Читать книгу Operation: Married by Christmas - Debra Clopton, Elizabeth Wiseman Mackey, Debra Clopton - Страница 7

Okay, so why did she feel like the prodigal daughter? The question drummed through Haley’s head as every eye in Sam’s gave her the once-over. First up, then down, painstakingly slow, she felt the gazes moving over her. Of course, she’d expected it. She knew she looked out of place in her black silk pantsuit and her four-inch heels. She was, to say the least, overdressed. But she only had what was in her suitcase. A suitcase packed with honeymoon outfits…. And since she and Lincoln had been headed for the Riviera, her outfits were not exactly what you would classify as everyday Mule Hollow attire.

She wasn’t a blusher. Instead, she lifted her chin, feeling as if someone had hit the pause button on the movie of her life.

She saw cowboys she’d grown up with and a few faces she’d never seen before smiling at her. Not surprising was the fact that even though she didn’t know all the faces, it was clear from their expressions that they knew exactly who she was. It wasn’t all cowboys, either. There were women in the mix looking her up and down, too. There were Esther Mae and Norma Sue grinning like possums. And their buddy, sweet Adela with her shining blue eyes and white wispy hair, smiling kindly as if she knew what thin ice Haley was skating on. Because Mule Hollow was too small to have its own school they’d always shared a centrally located school about twenty miles away with two other small communities. Looking around the room, she was startled to see cowboys she recognized. Obviously the cowboy way had had more of a pull on them than the girls, because she didn’t recognize any of the women. No wonder Norma Sue and the others had resorted to advertising for women to move to town.

And they were smiling, too. As if they were more than glad to be living and breathing Mule Hollow air. As if they could live here for the rest of their lives.

Suddenly, as if the pause button had been released, the diner erupted into sound and movement. Yet Haley’s mind continued to move in slow motion as everyone started clapping and shouting.

“Surprise!” They all yelled together. It was only then that she understood the reason Applegate had insisted she meet him at the diner. This was her welcome home gathering!

Grinning, Brady looked down at her. “I was running a bit late out there.”

“You could have warned me,” Haley said out of the corner of her mouth, trying to quell her sudden sense of vulnerability.

“And ruined all their fun? My job is to keep the peace around here.”

Chuckling, he watched as Haley was engulfed by a herd of old friends.

Sitting at the counter, Will watched the town welcome Haley. They’d done something similar when he’d moved back to town. There was nothing like the warmth of Mule Hollow. It was a place where once you belonged, you always belonged. But watching Haley’s shell-shocked expression, he couldn’t help wondering if the feeling was mutual.

Haley had created quite a life for herself in California, and by the almost robotic way she was receiving the hugs from everyone he was more than certain that she didn’t share their feeling that she had “come home.” Some things never changed.

She looked great, though. Will couldn’t deny that the years had been good to Haley. Her skin glowed and her golden hair gleamed in the light like polished brass, setting off her green eyes. She had the most amazing eyes, big and expressive, they dominated her oval face. When she smiled though, when she really smiled, it was as if she lit up the world. At least that was how it had felt to him.

“Hey, buddy, you okay?”

Will glanced at Brady as he took the stool next to him at the counter. Turning away from watching Haley, Will picked up his coffee and nodded. “Yeah, I’m just suffering from aftershock.”

“By the frown on your face I’d already figured that one out.”

Will met Brady’s sympathetic gaze. “That obvious?”

“’Fraid so.”

“Brady, can you tell me why I came here this morning?”

“I could make an educated guess if you want me to.”

Will shook his head. “Forget I asked. That’s a can of worms I’d rather not open.”

“I can tell you from experience that unfinished business has a way of catching up to you at one time or another.”

Will drank his coffee instead of trying to come up with an answer. He could deny it all he wanted, but he’d come here this morning because every man had his weakness.

His happened to be Haley Bell Thornton.

Haley made it through the whirlwind of welcomes as she was led around the room by Applegate. His obvious joy at having her home was making her feel so ashamed. It had been six years since she’d been here for her grandmother’s funeral.

She was a skunk, all right.

A selfish skunk.

Spotting Will sitting at the counter didn’t help matters. It took every bit of her self-control not to turn around and run out of the diner. She didn’t have the energy to face him this morning. This homecoming was hard enough on her guilt-ridden heart without having to face him, too. Especially in front of everyone.

“Will, here she is,” Applegate called out before she could figure a way around facing him again. She was appalled at Applegate’s proclamation as he directed her toward Will.

“Haley,” Will drawled, tipping his head toward her in greeting while his eyes bore into hers.

