“Not exactly bad-looking? I think the word you’re searching for is hot.”
He was that, but she wasn’t going to give Sloane the satisfaction of hearing her admit it.
“I need to go talk to people, try to drum up some sales.”
“Avoid me all you want. I know where you live.”
Angel rolled her eyes as she deliberately moved to a section of the gallery that put several layers of people between her and Hunter. Because her sister was likely watching her every move.
Though she wasn’t sure if any of the framed pieces had sold yet, she was happy to see several of the matted prints had. Despite suspecting that Sloane was watching her, Angel couldn’t keep her gaze from eventually wandering to where Hunter stood. And why shouldn’t she? Sure, Sloane might tease her. Her mom might get wind of it and try to play matchmaker. There were a lot worse things in life. She knew because she’d endured them. Other members of her family had gone through truly terrible ordeals. What was a bit of annoying teasing in comparison? She had to believe Sloane wouldn’t go too far and say something directly to Hunter.
All thought of what her sister might say or do disappeared when she saw the expression change on Hunter’s face. Gone was any hint of a smile, replaced by a pinched concern visible even from where she stood half the width of the gallery away. Before she even consciously made the decision, she headed straight toward him.
* * *
Hunter’s heart ached as he watched the confusion pull at his mom’s face.
“Of course it’s him,” she said as she looked at the photo of a cowboy on horseback silhouetted against a setting sun and a herd of cattle.
She had been doing so well, having a good time, and then the confusion and frustration made another unwelcome appearance as she examined one of Angel’s photos. His mom was absolutely convinced that the man on the horse was Hunter’s dad, despite the fact that not only had Angel never been to their ranch but his dad had been gone almost a decade.
“Are you all enjoying yourselves?” Angel asked as she suddenly appeared at his elbow.
The moment their gazes connected he could tell she’d deduced his mom was having a bad moment. He’d opened his mouth to ask for some sort of help when his mom spoke instead.
“This is Hunter’s dad, isn’t it?” She sounded so sure that he wished that she was right.
There was a momentary flicker of surprise on Angel’s face before her expression softened. “I can see where you might think that. It does look a lot like him with the sun behind him, doesn’t it? But it’s actually my dad. I took that on his birthday last year. There’s nothing he likes more than going for a ride across the ranch. I’m sure Mr. Millbrook was the same way.”
The woman was a marvel, a saint, a goddess. He wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her, and it wasn’t entirely because of his attraction to her. As he glanced at his mom, it was evident that while the confusion wasn’t totally gone she also was beginning to accept Angel’s explanation.
“Oh, I was so sure.” And just like that the confusion was replaced by a sadness that was so strong it was almost visible in and of itself.
“You know,” Angel said, “in truth the photo is shot in such a way that it can be representative of whoever we want to imagine in that spot.” She reached into the bin below the larger framed photo on the wall and pulled out an eight-by-ten matted print. “You can put this up and imagine Mr. Millbrook out for an evening ride.”
Hunter really appreciated Angel’s kindness toward his mom, the gentle way she interacted with her without treating her like a child or someone who was sick. But he still wished she hadn’t pulled out the print. He had no idea how much it was, and his funds were tight. Sure, it appeared she might be giving it as a gift, but that didn’t feel right, either. This was how she made her living, and she had a child to support as a single parent. Even though she had plenty of family to help out, Julia was still her daughter.
But when he saw how his mom slowly ran her fingertips across the print, he knew she had to keep it. Even if she now knew it wasn’t his dad, it didn’t matter. The picture made her think of him, hopefully bringing back some fond memories and not just a sense of loss, and he wasn’t going to take that away from her.
His mom looked up at Angel with the shine of unshed tears in her eyes. “Thank you, hon. You have a kind heart.”
“You’re very welcome. I’m happy you like it. And it’s the least I can do since Hunter worked so hard to make sure the gallery was all spiffed up for my opening.”
His mom’s gaze shifted to him, and she smiled with a mother’s pride that had made him fidget when he was a kid. Now he couldn’t get enough of it. He felt an urgent need to store up all the familiar expressions, all the pats on the back, all his mom’s laughter and teasing so he’d never forget how they felt when she was gone. A lump formed in his throat at that thought, enough that he had to attempt to clear it.
“He’s a good son, the best,” she said.
Damn, was she trying to make him cry in public? The pressing need to flee the building almost overwhelmed him.
Mildred walked up then, and his mom turned to show her the print.
“Thank you for being so kind to her,” Hunter said quietly so his mom wouldn’t hear.
“Nothing to thank me for.”
“I disagree.”
She looked up at him, her dark eyes so beautiful he was momentarily speechless. Could he ask her out? Should he when it felt dangerous and irresponsible to leave his mom at home while he went and had a good time? He was searching for the right words when Merline drew Angel’s attention.
“You’re not going to have to haul the big frame back home,” Merline said with a smile.
“Really?” Angel sounded stunned.
“Really. The buyers would like to meet you.”
