*
On Wednesday, Willowwas invited for a lunch with Greg and his wife Eden.
The two of them were already at the table when Willow arrived.Eden was short, rake-thin, her black hair cut short in a pixie style, and had a warmth in her wide, generous smile that always managed to brighten the grimmest day.
“Sorry, the interview took longer than I thought.Thanks for all your help setting up the interviews…”
Eden’s soft squeal interrupted her.“Willow, you’re engaged!”she called out.Elbowing her husband, she grabbed Willow’s hand.“Why didn’t you tell me?This is big news!What a beautiful ring!”
Willow quickly removed her hand.“No, it’s a long story, but I’m actually not engaged any longer.I’ve tried, but I can’t get the ring off my finger.I probably need to go to a goldsmith or a jewelry shop, but there simply hasn’t been time this week.”
“Isn’t that interesting?”Eden said.“Maybe the ring doesn’t want to be taken off?”
Shrugging, Willow turned to Greg.She was way too raw to talk about the engagement.“How are things at the gallery?”
“Most of your work has already been sold,” Greg said, clearly very pleased.“I’m worried there’ll be nothing left for clients who arrive on opening night.You don’t perhaps have a few more paintings back home?”
Willow nodded slowly.“There are two more landscapes in my studio, and three others, but they’re very different in style and subject to everything else I’ve done before.They are also not for sale.Two are portraits—not something I’ve tried before.You may not like them.”
Greg’s eyes shone with excitement.“I don’t mind what you’ve done, I know it will be good.It’s always an excellent idea to show people what you else you do even if you don’t want to sell it.Give me a minute.”Taking out his phone, he got up and walked away.
“You’ve just made his day,” Eden said.“So, what happened…?”
Fortunately, the waiter arrived with menus just as Greg returned with his phone in his hand.“I have a company that can pick up whatever you have, tomorrow.Do you have someone who would be able to help on that side?”
Willow frowned.She’d spoken too quickly.“I don’t know, Greg, maybe it’s not a good idea.They’re not even properly dry yet.”Her family would be here Friday, how would she explain the portraits she’d done of Hunter to them?
“You know that’s not a problem for me.Look, even if I have to fly to Montana myself to make sure they’re probably wrapped, I’ll do it.While I order wine, why don’t you see if you can get someone to be at your studio for the couriers, otherwise I’ll book a ticket to fly to the nearest airport.”
“Your ex-fiancé isn’t perhaps still there to help?”Eden was clearly dying to know what had happened.
“No, he’s not there,” Willow said.“Let me see what I can arrange.Please excuse me.”Grabbing her phone, she got up and walked away.
The only person she could ask was Cooper.He’d helped her before, so he would know what to do and, bonus, he wouldn’t freak out like Hayden and Becket would do when they saw her portraits of Hunter.
Minutes later, she was back at the table.“Cooper, my youngest brother will meet the couriers.He knows what to do, he’s helped me before.”
Greg’s phone was already out again.“Great, let me finalize this.”
*
Thursday morning Hunterwas on his horse checking fences.Needing to be on his own, he’d volunteered for the job.It was difficult to be around other people these days.His mind seemed to be stuck on Willow.He missed her with every breath he took.Following any kind of conversation was difficult.So was focusing on anything.He hoped being out on his horse would clear his mind, but nothing seemed to be able to do that.
The loud ping of his phone brought him out of his reverie and his heart tripped.The text wasn’t from Willow, though, it was from Cooper.True to form, Cooper only used the necessary words to convey his message.
“Get to the damn opening.”
Below the terse words was an invitation with all the details of Willow’s opening night.
Sighing, he looked up at the beautiful snowcapped Rocky Mountains.The mountains near the Weston ranch, he’d discovered while working there, were called the Absaroka Range but also formed part of the Rocky Mountains.
However, even though the mountains he and Willow saw everyday were part of the same mountain range, they were living their lives miles apart.Six hundred and sixty-eight, to be precise.Nine hours by road, more or less.
Also, she wasn’t interested in getting married, remember?Okay, he hadn’t been in any hurry to get married, either.It had been something that would happen at some point when he met the right girl.Now he’d met the right one for him, the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, but things couldn’t be more complicated.
Or was it?Maybe he should just go and see Willow, talk to her, tell her how he felt about her.Maybe, just maybe, they could find a compromise.
His heart lighter, he turned Nellie around.She wasn’t Skye, the grey he’d left on the Weston ranch, but they’d known one another for a long time.The mare had felt his urgency and lengthened her strides.
