She growled more to herself than anything else and snatched her camera from her bedside table. Right about now, she needed to get out of her house, off this property, and away from anyone who would want to tell her that everything would turn out the way it was supposed to.
To heck with that.
The way things were supposed to go was the way of romance novels. She was supposed to be rewarded for putting her heart out there, for telling the guy she might actually love that she wanted him to give her a chance.
Where was her happily ever after, darn it!
She shoved her way out the front door and headed for her truck. There was a cattle farm a few miles away that had the most beautiful golden rain tree up on a hill. The yellow blossoms stood out in contrast to everything else and she could use a little sunshine.
Hallie cranked up the music in her truck as she drove on the highway then turned onto a dirt road that would lead to the tree she’d discovered a few weeks ago. She didn’t know why it still had blossoms on it in the summertime. Heck, she hadn’t known what kind of tree it was until she’d come home and researched the name. And right now, none of that mattered. She simply wanted to get out of her own head.
If she saw one more apologetic expression from any of her friends or family, she was going to lose it. And that was saying something because she was usually the bright and happy person.
Perhaps the world had fallen off its axis, because lately everything around her was crumbling. It started with finding out about her aunt and the secrets of Brent’s parentage. Like a poison, that knowledge had decayed Hallie from the inside out. She’d wrestled with knowing and not being able to say a thing to anyone for such a long time, she wondered if it actually altered her brain chemistry.
Now, she’d lost her friend and everyone in her family looked at her differently. What next? Were her biological parents going to suddenly appear after nearly thirty years of not caring about her? That would be the cherry on top, wouldn’t it? She could already imagine them asking to be part of her life when she was the kind of girl who had learned of her adoption and never needed to know who her biological parents were.
She was happy. She’d been well-adjusted. Her life had been perfect.
Then why did you feel like something was missing?
The question echoed in her mind, making her stumble.
It was only then she comprehended she’d made it to the hill and the tree, and she was heading right for it. How had she managed to park and get through the fence without realizing it? She’d heard of people being in the zone on the way home from work and not remembering the drive after the fact.
Maybe it was like that.
She was so distracted by the chaos her decisions had brought to her door that she hadn’t focused. Hallie glanced over her shoulder toward her truck that was parked on the other side of the dirt road and sighed. At least she hadn’t hit anything.
Turning, she took in the large tree and a small smile tugged at her lips. This tree was magnificent. It was large, offering so much shade in the tall grass beneath it. Coated in tiny yellow flowers, it smelled absolutely divine. When the breeze blew, ruffling her hair, it managed to pluck the flowers from the branches and send them floating.
She picked up her camera, adjusted the settings, then clicked.
“Beautiful,” she whispered.
Hallie stepped closer, boots shuffling through the tall grass that swayed and danced. It was quiet up here. Peaceful.
A squirrel scuttled up the tree and she laughed but missed the chance to take a picture before it disappeared. Surrounding her were a handful of branches that had been broken off, probably from a storm. She picked one up and examined the flowers closer.
“Hallie!” The voice was sharp but familiar. She jumped, a yelp nearly tearing from her throat.
Don’t turn around. Maybe you’re hearing things.
“Hallie, what are you doing?” This time there was an urgency in his voice. Anger, maybe?
She glanced over her shoulder to find the dark haired, dark eyed prince that could have been her happily ever after if she’d been lucky enough. Swallowing hard, she turned away from him. “I don’t want to talk to you, Jacob.”
“Hallie, come here.” It was a demand. There was little give in that tone.
Scoffing, she shook her head and dropped the branch. “We’re good, Jake. You don’t have to say anything. I get it. I’m not your type. Just leave me be to lick my wounds, okay?” She flinched. Why did she have to say it like that? Now he knew without a doubt that she wasn’t okay and she was actually hurting.
That wasn’t what she wanted.
“Hallie!” There were some shuffling sounds followed by a thump. Then even more urgency, and his voice going eerily quiet. “Hallie, listen to me.”
The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. It had been quiet before, but this kind of quiet was different. It was the deafening silence that preceded something bad. Something ominous.
“I need you to stay really still. It’s going to be okay.”
