by Andrea Thome
India had grabbed her rain jacket when she’d gone back to change, figuring she could use it to shelter her camera from the weather if necessary. She tied the slicker around her waist and then headed over the wooden bridge toward the trailhead. Walking along the split-rail fence that lined the property, she tried to make sense of what had just happened.
She couldn’t come up with a scenario in which Wyatt could be married. Violet had flat out told her that he wasn’t manipulative. How could she have possibly misunderstood that?
She reached the trailhead and, after consulting the map, decided on the longer and more challenging Trunk Branch Trail, figuring a little rain wouldn’t kill her. She needed to clear her head, and a short hike just wasn’t going to cut it.
She jammed her earbuds into her ears and cranked up her music. Before she knew it, she’d been on the trail for just under an hour without running into anyone. She was drenched in sweat but felt better already. The climb had been steady, and she was high enough now to enjoy a panoramic view of the valley below. She could see the skies darkening in the west, but they didn’t seem particularly ominous.
India looked through her camera’s viewfinder, trying to frame a shot that would do the scene justice. She’d been distracted by the blaring music, which had driven her up the mountain but now just cluttered her senses. Removing the earbuds, she was enjoying a few moments of silence when she realized she wasn’t alone.
The black bear was about two hundred yards up the trail from where India was standing. She froze in fear as the hulking creature watched her with interest, swatting at the ground in front of it in warning. She vaguely recalled the only thing she’d ever read about bear encounters, and slowly backed down the trail the way she had come. It didn’t work; the creature maintained interest and began slowly moving down the path toward her.
India’s body clenched in terror. She’d been just about to turn and run when she heard a commotion behind her and looked in time to see Wyatt charging by her with his arms raised over his head. The sudden movement was enough to startle the bear, and it turned and galloped back in the direction it had come. Wyatt paused, making sure he had properly spooked the animal, before turning his attention to India.
Her teeth were chattering; she was clearly in shock. He hurried back to where she stood frozen in place and pulled her into an embrace.
“It’s OK. She’s gone, and I doubt she’s coming back.”
He could feel her trembling, and he knew he had to keep talking to give her time to regain her composure.
“She probably had some cubs she was trying to protect, and you ran up on her when she wasn’t expecting company.”
He felt her breathing starting to return to normal, but he continued to hold her tightly against him.
“I didn’t mean to scare you. Finn told me you might be headed out here, and I hoped we’d have a chance to talk.”
He rubbed her back briskly and shuddered to think what might have happened if she’d been out here alone. He knew she was fiercely independent, but he instinctively found himself wanting to protect her. His arms tightened involuntarily with the realization.
India choked back the sobs that were trying to escape her. She was still in shock, but his embrace was so comforting, she felt her pulse finally start to slow. With her head against his chest, she was calmed by the rhythm of his own heartbeat. His hands were stroking her back, and despite her reservations, she allowed herself the comfort.
They quietly stood together in the woods that way for a long time, immersed in the sensation of each other’s touch. It was silent except for the quiet trickle of the nearby stream and the intermittent patter of rain that had begun to fall in earnest against the canopy of leaves. It was Wyatt who finally spoke first.
“My wife died, India.”
He drew a ragged breath as she pulled away from him to look into his eyes. He exhaled, relieved that he had been able to say it out loud. The entire way over to find her, he hadn’t been sure how he would do it. It wasn’t something he talked about with anyone; even those closest to him knew better than to bring it up.
India could see how difficult it had been for him to tell her, and she felt her heart break. Without thinking, she placed the palm of her hand against Wyatt’s cheek, her other hand on his chest. Her eyes told him how sorry she was before her words could do it.
“Wyatt. No.”
His eyes squeezed shut, and she dropped her hands, giving him the emotional and physical space he needed in that moment.
The rain was falling harder now, and in the distance, a rumble of thunder warned them of the gathering storm.
“We’d better head back. This forest is full of old trees, and we don’t want to get caught out here if the wind starts to pick up.”
Wyatt motioned for her to walk ahead of him, back toward the trailhead. As the rain fell harder, they picked up their pace, and by the time they emerged from the woods, they’d settled into a comfortable jogging rhythm side by side. They were drenched as they crossed the river, nearing the spot where India had parked her golf cart.
Wyatt had mixed feelings about having told her. The last thing he wanted was for her to pity him, but what he’d seen in her face was not what he had expected. There was something more there, something with a strong gravitational pull.
Before she could make the turn toward her cart, Wyatt grabbed her hand and led her up onto the porch of the small fishing shack that had now closed for the day because of the storm.
“Wyatt, you don’t have to explain anything to me. I feel like such an ass.” India stared at the ground, ashamed that she had made him get so raw. “I’ve spent the past two days barging into your life in every possible way, and now I’ve made you tell me something so deeply personal. I’m embarrassed, and I should just go back to the cottage and leave you alone.”
She put her hand on top of his, patting their still clasped hands as if to say good-bye.
Wyatt pulled her close and rested his forehead against hers, their hearts both pounding now.
“Don’t go, India.”
