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“Eryn!” the voice called again.
“That’s Zaya.”
I nodded and tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear and smoothed the straps of her dress. A moment later, I heard rustling and took a deep step back from her. My body immediately regretted it, but I knew it was for the best.
Zaya appeared through the clearing, her smile wide with excitement.
“Here you are! Eryn, you got it! I just got the call.”
Eryn shook her head, clearly confused. “What?”
“The wheat farm! They accepted the offer. It’s yours!”
Zaya ran up Eryn and wrapped her in a hug, and I backed even farther away, my heart feeling like it was about to drop out of my ribcage.
The wheat farm? There was only one for sale in Whittier, and it was the Culver land. The land right next door. The land I wanted and was denied.
And now Eryn Blake swooped in and bought it? What the fuck would she want with a wheat farm in Montana?
My head was spinning. I watched as Eryn’s face lit up with joy and Zaya jumped up and down. None of this made any sense, but I remembered the other day in my office when she had said she was looking at property. I thought she meant some kind of mountain house. A vacation home like the one she was currently staying in.
But the Culver farm?
I stood there, rooted to the spot, trying to process the whirlwind of emotions crashing through me. Eryn's infectious laughter filled the clearing as she hugged Zaya, oblivious to the storm brewing within me.
The Culver farm was my chance to expand the ranch, to secure a future for Red Downs in an ever-changing world. And now it had fully slipped through my fingers, bought by a woman I barely knew but whose presence had already shaken my world.
As Zaya gushed about the acquisition, I couldn't tear my gaze away from Eryn. Her smile was radiant, her eyes sparkling with excitement, and yet all I could feel was a churning mix of anger and frustration. What did she plan to do with the Culver farm? Why this sudden interest in land that had been a part of Whittier Falls for generations?
The tension between us crackled once more, but this time it was different. It was laced with unspoken questions and a sense of betrayal that left a bitter taste in my mouth. As the reality of the situation sunk in, I felt a surge of resentment towards Eryn. The memory of our heated kiss now felt like a cruel joke, a distraction from the truth of her sudden purchase.
I forced myself to step back yet again, putting more distance between us as Zaya continued to chatter excitedly about the farm. Eryn's gaze flickered over to me, and I saw a flash of something unreadable in her eyes. Confusion? Regret? It was gone before I could figure it out, masked by a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. She was conflicted. About me? Probably.
Swallowing the bitter pill of rejection and disappointment, I plastered on a fake smile, trying my best to push down the turmoil brewing inside me. But every laugh, every gleeful expression from Eryn felt like a taunt, a reminder of what could have been before she swept in and changed everything.
Finally finding my voice, I managed to speak through clenched teeth. “Congratulations.” I turned on my heel and walked away. I heard her calling after me, but didn’t bother stopping.
Whatever happened with Eryn, it was a smoke show. It was nothing. And it was most definitely finished now.
12
Eryn
The scent of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the musky leather of well-worn law books as I stepped into the quaint office of my new lawyer, Tom Jennings. With every step across the creaky wooden floor, a bubble of excitement grew in my chest, threatening to burst forth in a gleeful squeal. Today felt like the first day of the rest of my life.
“Morning, Eryn,” Tom greeted, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he offered a warm smile.
“Good morning, Tom,” I replied, tucking an errant strand of hair behind my ear and settling into the chair opposite his cluttered desk. “So, tell me everything. How do we make this dream of mine a reality?”
“Right,” he started, shuffling through papers before finding the one he wanted. “The farm’s zoned for agriculture, which is great for your lavender fields and such, but we'll need to apply for a special use permit to operate it as an inn.”
“Sounds doable,” I said, nodding along. My mind danced with visions of serene yoga sessions amidst golden sunsets and the laughter of guests unwinding in the calm of rural bliss.
But like a shadow on a sunny day, the memory of Gray's kiss clouded my thoughts—his rough hands surprisingly gentle, until they weren’t, the way his blue eyes had darkened before he'd pulled away, leaving me in a whirlwind of lust. The kiss was perfect. It was his reaction to finding out I’d bought this land that was the problem.
“Is there something troubling you?” Tom asked, noting my far-off gaze.
“Uh, no, nothing. Just thinking about the retreat.” I forced a smile, eager to focus on the logistics rather than the perplexing cowboy who seemed intent on brooding in the corners of my mind.
