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She bowed her head and didn’t meet his gaze. Honor raised her hand to her temple. “I really need to go home. I’ll write up some instructions for the calf and send them over. I’m not feeling so great.” She turned away from him and reached for her bag.
“Honor, please don’t leave. Let’s talk this out.”
Honor turned and faced him. Her cheeks were red and her eyes were rimmed with moisture. She looked away from him.
“Let’s face it. There’s nothing really to discuss. You won. You can now sell Bud’s ranch and head back to Seattle with the proceeds. You should be rejoicing. Isn’t this what you wanted?”
His mouth felt dry. The truth was he had wanted the injunction to be lifted, but not at the expense of Honor. Not if it meant he would be moving back to Seattle, never to lay eyes on Honor again. Not if it signified the end of them. At the moment, he wasn’t certain what he wanted.
“I never wanted us to be at odds with each other. Surely you know that.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know anything anymore. Everything has turned upside down. I really don’t believe this is what your grandfather wanted. And that breaks my heart.”
“This is a terrible situation. It doesn’t feel right to be on opposing sides.”
She frowned. “What does it matter? You’re going to leave, aren’t you? Please don’t think I’m foolish enough to think you’re going to stick around Love, especially since you have a buyer lined up to purchase the property.” Her voice had now gone up a few pitches. She clenched her jaw. Storm clouds were brewing in her eyes.
“Honor, my life is in Seattle. It’s the only home Violet has ever known. I don’t have much of a choice.”
She bit her lip. “I understand. But, considering everything, I think it’s best you find someone else to check up on the animals from now on. I can’t bear to come back here knowing what’s going to happen to the Diamond R.”
“Please don’t say that.” It felt like Honor was slipping out his life yet again. He couldn’t explain why, but it left him feeling completely bereft.
“Why not? It’s the truth!” she snapped.
She zipped up her coat, then jammed her hat back on her head.
Joshua reached out and gently grasped her by the arm. She shook him off and backed away from him.
Her mouth was a hard, thin line. “I’m sorry, Joshua. There’s really nothing left to be said.”
* * *
Joshua felt numb as he watched Honor run toward her car as if her feet were on fire. She couldn’t get away from him fast enough. And given what she had
just found out about the injunction being lifted, he couldn’t say he blamed her.
He was still reeling about Honor’s miscarriage. She had been forced to deal with the pregnancy and the monumental loss of their child all by herself. So many things were weighing heavily on him at the moment. Anger and frustration rose up inside him.
He stormed into the house, eager to confront his brother. Theo had somehow managed to make a bad situation worse. And he couldn’t help but wonder if his brother had done it on purpose to put an even deeper wedge between him and Honor. Theo was sitting in the study at Bud’s desk, riffling through a stack of papers.
“Thanks for making a mess of things,” Joshua said in a raised voice.
Theo twisted his mouth. “It wasn’t on purpose, Joshua. Take it easy. She was going to find out sooner or later.”
“Why did you come barging in like that?” Joshua asked. “Did you honestly not know she was here? Her car was parked right outside the house. Surely you saw it.”
“I can’t believe you’re angry at me. We should be celebrating our legal victory and all you can think of is the precious Prescott princess.”
Joshua stepped toward his brother. They were standing eye to eye. He was bristling with rage. “Watch yourself, Theo. Don’t say a word against Honor. She’s innocent in all of this.”
Theo sneered. “Are you kidding me? Honor set this whole thing in motion by filing that injunction.” He let out a harsh sounding laugh. “What makes you think she’s the victim?”
“She didn’t do it to be malicious. Honor has principles she lives by, Theo. Her whole professional life revolves around wildlife and land preservation. It actually tears her apart to think about the desecration of Bud’s property. Is that something you’ve even thought about once?”
Theo wrinkled his nose. “What’s wrong with you? Are you changing your mind about selling the ranch?” he asked.
Joshua knit his brows together. “No. Yes. I don’t know,” he moaned. “Ever since we came back here, my head has been spinning. Half the time I don’t know if I’m coming or going.”
