“Holly, wait up! Please.” The sound of Dylan’s voice grated in her ears like nails on a chalkboard. She didn’t even bother turning around. There was nothing he could say at the moment that she wanted to hear. She couldn’t recall a moment in recent memory when she’d been so disappointed in a person.
All of sudden Dylan planted himself in front of her, causing her to almost crash into him. She gritted her teeth, scowling up at him. “Get out of my way before I run you over!” she growled. “I mean it.”
He leaned over till they were eye level, firmly placing his hands on the chair arms to stop her from moving away from him.
“Please give me a chance to explain,” Dylan said. His features were strained, his mouth creased with tension. Steely determination shone from his eyes. He pushed up his cowboy hat so she was able to see his eyes.
She shook her head, feeling mutinous. “I heard what you said. You made it sound as if Malachi asked you to babysit me! And you made it crystal clear that you don’t intend to help me with my lessons. As far as I can see, there’s really nothing to explain.”
His mouth quirked. Green eyes bore into hers so intently she wrapped her arms around her middle in a protective gesture. There was no way she was going to let him hurt her any further. As it was, she found herself with a racing pulse and abnormal breathing. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so fired up about something. Or someone.
“I’m sorry if I sounded callous back there. It wasn’t my intention.” His tone softened to the point of gentleness. “When Malachi asked me about the riding lessons, I felt put on the spot. I’ll admit it. I felt a little boxed in.”
Her chest was rising and falling sharply. She felt her nostrils flaring as her temper spiked. “Boxed in? Did you seriously just say that?” She rolled her eyes. “Wherever did you get that silver tongue of yours?”
Dylan let out a wild groan. His expression was sheepish. “I just keep putting my foot in my mouth, don’t I?” He stood up, pacing back and forth in front of her, his fingers idly toying with the brim of his cowboy hat. “Truth is, the idea of being responsible for your welfare during the lesson rattles me.” He threw his hands up and let out a huff of air. “There! I said it out loud. I’m afraid that I won’t know what I’m doing—that I’ll hurt you. And the thought of hurting you tears me up inside.” The vulnerability in his voice touched a tender part of her. Against her will, she found her anger dissipating. He was afraid? This strong, fierce soldier was nervous about hurting her? In a way, it made sense. Hadn’t it taken her a while to get comfortable in her own skin after the accident? Hadn’t she been a bit overwhelmed by the enormity of her challenges? How could she expect him to feel any differently? This was all new to him.
“Everything could have been avoided if you’d just been straight with Malachi.” She frowned at him, annoyed at his ability to worm his way back into her good graces so rapidly. Why did he have so much power over her emotions?
“I’m only here for a short stint, Holly. The more time we spend together—” He seemed to be searching wildly for the right words. “I don’t want to complicate your life.”
She snorted. “My life? Or yours?”
He wrinkled his forehead, his handsome face looking perplexed. “What do you mean by that?”
“Ever since you arrived in West Falls, you’ve been tiptoeing around me, pretending that you didn’t come here to start a relationship with me. Avoiding the elephant in the room.” She slapped her palms against her legs. “Well! It’s right here. My legs. My disability. The reason you can’t possibly think of me in the same way as you did before you met me in person.”
Tension crackled in the air between them. Their gazes were locked on each other, neither one blinking. She spotted a muscle twitching over his eyelid, saw the stress in his clenched jaw. He seemed to be breathing out of his nose.
“Holly, I’d be lying if I said nothing’s changed between us. I know you had your reasons, but you hid a very essential truth about yourself from me. That in itself changed our relationship, because you didn’t trust me enough to be straight with me. You didn’t give me a chance to make up my own mind about whether or not it was something I could handle. For someone who’s been lied to ever since he was a child, that’s a lot to swallow.” He brushed his hand across his face, appearing worn out. “But there’s plenty of things that have stayed the same. When I’m around you, I still feel as if I’ve known you my whole life. I get that easy, laid-back feeling that doesn’t come around very often. At least not for me. I still care about you. Very much.”
