Daisy’s heart sank as she realized that one of the stick figures probably represented Hunter. “He’s not coming back, baby. It turns out that Hunter was lying to us. He’s not a writer. He was here trying to get me to sell the ranch.”
“Why would he do that? Did he want to buy it so he could live here too?”
“No, honey, he wanted to buy it so he could turn it into a dude ranch.”
His face folded in an expression of confusion and then denial. “I don’t know what a dude ranch is, but I don’t believe you. Hunter was nice, and he liked us. He wouldn’t do that.” With that, he stomped back to his room and slammed the door.
Daisy knew she should tell him that slamming doors was not allowed, but she also understood his anger. This was her fault. She should have done a better job of vetting Hunter before she let him hang around her son; she’d just been so excited to see him smiling again.
“Don’t worry, I’ll talk to him,” Fanny said as Daisy pushed her chair back.
“Thank you. I need to get to work, especially because I didn’t even get the payment from Hunter.”
“Maybe he’ll surprise you and come back,” Fanny said as she gathered the plates and headed for the sink.
Maybe, but Daisy didn’t think so.
Daisy performed her chores with none of her usual enjoyment. Everywhere she looked, she saw Hunter. How had he managed to invade her life so fully in such a short time? She saddled Mina, trying not to think about how nice it had been to have him ride the property with her. She’d been alone for so long that she’d forgotten how loneliness felt, but it came crashing back like a tsunami now, threatening to drag her under.
“Why God? Why did you send this man into my life only to take him away again?” She received no answer, but she hadn’t really expected one. She’d pulled away from God in the last year, and she was pretty sure He was no longer listening to her prayers.
With a sigh, she swung up on the horse and led the mare out of the barn. As she rode around the property, she wondered how much longer she would be able to keep the land. Hunter might not have pressed her to sell, but she had no doubt that the company would keep hounding her. Where would she go? She supposed she could return to the city and get a job there, but would Fanny come? Would Cody adjust to it? Would she even fit back in? She’d been here so long that she wasn’t sure she could, but what other choice did she have? It wasn’t like jobs were a dime a dozen here in Soda Spurs.
As she neared the barn again and saw the sheriff waiting for her, she realized there was one more choice, but it wasn’t one she wanted to consider.
“Sheriff, what can I do for you today?” she asked as she slid off the saddle and led Mina back into the barn.
“I just wanted to check up on you. I know my news last night took you by surprise, but I was only trying to protect you.”
“I’m fine, Sheriff, and I certainly appreciate the concern, but it’s not necessary.”
“Daisy,” he grabbed her arm to turn her toward him, “I know the ranch is in trouble. I don’t have much saved, but I have good credit. If we got married-”
“Dwight,” Daisy hoped using his first name would help her words sink in, “I consider you a good friend, but I can’t marry you. I just don’t have feelings for you in that way.”
Guilt blanketed her as she watched his face fall. She should have made her feelings clearer a long time ago, but she’d been hoping to spare him. Now, she could see that her omission had only given him hope.
“Oh, I see. Well, I’ll get out of your hair then.” He tipped his hat and then turned and exited the barn.
As Daisy watched him leave, she realized that she’d done to the sheriff what Hunter had done to her. Their reasons might have been different, but the act of deception had been the same. As had the results. She unsaddled Mina and brushed her down, but she could not brush away the guilt and shame she felt.
17
Hunter
“Hunter, are you even listening to me?” Brittany asked, tapping her long manicured nail on the table.
“I’m sorry, what did you say?” He’d agreed to a dinner with Brittany, mainly because he was hoping it would help him forget Daisy. Now that he owned the company, he could still go through with his plan to open a youth camp and a dude ranch, but what would be the point? Without Daisy in his life, he had no desire to live in the small town or run either business.
“I was saying that now that you have access to the money, we should take a trip. I’ve always wanted to take a cruise or maybe a month-long Hawaiian vacation.” Her eyes lit up. “Ooh, maybe we could do both.”
Hunter stared at her, really seeing her for the first time. Her blonde hair was piled precisely on her head with a few perfectly curled tendrils framing her heart-shaped face, and the black eyeliner circling her blue eyes made them pop, but the added color on her lids just looked overdone. The bright red of her lips added to that image. Glamorous was a word he might have chosen for her, but he realized he no longer wanted glamorous. He wanted simple. Homey. He wanted Daisy.
Brittany would never be caught dead watching fireworks on a blanket under the stars. Nor would she ever get on a horse or muck stalls. She’d probably never sat on a rock and watched the sun set. Honestly, he wondered if she might even have or want children. He hadn’t thought any of those things mattered to him, but all of a sudden, they did. And then Daisy’s words came crashing back to him. Sometimes God closed one door to open another. It was clear this door, this time with Brittany, was over, and he couldn’t get Daisy out of his mind. Did that mean that perhaps God was trying to tell him he hadn’t lost her? That he could still win her back?
“Brittany,” he said, cutting off her ramblings of a perfect vacation, “We’re not going to do any of those things.”
