, Hunter also walked into the house and closed the door. Damn it to hell, he didn’t understand what the hell was going on. The woman had ripped his heart from his body, but now she was here, his ring still on her finger and she wanted to see him whenever possible?
When he’d made the suggestion, she hadn’t been interested, so what the hell?