Page 54 of Blazing Hot Nights
“I heard you on the phone, Blaze! You had plans to buy it as soon as it went into default. You just couldn’t wait to take my property. And to think I believed you when you said you loved me!”
“I do love you,” he said, the words coming from between his clenched teeth. “You have to know by now that I don’t own this property. My father controls everything from the money to the bankers. What he didn’t expect was to have to go up against the most stubborn woman in all of Wisconsin. I know you don’t believe me, so I’m going to ask one more thing of you. If you want to walk away after that, I’ll let you go.”
I tipped my head up to the starry sky. “I don’t want to hear more excuses, Blaze. You already broke my heart. I feel like a fool and look like an even bigger one to my friends. Just let me go.”
He lifted my walkie off Rapunzel and depressed the button. “Dawn?”
“Yeah, Blaze. Did you find her?” Dawn’s voice was frantic, and I could picture her pacing around the barn while she waited for him to radio back to her.
“I did. Heaven’s fine, just like you said she would be. If she agrees to it, I’m going to take her to my ranch to show her something.”
“God, I don’t want to hear about your hammer,” Dawn groaned through the walkie.
I cocked my head at him in confusion, and he waved his hand in the air as though it didn’t matter. I noticed he was fighting a smile though.
“Not at all what I’m implying. I just wanted to show Heaven some paperwork, and then I’ll bring her back to Heavenly Lane.”
“Heaven, are you there?” Dawn asked when he released the button.
He depressed the button again and nodded at me. “I’m here,” I said, clearing my throat. “I’ll go back to Bison Ridge with him and then be home. I’m sorry for worrying you. I forgot the walkie.”
“I understand. See you soon, but Heaven, I think you should hear Blaze out. It sounds like you might have heard something out of context tonight. If that’s the case, he can make it better.”
Blaze knowingly pressed the button again without me asking. “I know what I heard,” I said, and he hung his head for a moment.
“You think you know what you heard, but you only heard one side of the conversation. Give Blaze a chance, okay? You love each other, and that has to count for something. Business is one thing, but it’s not worth throwing away a forever love. Right?”
I sighed, a tear tracking down my cheek. “I’ll listen to him. That’s all I can promise.”
“That’s enough. I love you. See you soon.” Dawn signed off, and he tucked the walkie away.
“I do love you, Heaven,” he whispered into the night. “I know it feels like I betrayed you right now, but I promise that I can prove I didn’t. Are you okay to ride?”
I wiped my face with my shoulder and nodded. Blaze motioned me to go first, and we rode in silence toward Bison Ridge. Since we were closer to his ranch on this side of the pasture, it didn’t take long to reach his front door. Blaze jumped down off Rapunzel, and Beau materialized from the darkened porch and took the reins.
“Nice to see you, Miss Heaven,” he said, holding the reins of Grover too.
“Hi, Beau,” I whispered, my voice nasally from all the crying I had done for the last two hours.
Blaze grasped my waist and lifted me off Grover, setting me on the ground next to the horse. I whispered into Grover’s ear and patted his nose to thank him for keeping me safe on the ridge.
“I’ll put Rapunzel to bed,” Beau said. “Will you be needing Grover again, or should I ride him home for you, Miss Heaven?”
Before I could answer, Blaze did. “Ride him back to Heavenly Lane and get him unsaddled for us? I’ll bring her home in the UTV in a few minutes. Thanks, Beau.”
“You got it, boss,” he said, leading the two horses toward the barn.
“You’re always making decisions without consulting me, Blaze McAwley,” I complained, climbing the stairs to the old farmhouse.
To his credit, his frown was reticent. “I’m sorry, but I wanted some alone time with you. If Beau is taking Grover home, we’ll have a few minutes. Come inside?”
I walked in silence into the house that just yesterday had filled me with so much joy. I loved this house, always had, from its well-loved hardwood floors to its country-style kitchen, where everyone could gather for food and laughter without feeling crowded. Now, all I felt was sadness.
I stopped inside the door and swallowed back the tears. I couldn’t start crying again or I’d never stop. My heart had broken in two, and it was never going to heal from Blaze’s deception.
“I heard what you said on the phone, Blaze. There's nothing you can show me that's going to take away the things you said.”
He motioned for me to sit on the couch, but I didn’t budge. “I have to run to my office and grab something. Promise you’ll be here when I get back?”