He stepped back slightly to lock eyes with her, and she couldn’t tell if what she saw there was pain or desire.
Or both.
CHAPTER
TWELVE
This time, there was an urgency when he kissed her, as if the frenetic energy of the storm raging around them was setting the pace.
With every clap of thunder, their kiss deepened, and before long, India found her hands wrapped around the back of his head, her fingers in his hair pulling him closer.
There were no heads involved here; this kiss was all heart. Two people realizing a chemistry that had to be explored and allowing themselves the liberty.
Wyatt had reached back and slid the ponytail out of her hair, letting it spill loose so he could weave his hands through the damp waves. He felt her breath catch as the crack of thunder sounded again, this time just overhead and loud enough to break the spell.
They reluctantly parted, and Wyatt smiled at her before turning toward the door of the shack. She watched him reach down and lift the doormat, revealing a key, which he used to open the door and go inside. He emerged a moment later holding a couple of towels and two woolen blankets. Offering a towel to India, he gestured back inside.
“We can sit out here, or if you don’t mind waiting it out inside, I can fire up the weather radar and make us some coffee. There’s a couple of chairs in here at least.”
He was rubbing his chin with his fingers, grateful there wasn’t a couch inside. He was only human, after all.
India scooped up the blankets, and they went inside together. Wyatt flipped open a laptop and fired it up to check the weather satellite, then busied himself making coffee. India dried her hair as best she could with the towel and then wove it into a loose braid to keep it off her neck. Shivering, she wrapped herself in one of the blankets and curled up in a chair. Wyatt handed her a steaming mug and then took his own chair.
The storm raged outside, an
d the little shack creaked and groaned in tandem with the winds. They sipped their coffee, listening as rain pelted the windows and lightning periodically lit up the cozy space.
India sighed and then quietly began speaking. “Your wife must have been pretty amazing if your mother-in-law is any indication. Susan is an incredible woman.”
India didn’t look at him, but she could feel his hesitation. Finally, after a few moments, he spoke. “We were very young when we got married, but we didn’t have nearly enough time together.”
His eyes were sad, but he had a rueful smile on his face.
“Claire and I met when we were thirteen. My parents owned the farm on the northern edge of Blackberry Farm, so we obviously went to school together. I remember seeing her get on the bus every morning and hoping she’d pick the seat next to me, which she never did.”
He chuckled.
“Everyone loved Claire, and she had lots of other suitors, even at that young age, who were much braver than I was.” He smiled at the memory, propping his boots out in front of him on the wooden floor.
“Do your parents still live there?” That would explain why he was always on the farm.
Wyatt stood and crossed back to the counter, adding more sugar to his coffee.
“My parents died in a car accident when I was fifteen. The Edens bought our farm after that and made it part of Blackberry. My folks hadn’t put any plans in place for me in terms of guardianship, so I was set to go into foster care, but Claire stepped in and saved me.”
He tapped his spoon against the mug and then walked back over to where she sat, leaning against the countertop in front of her.
“Claire only knew me as the boy from the bus, but she heard about my situation and begged her mother to adopt me. Susan was divorced from Claire’s father, though, and knew she couldn’t handle adding me to the mix as a single mother and the proprietress of this place.” He sat back down in his chair.
“That’s when Finn stepped up and took me on as a foster kid.”
India looked at him, surprised by the depth of his story. “Finn Janssen? He was your foster father?”
It was all making sense now. She thought she had noticed a special bond between the men when they were working in the garden together.
“Yep, and before long he made it official. He’s an incredible man, and he’s been an amazing father to me. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for him.”
The rain was falling softly now, but water still poured out of the overflowing gutters, trying to play catch-up. India sat in silence, marveling at what he had just told her. She waited for him to fill in the rest of his story.
“After that, Claire looked at me differently,” he continued. “Most people who knew my story looked at me with pity written all over their faces. They could only see me for what I’d lost, not what remained. Claire treated me like a whole person, not damaged goods. We started hanging out together more, after school for homework, or working together with Finn in the garden. We enrolled in Violet’s photo workshop together the summer after we’d both turned seventeen.” He let out a breath.
“That’s when we fell in love.”
Wyatt’s eyes were far away as he continued.
“We made plans to apply to the same colleges and spent all of our time together that fall. It was just before Christmas when she got sick. That damned tumor was relentless. Everything we did to fight it seemed to just make it stronger. Doctors gave her less than a year to live, but we prayed for a miracle every day.”
Tears shimmered in India’s eyes, and she had to stop herself from reaching for him, halted by the naked grief on his face.
“By the next summer, we knew we wouldn’t get that miracle. I loved her so much, and knew that I wanted to spend the time we had left together in a meaningful way. Susan gave us her blessing, and we married that fall. She was my wife for only three weeks, but I carry her spirit with me still today. She saved me, but I couldn’t save her.”
India was weeping softly for Claire—and for Wyatt and Susan whom she’d left behind. And for the power of the love she felt pouring forth from this beautiful man who had privately carried this story in his heart for so many years. She felt honored that he’d felt safe enough to share it with her.
