Page 17 of Crystal Iris #1

Fourteen

“Great art picks up where nature ends.” – Marc Chagall

I ’m not sure what I was expecting Montana to look like, but I didn’t expect it to be this beautiful.

Our late-night flight arrived just in time for us to witness a stunning sunrise during the drive to Hoyt’s place.

Mountains higher than the clouds surround the highway, making me feel both small and safe.

I’m gawking at the nature outside my window when Hoyt says, “There’s a road a few hours away called Going-to-the-Sun Road, which has the best view of the mountains around here. ”

“I can’t imagine it getting better than this,” I say, taking it all in.

“It is,” he replies with a smile.

“It’s all so... natural. Like civilization hasn’t arrived here yet,” I note, seeing no man-made structures besides the road in front of us.

“And hopefully, it’ll stay that way. That’s my only goal with my lands—to keep them safe from men and their destruction.”

I glance at him.

“This sounds more like a mission than a business plan,” Akira says from the backseat.

“Thanks,” Hoyt replies .

He turns on the radio to a country station, and I let myself relax. I can see why people feel more at ease in places like this. The city feels like a different world from here.

“Do you guys want to stop and pick anything up?” Hoyt asks.

Akira and I exchange a look and say the same thing at the same time: “Coffee.”

Country Brew is a local coffee shop in the resort town of Whitefish, and the barista behind the counter seems to know Hoyt.

“Good morning, Locklear,” the young man says as we walk in.

“How’s it going, Tristan?” Hoyt replies.

“Doing well, thanks for the help with the fence. My family’s in your debt.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m glad Broc could fix it.”

The man insists our coffees are on the house. A vanilla latte for me, an iced coffee for Akira, and a black coffee for Hoyt.

I want to take a look around, but Hoyt promises to bring us back another day.

“That’s my kind of road trip,” Akira says as we get back in the car.

“You mean, one where you don’t have to drive?” I ask her.

“That, and coffee. I’ll go anywhere.”

Hoyt and I laugh.

Forty-five minutes later, we pass a tall sign that reads Locklear Horse Ranch in metal letters upheld by wooden posts.

“This is where your land starts?” I ask, stating the obvious.

“For now. The government’s constantly trying to steal inch by inch from us. From me.”

“You have to... manage all of this?” I ask, realizing how much greenery stretches out in front of me .

“A lot is left untouched—my father liked it that way, and I agree. The less we interfere, the better.”

“Do you have cows?” Akira asks.

“No, we only breed and train horses here. My dad owned a few cattle ranches, but I sold them all after he died—too much of a headache. I kept only the land I know the government wants.”

“Why not sell them all?” I ask.

“Because I feel like it’s my responsibility… to preserve them. We’ve got enough cities already.”

“Hoyt Locklear, a hero in disguise,” Akira says, making us all laugh once more.

“Holy shit!” she exclaims before I can.

Those are the only words in my head as we step out of Hoyt’s massive truck.

“It should be illegal for someone to live in a place like this. It should be… shared,” she continues, stepping into the immense house.

“And I’m sure this is the part where you say it should be shared with… you?” I tease her.

“Us,” she responds with a grin.

“I’m happy to share,” Hoyt says behind us, dropping off our bags.

The glass windows, framed by wooden beams, line the entire house.

It’s rustic yet modernized, with an enormous TV and electric shades.

I’m not sure how to take it all in, as the mountains and river outside capture most of my attention.

Thick rugs line the floors near the giant couch by the fireplace—the same one I’d seen with my prism.

I realize now that I was too nervous back then to fully appreciate the beauty in here.

I would call his home perfect if it weren’t for the enormous animal head staring down at me from the wall. Stuffed, repulsive, and very dead .

“Is that a…?” I begin, realizing I don’t know the animal.

“It’s a bighorn sheep,” he answers.

“I thought sheep were fluffy and cute.”

He laughs. “Not all of them.”

I continue eyeing the place.

“The bathroom?” Akira asks.

“End of the hallway, to the right,” he answers. “I’ll take your bags upstairs,” Hoyt says, leaving me alone in the living room.

I walk toward a table lined with photographs.

I recognize Hoyt in the pictures, along with who I guess is his dad and maybe his brother.

I see the boys with bows and arrows by a large tree.

Right next to them, I spot a picture of a couple of horses and a young woman wearing fringes.

I wonder if it could be their mom—Hoyt never mentioned her.

I don’t want to ask; I figure there’s a reason for the privacy.

I don’t know anything about this man, and yet here I am, in his house, all the way in Montana.

“I put each bag in a room, both on this side,” he says, gesturing upstairs. “My room is on the other side.” He makes it clear.

I obviously wasn’t expecting to share a room with him, though I thought I would be with Akira.

“Thank you. I didn’t know we’d each get our own room.”

“Scared of sleeping alone?” he asks with a grin.

“Should I have reasons to be?” I fake being nervous about being in a stranger’s house.

“Shit. Sorry, I didn’t mean to?—”

“I’m kidding.”

He runs his hand through his hair, seeing that I’m laughing at him.

He walks over to where I’m standing and points at one photo. “That’s me, naked.”

I giggle as I see a little baby in what I assume are his dad’s arms.

“You need to check out the bathroom!” Akira says behind me.

“We have our own rooms,” I tell her on my way to do as instructed .

The bathroom definitely doesn’t disappoint. Between the ornamental marble sink and modern toilet, I’m pleased with our accommodation. This place is exquisite.

Akira excuses herself to take a nap, saying she’s tired from the travel, although I know she’s just giving us privacy.

I follow Hoyt to the large back porch that overlooks the river. The sun beats down strongly, and I close my eyes to feel it on my skin. The sweet scent overtakes my other senses.

