Harvesting Hope: in Saddleback Ridge

by Milan Watson

  He tapped his hand on the steering wheel to the music but didn’t hear a single word. As he drove into town all he could think of was Gemma and what could’ve been. Would they have been married by now? Would they have had a bunch of kids running around the yard? Would they have stayed in Denver?

  As he turned onto Main Street his mood was even fouler than before. It felt like he had just spent the last few years living a lie. A lie that was his own fault because his pride had stopped him from confronting her. He pulled up outside Booth Vet Services and climbed out. The bells jingled on the door as he stepped inside.

  “As I live and breathe, what do I owe the pleasure of this visit to? You ain’t gonna ask me to stitch you up again are you?” Blake Booth asked, cocking a hand on her hip.

  She looked like a freshman, although she was a year older than Dusty. Her mousy brown hair was hanging over one shoulder in a braid making her seem even younger. It was hard to believe that tiny frame could wrestle a bull into submission with a few clever moves.

  “I only had you stitch me up because old Doc Pruitt would’ve told my dad if he knew I’d cut myself by playing chicken with Ford.”

  “Serves you right for having that nasty scar. What were you thinking? Two grown men trying to peg each other with hunting knives.” Blake scoffed, shaking her head. “There’s a reason beer shouldn’t be allowed on a hunt.”

  “Yeah yeah.” Dusty chuckled, remembering that hunting season a few years back. “I need some salve for a colt’s eyes. They’re weeping.”

  “Oh sure,” Blake said, reaching behind her before handing it to him. “I’ll just add it to your account.”

  “Great, thanks Blake,” Dusty said as he reached for the door handle.

  “I hear Gemma Riley is staying out there at Falcon Falls for the time being. If I knew a broken ankle would get me the guestroom I might have just set a snare trap myself.”

  Dusty shook his head. Blake was a good friend to him and his brothers and he knew she was just kidding. Nothing romantic had ever transpired between her and him, or his brothers. “Ha ha ha you’re a laugh a minute, Blake. And her ankle is very badly sprained, not broken.”

  “Luckily you know how to give a girl a ride.” Blake laughed at her own joke as Dusty closed the door and headed across the street.

  He would’ve laughed at her joke if he found it funny, but right now that was all he wanted to give Gemma, right after he tenderly apologized to every inch of her for letting his pride get in the way.

  He sucked in a deep breath as he pushed open the door of Decadent Delights. Bobby was Logan’s best friend since he could remember. Although she and Gemma had always been close, Bobby and Logan had the type of friendship few understood.

  Ever since they had gone on a blind date after high school they had realized they had too much in common to ever be anything more. As almost a part of the family, Bobby was due to do some teasing of her own.

  “Dusty, just on time. I just got back from Gemma’s apartment. So how’s having a live-in architect working out for you?” Bobby teased without missing a beat.

  “Great, she’s drawing up plans to castrate me as we speak.” Dusty huffed as he reached for the small purple suitcase that waited behind the counter.

  Bobby chuckled. “You two still at each other’s throats?”

  “Who said we were at each other’s throats?” Dusty paused.

  “No one. But I know you let her down before she left and Gemma has a way of holding a grudge.”

  “Apparently so can I.” Dusty sighed and picked up the bag. “Do you have any of those pecan brownies?” he asked, swiftly changing the subject. He didn’t feel like hashing through his emotions with Bobby, especially because she was likely to be partial to Gemma’s side of the dilemma.

  Bobby searched his gaze for a moment before she flicked her warm brown hair over one shoulder. “They’re on the house, but only because you’re taking good care of my girl. Next time they’re double if you don’t.”

  Accepting the warning for what it was Dusty took the brownies and left the bakery with a wave. As soon as he was back in his truck he shook his head on a chuckle. He always liked small towns, until now. It felt like he was being boxed into a corner by every breathing female.