They were both startled to hear the sounds of heavy boots out on the porch, and they watched as the door opened and Finn poked his head inside. Relief washed over his face when he saw the two of them, followed by a flustered expression in response to walking in on an obviously charged moment.
“Oh good, just making sure you two didn’t go out to take a walk and the hogs ate you,” he joked. “That was some storm. Saw some downed trees on the way over; I might need a hand with those in the next couple of days if you have time, Wyatt.”
Finn shot a bashful smile at India and tipped his hat to her.
“Finn Janssen, ma’am. I think we’re neighbors this week, if you’re staying over in Woodshed.”
India rose and offered her hand, smiling warmly at this man who had given so much to Wyatt.
“I’m India, and, yes . . . I am staying in Woodshed. I’d love to come over and take a look at your seeds if you have some time to spare. I’m so grateful for the work you do to preserve heirloom plants.”
“That’s mighty kind of you, India. Pleased to make your acquaintance. Stop by anytime, and we’ll have a chat and a stroll through the garden,” Finn said.
He nodded over to where Wyatt was standing.
“Be best if Wyatt here drives you back. There are several blocked paths that we’ll need to clear, but looks like the next few days are gonna be beauties, so that’s good.”
Finn walked over and slapped Wyatt on the back, telling him the way that was clear to go back, and waved at them both as he lumbered out the door and off the porch.
India stood and folded the blanket, handing it back to Wyatt. She rounded up their mugs and took a moment to wash them in the sink, leaving them upside down to dry. Wyatt turned the computer off, and they locked up, placing the key back where they’d found it.
They were quiet most of the way back to her place. They’d just passed the dairy building when Wyatt got up the nerve to say, “I want to take you on a date.”
He looked straight ahead as he said it, but a smile crept across his face when he felt her eyes on him.
“That probably sounds lame, but I’m not sure how else to let you know that I like you, and I figure I’d better stop kissing you so much before I at least treat you to dinner.”
India laughed out loud before she could help herself.
“I’d love to have dinner with you,” she said. “But only if you promise there’ll be more kissing after.”
She couldn’t believe her own courage, proud of herself for being so bold.
He burst out with a laugh of his own.
“I guess that could be arranged,” he said.
He pulled the cart up to the foot of the path and turned to face her again. “How about I pick you up tomorrow night after class, around six thirty? I know it’s a little early, but I want to show you something.” He gave her that dimpled grin.
She nodded with a smile. “Now you’ve piqued my curiosity. I’ll be ready. And, Wyatt, thanks again for today. For everything.”
India leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek, hopped out of the cart, and headed into her cottage.
CHAPTER
THIRTEEN
India’s phone was ringing when she got out of the shower the next morning. She’d taken extra time, shaving her legs and deep-conditioning her hair, thinking about their upcoming date. Hurriedly wrapping herself in a towel, she grabbed her phone off the counter and answered it just in time. It was Julia, full of questions.
“Oh good, I thought I was gonna miss you again. How was your day? Did you end up going to that workshop? I figured you must have, since I kept getting your voice mail.”
India smiled and put her friend on speakerphone so she could start brushing through her ha
ir while they talked.
“Sorry, Jules. Yeah, I went, and I left my phone back here plugged in. I went out for a hike afterward and forgot to grab it.”
She skipped the part about the bear encounter, instead asking Jules about Pearl. She was relieved to hear that the little girl seemed to be getting over the flu, but it sounded like they were in it for the long haul with the chicken pox. India laughed when Jules described how glamorous her last forty-eight hours had been, on duty and covered in vomit while Mike slept peacefully in the guest room so he “didn’t disturb her.”
“I swear, my thirty-five-year-old is the problem child. The other two are easy,” Julia joked, and India laughed because she knew Jules was including the family dog in the easy group.
India smoothed some lotion onto her legs and changed the subject.
“So, I have a date tonight, Jules.” She smiled as her friend fired off a string of when, where, why, and how questions.
“It’s actually the guy from the airport. He lives here, and he’s helping teach part of the photography class, so we’ve gotten to know each other a little better over the past couple of days.”
She realized she’d been trailing her fingertips along her collarbone while she spoke of Wyatt, and she felt a bloom of desire at the thought of his hands in her hair yesterday, removing her ponytail. She’d wear it down tonight. Save a step.
She sat down at the small illuminated vanity, taking her time with some light makeup. She shouldn’t have bothered packing her blush on this trip, although the fact that the NARS color she’d brought with her was called Orgasm didn’t escape her.
“So tell me about him,” Julia asked, and then listened as India filled her in on what Wyatt had shared yesterday. Her friend was quiet as India retold Wyatt’s story and then described Violet and Rex, and Finn and Susan. Julia was thoughtful with her response, only speaking when India finished.
“I haven’t heard you like this before, Indy,” said Julia, using her friend’s childhood nickname. “At least not for a long time. You sound so different than you did even a few days ago. Are you sure you know what you’re doing? Getting involved with a widower is pretty deep, although he does sound amazing. I just don’t want you to get hurt again.”