“Okay.” Angel turned toward him. “Sorry, I need—”
“Go ahead. I should get Mom home anyway.”
“Oh, okay. Thank you for coming.” For a moment, she almost seemed hesitant to leave, but then she was being escorted through the crowd toward someone who had the disposable income necessary to buy the most expensive item on display. He watched her as she paused for a moment to speak to one of the gallery workers before he turned to tell his mom he’d be back in a minute. She was still smiling at the print in her hands.
Leaving his mom temporarily with Mildred, he walked over to the cash register where a young woman he didn’t know was stationed. But when he pulled out his wallet, she shook her head.
“You don’t owe anything, sir.”
How could she possibly know what Angel had done? When he glanced in Angel’s direction, she gave him a smile that said she had anticipated his trying to pay for the print. Though he didn’t like feeling like a charity case, he smiled back. Not only was the woman beautiful, kind and talented, she was also smart enough to think three steps ahead of him.
Yeah, he needed to leave not just for his mother’s sake. If he didn’t get out of the gallery soon, he was going to be tempted to walk right up to Angel and kiss her like he’d never kissed anyone in his life. Once he had his mom safely home, then he could consider his next step regarding Angel Hartley.
Chapter 5
Angel sat at the kitchen table, enjoying the quiet of a house asleep. The only sounds came from the ticking clock in the kitchen and the hum of the refrigerator. It was peaceful after the constant talking during the exhibit opening. Not that she was complaining because the night had been a bigger success than she could have hoped. In addition to making a contact at one of the premier Western magazines and selling her biggest piece, she’d also sold three other framed photographs and a good number of matted prints. And the couple from Austin had ordered a larger version of her photograph depicting the most recent roundup at her family’s ranch.
Yet even with all those successful a
spects of the evening, the thing that she kept thinking about was Hunter and his mom. When she’d heard that Mrs. Millbrook had truly thought the photo of Angel’s dad had instead been her late husband, it had almost broken Angel’s heart. Especially when she’d seen the look on Hunter’s face, like he was witnessing another piece of his mom slip away. She couldn’t imagine what he was going through.
“What are you doing up, hon?”
Angel jumped at the sound of her mom’s voice, making her realize how deeply she’d fallen into her thoughts.
“I didn’t mean to startle you. I came in because I thought the light had just been left on.”
“Wasn’t sleepy yet.”
“Still too excited about your big night?”
“Yeah. It went much better than I anticipated.”
Her mom slipped into the chair opposite her. “I wasn’t the least bit surprised. You take photos as if you were born with a camera in your hands.”
“You’re my mom. You have to say that.”
“No, I have to love you and praise your kindergarten drawings. You’re an adult now and I’ll always tell you the truth. And that truth is I’m in awe of what you capture in your photos. I can be looking at the same thing you are through your lens, but somehow you seem to capture things I can’t even see with my own eyes.”
Angel’s heart filled with her mother’s praise. “That’s the best compliment anyone has ever given me.”
“Well, you just remember that if you ever doubt yourself.”
Angel reached across the table and placed her hand atop her mom’s. “I won the lottery when you and Dad adopted me.”
“Then there are two lottery winners at this table because I got lucky five times over.” Her mom smiled, then stood. “How about some of Lauren’s leftover treats?”
“It’s after midnight.”
“And your point?”
Angel chuckled. “Sure, why not.”
Her mom returned with a plate of assorted miniature desserts, and Angel’s hand went immediately to one of the chocolate-orange treats. With the first bite, her thoughts drifted back to Hunter.
“Something else is on your mind,” her mom said before taking a bite of a mini key lime pie.
Angel didn’t deny it because her mom was just too good at reading her children. Instead, she told her about the interaction with Hunter’s mom.
“That has to be the cruelest diagnosis in the world,” her mom said.
“It just seems so unfair, especially since Hunter lost his father at a young age. Now to face losing his mom and being left alone. I hate how good people get such a raw deal sometimes.”
“Life is, unfortunately, really unfair. We just have to remember to focus on the good things, to live life to its fullest while we can.”
Angel watched her mom, searching for some extra meaning in her words. She didn’t think Sloane had said anything to her about Hunter, but she couldn’t be sure. Maybe she had and her mom was just tiptoeing into the topic.
“What?”
Angel shook her head. “Sometimes it feels like the things you say have two meanings.”
“What other meaning could I possibly have? Perhaps that you like Hunter Millbrook?”
Angel sighed. “If Sloane still lived here, I’d be tempted to go duct-tape her mouth.”
Her mom smiled. “Honey, your sister didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to. I saw how you looked his direction several times tonight.”
Angel dropped her forehead into her hands. “I guess I’m not winning any awards for subtlety, huh?”
“I doubt anyone else noticed, except maybe your sister if she already suspected. I didn’t even realize you and Hunter knew each other very well.”
“We don’t, not really. We just talked a little while he was doing some work around the gallery for Merline.”