She swallowed, overwhelmed by Dylan’s heartfelt words. She felt the same way. From the very beginning she’d known their friendship was special, a once-in-a-lifetime connection. And she’d been hoping for more. Much, much more. But she couldn’t put those feelings into words because she didn’t want to put Dylan in any more of an awkward position than he was already in. Truth be told, she didn’t want to deal with rejection. And he’d referenced being deceived ever since childhood, something she couldn’t even fathom. His words spoke of deep layers of pain.
“And by the way, you’re wrong about something,” he continued. “Thinking about you is all I’ve done for the past year. Thinking. Dreaming. Wanting. Hoping. And it hasn’t changed all that much, even though I’ve tried my best to get you out of my mind.”
She wet her lips, eager to know why he was trying to rid her from his thoughts. “Why are you trying so hard?” she asked in a raspy voice.
He reached down and touched her cheek with his fingers, slowly trailing them down to the side of her neck. His tenderness caused her to tremble. “You want to know why? Since you’re tired of me tiptoeing around, here goes. I’ve been running away from things for most of my life. When things get tough or too hot to handle, I shut down. I leave.” He closed his eyes for a second. “I’m not proud of it, but it’s true. What kind of man would I be if I started something with you that I wasn’t sure I could finish?”
Confusion flooded her. Was he trying to say he was sparing her from being hurt down the road? Or that he was scared? She didn’t know what to make of either scenario.
“I don’t know, Dylan. Maybe you should ask yourself what’s worse—not being able to finish something or not even having the gumption to try.”
Before Dylan could respond, she made her way to her van, not even bothering to glance back at him before she lifted herself up and into the center console, then reached down to pull her manual wheelchair in behind her. In a matter of minutes she roared off, leaving Dylan in her wake.
Chapter Seven
Ever since leaving Dylan the previous day at the stables, Holly hadn’t been able to stop herself from replaying their encounter in her mind. It didn’t sit well with her that things were so up in the air between them. Rather than sit around at home and fret over the situation, she was headed to lunch with the roses. If that didn’t get her mind off Dylan, she didn’t know what would.
As Holly wheeled herself up the ramp entrance to the Falls Diner, a thrill of anticipation fluttered in her chest. As she swung the door open, the smell of down-home cooking assailed her senses, causing her belly to rumble with appreciation. A strong sense of nostalgia swept over her. Robin, a waitress at the diner and Doc Sampson’s granddaughter, greeted her with a friendly smile before ushering her to her regular table. As she made her way down the aisle, she spotted the girls at the table chatting animatedly amongst themselves. They were sitting at the booth next to the neon-colored jukebox. It had always been their favorite, the one they’d sat in when they were in high school.
The four roses—Holly, Cassidy, Jenna and Regina. The nickname had been attached to them since their teen years. Best friends since childhood, they’d been inseparable throughout their youth. When they were in high school, Doc had laughingly declared this particular table as the roses’ table, due to their f
requent visits. And they’d seized every opportunity to sit there, like princesses on a throne. The diner had been the local hangout for the teenagers in West Falls, and the four of them had been regular customers. Doc’s best customers, if she remembered correctly. This place held a lot of great memories. As a matter of fact, she’d had her first date here. At the time she’d been crazy about Bobby Simons. For a while there, they’d been the “it” couple of the senior class, until he’d broken things off after the accident. Although she’d been crushed by his abrupt decision, she’d soon realized the wisdom in ending things. At eighteen years old, he hadn’t wanted to be saddled with a young woman recovering from traumatic injuries. After being dumped by Bobby, she’d guarded her heart against any man she thought might break it. Until now. Until Dylan had entered her life with his inspiring, wonderful letters.
After putting the brake on her wheelchair, she placed her purse on the table. Using her arms, she raised herself up and swung her legs over so she was seated in the booth next to Cassidy. Since she was a regular customer, Robin knew the drill. The waitress pushed the wheelchair to the back of the restaurant, where she would fold it up and park it in the coatroom.
