“Until when?” She rolled her eyes. “Your shoulder is healed? Is this some childhood game about manly injuries? I already saw you with your shirt off, Chester, remember? Really, I just care that you’re all right.”
Blossom was making this harder than it needed to be. Chester hated her for it as much as he loved her for it. She was sweet and playful. Of course she wouldn’t take him seriously about something like this, because why would she? Of course he couldn’t be so cruel as to turn her away now after all they had been through.
It killed him to do this to her.
And now, with all her playful teasing, she was only making it harder. Chester wanted to wrap her up in his arms to protect her from the world. But the moment she knew the truth of who he was, he knew she would want to wring his neck. It made him want to fall to his knees in frustration to scream at the world.
“That’s not what I’m talking about.” Chester forced his voice to grow more forceful, more curt. He furrowed his brow but couldn’t bring himself to look at her. As his heart hammered, the lump in his throat only grew. That made speaking difficult while he mustered up the courage to speak the harsh words. “I mean it, Blossom. You should leave now. And not come back.”
“I don’t understand,” she was still smiling, “What sort of joke this is?”
Chester cleared his throat. “That’s because this isn’t a joke. I am telling you that you should keep walking and I should turn around and go home. I have work to do. And I’m sure you have… better things to do than spend time with me. Because I have… better things to do than walk with you.”
It was a lie. It was a big, fat, hurtful lie. He wanted to scream the words out at her. Chester heard the deep intake of breath as she realized what he was saying. He could practically hear her smile slide off her face.
“But… What are you talking about?” she asked him. “Chester? What is it? You can talk to me. We’re honest with one another, remember? You told me about your past and I told you about mine. I just told you about my mother. You should talk to me. Please don’t push me away. You can trust me.”
Hearing her move forward, Chester took a step back and shook his head.
“This isn’t about trust,” he said gruffly. “Just go away.”
Her footsteps stopped short. He could feel her searing gaze on his, studying him. The lump in his throat remained, holding him hostage. Chester could hear a shaky breath from Blossom while she seemed to be considering her options. During that moment, he couldn’t help but wonder if she still had that flower in her hair.
“Then what is it about?” Blossom managed to say in a calm tone. “Tell me what this is about.”
Chester had been afraid she would think to ask a question like that. He jerked his head up to glance at her, but quickly turned away. He couldn’t stand up to her sharp gaze. Nor could he tell her the truth. Though he tried to think up a good lie, nothing came to mind.
So he shrugged. “It’s nothing. I told you, Blossom. You should just go.”
“But there has to be a reason,” Blossom insisted. “People don’t just change their mind for no reason at all, Chester. Give me one reason. One good reason, and I’ll walk away for good. Please! Surely I deserve that. After all we have been through together during this short time, don’t I deserve one good reason? Just one.”
She had a point.
Of course she had a point. Blossom was as smart as she was beautiful and kind. Chester shifted his weight uneasily from foot to foot as he tried to think. If only he could come up with a reasonable lie to make it all worthwhile. Then at least that would take them in one direction. And that direction would take them away from the truth.
Just the thought of her finding out about him being a part of that gang made his heart bottom out. Chester knew he had already told her enough about his troubled past. If she thought to piece everything together, there was a potential chance she could piece most of it together. Some of it would be by risk or guesswork, but it would be reasonable. And that would be enough that would be worth a couple ounces of trouble.
“Can’t you just leave?” Chester groaned.
“You can’t even look me in the eye,” Blossom pointed out to him in frustration. “Why won’t you talk to me? This is coming out of nowhere. Chester, what is wrong? Please, talk to me. You’re not making any sense.”
It had been years since anyone had talked to him like this. She wasn’t mean or angry, or even talking loudly. But somehow it still reminded him of his childhood and the demanding mannerisms of the gang that Chester struggled with.
He threw his hands up in the air. “I just don’t want to see you again.”
She stomped her foot. “Say that to my face and maybe I will believe you.”
Somehow, that gave him the strength to act. Chester jerked his head up with fire in his eyes. He threw his chin out. With his hands balled into fists, he looked straight at Blossom. Without blinking, he told her firmly, “I never want to see you again.”
Blossom’s lips parted in surprise. Her eyes widened as she stared back at him. Chester felt just as stunned, but he tried harder to hide it.
Horror crept into his skin as a tear slipped delicately down Blossom’s cheek.
He inhaled sharply at the sight of it. Instinctively he stepped forward with an outstretched hand. But that was the trigger Blossom needed to get moving again. She jerked back as though he had hit her. Then with a shake of her head, she brushed her forearm against her cheek and started for the road.