“But you’d like to get to know him better?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.” Yes, but something inside her made her scared to say it out loud. And her past, her role as Julia’s protector, made her believe her answer should actually be a definitive no.
“I understand you were hurt badly when Dave left, but your life is far from over. And you deserve another chance to love someone and have him love you back.”
“It just seems...scary, and possibly dangerous.”
Her mother’s face showed confusion. “You think Hunter is dangerous?”
Angel shook her head. “No, not like that. It’s just... I’ve not had the best luck in the dating department. And I have to consider Julia as my number one priority in anything I do.”
Not to mention that she wasn’t sure if she could face any more rejection. Feeling as if your heart had taken a literal beating wasn’t exactly what she called fun.
“Like you, I don’t know Hunter well, but he seems like a good man. It was obvious tonight how much he cares about his mother.”
“He does.” The truth was he seemed like an all around great guy.
“But the prospect of dating again is still scary.”
She nodded. “Not to mention that we won’t be crossing paths as much anymore now that the exhibit opening is over.”
“You could call him and ask him out to dinner, maybe go to a movie. Women make the first moves now, you know.” Her mom grinned with a hint of the same matchmaking mischief she’d seen when her brothers and sisters had been the target.
“I don’t know. I worry about Julia getting attached to someone only to get hurt when it doesn’t work out. At least she never knew her dad.”
“You’re getting a little ahead of yourself, aren’t you? We’re just talking about a single date.”
Her mom was right. Could she muster up the courage to do the asking? What if he said no?
She wasn’t going to know until she tried, was she? Yes, Julia was the most important person in her life, but there was no denying a specific kind of loneliness that she’d been feeling even more since all her siblings had moved out to be with their spouses.
“Just think about it, okay?” her mom said.
“I will.”
Her mom stood and took the now-empty plate to the dishwasher.
“Mom, Sloane told me that you blame yourself for the situation with Dave. That absolutely was not your fault. It was mine for trusting the wrong person.”
And what if she did it again?
“I’m your mother. I’m supposed to protect you.”
“And sometimes we don’t know people are jerks until they decide to show their true colors. That was Dave. No one saw it, so no more blaming yourself, okay?”
Her mom didn’t look like she was totally convinced she hadn’t failed in her maternal duties, but she at least nodded.
“I’m headed back to bed. Try to get some sleep.”
“I will. Good night, Mom.”
She did try, but the racing of her thoughts refused to let her rest for more than a couple of hours. She relived that awful moment when she’d told Dave she was pregnant only to hear him respond that it wasn’t his problem, that she could keep the baby if she wanted but he had no intention of being a father. And the look he’d given her, as if he believed she’d gotten pregnant on purpose. Every time she thought about that expression on his face, she ground her teeth.
He hadn’t lied, however, about his intent. Not only had he left Blue Falls, but the last she heard he was living somewhere in Mexico. After she’d managed to get past the initial pain, she’d gotten angry and determined that she would give her child a wonderful life with no help from him. Sometimes she was saddened by the fact that Julia was growing up without a father, but Angel did her best to fill both parental roles.
When her mind exhausted itself reliving those heartbreaking days and the fear she’d gone through at the thought of facing motherhood alone, she’d finally fallen asleep. But a m
ere two hours passed before she woke near dawn and her mind started swirling again, this time coming up with pros and cons for asking Hunter out to dinner. What if he wasn’t interested in her? Yes, he’d been nice during all their interactions, but maybe he was like that with everyone. She wondered if he was one of those guys who’d be uncomfortable with the woman doing the asking. But most of all she worried that getting involved with him would be a mistake, one that could potentially hurt her daughter’s tender heart, as well.
But then she thought about Lauren and what she’d been through with her ex-fiancé. Lauren had gone through hell, had been understandably wary of trusting another man, particularly when she had twin daughters to consider, and yet she’d found it in her heart to take a chance with Adam. Angel had never seen her brother so happy, and Lauren now had the perfect life. If Lauren could take that leap of faith, surely Angel could.
Still, as she went through her day, her thoughts fixated on whether to call Hunter and, if she did, what exactly she’d say. As she framed new photos to replace the ones that had sold at the gallery, she considered when would be the best time to call him. Of course, she’d have to find out his phone number first. Did he still have a house phone? She tried to quiet her riotous thoughts by playing Frisbee with Julia and Brent, but it was only a partial and temporary fix. By the time late afternoon rolled around, she decided to just call and get it over with. After finding a home phone number for the Millbrooks, she closed the door to her room, took a deep breath and dialed.
The phone rang four times before someone picked up, and Angel suddenly thought she might pass out. Seriously, she hadn’t been this nervous about talking to a guy in her entire life. She needed to snap out of it.
“Hello?”
Was it her imagination or did he sound every bit as tired as she felt? For a fleeting moment, she imagined he’d lain awake thinking about her last night at the same time she was about him. Oh, good grief, now she was thinking in romantic movie scenarios.
“Oh, hey, Hunter.”
Home on the Ranch: Texas Cowboy, Be Mine Page 6
