Page 74 of Wild and Unruly
But when I get there, Amelia is just hanging up the phone at reception and gives me a sad look. “I feel so awful for her. Is she okay?”
I frown, shrugging my shoulders. “I don’t know. I’m about to find out.” I jerk my thumb in the direction of her room and start walking.
“Uh, Stetson!” Amelia calls, and I turn back to her. She’s got a confused look on her face. “She’s not here.”
“What?”
“That was her on the phone, asking me to send her stuff to her office,” she says, shrugging. “Said she had to go.”
“She’s…gone. Like gone back to the city?” I ask in a dead voice, wondering what the hell is happening to my life. Wasn’t it just a few hours ago that we won our show? That we were kissing on horseback and making plans? How did it all go to hell so quickly?
“Yeah.” She shrugs, her eyes sad. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s…fine.” I shake my head, my eyes burning with anger and confusion and…fuck. I take a deep breath, pasting on a fake smile. “I’m fine. Thanks, Amelia.”
She nods, and I can tell she feels sorry for me, can tell she wants to say more, but bless her soul, she doesn’t.
I head out of The Lodge into the fresh air and breathe deeply.
I have her number, but I’m scared to call only for her to hang up. I don’t know where she lives in the city. I don’t have a way of showing up at her door and begging her to talk to me.
Honestly, I don’t have a clue what I should do.
I climb into my truck. Memories of us riding in it together over the last few weeks, of her hand on my thigh, of our fingers interlaced, of her leaning over and giving me a kiss at red lights assault me.
And maybe for the first time in my adult life, I lean my head back, and I let a few tears fall down my face.
28
bonnie
The weatherin Kentucky over the last week was hot and humid, sticky and wet, and frankly, when I step out of the terminal in Denver again, I have to take a few moments to adjust to the hot, dry air. It felt weird being back and having to adjust my lungs, but I’ve done it more times than I can count.
The week went by slowly, and I was still stewing, still thinking over every little thing that I had fucked up.
Including losing the man I love.
I power up my work cell, glancing at the time, and realize I have enough to get into the office and talk to my boss.
Before I left for the trip, I was angry, I was sad, and I was confused and frustrated with everything that happened, and I let my boss know it.
Storming through the halls ofHorse Universe, eyes track my every step as I march straight to Virginia’s door. She was on the phone, which was a clear sign to not disturb her and yet, I barged in without a care.
“Why did you publish it?” The tremor in my voice gave away my anger, as did the clenching of my fists, I was sure.
“Let me call you back, Davis.” She smiles into the receiver, probably trying to convey a happier moment, but her eyes tracked me as she hung up the phone. “Can I help you, Ms. Helix?”
“Why did you publish the article about Smith?” I ask, leaning over her desk and refusing to budge. I felt completely vulnerable at that moment, but I wasn’t about to back down.
“First of all, I am your boss. I expect to be treated with respect.”
“Yeah, well, so do I. Respect goes both ways, and you blew it by publishing that without speaking to me first.”
She eyes me with that shrewd gaze, but I hold my ground. “I don’t need your permission, Bonnie. This is my magazine, and the board agreed to publish it. Tommy Smith was a hazard to his community. I checked your resources, got reassurances that everything was accurate. There’s no need to be upset.”
“But I had no time to—” I cut myself off, working through how to explain how I didn’t get to warn the Trevorses or Stetson.
“Listen, this is how this goes sometimes. You had to have known that as soon as I had confirmed this story was legitimate that I would publish it.”