Holly looked around the table at the three roses, the best friends any girl would be blessed to have in their lives. They all greeted her warmly, their faces lit up with smiles. There was such comfort in knowing their weekly routine of having lunch together was still going strong after four months. In many ways it was the highlight of her week, especially since their ties had been severed for so many years. It was fun catching up and falling into their old, familiar rhythms. The laughter they shared was good for the soul.
“Four volcano cheeseburgers with curly fries. Am I right?” Robin asked upon returning to the table.
They all nodded their heads. It was their standard order, just as it had been back in high school. A warmth settled in her chest at the knowledge that some things never changed. It was a comforting thought in an ever-changing world.
Robin twirled a finger through her pink, shoulder-length hair. “And four chocolate shakes?”
“Yep. Might as well go all out,” Jenna declared, patting her nonexistent belly.
“Make mine strawberry,” Regina corrected. “I’m living on the edge today.”
The girls all burst into laughter at the notion of Regina taking a walk on the wild side with a strawberry shake. Jenna laughed harder than anyone, a fact Holly found hard to ignore. With her long dark hair, caramel-hued eyes and exotic coloring, Jenna was stunning. And for more years than she’d like to count, her friend had been standoffish, staying as far away from the West Falls community as possible. Getting Jenna back into the fold had been a gradual process over the past few months. Even though she still remained a bit reserved, she seemed genuinely happy to be spending time with them. Because of her deep love for animals, she’d even started working as an assistant with Shep, the local veterinarian.
All four of the roses had been forced to realize that the car accident had torpedoed their friendships, turning best friends into distant strangers. When Cassidy had returned to West Falls last spring, old secrets had been revealed, creating a healing balm for all of them. They’d vowed never to let their connections be severed again and to accept responsibility for the accident as a foursome. The townsfolk were still grappling with the revelation that the accident had been the result of horseplay. At first, Jenna had been opposed to revealing their secret, insisting that they’d all promised to uphold their vow to one another. In the end, truth won out, and the four roses were now dealing with the fallout as best they could. They were still in the process of rebuilding their once-unbreakable bond and moving forward with their lives.
Cassidy picked up a spoon and rattled it against her glass. “Ladies, I have an announcement to make.” Once she had their full attention, Cassidy continued, “I wanted to let you know that Tate and I have set a date for the wedding. It’s December 10.” Jenna, Regina and Holly began to hoot and holler, causing Cassidy to raise her hands to cover her ears because of the commotion. A few customers at neighboring tables swiveled around and regarded them with curiosity.
“So,” Cassidy continued, “I would like to formally ask the three of you to be my bridesmaids.” A momentary hush fell over the table.
“Oh, Cassidy, I’d be honored,” Holly said, breaking the silence. She was over the moon for the couple. Words couldn’t express the joy she felt in having her best friend become her sister-in-law. After all these years, it was finally coming to fruition.
“I wouldn’t miss the chance to be part of this town’s wedding of the year,” Regina added. She was beaming at her cousin. It was nice to see, Holly thought, considering there had always been a slight rivalry between the two. Regina had always felt second best to Cassidy, and for many years, she’d felt as if she’d stood in her cousin’s shadow. Being the daughter of two self-absorbed, neglectful parents had left Regina with a lot of baggage. Most times she hid it behind a veneer, but Holly knew the pain was still there, resting under the surface.
Jenna sat across the table, biting her lip and twiddling her fingers. “Are you sure you’d like me to be in the wedding?” she asked in a tentative voice.
Cassidy reached out and clasped Jenna’s hand in her own. “Of course I am, Jenna. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Now that we’re all back in each other’s lives, I’m hoping we can get back to that place in time where we could finish each other’s sentences.”
Jenna let out a relieved breath and smoothed back her long dark hair. “Thanks for asking me to be part of your and Tate’s special day. It means a lot.”
