Page 49 of Home to the Cowboy

Crouching down, June stroked Daisy. “I’ll miss you,” she whispered. “You’ll look after him for me, won’t you?”

And as if the dog understood her perfectly, she licked June’s face. Laughing, she got up just as Cooper and Dylan stepped out.

Cooper gave her another look before he got into his truck and left.

“Are you really okay?” June asked as Dylan put an arm around her shoulders.

“I’m fine. I have to get to work, but why don’t you stay here?”

Shaking her head, she turned into his arms. “I’ve left last night’s dinner in your fridge.”

“Thanks, but I was hoping we could have it together tonight?”

She couldn’t answer him though and pulled down his head for a final kiss. His mouth was warm and eager and for a few minutes she set her senses free to drown in everything Dylan Weston—his earthy smell, the stubble of his beard against her skin, his warm hands on her back, the ripple of muscles under her fingers, the groan deep in his throat.

His phone rang and gasping he took it out. “It’s probably Hayden, I have to get that.”

“I know,” she said, holding on to him for just another second before she finally stepped away. While he was still talking, she quickly walked to her car and got in. Pasting a big smile on her face, she waved as she drove away.

“June!” he called, but she didn’t look back.

As she drove through the gates of the ranch, the first tears rolled down her cheeks. She didn’t even try to stop them. Sniffing, she asked Siri to play sad music before she stepped on the pedal.

Her phone rang several times followed by a series of bleeps, but she didn’t answer or look at the texts.

It was a ten- to eleven-hour drive to Seattle. She’d have to stop for gas somewhere and probably get something to eat, but she was driving straight through.

Her heart splintering into tiny pieces, she left everything she’d never thought she wanted, her hand clasped tightly around the stone of the necklace Dylan had given her. She was a whole different person than the woman who’d arrived two weeks earlier. It was going to be so hard to forget this place and these people, but time, she’d learned, had a way of easing the pain.

She’d survived worse, she’d be okay. Eventually.

Chapter Sixteen

By the time Dylan returned home on Friday, he was hungry, tired, and worried. He’d tried to phone June several times during the day, he’d texted her, but he hadn’t heard from her.

Daisy was barking inside the house as he opened the front door. Giving a happy yelp, the dog jumped up against his legs.

“Hi, Daisy. You’re probably hungry too?” He kept up an inane conversation with the dog while he got her food ready. Being alone had never bothered him before, but the strange emptiness of his house was very loud right now.

When Daisy was happily eating her food, he checked the fridge to see what he could eat. He badly needed a shower before he could drive into town to see June, maybe take her for a pizza.

Stunned, he stared at the content of the fridge. Apart from last night’s food June had mentioned, there was also milk, cheese, and various kinds of vegetables in his fridge.

It took another moment for reality to hit. A hollow feeling settled in his stomach and stunned, he leaned against the kitchen counter.

June had left this morning. Not to go back to Marietta where she’d been staying temporarily, but to return to her real home. In Seattle.

Cussing, he closed the fridge and got out his phone to talk to her. She didn’t answer. How the hell was he supposed to know she was fine if she didn’t answer her phone? He checked and no, she hadn’t even seen his texts yet.

Outside was the sound of a car pulling up. Daisy barked and ran to the door. Quickly Dylan followed and opened the door. It wasn’t June though, but a very worried-looking Ellie.

“Has she left?” he asked without greeting her.

Nodding, Ellie came closer. “We’ve all tried to get hold of her today, but she hasn’t answered any of our calls or texts, so I drove to the house after work this afternoon. She left the key under the pot next to the door and on the table inside were the library books she borrowed. The bedroom was empty. She’s gone. What happened? You guys were so happy!”

Just then, Willow’s truck pulled up as well. As she got out and approached them, he didn’t even have to ask whether she knew June had left.

“Has she said anything to you?” Willow asked.