  Just as he spotted Moira rush towards him – Betty’s friend and neighbor – he pretended not to see her and pulled out into traffic. He’d pretend he forgot the wine because he wasn’t stopping again, especially not with the local gossip-mill already running their mouths about Gemma staying at the ranch.

  He wanted to figure out some answers for himself before he encountered another curious female. The only problem was he wasn’t sure which questions he wanted answered. The what could’ve been questions or the what now questions.

  Chapter 16

  The house was oddly quiet, Gemma thought as the door closed behind Kelly. She glanced around the large open living space and took a deep breath.

  Clayton had left for Betty’s a while ago and Kelly was visiting with Ford in his annex. Each of the brothers had their own apartment behind the main house. Ford’s was just through a door in the living area that connected through a hallway to Dusty’s. Although curiosity burned to see Dusty’s place, she doubted she ever would.

  She was all alone in the main house and suddenly felt eerily alone. She wasn’t sure if it was because the house was usually filled with noise and people, or if it was because she knew Dusty was just a few yards away in his own place.

  It was her fourth night on the ranch and although the Caldwell’s were truly hospitable Gemma was itching to get to her own home. Dusty had driven her out to the construction site every day and although Craig and his team were moving ahead full speed, Gemma knew they might need her input a few more times.

  She glanced around her and smiled up at the large antler chandelier. The fireplace was big enough to spit an ox if you wanted to, just like everything else on Falcon Falls its size was impressive. As she took her time browsing around the room without anyone to see her she thought of the Caldwell’s.

  She enjoyed Kelly and Betty’s company and even enjoyed catching up with Logan again. Drake’s flirting had stopped following the bruised jaw and she couldn’t help but wonder if the two were connected.

  It was just Dusty that avoided her and when he couldn’t avoid her he barely spoke to her. She hopped on her crutches towards a wall of family photos. There were black and white photos of the Caldwell’s who had lived here before, and childhood photos of Dusty and his brothers. She recognized one photo that was taken around the time they had dated. Those brown eyes sparkled with mischief as he looked into the camera. It was as if he was looking right at her and even through a picture she felt her whole body respond.

  She let out a sigh and started towards the stairs. A few days ago she had her anger and heartache to hang onto, but after realizing that their whirlwind affair had come to an abrupt stop because of Joe Parker and a misunderstanding it felt as if she were drifting in limbo. She never wanted to end things with Dusty and he never wanted to end things with her either.

  Gemma was still angry that he hadn’t given her a chance to explain, that he mistrusted her although he had no reason to. But deep down she knew she was at fault as well. She could’ve called him, but her pride and bruised ego wouldn’t let her.

  She shook her head as she carefully navigated the stairs. She stopped on the landing to catch her breath, wishing that someone was there to help her the rest of the way up. After a few minutes she caught her breath and took the rest of the stairs. When she finally reached the second floor she vowed not to attempt those stairs again until morning. What she didn’t have she just needed to do without.

  A long bubble bath was definitely in the cards, she promised herself as she inched towards the bathroom to draw herself a bath. Betty had put some fancy bath-salts and bath oil in there for her, vowing it was the best and made locally. She poured a generous amount of each in before she headed to her room to grab her t
hings. Carrying pajamas and hanging onto her crutches was a challenge, so she draped the clothes over one shoulder and hopped back to the bathroom.

  ∞∞∞

  Dusty glanced around his place and felt restless. He had a one bedroom apartment with a kitchen he rarely used and an oversized sofa facing the television.

  Large glass doors opened up into the warm evening air. He flicked the remote until his favorite series’ theme song started playing but even as the characters began to speak he couldn’t seem to focus.

  She was all alone in the main house. His father had gone to Betty, and Kelly and Ford were cuddling in front of the television. Drake and Logan headed to Whiskey Woes to wind down after a long day. Dusty let out a sigh wondering how he was going to wind down.