Without another word, Blossom hurried off.
Chester stared in dismay. She was leaving him, headed for home just like he had asked her to do. But that wasn’t what he wanted. None of that was what he had wanted. His heart ached for the trouble he had just caused. He hadn’t meant to cause her more pain. He just wanted to avoid what he had already caused her.
He scrunched his nose up against the world.
No matter what he did, it was always wrong. He couldn’t do anything right. Forcing himself to turn around, Chester slowly started back for home. He didn’t have the energy to do much else. Though he wanted to collapse on the trail, he kept on walking. He had to push on.
It’s better this way, Chester tried to tell himself as he made it home and collapsed onto his bed. She will heal quickly and move on with her life. She’ll forget me since it’s been a short while and be happy as before.
He closed his eyes and prayed this was true.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Blossom’s Catch
It didn’t make any sense.
Or rather, Chester didn’t make any sense. One minute, she was feeling hopeful for her future and holding hands with the kind gentleman. In the next, he had changed his mind and was practically pushing her away.
She shuddered at the memory of his cold dark eyes on hers when he told her that he didn’t want to see her again. It weighed her down like she was drowning on dry land. She stumbled on the path, so she forced herself to slow down. Wrapping her arms around herself, Blossom took a deep breath and tried to tell herself that everything would be all right.
It had to be. It always would be.
Even if it didn’t feel like anything would be all right for a long time.
Blossom sniffled as she walked, trying to pull her thoughts together. She ran over their conversation, wondering what she had done wrong. Everything had been going so well. How could it have gone so wrong? They had talked about nothing in particular that morning.
He had been sweet and had given her a flower. Then he had shyly asked her about her mother. She had slowly told her story. Soon afterward, he had said they should never see one another again. It didn’t make any sense.
There weren’t any connections that she could see. Perhaps he didn’t understand why she had mentioned her birthday? Or he was scared of what had happened? Or he thought it was ridiculous?
Even as Blossom tried to come up with reasons for why Chester had acted in the manner that he had, every excuse was a ho
rrible one. Because she was fairly certain she knew Chester better than that. And he would never have said they should never see one another again for such a horribly ridiculous reason. He was too kind for stupid excuses.
But she couldn’t deny the obvious. He had pushed her away and now she was walking home all alone without company. Glancing around, Blossom bit her lip. It just didn’t make any sense. She had tried to make Chester talk to her, but he had refused. His excuses hadn’t stood up to reason. He never acted like that to her before.
It was as if he had been scared of something. But what?
Blossom hesitated and turned back to glance at where she had left him. Though she could no longer see Chester, she wondered if he was frightened about something. She bit her lip. What could it be? What could bother him so much that he would be so swift to terminate a friendship?
After all, he had told her how he didn’t have anyone but her and the Bretts. The rest of the town had turned their backs on him. She had seen it herself with people like Junior Hopkins and her own father. Blossom slowly started walking again.
What did they know that I didn’t?
She remembered how her father had grudgingly offered to finally tell her about Chester. It was just the other night. But she had refused, claiming to know more than enough. She knew his soul and his heart which told her all she needed to know about him.
“Perhaps I was wrong,” Blossom forced herself to face the truth now as she left his side. Maybe I should have listened. He had made her leave for some strange reason he had decided upon. Out of nowhere, he had decided he no longer wanted to be around her. He could have decided that any time beforehand. Why then?
Maybe she needed to know something more about him.
With that, Blossom resolved to go talk to her father. Clearly he knew something about Chester that she didn’t know. He could have more answers about Chester’s past than what Chester had told her. Maybe there would be truth there that would make sense. Then she could let him know that she really didn’t care.
Or did she?
That wasn’t something Blossom had considered. Her walking pace slowed again, wishing she had thought to ride Merryweather that morning instead of walk, as she realized she had to consider that perhaps Chester’s past was rough enough that he wasn’t who he claimed to be. That had to be possible, was it not? Blossom fought with her heart and with her mind to find an answer. She just wasn’t certain.
No one will tell me anything.
She dropped her hands to her side as she decided to come up with a plan.
Blossom refused to just let life happen to her. That’s what had happened to her and her mom. But that wouldn’t happen anymore.
Once she made it home, she would talk to her father. Perhaps even visit the Hopkins farm for more answers. After that, she would make up her mind about Chester, about what she would do next.
Someone has to tell me the truth.
If she decided that he was right and they should stay away from one another, then it was a good decision. If not, however, then she would go visit him and talk with him. He would have to listen to her.
They could talk about relationships, she supposed as she walked, and how they are about two people and not just one. It wasn’t fair for just one of them to make decisions.
