Impulsion (Station 32 #1)(53)

When she looked up, Ava was looking through her phone. “What did you see online? He’s not really smiling in any of these—well, that one, but you know his real smile.”

Harley waved her fingers toward her. She had looked up Ava more than once, every time Wyatt’s birthday would pass, an anniversary to an epic moment between her and Wyatt, or just because she woke from a dream that felt too real. Unless Ava had deleted any photos, she knew exactly how to find them.

She found the picture of the girl hanging on his arm in one photo and showed it to Ava. “That’s Brant’s girlfriend. That’s his hand, right there on her hip.” Those explanations went on for the next few images that had haunted Harley in the past, each one making her feel like a fool.

When Harley found the picture of the girl leaning over his shoulder kissing his cheek, his arms reaching up and around her, that smile on his face, Ava busted out laughing. “That’s me! That was right after he had been gone for almost half a year. He only had a little while before he left again. That was a huge party down at the pub for him and Easton.”

Harley’s eyes locked with Ava’s. She felt her heart pick up a little, felt like a fool all over again.

“Harley, I don’t know how innocent he was when he was away, but here, he’s been a saint, at least when it comes to girls, and even when he was away—he loved no one else. Girl’s honor. I know my brother. I was there through it all. He’s not over you.”

Harley willed herself not to show any emotion in her expression, even though she was feeling the worst of them. “Ava…I’m pretty sure your brother is impossible to get over.”

“Then don’t.”

Easier said than done, Harley thought to herself.

To hear Camille and Ava talk, you’d think Wyatt was madly in love with her, but around Wyatt she felt like public enemy number one.

She took her time driving back to Willowhaven Farms. By the time she got to the house, Ava had already parked and was long inside. Harley sat in the truck for a few minutes, tried to gather her nerve, then glanced to the main barn. She could see the lights on in the apartment.

Harley held her breath and started to walk across the driveway. Right as she got to the gate that would lead her in, Johnnie was driving out. “I just did a night check, your boy is sound asleep.” Harley smiled to thank him and started to walk further. Johnnie called after her. “You might want to steer clear,” he said with a chuckle. She glanced back, trying to understand what he meant by that. “Green Honda out front. You know what they say, don’t come a knocking…those two are anything but quiet.” He shook his head again, amused by his words, and then drove off.

Standing right there, Harley almost puked. She started to run, not toward the main barn but away from it. As soon as she figured out she was going toward the path that would lead her to the back creek, she stopped.

She leaned on the fence and just tried to breathe in and out. In and out, she thought to herself.

Wyatt knew she was here, knew that her room basically could see into his apartment, and he brought a girl home. She was starting to think that it was his family that wanted a second chance, not him, and her wayward mind told her that his mother wanted Danny Boy back, not her.

Like he could feel it, her breaking, Collin called at that moment.

“Still pissed?” he asked when she answered.

“Something tells me he has a smile on his face right now.”

“Oh yeah? Then why is your voice trembling?”

“I don’t feel good here.”

“What? Why?”

“The place is the same. It’s all the same but me. It’s cold.”

“They’re being mean?” Collin’s tone was defensive, assertive, exactly the way it always was when he discovered someone was hurting Harley.

“That’s not it. I don’t know how to say it.”

“Harley, you knew going there would not be easy. You just have to work through it. Keep your head high.”

When she didn’t say anything, he spoke. “You want me to fly there? I can stay for a bit.”

“No, don’t come. That will only make it worse. I’m fine. I swear I am. I’m figuring out some things are safer in memories.”

Collin sighed. “You’re not there to go back, but forward.”

“No, I’m here because that million dollar GPS you put in the rig detoured me and some asshat lost his load and almost killed my horse.”

“Fate comes in all shapes.”

“Right, Collin. I just need to… I’m going to bed.”

“I’ll call you in the morning.”

She hung up before he heard her voice crack, before he decided to come anyway.

***

Wyatt was furious with Ava for taking Harley to town, even madder that she had stayed out all day, even through dinner. That morning, he had ridden every horse his mother asked to be sent over for Harley to ride, every one that would challenge her and keep her occupied while Danny Boy was healing.

He thought if he rode them first, worked out some of the aggression and was there when Harley rode them for the first time, it might not be so bad. He had no idea what kind of rider she was anymore, if this was something she did now and again or if she was still an athlete. That would make all the difference with the horses his mother had asked for.