“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 wereon 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 asbeautifulto 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.”