Blossom mused as she thought, thinking about her future and what might happen. If she had a future. The idea never seemed real. She was too busy living in the moment and taking care of her father to worry about another time, after all.
Soon she was passing through the thinnest part of the path and onto the thickest. Right past the main section of town where the brush was only up to her ankles and she could see on for miles. But soon the grass began to grow up waist high or higher. There were several trees for shade as well, like a small grove. It was a lovely little spot that she always loved passing through.
Without the sun shining right in her eyes, she could see further and find some relief from the heat. Blossom squinted toward it just as she heard a rustle in the nearby grass. Her eyes followed two gray birds as they flew up from the ground and into the sky. She wondered where they were going and what had made them want to leave.
But she thought of nothing more as she headed into the grove.
Her thoughts and concerns consumed her.
It hurt. More than anything regarding what had just happened, the way that Chester had just treated her, it hurt. Surely she deserved the truth. Their relationship deserved honesty. All she had gotten was a cruel response.
Why is he pushing me away?
When Blossom thought she heard something, she turned back around and wondered if he was following her. She looked around curiously, her brow furrowed. She hesitated and wondered if she was going mad. Hesitating, she pinched her arm just to make certain that she wasn’t dreaming.
Nothing happened.
It didn’t make sense. When she climbed out of bed that morning, she could not have anticipated that it would have turned out anything like this. Her hand climbed slowly into her hair to feel the flower that Chester had put there. He had started this morning so sweet. Blossom wanted to yank it out and stomp on it, just like he had done to her heart. But she didn’t. She didn’t want to let go of it. She couldn’t bring herself to do it.
She just didn’t understand what had happened.
Chester could have been honest. That’s all he needed to do with her. Instead, he had been cruel.
“Quite cruel,” she mumbled to herself. She hiccuped and then another tear escaped down her cheek. Just as she caught this one, more began to clutter up her vision. Blossom slowed down as she struggled to catch and stop them. She sniffled as she realized she couldn’t stop them.
It hurt, the way he had treated her. She had never been spoken to like that in all of her life. Even when her father was stern, no one had used such a tone with her. Nor had anyone never wanted anything to do with her. That broke her heart.
What was so terrible about her that he wanted nothing to do with her?
Shuddering, Blossom tried to make herself move along. The faster she made it home, the faster she could collapse in bed and wallow in despair without the sun shining down on her.
It was too nice of a day for her to interrupt it with her tears and misery.
So she started toward the trees, knowing they marked that she was nearly home. After the trees, she would be just a few hundred yards off from her pond. And once she was at the pond, she just had to walk around it to reach her home. This meant she was very close and could settle down very soon.
It was an area she knew well and was comfortable walking along. The closer she grew toward her home, the more well-worn the path became. But just as she neared the grove of trees, the strangest sensation overcame Blossom.
Slowing down, she glanced around hesitantly. Something felt different. She didn’t like it even though she wasn’t sure what it was. Tightening her grip around herself, she wiped away a few more tears. Blossom craned her neck up to look for birds in the trees but didn’t see anything.
Yet it felt like someone was watching her.
“Hello?” she called out hesitantly.
When no one answered, she immediately felt ridiculous. Of course no one was there. Why would they be? If they were, they would make themselves known. Blossom shook her head and continued walking. She was just distracted, that’s all.
Perhaps I’m just tired.
But as she started walking again, the feeling returned. She had never felt so paranoid before. Her heart started pounding and the strange feeling crept over her shoulder. It felt like something sharp was prodding into her nails. It pinched her skin just enough to irritate her. And she knew she couldn’t do anything about it.
She turned and saw nothing.
So she turned back to keep walking. With a shaky breath, she tried to think straight. Perhaps it was Chester, she wondered, ready to apologize. But her gut said otherwise. There was uncertainty in her belly. Even an ounce of fear tell
ing her she needed to hasten home.
Certainly it wasn’t that bad. It’s just my imagination, she tried to convince herself. But when Blossom suddenly turned to look over her shoulder without stopping, she caught sight of a shadow stopping behind a tree. Something had moved, and it wasn’t a bird or a tree or anything natural.
Something really was following her.
Though she opened her mouth to scream, no sound came out. Besides, she was too far away from anything to be heard. The town was too far away and her home was still too far as well. She wasn’t even certain if her father had returned from the schoolhouse yet.
Sweat broke out on her forehead as she realized the danger was real. Not knowing what else to do, Blossom immediately took off running.
A Deal with the Cowboy’s Tangled Heart: A Historical Western Romance Book Page 19