Page 149 of Tempting Wyatt

After everything I experienced during my childhood and with Malcolm, I don’t know how there could possibly be any hope left in me. But there it is, small and flickering, like a wounded butterfly trying endlessly to flap broken wings.

Half an hour later, Isaac has driven me up to the house, my car is packed, and I’ve given Laurel and Isaac goodbye hugs.

Laurel gives me several pies and twice as many jars of jam. I nearly cry, like she gave me a kidney. I remind her to send my editor friend her cookbook as soon as it’s ready.

I said my goodbyes to Willow and Sutton at dinner last night. There’s no reason to stand around any longer. I don’t have any reason not to leave now.

Isaac watches me warily, as if I might fall apart at any second. I want to tell him he can get back to work. I’ll save the emotional breakdown for the long drive ahead of me.

“My brother is as stubborn as those ornery, old bulls out there,” he declares with a stern look on his handsome face.

I force a smile, ignoring the hollow ache in my chest. “It’s okay. I’m not a big fan of goodbyes myself.”

He frowns. “I’m sorry, Ivy.” He shoves his hands into his pockets. “If you want to include in your review that future beautiful women who rent the cabin should definitely hook up with me instead, that would be okay.”

At that, I allow myself a small laugh. “Maybe your mom should add ‘Complimentary Cute Cowboy’ to her listing.”

His eyes twinkle as he grins. “Right? I keep telling her this.”

“You’re the charming one, Isaac Logan. That’s for sure.”

His eyes gleam at the compliment, but then his expression darkens. “I think the show will be amazing, Ivy. Thank you for what you’re doing for the ranch.”

“I love it here. It’s the most inspired I’ve ever been. I just want to give back to the place and the family who helped me getmeback.”

“Well, we’re grateful. All of us. Even the stubborn ass who can’t tell you himself.”

I shrug as if it’s of no consequence even though it feels like Wyatt Logan’s fist is wrapped around my heart andsqueezing. Even though he’s nowhere to be found now, I can still see him, the version of him I met that first day.

My axe-wielding rancher, my secretly tenderhearted mountain of a man. I think of the few sweet smiles and sexy grins of his I got to witness. The intensity of his kisses left me breathless, and the memories of them do, too.

As much as it hurts now, I wouldn’t trade a moment of the past two weeks for anything.

“I’ll be in touch as production progresses,” I tell Isaac. “And we’ll get the numbers nailed down on what the network is going to pay you for the cowboy training.”

“Sounds good, city girl.” He smiles gently and opens my car door for me.

We’ve both been stalling, but there’s nothing left to say.

Take the hint, Ivy.

Pulling in a few more deep breaths of Montana air, I glance around at the ranch. The beautiful, modern farmhouse, the fall colors teasing the trees, the mountains that I now know three rivers run wildly between.

It hurts to swallow, like there are razor blades slashing up my insides each time I do

I contemplate going to give Lucifer one last goodbye treat. Tracking down Jasper and giving him the carrot sticks I packed for the drive. He prefers those to the smaller baby carrots. I could check my cabin one last time to make sure I didn’t forget anything. Except it’s not my cabin anymore. My time is up.

I’m being ridiculous. I know this. I hate that Isaac is witnessing my pathetic attempts at waiting for Wyatt.

Waiting for Wyatt has a nice ring to it. Maybe that’s what I should’ve named the show.

As much as I try to tell myself it’s the ranch I’m going to miss most, I am waiting for him. For his muscular armsaround me, his strong hands holding me, for his mouth on mine before he presses my head to his chest and tells me it’s going to be okay. Hoping against hope that he’ll come, that he’ll ask me to stay.

Deep down, I don’t want to leave. I planned to ask him if I should extend my stay another week or two. Test the waters and see if he felt the same connection between us that I did. But then he stood me up and blew me off. I was a fool to think our time together meant to him what it meant to me. Feeling like an idiot for wanting some big, dramatic goodbye makes me glad I didn’t humiliate myself any further by extending my stay.

If this were a movie, he’d come riding over the horizon, calling out my name. Begging me to stay, telling me he couldn’t make it another day without me.

If life has taught me anything, it’s that men are always better in the movies.