Page 26 of A Family With the Cowboy

“Thank you,” Willow said softly.

“Hayden okay?” Laura asked.

“I think so. He’s excused himself. He was bleeding.”

“Bleeding?” Laura felt ill.

“Just—” Willow began, but Laura was already moving away.

She had to make sure he was okay.

As she walked through the doors, Hayden came out of the bathroom, touching his face. She stopped, her heart settling back in place. He didn’t seem badly injured.

He looked up, dropped his hand, and walked over to her. “Where’s Luke?”

“With your mom. You okay?”

He nodded, his gaze roaming her face. “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you. You…” But tears clogged up her throat and she couldn’t speak. “Excuse me,” she muttered and hastened toward the ladies’ room. What was wrong with her? Hayden was fine, she was fine. Everyone was fine.

Except... Fortunately, the bathroom was empty for the moment. She looked in the mirror while rinsing her hands. Nothing was fine. Nothing would ever be fine again. Because…Hayden. She’d kissed him, he’d touched her, and all she could think about was being with him.

Groaning, she dropped her head. She’d moved to another town to start afresh with the distinct goal not to get entangled with a man. Every single experience she’d had with the opposite sex had left a bad taste in her mouth, but what had happened? The very first cowboy she’d laid eyes on had her just about hyperventilating and ready to jump into his arms.

Seriously, she had to stay away from Hayden Weston.

Chapter Ten

Hayden strode backinto the big hall. He shouldn’t have come tonight. Hadn’t he told himself to stay away from Laura? To forget about her? But here he was when he knew she’d be with his brother.

His mom was the only one sitting at their table. Luke and a friend were playing close by. He’d wait for Willow or Coop to return to sit with their mom before he and Luke went home.

“You okay?” his mom asked.

Pulling out a chair, he nodded. “Luke and I will be leaving shortly. Where’s Willow?”

“Dancing with Hunter Grant.” She chuckled. “I’m not sure how he got her on the dance floor. She was adamant about not dancing, but there they are…” She motioned toward the floor.

Hayden saw his sister dancing with Hunter. The cowboy had been working on the Circle C, one of the big ranches outside Marietta. He was a hard worker, didn’t talk too much, and knew his way around a ranch.

“Rumor has it Hunter has a ranch waiting for him in Colorado,” his mother continued. “I like him. He can handle our Willow.”

“Mother, please don’t try and play matchmaker, will you? None of us are interested in a relationship. We’re all still…” He swallowed the rest of his sentence. He never spoke about Walker’s death if he could help it. Why would it slip out while he was at a dance?

His mother put a hand on his arm. “Grieving? I know, son. So am I. You’ve lost a brother and a wife. But life goes on and so should all of you. You can all keep blaming yourselves for an accident that happened five years ago or you can decide to live life.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“Nothing worthwhile ever is, my dear,” she said. “You like Laura. Everyone can see that. Why do you think Coop invited her here tonight? He was hoping to make you jealous. So do something about it.”

“I’m still mourning my wife, damn it, Mom.”

“It’s been two years. She’d want to see you happy. We all would.”

“I’ve been married and we were happy. I have Luke to look after. There isn’t time for anything else.”

“Oh, nonsense, Hayden. You’re thirty-eight. You still have your whole life ahead of you. You want to spend all that time alone?”

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