Page 19 of The Rancher's Wedding Betrayal
But for some reason, he just couldn’t make himself say them.
Chapter Six
HUNTER WATCHED FROMhis office window as Eve’s truck disappeared down the long driveway. Third time this week she’d gone off with Braxton, claiming they had “errands to run.” What kind of errands required his stable manager and his fiancée to spend hours away from the ranch together?
Stop it, Ferguson.You promised to trust her, remember?
The memory of her tears and her broken plea—
Please don’t hurt me like that again.
It should have been enough to quell the suspicion gnawing at his gut. Yet here he was, watching the clock and counting the minutes until her return.
He tried to focus on the quarterly reports spread across his desk, but his mind kept drifting. What were they doing right now? Why all the secrecy? And why the hell did the younger man always look so damn pleased with himself lately?
Evelline wouldn't betray you, Ferguson...
He wanted to believe this. But all he could think of was how his own mother had left her own son without regret. And if the very woman who gave birth to him could do that, did he have any reason to think Evelline couldn't do the same?
The sound of tires on gravel jerked him from his thoughts, and Hunter resisted the urge to go downstairs, to demand explanations. Instead, he moved to the window, watching as Evelline jumped from the truck, laughing at something Matt said.
His table manager reached into the truck bed, pulling out a small package wrapped in a tarp. He handed it to Evelline, who quickly tucked it into her jacket before looking around as if not wanting anyone to see what they were to.
Hunter’s jaw clenched. Whatever was happening, he didn’t like it. Not one bit.
THE NEXT DAY, EVE WASnowhere to be found at breakfast. Cathy informed him she’d left early, something about helping Matt with a new mare.
“She said not to wait on her for lunch, either,” Cathy added, refilling his coffee cup. “Said she’d be busy most of the day.”
Hunter grunted in acknowledgement, ignoring the twist of unease in his stomach. He had a ranch to run, after all. He couldn’t spend his days tracking his fiancée's movements like some lovesick teenager.
Or so he told himself. But by mid-afternoon, Hunter was already heading towards the stables, and the sound of Evelline's laughter had him feeling murderous.
He rounded the corner to find her standing with Matt near one of the empty stalls, both of them hunched over something in Matt’s palm.
“It’s perfect,” Evelline was saying, her voice warm with approval. “She’s going to love it.”
“You think so?” Matt asked, sounding uncharacteristically uncertain.
“I know so. Mary Ann always did have good taste.”
Hunter froze. Mary Ann? Evelline's childhood friend? The one Matt had a crush on years ago?
Fuck.
Had he been jealous and suspicious for nothing?
Self-contempt lashed his conscience when he remembered all the distrustful thoughts he had against Evelline. He turned to leave, not wanting to intrude, but this was also the moment Eve happened to look up and spotted him.
"Hunter!"
The way Evelline's face actually lit up at the sight of him nearly had Hunter wincing.
He didn't deserve her, dammit.
But there was also no way he could ever fucking let her go.
Matt was quick to excuse himself, but when Hunter caught Evelline and his stable manager exchanging knowing grins, his jealousy returned in full force, and just like that, he found himself disregarding what he had overheard about the younger man's feelings for Mary Ann.