“It will be fun to wear a formal gown and get a little fancy,” Holly said with a grin. “A nice change of pace for me.”
Regina shook her head as she pointed in Holly’s direction. “Yes, it will. I can’t believe you’re still wearing those T-shirts.”
Holly frowned as she looked down at her You Rock, I Roll T-shirt. “What’s wrong with it?”
“The shirts are cute—” Regina seemed to be struggling for the right words.
Holly crinkled her nose. “But?”
Regina, Cassidy and Jenna exchanged looks.
Cassidy spoke in a gentle, supportive tone. “You could mix it up a bit. Blues and pinks are great with your coloring.”
“Hey!” Holly protested. “I got all dolled up for the benefit for Main Street Church, didn’t I?”
“You sure did. And you looked amazing,” Regina gushed.
She racked her brain for more evidence that she wasn’t a walking fashion disaster. “And I wear a nice outfit every time I do my speaking engagements.”
“Ease up, girls. If she’s happy with herself, she shouldn’t have to change who she is,” Jenna insisted.
Cassidy pressed on. “Are those T-shirts who you are, Holly? Or simply your way of telling the world you’ve accepted your situation and you can be irreverent about it?”
Cassidy’s question caused her to stop and think for a moment. At first the T-shirts had been a statement to the world, her way of saying, “Yes, I’m paralyzed. I’m in a wheelchair. I’ve accepted it. Let’s move on.” She’d gotten used to wearing them, almost like a protective covering. Now that the roses mentioned it, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d opted for anything other than a T-shirt. She hadn’t even realized how far she’d taken it.
She bit her lip. “I guess I have been hiding behind them.” She let out a ragged sigh. “Why go to all the effort when my dating prospects have been slim to none?”
Regina leaned forward across the table. “So what’s going on between you and your soldier? Cassidy said he was hired on at the ranch.”
“We’re just friends, Regina. It’s not romantic,” she quickly answered. “And yes, he’ll be working at the ranch for a few months.” She bit her lip as she contemplated laying it all o
n the table. The four roses had made a deal to be honest with one another about the goings-on in their lives. There was no time like the present.
“He didn’t know until he showed up here that I was in a wheelchair.”
Regina’s eyes bulged. Jenna let out a little squeak. Cassidy reached out and put her arm around her.
“You never told him about the accident in any of the letters you exchanged?” a wide-eyed Jenna asked.
Regina eyed her with curiosity. “Not even a hint?”
Holly shook her head. There was no point in being embarrassed about it now. She couldn’t go back in time and change things, despite how fervently she wished it were possible. All she could do was learn from her mistake. And try to understand why she’d lacked the courage to be completely transparent to Dylan. Why hadn’t she felt as if she were enough?
“No, I didn’t tell him. For some reason even I don’t fully understand, I couldn’t. I’m more ashamed of that than anything I’ve ever done since the accident.” She wet her lips, determined to confide in the roses. “I got so caught up in Dylan. I guess I just didn’t want him to view me any differently.”
Jenna squeezed her hand. “You’re allowed to make mistakes. Don’t beat yourself up about it.”
Regina’s gaze was focused somewhere in the distance. Clearly, she hadn’t even been listening to her moment of introspection.
“Sorry to go off topic, but who’s that tall drink of water standing at the counter? There should be a law against someone being that good-looking.”
A frisson of awareness rippled through her. In a small town like West Falls, there weren’t too many strangers who would fit that description. Holly glanced over her shoulder only to clap eyes on Dylan as he stood at the counter, chatting up Doc. He wore a light brown cowboy hat on his head, a white cotton T-shirt and a pair of well-worn jeans. His muscles were on full display. She quickly turned back toward the table, not wanting him to feel obligated to come over, especially after their dust-up the previous day. This was the first time she’d seen him since then, and it was bound to be awkward for both of them. As she’d made it clear to Dylan, obligation was the last thing she wanted from him.
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