“What?” She blinked at him, clearly not understanding. “Why not? You have the money now. We should celebrate.”
We? He almost laughed at the word. Funny, how it was “we” who could spend his money, but she hadn’t bothered to ask him where he might like to go. “We aren’t going anywhere because this isn’t going anywhere.” He motioned to the space between them.
She rolled her eyes and huffed as if she thought he was joking. “Don’t be silly, Hunter. We’ve been dating for three months. A trip together is a natural progression.”
“Maybe,” he agreed with a nod, “if I saw this relationship continuing, but I don’t.”
Her red lips fell open, creating a nearly perfect “O” shape.
“I’m sorry, Brittany. It’s been fun,” mostly, he thought, “but you’re not the kind of woman I see myself marrying.”
“Marriage?” The word came out with a derisive snort. “Who said anything about marriage? I don’t want to get married anytime soon, and I thought you didn’t either.”
“I didn’t think I did until...”
“Until what?” Her voice took on a shrill tone, but it did not hide the anger coursing through it. Suddenly, her eyes narrowed to slits and venom laced her words. “You met another woman, didn’t you?”
“I did,” he couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face as he thought of his time with Daisy, “and while I can promise you that nothing happened between us while I was there, I definitely want there to be something between us.” He found his resolve bolstering as he spoke. Daisy might have given up on him, but he wasn’t giving up on her. Not without a fight.
“You can’t be serious. You aren’t really thinking of leaving all of this and moving to that hick town, are you?”
“Actually, I think I am.” The more he thought about it, the better the idea sounded to him. He missed the sunset. He missed seeing the stars at night. He missed the homey feel of the small town and the feeling of family he’d felt with Daisy and Cody and Fanny. Compared to that, the city had little to offer.
With a smile, he pulled a hundred dollar bill out of his wallet and set it on the table. “This should be enough to cover dinner. I hope you find happ
iness, Brittany.”
Hunter could hear her sputtering behind him, but he wasn’t turning back. Now that he knew what he wanted, there was no turning back. The only question was how quickly could he accomplish what he wanted to?
It was the following weekend before Hunter was able to get all the ducks in a row, but as he pulled into Daisy’s drive and read over the papers one more time, he smiled. This had to be enough to get her to forgive him and maybe even enough to allow her to give him a second chance. If not, at least he would know he’d helped her out and repaid her for what she’d given him.
Folding the papers, he tucked them in his pocket, took a deep breath, and exited his car. Now that the moment of truth was upon him, his nerves had decided to ratchet into overdrive. Tiny beads of sweat erupted on his palms as he stepped onto Daisy’s porch, and he wiped them on his jeans before curling his hand into a fist and tapping at her door.
When the door creaked open and Fanny was on the other side, Hunter almost sighed in relief. The elderly woman was feisty, but she would also tell it to him straight. If he had no chance with Daisy, she wouldn’t hesitate to let him know.
She stared at him for a moment before the corners of her lips twitched, lifting into a smile. “What took you so long?”
He returned the smile and shrugged his shoulders. “I had to get some things in order first.”
“They better be the right things. It’s been miserable around here since you left.”
“I hope they are,” he said, a serious expression returning to his face. He hated that he’d caused any more pain to Daisy and her family. “Is she here?”
“She’s out back in the barn.”
Hunter nodded. “Don’t tell Cody I’m here yet. I want to make sure Daisy doesn’t run me off first.”
“Your secret is safe with me.” She flashed him a wink and then leaned forward as if sharing a clandestine secret. “He’s busy moping in his room anyway.”
“Hopefully, we can fix that soon.”
“Well, get on it then. You’re not going to get that accomplished standing here shooting the breeze with me. Go on, shoo!” She waved him out of the doorway, and before he could respond, she’d shut the door in his face.
“All right then,” he said with a slight chuckle as he headed toward the barn. “I guess that’s settled.”
18
Daisy
Daisy sighed as she heard the barn door creak open. Surely, the sheriff wasn’t back again. She’d felt badly being so forthright with him the last time he’d been here, but at least it had seemed to work for a time.
“What can I do for you today, Sher…” The words died in her throat as she looked up to see not the sheriff but Hunter Garrison standing a few feet from her. Though she didn’t want it to, her heart drummed a little faster, and a thread of hope sparked in her. “What are you doing here?”
Angry. She was supposed to be angry at him, but he looked so good in his dark jeans and flannel shirt that it was hard to remain that way. His wavy brown hair held that tousled, fresh-out-of-bed look, and her fingers itched to touch it. To find their way to the back of his neck and pull him close.
“I realized I left without paying you. Even though I didn’t totally finish my week, I wanted to fulfill my end of the agreement.”
“Oh.” Disappointment surged through her. She should be happy. After all, he’d lied to her and left without paying her, but in the deepest parts of her heart, she’d been hoping he would come back and fight for her.
“I’m not one to leave an obligation unfulfilled,” he continued, taking another step toward her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. Then he held it out to her.
“I guess that’s a good trait to have,” Daisy said as she took the envelope.
