His heart started pounding, but the feeling wasn’t the normal half-life he’d gotten used to—even with all the joy Cooper brought into his life. That other dark half of his heart that had died the day she’d left trembled to life, causing pain to spread throughout his chest. And shame…
All he wanted to do was run.
“What did you do?” he barked sharply, starting to fight when both men put their hands on him and held him in place. “She’s here, right? She’s coming back home after Scotland, isn’t she?”
“Cooper’s out of earshot and sight with Reba, but you should settle down so you don’t upset him,” Will called, wrestling him when he threw an elbow. “You know how sensitive he can be.”
“You brought him here on purpose?”
“I did,” Will answered. “Will you listen to me?”
He told himself he was overreacting, but he was like a panicked horse—all logic gone. “Not on your life,” he spat, yanking on their hold. “I am so out of here. You can ride home with Logan.”
Will tightened his grip. “Logan, I’d hoped for a better response. We’re going to have to do this the hard way, I guess.”
“Oh goody,” Logan answered with an evil grin.
“I’mnotseeing her.” Avoiding her had been the only way he could cope when she’d come home those few times before. “We have nothing to discuss.”
His brother only smiled flatly. “You sure as hell do. I’m done with you punishing yourself.”
Logan moved swiftly and put him in an arm bar. He felt something metal snap around his wrist—they were cuffing him?That made him only fight harder as they dragged him to the shed.
“Don’t worry,” Logan told him. “Hannah will be on the other side of the two-way mirror. Some other law enforcement friends have used this property for interrogations—don’t ask. You keep quiet, Ben, and she won’t see you trussed up like a turkey.”
See him? God, not like this, after all this time.
He immediately stopped struggling. They hot-walked him to a metal chair and sat him down. He looked up and felt his heart seize up.
There she was. On the other side of the mirror. The woman who’d once been his whole life, his everything.
Looking more beautiful than ever.
Her wavy auburn hair still reminded him of the sunrise, and her green eyes were like the pines that covered Wild Mountain. That rosebud mouth seemed destined for a smile as sweet as sunshine.
She was curvier around the waist and the hips, all woman now. She’d lost her youthful look—except for her pointy chin, which hinted at the fiery personality that had both challenged him and made him love her with everything he was.
How was he supposed to face her after what he’d done?
CHAPTER THREE
Hannah glancedover when the metal shed door whined open.
She gasped. Will McAllister strode inside, flashing his dimpled smile. “Will! What in heavens are you doing here?”
He pointed at his broad chest, dressed in a simple ranch outfit of a navy work shirt, worn jeans, and scuffed cowboy boots, along with his favorite tan cowboy hat. “I’m the investor. I wasn’t sure you’d come if you knew.”
The only reason she wouldn’t have come was if Ben were here.
She froze. Was he here? Heart pounding, she looked behind Will but didn’t see him. But her stomach still wouldn’t settle.
“Is Ben part of this?” she asked hoarsely, rising out of her chair as Neil rose in a tense line beside her.
“No, this ruse is all mine,” he said as he struck a rodeo clown pose with arms akimbo and a wide grin. “You know how I love old Bond movies. Remember how we used to watch them? Plus, I figured you had other offers, so I wanted to make my invitation stand out. Do we hug, or are you going to swat me like old times?”
He wasn’t here. Oh, thank God! She took a deep breath and tried to calm down.
“You’d deserve it after scaring me like that.” She came over and wrapped her arms around him. “It’s good to see you. You look great.”
