Walland

by Andrea Thome

  Susan placed her hand on his arm.

  “Oh, Wyatt, I’m so sorry. Violet’s told us what happened. I knew something was wrong when India returned to the table, but I had no idea.”

  She tilted her head to catch his eye. He’d still been looking around the room for India.

  “Finn is walking her back to Woodshed. We weren’t sure how long you’d be, and it was obvious that she needed to excuse herself, but we didn’t want her walking alone. Are you OK?”

  Wyatt nodded and grabbed his jacket off the back of India’s chair where she’d left it. Violet pulled him aside as he was turning to go.

  “What are you going to do, Wyatt? Stop and give yourself time to think. Please don’t let that man get in the way of what was happening with the two of you. I’ve never seen you this happy. Ever. Please promise me you’ll forget he was even here?”

  She grabbed him for a brief hug before pulling back to look at him once more, her hands on his arms.

  “It’s not always going to be easy, Wyatt. But she’s worth fighting for. Don’t let her doubt that. And don’t you doubt it either.”

  Violet turned back to her husband, leaving Wyatt alone with his thoughts.

  Thoughts that were now riddled with doubt.

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY-ONE

  Finn wasn’t sure anything he could say would make a difference to her. He’d caught the gist of what had happened before they’d left but was a little fuzzy on the details. He could tell that, whatever it was, India was rattled to the bone, and there was no way he was letting her walk back to her cottage on her own.

  They strolled in silence for the first few minutes, the gravel drive crunching under their feet, providing just enough white noise to make the quiet seem comfortable. It wasn’t a long walk, and as they grew closer and could see the lights of the cottage, India found her words.

  “Thanks for bringing me back, Finn. When I told you I looked forward to spending some time with you, this wasn’t exactly what I’d envisioned.” She shot him a rueful glance.

  He shook his head and chuckled. “Hey, when you’re my age, you’ll take what you can get,” he said. “Although, I must say, I’m starting to feel like it’s my lucky day, spending time with not one but two lovely ladies this evening.”

  India smiled. “That was a nice surprise for everyone, I think . . . you showing up with Susan. For Wyatt most of all. Although I’m betting he hasn’t told you that yet. I’m really sorry I ruined the end of your date. I’m OK now. You should head back over to be with Susan.”

  They stopped short of the walkway leading up to the porch. Finn tucked his hands into his pockets and turned to look out over the gardens, which were glowing under the bright light of the moon. They could make out the shadows from the rows of tiny shoots dotting the ground.

  “You know, I can’t believe it took me as long as it did to ask her out. We’ve known each other darn near forty years now, and my stubborn rear end took every bit of that to work up the courage. I thought my work here was enough to sustain me, and it was for a lot of years. But, you know, I wish someone had told my thirty-two-year-old self that my seventy-two-year-old self would know better and not to waste so much darned time.”

  He sighed, turning back to India.

  “Wyatt is a good man. He’s my son, and I love him. But if I know him at all, I know that what happened back there scared the bejesus out of him. He’ll be looking for a reason to pump the brakes now. I hope you’ll talk him out of that. You two seem well suited, and I’d kick myself if I didn’t caution you both against wasting precious time like I have. You won’t get it back, you know.”

  They stood in silence for a moment before India reached over to give him a hug.

  “He’s the best man I’ve ever known, Finn. You did right by him, and I thank you. I promise you we’ll figure this all out, one way or another. The last thing I’d ever want to do is hurt Wyatt. I . . . he means so much to me too.”

  She wiped her eyes, unaware that she’d even been crying.

  “Now go on. Susan waited a long time for this date, and you should give her a proper ending. I’m betting you’ll get more than a hug good night too.”

  She smiled and patted him on the arm, charmed that the old farmer had had the good grace to blush.

  India was still sitting on the porch steps when the beam from a pair of headlights swung around and lit her up. She couldn’t bring herself to go inside, where the memories of Wyatt seeped from every space. She could only see his outline as he climbed down out of the truck and walked toward her. She raised her arm in a meek wave before resting her chin back down on the heel of her hands.

  It was obvious she’d been crying, her face pink and her lips swollen. He thought she’d never looked more beautiful as she did then, in that moment of vulnerability.

  Wyatt walked over to where she sat and offered her his hand. She took it.

  “Come with me back up to the ridge. I think we have some talking to do.” He gently pulled her up toward him, bending his head to brush her lips against his in a gentle kiss. Holding her hand, he walked her to his truck, and they climbed in and headed back down the road together.

  Violet and Rex were sitting on the back porch of the farmhouse discussing the evening when they saw Wyatt’s truck pull in over at Woodshed. Reaching over to swipe the beer they were sharing out of her husband’s hand, Violet breathed a sigh of relief when she saw them get into the truck together.

  “Thank God,” she muttered. “Put those two together, and there’s at least a fighting chance they’ll find their way to the other side of this mess.”

  Rex reached down to grab another beer bottle out of the bucket of ice next to them. He popped the top and took a swig as he watched the fireflies light up the lower meadow.

