Chapter Seventeen
Bethany
"Go back home to Chicago where you belong. You won't regret it, but if you stay here, you surely will." My father's words echoed in my mind over and over again.
I loved Colton and staying on the ranch would be paradise. But was my father right? Did they think of me as just as employee that they could use and throw away? Would I grow to resent Colton if I stayed and regret having sacrificed my art career for a fleeting romance?
I desperately wanted to talk to Colton about it, but he was busy all day in his office, talking on the phone and in meetings. Then William showed up unexpectedly in the middle of the day, and Colton came out of his office to meet him.
When the two of them headed to the stable, I thought maybe they were both taking an early afternoon off, and Colton and I could finally talk.
"Not now. He's busy." William was surprisingly rude to me when I walked up to them.
I looked to Colton to defend my honor, but he just climbed onto Whiskey and said to me, "Can we talk later when I get back? Right now I need to take a ride with Will."
"I like riding. Would it be okay if I came along?" I said with a coquettish smile, but to my disappointment, Colton guided the quarter horse to walk right past me.
"Sorry, but this is just between us brothers," he apologized. "I promise to make time for us later."
I watched as they rode off together, leaving me behind in a cloud of dust. It had been this way for most of the week, with Colton treating me like an inconvenience, instead of his girlfriend. Perhaps my father was right, and I should go home to Chicago as soon as possible.
I tried to work on my painting, but I just couldn't concentrate. It was supposed to be a pretty country scene of the ranch house with the forest in the distance, but I felt like I'd done the same thing too many times already, so I wiped it out by covering the canvas with white.
This was supposed to be a piece for Colton. The other four I'd made specifically to cater to the tastes and preferences of each of his brothers, and now Colton was the only one of Margie's sons remaining. I thought I knew him well enough that this would be easy. My creativity failed me, though. I couldn't think of a single idea of what to paint that would represent the ranch, but still be uniquely him.
"I give up," I sighed and started to pack up my paints.
Just then, Brett passed by. Even though he knew I was dating his oldest brother, he still followed me around like a puppy and flirted with me constantly. At first it had annoyed me, but over time, I got used to it, and even looked forward to it. I realized that as the baby of the family, Brett was just seeking attention and had learned that hitting on girls was a way to earn a smile.
Plus, it had the added benefit of boosting my confidence on days when I was feeling homesick. A wink and a compliment from Brett was just what I needed at that moment after being brushed off by Colton at a time when my father's words were weighing heavy on my mind.
"Hi, Brett," I called out to him.
"Hey, beautiful," he answered back. This was usually the moment when he dropped whatever work he was supposed to be doing and came over to lean on my easel, give me a cocky wink, and make some obnoxious comment about how blue my eyes were or how tan my legs. Not today, however; he surprised me by walking past with hurried strides.
"I was hoping you could help me carry my canvas and easel back to the barn," I called out hastily before he was completely gone.
Brett paused in his tracks and glanced back at me. "But it's blank."
"I know. I didn't like what I'd done, so I'm going to start over fresh tomorrow. Maybe a better idea will come to me tonight."
"That's not very likely," he said, and I blanked at the insult. Brett must have realized how rude that had sounded because he flushed and said, "I mean, your ideas are already good. You're not a bad artist. The museum in Chicago is lucky to have you."
"Yeah, thanks," I said just to shut him up. With a depressed little sigh, I said, "I'll be going back there soon."
"That's good," he said. "I have to go meet Colton and William out in the pasture, so I can't help you now. But just leave your stuff there, and I'll put it back in the barn on my way in for dinner."
"Dinner. I guess I'll go help with the preparations," I said, eager for something to d, and the chance to hang out with Margie.
She was like the mother I'd always wished Jillian could be: warm and nurturing, and a wonderful cook. In the weeks that I'd been staying on the ranch, I'd learned more about baking pies and preparing vegetables than I'd learned in my past twenty-two years on earth. Her stories were enthralling, and she made me feel like I was really helping her, even though I'm sure I was actually slowing her down.