He nodded and then stared at her as if waiting for her to open it in front of him. It felt awkward, but she slid her finger under the seal and popped the flap open. Instead of the cash she expected to find or a single check, a stack of folded papers stared back at her. Curious, she pulled them out and unfolded them. Her eyes widened as she scanned the contents.
“Is this for real?” she asked, meeting his gaze. “You’re giving me the land on either side of me?”
Hunter nodded as a smile spread across his features. “I am. I’m hoping that you’ll allow my company to help establish a youth camp and a dude ranch on the land, but it belongs to you.”
“Why would you do this?” Daisy couldn’t make this gesture compute with the man who had lied to her and come to try and take her land.
“Because you deserve it.” He took a step closer to her. “Because I know you’ll do great things with it.” His next step brought him within touching distance. “And because I care for you.”
Close. He was too close. The words she wanted to say dried up in her throat as the pounding in her heart grew louder. “What?” It was all she could manage to squeak out, and still, it was barely a whisper.
“I care for you.” His hand brushed her hair behind her ear, sending a river of goose bumps down her flesh. “I wasn’t lying when I told you I’d fallen for you. You made me see what I was missing in life, what was really important.”
“But what about your company?” A fog still enveloped her head and the words felt hard to form. All she could concentrate on was the warmth from his hand as it rested against her neck. “Won’t you lose your job?”
“Even if I did, it would be worth it, but that’s the best news. Standing up to Mr. Goldman and advocating for my own idea for the company was what my father was looking for. The company is mine.”
“It’s yours?” She felt stupid, as if she were repeating questions she already knew the answers to.
“It’s all mine, and the land is all yours, but I’m hoping you’ll let me run the businesses with you. I know you said you didn’t need a man, but I need you.” His fingers trailed down her neck and out to her chin. “So, will you? Will you let me back in your life?”
His brown eyes bored into hers, and Daisy said the only word she could grasp at the moment. “Yes.”
Hunter’s eyes lit up, and his lips broke into a wide smile moments before they brushed against hers. A warm heat spread across her lips and then traveled through her body to her toes. It had been so long since she’d been kissed, and this one ignited parts of her body that had been dormant for far too long. As if on instinct, her arms wound around his neck, and she pressed herself tighter against him. Her fingers found his hair, and it was as soft as she’d thought it would be. His fingertips caressed her cheeks before tangling themselves in her hair as well.
“Well, that was better than I even imagined,” Hunter said softly when he finally pulled back. Desire swam in his eyes, and Daisy was sure hers were a mirror image.
She fought to bring her heartbeat back to a normal rhythm. “You imagined kissing me?”
He chuckled and ran his thumb across her lips. “Only every day since the festival.”
“Liar,” she said, swatting his chest.
She’d meant the word as a jest, but he caught her hand and held it to his heart. His expression turned serious as he searched her eyes. “I’m sorry I started our relationship with a lie, but I promise you that I will never lie to you again.”
Relationship? If that’s where this was headed, Daisy had to make one more thing clear. “Hunter, I’m glad you’re back, and I can’t thank you enough for the land, but if you truly want a relationship with me, there is one thing you’ll have to do.”
A shadow of doubt flickered across his face, but before he could say anything, she hurried on. “I know you stated that you don’t have a relationship with God, but that’s important to me. Cody already lost the most important man in his life. I can’t become serious with any man who doesn’t put God first.”
Hunter’s eyes held her gaze. “I know I said I didn’t have a personal relationship with God, but I cannot deny that His hand was involved in bringing me here and meeting you. I can no longer ignore H
is existence, and I don’t want to. I’m not sure how to proceed, but if you’ll help me, I’d like to develop a relationship with Him the way you have. I want to be the man you need.”
Daisy could hardly believe her ears. She felt like pinching herself to make sure this wasn’t a dream. “I’d be happy to help you.”
“Good.” With that, he kissed her again, and Daisy finally let every piece of the wall she’d built to protect herself and her son fall away. Though there would undoubtedly be hard times in the future, she knew that with Hunter by her side and God leading them both, they could make it through those hard times together.
Epilogue
Four Months Later
Hunter watched as the workers strung the final banner between two large poles announcing the Garrison/Keller Horse Youth Camp open for business and squeezed Daisy’s hand. Though they had started construction on both the dude ranch and the youth camp, they had both decided the camp was more important to the town.
“Can I go try out one of the horses? And the games?” Cody asked beside them. Energy emanated from him like a charged ion bouncing around a container. Hunter wasn’t sure how he’d managed to stand still so long as it was.
“Yes, go play. Your friends should be here soon.”
Fanny had gotten word out about the opening and managed to convince half of the townspeople to volunteer their services so the kids could try everything out on the first day. Not only did it increase the promotion of the camp, but it would also allow them to see if there were any bugs that needed to be worked out before paying customers showed up on Monday.
As Cody bounded toward the large game hall, Daisy turned to Hunter. Tears glistened in her eyes, and her voice was constricted with emotion as she spoke. “Thank you. This is beautiful. It’s everything I hoped to see in this place once upon a time.”
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