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“You said that already.”
“No, this time you’re an idiot because she actually fell in love with you, and you went and messed it all up. You could have been with her, dummy. You could have started a family with her, and instead, you steal her family’s livelihood. Whodoesthat?” Annabel got to her feet and gave him a derisive look. “You deserve to be unhappy. I hope you figure this out. Otherwise, you’re going to be alone for the rest of your life.”
She grabbed her phone from the couch and strode out of the room. That conversation could have gone so much better. At least she was willing to talk to him, even if she called him an idiot.
Twice.
He let his shoulders sag, the weight of his shame and guilt overpowering him. He had always valued Annabel’s opinion above most of the others—due to her own history with learning from her mistakes. This conversation was basically like putting a nail in the coffin. She was right. He’d destroyed any chance he had with Scarlett. He’d made his bed and now he had to lie in it.
* * *
The farm was quiet.
Elijah couldn’t tell what it was exactly, but something had shifted.
It was cooler; the autumn months had finally made an appearance.
Leaves were tugged from the trees and they danced wistfully to the ground as if they didn’t want to say goodbye to the summer season. That was the way life went. Everything changed with each passing season.
Elijah’s season with Scarlett had ended, and the new one with him at the helm of the farm would begin.
So why was this emptiness in his chest refusing to leave? He’d told himself over and over again that there was no changing what had happened between himself and Scarlett. The time for that was long gone.
He’d nearly been able to convince himself of this fact, except something bothered him. It was small, like the annoyance he would get from a bug bite between his fingers. Something was itching to be scratched; he just couldn’t place it.
Elijah worked throughout the whole morning and into the afternoon when he finally realized what it was.
Scarlett hadn’t made an appearance for even a second today.
It had been like clockwork—the way she’d come out of her home to do the simple chores she insisted on doing. Today was different. She wasn’t here.
Where was she?
Elijah put away the socket wrench he’d been using on the tractor that had been having issues again. He headed toward the house, not knowing what he was going to say to her. Shoot, he probably shouldn’t even be doing this. And yet his feet misbehaved. They continued pushing him forward until he made it to the front door. The only thing he knew was that he needed to clear the air or end up being miserable for the rest of his life. So, if his feet and his heart wanted to go rogue, there was nothing his head would be able to do to stop him.
He got to the bottom of the steps and a rush of memories accosted him. He’d stood here looking up at her countless times. He’d admired her, fallen for her, wanted to make her his for so long and in a blink of an eye, he’d shattered any possibility of doing just that.
Elijah might not have much of a chance to fix this, but he could try. He knocked on the door, the wait unbearable. When the door opened, he had to take a quick step back. Carlos stood between him and the woman he needed to see.
They stared at one another for a few minutes until Elijah finally found his voice. “I came to speak to Scarlett, but I also need to discuss something with you. I don’t think I can take over the farm. If it’s something Scarlett wants, then I should step back and allow her the chance.”
Carlos frowned. He glanced back toward the house, then stepped forward and shut the door behind him.
Elijah could feel the walls coming up. Carlos didn’t understand. He probably thought Elijah was just being swayed by his daughter, but it wasn’t like that. “I love her,” he blurted. “I’ve loved her since before I can remember. I should have never agreed to your conditions.”
The man in front of him lifted his brows slightly, then sighed as he shook his head. “I don’t want Scarlett here.”
“You… don’t?”
“Son, I’m going to tell you this only to put your mind at ease. I was never going to give Scarlett the farm because I don’t want her to have to deal with all of it.”
“All of it? That’s ridiculous. She’s more than capable—”
“I’m dying.”
Elijah clamped his mouth shut.
“I’ve got the test results. I have Huntington’s Disease. At the current progression, I’ve got maybe ten years left.”