"Hi, Margie. How can I help tonight?" I said with a smile as I entered the kitchen. The smell of beef stew simmering on the stove made my mouth salivate, and I began to wash my hands in the sink, eager to begin.
"You can take the night off from cooking," she said.
"It's okay, I enjoy helping." I turned my back as I dried my hands on a dishtowel so she wouldn't see the look of disappointment on my face.
"No need, dear. I've got everything running smooth here, and you know what they say about too many cooks in the kitchen. Go relax. Take a hot bath or a stroll around the garden. You only have a few more days before it's time for you to leave."
"Okay. If you're sure you don't need any help..." I drifted towards the door.
"I've been managing this long on my own, I'm used to it," Margie said.
I got the hint. She didn't want me around. I was in the way, just like I had been with William. Colton no longer had time for me, and even Brett was too busy to flirt with me.
I went up to my room and lay on the bed with my cell phone in my hand. I began to scroll through the photos I had taken since I'd arrived on the ranch. Colton riding Whiskey, Travis and William sitting side by side on the fence laughing, Brett in his bull riding gear, Tom kissing Margie on the cheek. They were a good-looking family: happy, wholesome, and deeply devoted to one another.
I was just a city girl who had intruded on their lives for the past month and been lucky enough to be given an inside look at the Hutchinson family. This wasn't my home, though, it was theirs.
I kept scrolling and I came to the pictures I had taken in Chicago before I left home. Jillian sitting at the kitchen table of our apartment with the sun shining prettily upon her blonde hair, me grinning proudly as I held up the letter stating I'd received the internship, me with my award-winning piece I made for school, me and Jillian with our arms wrapped around each other last Christmas.
I wiped away the tears that had come uninvited to my eyes with an angry swipe of my palms. Suddenly, I heard the front door slam downstairs and the noisy footsteps of the Hutchinson men coming in for dinner.
Giving my face a quick glance in the mirror, I straightened my hair and my clothes and went down the stairs to join them. Everyone was lively as they scooped up big ladles full of Margie's stew and buttered thick slices of her homemade bread.
"Mary-Jo is coming over after supper tonight," Brett announced through his mouthful of food. "I promised to show her the stars. There's supposed to be some kind of special comet passing by tonight."
"Yes, I was telling my summer school students about it today," Tom said, and his brothers made of show of yawning and pretending to fall asleep as he quoted some facts on the phenomenon.
He shut them up by throwing bread at them, and I tried not to laugh. When they calmed down, William said, "I don't mind shooting stars, just so long as there's not a full moon. I've got enough trouble on the job as it is."
Brett said, "Don't worry, the moon tonight is just a crescent. Mary-Jo says that's why we'll be able to see the comet."
"Yeah, I'm sure that's not all you'll see," Tom joked, and this time it was Brett's turn to throw bread. Margie shot them both a glare, ending the fight before it got out of hand.
Brett looked at Colton. "The only reason I brought it up is because I don't want anyone coming into the barn and interrupting us, if you know what I mean.”
I think the whole table knew what he meant, and I took a long sip of water from my glass to hide my flushing cheeks.
Colton said, "Don't worry. Bethany and I won't be taking a walk tonight."
"We won't? Why not?" My voice conveyed my shock. We always took an evening stroll together after dinner, and lately it had become the only time of day he ad for me. No more lunches, no more dates. Now, now more walk.
"I'm really busy. I've got a lot of work I need to do with William," Colton said in answer to my question.
"But, you promised me we could talk. I have some important things I wanted to discuss with you."
"I'm really sorry. Can it wait until tomorrow?"
"No it can't." I was furious, and without thinking, I made a decision right then. Standing up, I looked at all the faces staring back and me, and I said in a firm, clear voice, "Tonight is my last night on the ranch. Tomorrow morning I'm going back home to Chicago."