  Ever since he had realized he had thrown away something that could’ve been amazing without even trying to fight for it, it felt as if a black hole had started to take form in his heart. A hole only Gemma could fill…

  He kept his gaze on the screen but his mind was consumed with her. Over the last few days he had kept his distance to try and figure out what should happen next.

  But even after four days he still had no idea what came next. Nine years had passed since that night he had seen her on the porch with Joe. Nine years, countless dates, and none of them ever seemed to match up to the girl he had fallen in love with that summer.

  It was still there, if he was being honest. In fact what had brought them together all those years ago was now even more potent. Just one look at her and he felt his body respond. When she smiled he wished she would smile at him. And whenever she thought no one was watching she would retreat into her own mind making Dusty wish she was thinking of him.

  No other woman had ever had that effect on him. She was the first girl to steal his heart and after having it broken Dusty wasn’t sure if he had it in him to give it away again. He thought of her dark brown hair, of those green eyes that seemed to look right through him, and wondered if he would ever be able to forget the past. Without the anger over her betrayal all he was left with now was that dark black hole that wouldn’t seem to heal.

  A huff escaped him as he switched off the television. He couldn’t focus so what was the use. He sat on the couch for a few more minutes before deciding to head to the main house.

  He walked out the open doors around the house and stopped at the back door. Was he looking for trouble or was he simply being a good host? The question rolled over in his mind before he finally convinced himself he was just being a considerate host. She was all alone in the main house and on crutches; chances were good she might need a little help sooner or later.

  He opened the door and stepped into the kitchen. He was about to call out to her when he heard water rushing upstairs and the scent of magnolia drifting down the stairs. She was taking a bath, he realized, and moved towards the television. He flicked the remote control until he found a mind numbing program about global warming. He wasn’t paying attention in the least. How could he when he knew she was upstairs alone and naked?

  Dusty tried to get settled but it was as if his whole body was strained with needing her. There was nothing holding him back anymore. She didn’t betray him; in fact he was at fault for ripping away what they once had. Knowing that, he realized the ball was in her court. For almost a decade he had blamed her only to realize now he was the one to blame. If only he could go back and change what’d happened in the past, but he couldn’t, so whatever happened now was up to her.

  Chapter 17

  Gemma tested the water and it was perfect. She closed the bathroom door before she started to undress. She would never take her ankles for granted again, she thought as she finally managed to slip off her pants and underwear.

  The ankle brace was put to one side before she held onto the towel railing and carefully slipped into the bath. The water was warm, easing all the tension from her body. As the water lapped at her thighs she found herself thinking of Dusty again.

  Everything she had believed about him being a coldhearted player was wrong, which meant he was still the man she had fallen in love with. She had wanted to take a long relaxing bath but with thoughts of Dusty circling her mind she knew that wasn’t going to happen.

  After soaping her body and slipping down into the warm water to rinse off she carefully made her way out of the bath. Reaching for the towel she glanced down at her injured ankle. It hadn’t ached for the last few days and she was tired of struggling and needing help all the time. For someone who had been completely independent, it was hard to have other people cooking her meals and driving her around.

  Her eyes narrowed as she held onto the towel railing and slowly lowered her foot. Perhaps Doc Pruitt had been wrong about her ankle, perhaps it was just sprained and already beginning to heal. She carefully touched the ground with her toes and smiled when she didn’t feel a shooting pain race up her leg.

  Taking another deep breath she carefully lowered her heel. Although it ached a little it wasn’t too bad actually, feeling empowered she let go of the towel railing and allowed a little more weight on her leg.

  She wasn’t sure which happened first, her knee buckling from the pain that nearly blinded her, or the cry of pain that escaped her. She caught the towel railing just in time to stop herself from falling to the ground. Just as she gasped for breath to try and breathe through the pain in her ankle, the door burst open and Dusty rushed to her.

  Since she was hanging onto the railing she couldn’t cover herself. She was about to curse him for bursting into the bathroom when she saw the look in his gaze.

