Then she had to go and spill her secrets.
Granted, it had been a couple years after the fact, but still.
She’d put her heart on a platter and presented it to him only to have him turn her away.
Perhaps that was where everything went wrong.
Hallie picked up a candid of Jacob laughing with her cousin. She traced the smile on his face, knowing full-well that she wasonly dragging out her personal torture by looking through the memories she’d stolen with her camera.
If she hadn’t opened the door and told Jacob how she felt, he wouldn’t have pushed that door wide open and insisted they could make things work.
“Stupid,” she muttered to herself, flinging the picture into the growing pile. Today she’d planned on sorting the pictures and getting rid of any that had Jacob in them.
A quiet knock on her door had her lifting her head. She didn’t know who to expect, but she immediately hated the disappointment she felt at seeing Sammie.
Of course, Jacob wouldn’t wise up and beg for her forgiveness. She’d seen the resignation in his eyes that day. She’d known it was coming and still she’d allowed herself to get emotional over a guy.
“Hey,” Hallie muttered, turning back to her piles of pictures.
Sammie closed the door quietly and moved farther into the room. She sucked in a breath. “Are these…”
Hallie nodded and gestured with a mock flourish. “This is my secret hobby. Laugh at my expense.”
“Hallie…” Sammie said with reverence. “These are…”
“Ridiculous, I know.”
“No, they’reamazing.” Sammie picked up a picture of Jacob in the middle of one of his competitions. His brows were furrowed in concentration, and his form was perfection. It had been one of Hallie’s favorites. “I can’t believe you took these,” Sammie whispered as she picked up another one.
Fidgeting, Hallie watched her friend pick through the images. Sammie wasn’t the type of person to sugarcoat anything. She didn’t give compliments without meaning them. “Thanks.”
Sammie’s eyes lifted to meet hers and they softened. “No offense, but you look like…”
“Yeah, I know,” Hallie grimaced, lifting her hand to her messy bun. “I haven’t exactly felt like leaving my room for a few days.” Her voice trembled and she looked away. “I’m such a mess. I…”
“Hey, it’s going to be okay,” Sammie soothed.
Hallie shook her head. Then she nodded. “I mean, yeah, I know it will. It’s just…”
“Hard.”
Hallie nodded again. “More than you know.”
They turned back to the collection of photographs if only to avoid the elephant in the room. Sammie picked up a picture of a different cowboy. “Who’s this one? He’s familiar.”
“Jason. Faith’s big brother. He’s got a twin.”
“I didn’t know they liked to compete.”
Hallie shrugged. “Sometimes they do. But honestly, they seem to like teaching more than being in the middle of it.” She reached over and took the picture. “Shame, too. They’re pretty good. But they’re even better teachers from what I can tell.”
“Faith’s been asking about you. Brent, too.”
Was that supposed to mean something? When Hallie made it clear she didn’t have anything to say, Sammie continued.
“You know, I heard there’s a rodeo event going on in the next town over. We should go.”
Hallie didn’t hide her grimace. “Pass.”
