Page 34 of Awaiting the Storm (Wildhaven #1)

I stand here in the parking lot, watching her taillights as she turns onto the road headed out of town.

She doesn’t look back. Doesn’t slow down. Doesn’t even hesitate. Just jerks a hard left and hits the gas.

And my heart sinks.

Shit.

What just happened?

I yank my phone from my pocket, thumbing her name faster than I can think. It rings once. Then again.

Straight to voicemail.

I let out a curse and grip the phone tight, resisting the urge to throw it across the parking lot.

She saw us.

She saw everything.

But how much did she hear?

Fuck. It doesn’t even matter. The handshakes and congratulatory slaps on the back. Giles sitting there with us … the picture would have been clear enough, even without words.

My jaw clenches.

I never meant for her to find out like that.

I planned to tell her myself. Tomorrow. Or hell, even tonight.

I was considering driving out to her ranch when I left here to talk to her.

But this? Seeing her trainer shaking hands with us?

Watching me toast the deal she wasn’t even aware was being negotiated?

It must’ve looked like a betrayal.

It wasn’t supposed to be one.

I pace back and forth, running a hand through my hair, struggling to decide what to do. Should I chase after her or give her some space? After a few moments, I decide that going after her is the right choice. I turn to head back to the valet stand just as the restaurant doors swing open.

And out comes Carl.

Just the sight of him makes my blood run hot.

He’s got that smug, self-satisfied look on his face—and the expression tells me everything I need to know before he opens his damn mouth.

“I knew she couldn’t trust you,” he says with a low snarl, striding toward me like he’s proud of whatever part he played in this.

My fists clench at my sides.

“I should’ve known you were behind this,” I mutter. “Did Giles tell you? Did you lure Matty here?”

Carl shrugs. “She needed to see the truth.”

I take a step closer, my voice low and tight. “You son of a bitch. You think this is going to win your way back into her life? Manipulating her.”

He chuckles, but there’s no humor in it.

“Call it what you want, but I’m not the one who was smiling like a jackass and toasting with expensive bourbon while stealing Giles right out from under her.

You’re not the good guy here, Caison. You think I’m manipulating her?

You played with her heart just to take her land, her trainer, and put her out of business. ”

My nostrils flare. It takes everything in me not to drive my fist straight into his jaw. I ball my hands tighter, nails digging into my palms.

Then the doors open again, and Holland steps out, followed by Giles. A couple of other diners filter out behind them, talking and laughing. The last thing I need is a scene.

Holland’s eyes bounce between the two of us.

“Everything all right out here, Caison?” he asks.

“Everything’s fine,” I say as I shake my head and start to walk away.

But Carl can’t leave it alone.

“You didn’t deserve her,” he calls after me.

I stop and turn around slowly, getting right in his face. Through gritted teeth, I say, every word sharp and clear, “No. You didn’t deserve her.”

His smirk falters, just a fraction.

I don’t wait for a response. Instead, I turn on my heel and catch Giles’s eyes as I do. He frowns, likely trying to understand what just happened with Carl standing there .

I march toward the valet stand and signal for my truck. The attendant jogs off to retrieve it, and I shove my hands into my pockets, still seething.

When my truck pulls up, I climb in and head straight for Wildhaven Storm.

Because no matter how pissed she is, no matter what she saw, she deserves to hear the truth from me.

The drive feels longer than it actually is.

My thoughts are a jumbled mess of everything I should have done differently.

I should have told her about the dinner as soon as Holland called.

I should have made it clear what the Ironhorse’s intentions were for the land we wanted.

In fact, I should have insisted we talk before anything was ever signed.

But part of me knew if I did, she’d never agree to the sale. And we didn’t have to disclose our intentions. I wouldn’t have in any other property deal.

It was just business, not personal.

I slam my fist against the steering wheel and damn near run myself off the road.

I’ve never been in this position. Because the minute Matty Storm kissed me as I carried her to her bedroom, it became personal.

And now?

Now she thinks I’m as bad as Carl. Maybe even worse.

I pull up to the ranch, the big house dark, except for the glow of the television flickering in the front window. There’s a truck in the drive, but it’s not hers. I scan the property, but there’s no sign of her.

I kill the engine, hop down, and walk up to the porch. I knock twice.

A beat later, Charli appears in the doorway. She looks surprised. “Caison?”

“Hey, Charli. Do you know where Matty is?”

A look of confusion passes her eyes as she opens the screen door and steps out. “I thought she was with you.”

I shake my head. “No. I saw her in town, but she drove off before I could catch her.”

Her eyes narrow, and she crosses her arms over her chest. “What did you do?”

I straighten my spine .

“Answer me. Did she catch you out with another woman or something?”

“Fuck no,” I say, and it comes out louder than I intended.

“What happened then? Because she sat at supper, checking her phone every five minutes, waiting for your text. When her phone finally rang and she got dressed and hurried out the door, I assumed it was for a little late-night romantic rendezvous with you.”

I sigh. “It wasn’t me who called. Must have been Carl. He saw me out at dinner with Holland and Giles.”

Her brow furrows. “Giles? Why were you eating with him?”

My eyes meet hers, and our gazes lock while she tries to make sense of it all. At the same time, the door opens, and Albert Storm appears.

“Charli? Caison? What’s going on out here?”

She turns to him. “He came looking for Matty. Apparently, Carl saw him in town with Holland and Giles and called her.”

His eyes flick to mine, and I see the moment understanding hits him.

“You should go home, son.”

“I want to—”

He doesn’t let me finish. “I’ll let her know you stopped by.”

Charli’s head swings back around to me. “What am I missing?”

I ignore the question and instead ask, “Charli, can you text me to let me know when she makes it home? Please.”

“Yeah. Okay,” she agrees.

I give her an appreciative smile before turning and getting back in my truck. I turn the ignition with a mix of dread and determination.

She’s not at home.

She’s not answering her phone.

Which means she’s somewhere, trying to make sense of what she saw.

I pull my phone from my pocket and try to call her one last time. Because if I don’t explain right now, I might not get a chance to. Trust is fragile, and I shattered hers.

The call goes straight to voicemail. I close my eyes.

“I’m so sorry, Matty.” I end the call and throw my phone across the cab.