  “I heard you screaming,” his voice was low and gruff, making shivers run down her spine.

  Gemma, feeling completely exposed, nodded. “I tried to put weight on my foot.” Why did she sound so breathless?

  The air in the bathroom grew thick and it had nothing to do with the steam or the magnolia scented bath salts. His gaze slowly travelled from her eyes to her lips, to her chest, before they explored the rest of her body. Gemma could feel her knees growing weak, her entire body aching to be touched by him. They had never gotten further than second base back then, but now everything was different.

  For a moment she considered asking him to leave or to hand her a towel, but the words wouldn’t form.

  “Gemma…” Dusty said stepping closer.

  They were barely a foot apart and Gemma knew she was playing with fire. Dusty had broken her heart into pieces and she wasn’t sure if she was ready to allow him to put it back together. He had thought the worst of her when she hadn’t given him any reason to.

  “Dusty…” Gemma said holding his gaze. He was clad in jeans and a t-shirt and she was completely naked. She was at a disadvantage, but judging by the look in his eyes she had the advantage. “I should’ve called you… I should’ve explained…” Gemma heard the apology tumble from her lips even as he stepped forward and framed her face.

  “I should’ve asked you, I shouldn’t have made my own assumptions,” Dusty said, searching her gaze.

  The emotion was raw, the apology more real than any apology she’d heard before. But it was the regret in his gaze that made her heart swell to the point of no return.

  “It’s in the past…” Gemma sighed, shaking her head. She couldn’t go back; not to the pain he’d caused her, not when he was within arm’s reach.

  “It’s never been the past for me. I’ve never stopped wanting you…” Dusty’s voice sounded like coarse gravel, laced with emotion and regret.

  Gemma wasn’t sure who moved first but the next thing she knew their mouths were fused together. The kiss tasted of apologies, of regrets, but more than anything it tasted of the passion they had never wholly pursued. His arms slipped around her, holding up her weight. Gemma took the opportunity to let her hands thread through his thick black hair.

  This was where she belonged, in Dusty’s arms, she thought as she tilted her head to deepen the kiss. His touch was gentle, just like his heart, but then she’d
known he would be. He tasted of the past, he tasted like her future.

  She felt him shift and scoop her up. He cradled her naked body against his chest, reclaiming her mouth. Every nerve ending felt exposed, the cool air teasing her even as his warm touch soothed her. He turned, kicking open the door as he started towards her room. A few moments ago she wanted to escape Falcon Falls, now she never wanted to leave.

  He carried her into the room and gently set her down on the bed before stepping back and dragging a hand through his hair, even as his inhalations grew ragged.

  “I could leave…” Dusty whispered even as his eyes pleaded her to let him stay.

  Gemma could’ve turned him away, he could’ve given her time to think things over, but they’d wasted enough time. This man before her who had Cheyenne running through his veins made her feel like a princess, like the most cherished possession of any tribe. He was her Dusty, and she couldn’t turn him away if her life depended on it. “I think we’ve wasted enough time…” Gemma whispered back even as she reached for him.

  He tugged his shirt over his head, unveiling a washboard stomach. Gemma’s mouth watered at the sight. How long had she waited for this moment. Although she had tried to forget Dusty, secretly she had always hoped this day would come. His eyes were dark with need as he moved towards her.

  Gemma felt her tummy flutter with excitement even as a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

  Dusty stopped just short of her. “I don’t have protection.”

  Gemma smiled mysteriously. “It’s taken care of.”

  His mouth curled into a grin, the kind that made her knees quiver as he moved towards her. He claimed her smile as she let her hands run over the muscles on his back before stopping on the curve of his ass.

  Lost time was finally found as they unleashed the passion of the past. The pain, the regrets, and the anger were all soothed away as fiery kisses made new promises. His touch was featherlike, his body intoxicating, but what was more was the way he looked at her whenever he drew away.