Finally, I sneak away to the back porch to get some fresh air. I’m so happy for my sister, it feels like my heart could burst. This is what she’s been missing, what she never had with Bobby.
As I stare out at the snow-capped mountains, I think about Ford. I wonder if he’s staring at this same view right now. Is he thinking about me? Is he–?
I don’t let myself finish the thought. The longer I stayed in Hunter’s cabin, the more obvious it became that I’ve been stupid. All this time I’ve been hanging around, waiting for Ford to make a move. I kept thinking that he’d want me at some point.
The door opens behind me, and I quickly brush away the silly tear that slipped down my face while I was pining for a man who never thinks about me.
“It’s warm in there,” Hunter says softly. “Much better out here.”
“You really shouldn’t have come out here. They’re probably going to name all of your future babies while you’re gone,” I tell him, my throat tight.
“As long as Holly is happy, I don’t care about anything else,” he says and steps forward, leaning against the porch rail. He holds out a soda to me.
I accept the cold can, popping the top. I take a long swig and wish it were stronger. When I’ve drained half of it, I set it on the railing and focus on Hunter. “She doesn’t like mornings or apricots or sad books. She’s always had a soft spot for animals, and dogs are her favorite. She stepped up after our dad died. She became the rock of the family and kept us going.”
I pause there, letting my words sink in before I continue on. “If you ever hurt her, I will bludgeon you and bury you on this beautiful mountain. I’ll make it slow too because my sister is the most special person in the whole world, and she deserves a man who loves her with everything in him.”
Hunter regards me for a long moment. “Joy?”
I swipe at my wet face. “Yeah?”
“I am that man.”
“OK, I didn’t want to like you, but I kind of do now. My threat still stands. It will always stand.” I put my hands on my hips and do my best to glare at him.
“Bludgeoned and buried. Got it. I’ll never give you a reason. She’s everything to me. These last three days have been the happiest of my life. I knew the moment I met her she was meant to be mine forever.”
He met Holly, and he knew instantly. Meanwhile, I’ve been desperate for Ford to notice me for six months. I swallow hard, managing to croak out, “Good. Take care of her now and always.”
Maybe I need to take Marsha’s invitation and find a handsome stranger to hook up with. Maybe then I can finally get over my unrequited feelings for Ford.
Chapter 4
Ford
Shame coils in my gut the longer I stare at the red blinking button that indicates I have a message on my answering machine. My palms are sweaty. After an eternity, I force myself forward on wooden legs and press the play button.
My brother’s voice booms across the line. It’s Nate. He went to Montana over Christmas to help a stranded single mom. He fell in love with her while he was there. When he returned to Courage County, he called me and invited me to his impromptu wedding. I didn’t go, even after promising I’d be there.
“Hey, I figured something must have come up,” Nate starts his message, giving me more grace than I deserve. “It was a beautiful wedding. Callie looked incredible in her dress, and Danny–well, you have to meet them both. Maybe we can have dinner. Just the four of us. Something nice and quiet. We’ll even come to your place if you want. Just…call me sometime. When you can. Love you.”
I’ve been avoiding my brothers since Nate’s wedding day. I don’t know what to say, and the longer I don’t call them, the harder it gets to figure out what I should say.
I could bring it up to Joy. I could ask for advice, but that would mean telling her what happened this week. Would she judge me? Nope, can’t afford to take that risk.
There’s the sound of a car in my driveway, and my heart rate spikes. It’s time for our weekly meeting. I’ve been looking forward to it for days, waiting for the moment that I could see Joy again.
I take a deep breath and force myself to act casual. Can’t tip my hand just yet.
I wish I’d taken the time to trim my beard and cut my hair this week. I know I look more disheveled than usual thanks to the increased nightmares.
“At least, you look the part of the unkempt mountain man,” I murmur to myself. She’s never said a word about it. Maybe she secretly likes it?
Before I can ponder that thought, she’s on my sidewalk. She’s wearing a gray dress that hugs her hips just right. It’s not her usual clothing. Normally, she’s dressed in something bright and cheerful. But this is pretty too. I still want to reach out and pull her against me and breathe her sweet scent in.
She looks up when I open the door, some emotion I can’t define flickering across her features. It’s gone before I can decide what it was, but I don’t think I liked it. I think it may have been sadness.
“Hey, boss,” she says.