  “You know, when that dude first sat down across from me at dinner, I thought he looked familiar. But then he started talking, and I totally lost interest in trying to figure out why. What a dick. I’m glad you put the pieces together. That’s why I married you. You’re the smart one.” He leaned over and kissed his wife.

  Violet loved this man. He made her laugh every single day, and he was damned good-looking. He was also an excellent judge of character, so if Rex thought Jack was an idiot, then Jack was an idiot.

  “I still can’t picture India with him. At all. I mean, they’re so different.”

  Violet paused, looking out into the inky night.

  “Do you question it at all—that she could feel the way she does about Wyatt? He’s the complete opposite of weather boy.”

  The beer was starting to loosen her up, and her feisty spirit was shining through. Rex loved when she got fired up. She had his attention now.

  “I don’t know. Maybe you’re not giving our boy Wyatt enough credit. Maybe she mistook that guy’s arrogance for confidence. Wyatt is a pretty confident guy in his own right. They’re both successful, and neither one of them’s ugly, although if you tell Wyatt I said he’s good-looking, I’ll deny it until the day I die.”

  Violet almost spit out her beer laughing.

  “My point is, they’re more alike than you might think. The main difference between them is that Wyatt’s kind. That’s why she’s drawn to him. I don’t get the feeling she’s experienced much of that in her life.”

  Rex rocked back in his chair, taking another drag of his beer. When Violet didn’t say anything, he glanced over to see what was wrong.

  His wife was staring at him like she’d never seen him before.

  “Well, look at you, Dr. Freud. Aren’t you just an expert in human behavior and romance?” She stood up and reached for him, pulling him out of his chair.

  “Whaddya say we grab a couple of those beers and head upstairs so you can teach me a few other things about the game of love?”

  She laughed out loud when he couldn’t move fast enough.

  Finn made it back just in time to watch Susan saying good night to the last of the guests. He watched her from ac
ross the room, still in awe that such an elegant, sophisticated woman would choose a simple man like himself. She took his breath away, even now in the twilight of their lives, and he intended to make every moment they had left together matter.

  Susan was thanking Chef Ming when he walked up and slipped his arm around her waist. “It must be all the travel he’s been doing lately; he said he was just feeling a little under the weather,” Finn heard Laina explaining to Susan. “He wanted me to apologize for ducking out without saying good-bye.” Susan smiled graciously, despite the fact that she was well aware of why Jack had left early. Chef Ming was a smart woman. It wouldn’t take her long to catch on to the scoundrel she was dating.

  “Well, send him our best. And, really, the meal was sublime. Please accept our invitation to come back anytime. It was a pleasure to have you cook for our guests.” The women shook hands and said good night.

  Finn marveled at her diplomacy.

  “You handled that perfectly. A lot better than I might have. I hope Wyatt follows your example.”

  Susan reached over and gave him a kiss. They were alone now in the dining room. It was a place they’d been together many times for special functions over the years, but it suddenly felt very different to them both. Finn reached down and clasped her hand, his fingers intertwining with hers.

  “What do you say I walk you home, Susie? If I’m lucky, we’ll still have time for a little necking on the porch swing.” He gave her another quick kiss and a toothy grin.

  Susan started walking toward the door, pulling him along behind her.

  “Actually, Mr. Janssen, I was hoping you’d packed a toothbrush.”

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY-TWO

  They were quiet on the ride up to the Airstream, but Wyatt couldn’t help reaching over and grabbing India’s hand once they’d backed out of the drive. Now, as he rubbed his thumb in circles on the inside of her palm, it was hard to think about anything except comforting her. He wished he could forget how sad she’d looked when he’d pulled up and saw her sitting on the porch. He had a feeling that image was seared into his brain, a benchmark low for years to come.

  Wyatt knew the conversation wasn’t going to be easy, and he’d considered letting them both have the night to process what had happened, but the idea of missing out on any time together had had him steering the truck toward her without realizing he’d made the conscious decision to do so.

  He glanced over at India, but she was facing the window, so he could only see a bit of her reflection in the glass, thanks to the dashboard lights. Something was different. She looked defeated, the confidence that he’d noticed that first day dried up and gone. He was lucky he’d gotten out of that cellar without pummeling her ex and embarrassing them all. Jack might as well have physically attacked her, for all the damage he’d done. Wyatt hoped he could convince her to consider the source, but deep down, he knew something had changed for him too.

  They pulled to a stop in front of the trailer, and he put the car in park, killing the headlights. It was dark, the moon and stars providing the only light. By the time he’d gotten out and walked around to her side, she’d already climbed out of the truck and was standing with her back to him, arms folded, and looking out into the woods. He put his arms around her and she leaned her head back into him. He could feel her crying quietly as she turned to bury her head in his chest. They held each other tightly until her tears began to subside.

  “It kills me to see the power he has over you,” Wyatt said. “It took everything in me not to punch him in his smug face. India, I don’t know what he said to you, but you can’t let him have this much control.”

  He was rubbing her back as she pulled away to look up at him.

  “That’s just it.”

  India sniffled and wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands.