“It smells like… cookies,” I say, taking another whiff.

He looks at me, pleased. “It’s the bark of the ponderosa pine. On warm days, it can smell like vanilla or butterscotch.”

“Which one is it?”

“The one over there,” he points. “With the deep grooves in the trunk, looking like a difficult yet fun puzzle.”

I take a seat on the steps by the water. He sits next to me, making sure we have enough space between us.

“I don’t know what I’m doing here,” I say, looking out at the sun reflected in the water.

“ I’m glad you came.”

“I’m still engaged.”

“I figured.”

“I’m planning on… postponing my wedding… when I get back.”

“Do you mean breaking off the engagement or just… delaying?”

“Breaking off, I guess.”

“How long have you two been together?”

“My whole life, pretty much.”

“Hmm… that’s a lot of history.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you love him?” His raw question goes right through me.

“No. Not in that way.”

“So why… ”

“I… he was there for me when nobody else was. It happened… naturally.”

I pull my prism out; it feels good to be able to do it in front of someone, him. I dip my hand in the water, put on the prism, and it lights up immediately.

“The day I figured out it needed water, I was caught in the rain. My dad had just told me Luke was having another episode, and he was blaming me for it. I stormed out of the house. I didn’t even notice I was soaked until I reached the barn. I rode my horse, Boone, all day.”

Hoyt leans down to the river and does the same with his prism.

“Not Blackwater?”

The indigo light from his necklace reminds me of the night sky. It’s incredible to see the brightness from a different perspective.

“I got Blackwater after my dad passed. I realized I had no idea what to do with all the money. So I bought three horses on the same day. More money than I’d ever spent at once.”

We’re both looking at each other’s light when we feel the prisms…

they’re attracting each other, like two magnets.

We let go of our hands and allow the prisms to get closer.

And closer. Until they’re touching, the lights almost merging, and we’re standing only inches away from each other.

I look into his eyes, and I almost forget I can’t touch him.

“It feels different,” he says.

“What does?”

“My body.”

“What do you mean?”

“When I’m around you, I feel… warm. Like I’m near a fireplace. But it stopped when the prisms… touched. I wonder if I can…” He’s about to touch my hand when I jump back, almost falling into the water myself.

“Don’t. Please. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“I’m okay, Iris. ”

“It’s not worth the risk.”

“I’d have to disagree.”

“I should go… change.”

I walk upstairs, still trying to wrangle my feelings.

I close the door behind me. The knowledge that he can’t touch me made it easier for me to come to Montana.

I need to know there’s a physical force between us, making sure I don’t cross the line.

Even if I’ve already blurred it. If there’s a way to touch or be touched by him, I don’t want to know.

I’m not sure I’d be able to control myself.

Akira knocks on my door half an hour later.

“What are you doing up here?” She finds me looking out the window.

“Resting, like you.”

“Iris, I left so you guys could have a minute alone.”

“I know, we did… It’s just… I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“It’s Aaron, isn’t it?”

“I can’t do this to him.”

She grabs my hand. “You haven’t done anything you can’t walk away from.”

“Yes, I have. I have… fallen for…”

She nods in understanding.

“Do you guys want to go out for lunch or…?” Hoyt asks casually, glancing away from the golf tournament on TV.

“I was hoping we could see the horses,” I respond.

“I could eat first,” Akira says, taking a seat next to Hoyt. I feel instantly jealous, not because she’s sitting there, but because she can, if she wants, touch him. I felt it too when she gave him a hug hello at the airport.

“We could order something,” I say, taking the chair on the right side .

“Nothing will arrive in less than an hour. We’re kind of in the middle of nowhere,” Hoyt replies.

“Right, I forgot.” I pull out my phone. How far from town exactly are we?

“I can make you sandwiches,” he says, standing up.

“You can?” I joke.

“Damn good ones,” he says, heading to the kitchen.

“I can help,” I offer.

One look at the kitchen, and I want to move in.

The appliances look brand new against the hardwood floor.

It’s the same throughout the house—wooden planks that seem a hundred years old.

I’m not sure why, but seeing the kitchen finally makes me realize Hoyt is beyond rich.

Sure, I knew about the land, but now I’m seeing his. .. lifestyle.

“Who else lives here?” I blurt out.

“Just me.”

“Just you?” Akira says, grabbing a tomato.

“It was just me, my brother, Dad, and… but now it’s just me.”

“You’re telling me you take care of this place by yourself?” I ask, astonished.

“I have employees, but they have their own homes.”

I watch as he pulls out ingredients I never would’ve thought to put on a sandwich.

“What is this?” I ask, turning the strange vegetable around.

“Fennel. When you said you’d help, did you mean…?”

“Spreading something onto bread?” I finish, reaching for the ingredients on the counter.

“Why don’t you two take a seat?” He gestures toward the table by the window.

“Fine by me,” Akira says, making herself comfortable. “Cowboy by day, businessman by night, and still has time to… cook?” Her directness makes me uncomfortable, but Hoyt laughs.

“We all need hobbies,” he says. “Not all of us can be geniuses.” He points his knife at both of us .

“How much is the rent?” Akira asks, taking a bite of her sandwich.

I agree—it’s that good.

“What’s in this?” I ask, trying to figure out the flavors.

“A bunch of stuff... and bacon,” he answers.

“I could eat this every day,” I say, wiping my mouth.

“Of course you can. You can’t cook anything.” Akira winks at me.

“True,” I tell Hoyt. “I’m a horrible cook.”

“I know,” he says with a smile.

We both look at him.

“You didn’t even know what fennel is,” he says, explaining.

“Nobody does,” Akira replies.

“I just… didn’t think you could put it in sandwiches,” I admit.

“Anything tastes good with bacon,” he says, taking another bite.