He wasn’t wearing his hat and she couldn’t help noticing that he still wore his thick sable hair in a traditional cut, parted on the left and combed back off his face. The cut accentuated the strength of his jaw and the prominence of his cheekbones. She was certain looking at him made women other than herself forget to breathe when looking at him. But enough of that.

She forced a smile and was certain it came out looking as if she’d swallowed a tablespoon of castor oil. “Will,” she gritted out as Applegate looked expectantly from one to the other. His smile, so big that every tooth in his mouth showed, was the only reason Haley maintained her position.

She was shocked when suddenly Applegate slapped a hand on Will’s shoulder, the sound cracking through the room like a backfire. “That ain’t no way to say hello to the person what was almost yer intended. Give her a hug, son.”

Stunned, Haley stared at her grandpa. How could he? Will had always been a gentleman, and Applegate was taking advantage of that fact. “That’s okay,” she gasped. “You don’t have to get up.”

A gleam she could only read as a challenge flashed through his dark gaze, and to her horror he stood up.

“App’s right, Haley. The least I can do is give you a hug.”

Before she could do anything to stop it, she found herself wrapped in Will’s arms. Oh my. If she’d thought she was confused before—well she was a mess now. Because though it had been ten years since she’d left him at the altar, she had never forgotten how right it felt to be held in his embrace.

“See thar, ain’t that nice,” Applegate thundered.

As quick as it happened, it ended. Will suddenly dropped his arms and stepped back. Haley had been so stunned by the embrace that her arms remained limply at her sides. Where they belonged, she reminded herself.

His expression was unreadable and though she knew he’d hugged her to pacify her grandpa, the oddest sensation came over her when she looked into his stony eyes. Had those eyes really once looked at her with love? They were so distant now that it was tough to imagine such a thing.

“So how’s your new ex-fiancé?”

His clipped words were spoken in a low voice, but those standing around watching them had no problem hearing them. Like a deflating balloon, Applegate’s smile drooped into a heavy frown and a ripple of gasps could be heard behind her.

Startled, but not really surprised, she met Will’s unflinching gaze with one of her own as she straightened her spine. If she’d learned one thing over the last few years, it was to stand her ground.

She lifted her chin. “I’m fairly certain that Lincoln is celebrating at this very moment. After all, he dodged a bullet.”

Will lifted his eyebrow. “I can understand that perfectly. As I’m certain fiancé number two would, as well.”

So he wanted to make a scene. So much for him being a gentleman, she thought, as her blood pressure inched upward. “Is that so?”

Not breaking eye contact with her, Will pulled money from his front pocket and slapped it onto the counter by his plate of uneaten eggs and bacon. “Believe me, darlin’, the day you walked out on me was the best day of my life. I figure it saved me a costly divorce and a valley of trouble in between.”

Haley’s hands knotted into fists to keep them from shaking as darts of anger and humiliation shot through her. Other than the pounding of her heart that Haley hoped no one else could hear, the room had become as silent as a tomb. Why had she come home? It certainly hadn’t been for this…this melodramatic confrontation.

With one last cold stare Will walked through the small crowd as it parted to make way for him. He never looked back as he hit the swinging door and disappeared into the cold morning light.

Which left Haley at the counter to face her friends alone.

As mad as she was at Will, she couldn’t help thinking that it was about time she was the one being walked out on. She’d be the first to admit that she deserved it. At least in part. But that didn’t mean she liked it, and it certainly didn’t mean she was going to take that kind of treatment like the timid little mouse she’d once been.

“Ha!” she huffed in delayed reaction, then stormed out of the diner after him.

He was opening his truck door when she buzzed down the steps toward him. The loud shuffle of feet could be heard as the diners filed out onto the sidewalk behind her.

“Will Sutton,” she snapped. “You can judge me and be angry at me if you want to because I left you standing at that altar ten years ago. But hey, guess what? I didn’t see you coming to get me.”

She’d almost gotten married three times, and the truth was that the only man of the three she’d expected or wanted to come after her had been Will. And he hadn’t.

Why was that? He’d said he loved her. If you loved someone, didn’t you try to hang on to them? Didn’t you fight for them? Despite their argument and her bruised heart, she’d expected him to care enough to come after her. To try and make things right.

His cold stare raked over her. “It wouldn’t have mattered if I came after you. You’d made your choice.”

Speechless at his coldness, Haley watched him climb into his truck, back out onto Main Street then drive away. “It might have,” she whispered into the chilling wind, knowing it was true. She’d been a young woman struggling with self-esteem and identity issues everyone around her seemed oblivious to. Especially the man who professed to love her. Despite what he thought, his coming after her would have mattered. That he didn’t think so still stung. And, amazingly, proved he continued to have the ability to hurt her. Even after all these years.