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1
Avery
My heart thumps nervously as I stand on the doorstep of the unfamiliar farmhouse, trying to muster up the courage to knock.
How the heck did I end up here?
It’s been a crazy day. When I woke up this morning, I was still the future wife of Edmund Fontaine, living in Fontaine House with him and his family. But this afternoon, my whole life changed when I discovered that my fiancé tried to frame my sister, Willow, for a crime she didn’t commit. At my bridal shower a few days ago, Edmund stole a diamond necklace from his parents’ room and hid it in my sister’s bag before publicly accusing her of theft. Everybody blamed Willow once they searched her bag and found the necklace. I knew she was innocent—my sister would never do anything like that—but I naively assumed there would be a simple explanation.
Today, I discovered that Edmund was caught on camera. I just finished watching the footage, and my stomach is still churning. He planted the necklace because he wanted to drive a wedge between me and my sister; he was jealous of our closeness and wanted me all to himself, and he was willing to lie and cheat to make that happen.
Safe to say, the wedding is off.
As soon as I saw what he did to Willow, I threw my engagement ring at Edmund’s feet and left Fontaine House. But now I have nowhere to go. Willow and her new boyfriend, Grayson, offered me the spare room at their farmhouse, but I didn’t want to intrude on their happiness. They only just started dating, and I know they’d prefer to be alone right now. My sister deserves to be happy after everything Edmund put her through, and I feel painfully guilty for ever bringing him into her life. I owe her some peace. So instead of staying with my sister, Grayson suggested I stay with his brother, Hunter. He promised that Hunter wouldn’t mind, but I still feel pretty uncomfortable standing on a stranger’s doorstep ready to ask if I can stay for a few nights while I fix my broken life.
Until now, I never really understood how much Edmund isolated me from everybody. He gradually cut through all my ties with other people, making me believe he was the only person I needed. But he made a mistake when he tried to tear me and Willow apart. That’s one tie that nobody could ever break, not even a manipulative asshole like Edmund.
God, what a mess.
My chest is fluttering with nerves, but I can’t just stand here all day. Reluctantly, I raise my fist and knock on the wooden front door. At first, there’s nothing but silence, so I take a moment to stand back and admire the farmhouse. It’s picture-perfect with its white-painted wooden walls and red roof. There’s a wrap-around porch and several large windows which shine in the afternoon sunlight. Trees frame the homestead, their leaves starting to turn fiery gold, and I marvel at how beautiful it all is: the ranch stretching out for miles beneath the looming mountain peaks. I’ve never been to Blaze Valley Ranch before. I’ve only ever stared out at it from Fontaine House, watching the cattle and the horses, longing to get a closer look.
The sound of the door opening pulls me from my thoughts, and I feel my stomach somersault. A towering figure fills the doorway, and my breath catches in my throat as I look up into a pair of deep green eyes. Hunter Ryder frowns down at me, his arms crossed over his thick chest. He’s ruggedly handsome, with a dark brown beard and a cowboy hat perched on his head. It takes me a moment to speak.
“H-hi,” I stammer. “Um, you’re Hunter Ryder, right?”
He raises an eyebrow and tips his hat. “That’s me.”
“Great. Um, well, hello Mr. Ryder. I’m Avery. Grayson said that…uh…that I might be able to stay in one of your guestrooms for a day or two?” Hunter’s frown deepens with every word I say, and I instinctively take a step backward. “Or…uh…or not, I mean, I can go find a hotel somewhere. D-do you know any good hotels?”
“You said my brother sent you?” Hunter asks. “Grayson?”
His voice is so deep and growly that the hairs on the back of my neck quiver every time he talks. If I’d known how intimidating Hunter would be, I’d never have come knocking on his door. I can barely string together a sentence in front of him.
“Yes,” I say with a gulp. “He sent me.”
“How do you know Grayson?”
“I’m Willow’s sister. Grayson and Willow are kind of…”
“Dating?” Hunter finishes, with a bewildered shake of his head. “Damn. I saw them out riding together yesterday. Never thought I’d see the day Grayson found a woman.”
“Why not?” I ask, my curiosity piqued. I still don’t know much about my sister’s new boyfriend, but he looks at her like she’s a work of art, so he’s already earned my approval.
Hunter shrugs. “Grayson’s always been a loner. Like me.”
His words hang in the air between us, and I don’t know how to respond. I just stand there awkwardly, gazing at my feet. Hunter seems like he’s waiting for me to leave, and I can feel my cheeks reddening as the silence stretches between us.
“Sorry, are there any hotels—” I begin.
“Do you want to come inside?” Hunter asks at the same time.
I meet his gaze, my eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “Are you…are you sure? I don’t mind going to a hotel.”
“I’m sure. Come in.”
Hunter takes a step back from the doorway, and my skin prickles as I brush past him before he closes the door behind us. The hallway opens out into a large living room full of comfy leather couches and an old stone fireplace. Light streams in through the numerous windows, and I draw in a breath as I look out across the ranch. Red and yellow wildflowers sway in the breeze, poking out through the lush green grass like jewels. Grazing cattle dot the pastures, with Frozen Peak and Snowfall Ridge rising up on either side of the valley like wild skyscrapers. I’ve spent months looking at this view from the sleek drawing room of Fontaine House, which is only a short distance away. But somehow, from Hunter’s cozy living room, it’s even more beautiful.
“You have a lovely home,” I say, turning back to Hunter with a slight smile.