  “What he said was right. I’m terrified of what we’re doing here. Wyatt, I meant what I told you tonight. I love you. I’m in love with you. So much that it scares me. But what are we doing? How can our lives possibly fit together to make this work? I’m so disgusted with myself for putting you in a position to get hurt again. I’ll always regret that I’ve allowed myself to be so selfish. If you knew me, you’d know it’s my dominant characteristic. All Jack did was remind me of that.”

  He pulled completely away from her, his eyes flashing with frustration.

  “That’s complete and total bullshit. In the time that I’ve known you, I haven’t seen you be selfish even once. In fact, you’ve been anything but. My friends adore you, and Susan and Finn are ready to kick me out of this place and adopt you instead. These are quality people that feel this way about you, India. Why would you put so much stock in what that asshole thinks? You’re better than that. You’re stronger than that. I’ve seen it, and it’s one of the things I love about you. One of the many things. I’m so in love with you, India, and if you think what happened tonight changes that, then you’re crazy.”

  He watched her eyes as she took in his words. She was quiet and turned away from him again. He didn’t want to push, so he took the opportunity to stack some wood and start a fire in the pit. He reached inside the trailer and grabbed a plaid fleece blanket off the couch and two beers from the fridge, and when he came back outside, she’d moved closer to the warmth of the blaze. Even though she’d put his jacket back on in the car, he’d felt her shivering when he held her, so he wrapped the blanket around her and moved away to sit in one of the chairs. She followed, sitting next to him.

  India knew she owed him an explanation. This man she’d only met a week ago had turned her entire world upside down. She didn’t know if it was this place, or their insane chemistry, or her own need. She couldn’t be sure how she would feel once she got back to her life in New York. He deserved to know that about her. She took a deep breath.

  “I’ve spent most of the last decade devoting all of my efforts to my career. Honestly, I knew I would from a very early age. I was determined not to get stuck at home like my mother had.”

  She swallowed hard, finding the strength to continue. Wyatt watched her, knowing better than to interrupt her with questions. He would let her set the pace.

  “My mom spent most of my childhood in bed. She suffered from severe depression, and I guess motherhood made it worse. So she avoided me and I let her. My father left us when I was a newborn, so I took care of her and myself until I graduated high school and escaped to college. I never looked back.”

  She looked at him for the first time since they’d sat by the fire. It was clear she was struggling with what came next. He reached over and squeezed her hand, urging her to continue.

  “My mother took her own life my junior year in college. I lived with the guilt of leaving her back in Iowa for a long time, but I know now, after lots of expensive therapy, that was her journey. She didn’t have an easy time on this planet, and that had to do with her own childhood, not mine. That’s when I really decided that I would build my own life around my career. It was a safe . . . a selfish choice.”

  Wyatt reached over and covered their clasped hands with his free hand. He’d lost his own parents, so he understood that aspect of her pain, but he couldn’t imagine how utterly abandoned she must have felt having a parent who had committed suicide and another who’d chosen to leave. No wonder she was so intent on being self-sufficient.

  He weighed his words carefully before speaking.

  “God, India. I’m so sorry. You’re such an incredible person, and to accomplish what you have in spite of it all . . . it makes you even more remarkable in my eyes.”

  He brought her hand to his lips for a kiss. He was humbled that she would share something so deeply personal with him. They were knee-deep in it now, so he felt comfortable asking her the question that puzzled him most.

  “What was it about Jack that made you reconsider marriage?” He had to know what she’d seen in him.

  India sighed, shaking her head as if to clear it.

  “I’ve
had some time now to think about that, and I can honestly say that I know it wasn’t Jack I was saying yes to— it was the idea of not being alone anymore. More than that, though . . . I felt like, at thirty-three, I was supposed to say yes. I got caught up in the moment, and when my bosses were so enthusiastic about the publicity, it felt impossible to find a way out without feeling like my job security was being threatened. Also, Jack really isn’t as bad as he seemed tonight. I think his ego is still pretty bruised, and that’s where all the bravado comes from.”

  Wyatt sat back in his chair and threw his foot over one knee.

  “He’s lucky that’s all that’s bruised after the way he treated you tonight.” He gave her a rueful smile. “You’re lucky I’m a lover, not a fighter.”

  He reached down and popped the top on the beers he’d forgotten, handing one to India. They sat quietly for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts. He couldn’t shake the other question that had been on his mind all night.

  “I know your career is important to you, India . . . rightfully so. Violet tells me you’re amazing at what you do. But is that enough? I guess . . . I mean . . . do you think it will be enough for you now?” Their eyes met, and the air felt very still as he waited for her to answer.

  India hadn’t realized she was holding her breath. She sighed and looked at him, her eyes full of sadness.

  “I wish I knew the answer to that, Wyatt. I feel like the only way to know for sure is for me to leave here on Friday, and see how we both feel once we have some distance between us. You have a lot to process too, deciding to put down roots here for the next year. What if you hate it and decide to spend the rest of your life traveling? This is going to be a huge lifestyle change for you. It’s been such a whirlwind of a week in so many ways. We need to make sure that one or both of us hasn’t been swept up in a moment that we can’t get out of. Does that make sense?”