“ARE YOU SURE about this?”
“Cull, you were the one who told me I needed to make a decision. I have,” Sally said to him from the passenger seat of the truck.
Cull had so much energy he wanted to punch something, but he remained calm. She looked different in the oversized clothing that looked like rags. Of course, she was still beautiful, but the sadness he saw in her eyes took away the sparkle.
She placed her hand on the door handle and looked back at him. “We better do this now before I lose my courage.”
He nodded. He’d agreed to go in with her. Hell, even if she hadn’t asked for him to join her he would have demanded that he stay.
Burke met them downstairs at the bed and breakfast. He seemed nervous when he saw Sally. That struck up Cull’s protective side and he automatically placed his hand on her back which brought her chin up and her eyes on him. He gave her a reassuring smile which she returned, but it didn’t reach her eyes. If only she knew how terrible he felt. How it took all his energy to bring her here when all he wanted to do was run away with her.
After Kiersten’s pep talk, he knew this was the only thing that was right.
“Sally. There you are.” Burke hurried across the worn carpet to stand before her. He looked her up and down and if he’d thought anything odd about her clothing he didn’t show any glitch in his relieved expression. Cull almost wanted to give the guy an award for wearing such a huge smile. He almost felt sorry for him.
“You’re Burke,” she said softly.
“You remember me?” There was an excitement to his tone that was bound to be fizzled.
She gave her head a shake. “A little. Cull told me about you…us. I don’t remember much.” She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. That simple act shot through Cull.
“I understand. I’ve been looking all over for you, Sally. I worried…well, I thought maybe…” He lowered his gaze to the floor for ten seconds, then brought it back up. “I’ve found you. Thank God, I’ve found you.”
“Forgive me, but I don’t remember us living together.”
He nodded. “It’s okay. I’m sure when we get home around all your things it’ll trigger memories.” He seemed hopeful.
Cull’s chest tightened.
Sally’s frown grew. “Our home.”
“It’s a nice place. You decorated it.” He pointed to the table. “Come. Sit down. Let’s order you your favorite tea. Earl Gray with extra honey.” He looked around for someone to help, but the place was empty. He sighed. “This place isn’t good for service. I’ll go find someone.”
Cull got the distinctive feeling that Burke intentionally didn’t include Cull in the invite. He probably hoped he could be alone with Sally, but it was not happening, not until Cull was sure. Sure of what though? If he let her leave, he might never see her again. No, he’d make sure he visited her often, at least until he couldn’t take the pain any longer.
“He seems nice,” she said to Cull.
“Sure. He’s excited to see you.” They both seemed to skirt around anything serious.
Burke rushed back. “I thought we could make plans to get you back home. I’ve even taken the liberty of calling your doctor in Cheyenne. He can’t see you for a few more days, but I think we need to make sure you’re okay.”
Cull would give the man credit. It seemed like he was looking out for her best interest.
Burke looked Cull in the eye. “Thank you for taking care of my girl, Mr. Cade. She looks well, thanks to you, but I think it’s best that she gets back to her life. With me.”
Stuffing his fists into his front pockets, Cull had to control himself. If this man thought he could shoo Cull away with a few positive words, he needed a reality check.
Sally looked up at him. “It’s okay, Cull. I’ll be okay. This is for the best.”
He blinked. And now she was shooing him away too?
What the hell?
He searched for an excuse, any old excuse to stay, but then he realized he had to follow her cues. She’d explained to him that she needed to see her old life, yet neither of them had mentioned what they’d shared or what the future would hold.
Swallowing the cotton ball feeling in his throat, he managed a quick nod. “Okay, but what about your safety?”
“I assure you I won’t let anything happen to her,” Burke said.
Cull didn’t want to be rude, but the man’s statement didn’t do anything but make him angry.
Sally started to touch his hand, but she pulled back as if it might hurt Burke’s feelings. “I must do this. I’ll be okay.”
Meeting her gaze, he couldn’t have argued with her. What choice did he have? She was free to leave.
****
Sally wasn’t sure how long she had stood in the bathroom.
She didn’t remember one thing about the apartment. Not. One. Single. Thing. It was nicely decorated, clean, but lacked the homey feeling of Cull’s apartment back on the ranch. The bathroom was stone and tile, and the vanity had a few make up items, brush and perfume, but it just didn’t…well, feel like her. Not in the slightest.
On the drive to Cheyenne he’d filled her in on everything from what she did for a living, a physical therapist, to their plans for the future. As he talked and talked, and talked more, she listened halfheartedly. Her mind kept conjuring up an image of Cull walking away from the bed and breakfast. She’d known all it would have taken was one word and he would have stayed with her, probably even came to Cheyenne with her if she’d asked.
Truth was, she missed him. Then why had she asked him to leave?
She had to do this on her own. She’d depended upon Cull for everything since he’d saved her. It was time she figured out the missing pieces to the puzzle. Burke was the only one who could answer the questions.
At the window that looked down onto the busy street, she fought back tears. What if she smashed the window and climbed down to the street, caught a cab and went back to the Cade ranch? How fair would that be to Burke? Or Cull?
Nothing was right about this scenario. Her feelings. Her desires. She was here hoping to find answers, and so far, the only thing she’d found was more confusion.
Her future felt like it had been ripped from her.
There was a soft knock on the door. “Sally?”
She stayed quiet. If she didn’t answer, what would he do? If it was Cull he’d break down the door to make sure she hadn’t drowned in the tub, but she didn’t know Burke and how he’d respond.
She guessed it was safer to answer. “Yes?”
It was quiet enough that she thought he might not have heard, but then it came. “Are you okay? Are you hungry?”
She closed her eyes and swallowed her feelings. “No thank you.”
“Then you must be ready for bed.”
Her eyes came open wide. “No, on the other hand, I am a bit hungry.”
Could she do this? Did she have it in her? She was supposedly engaged to the stranger outside of the door. She was bound to him by promise, and yet she felt linked to Cull. She’d accepted a proposal to a man she couldn’t remember.
He’s a stranger to me.
She felt like she was betraying Cull by even being here.
Her heart began to race and she felt weak. “This can’t happen,” she whispered. She had to be honest with Burke. That would be the fair thing to do for everyone. How would he take the fact that she’d made love to Cull and she cared for him? She loved him.
A warm, flush spread over her.
“Chinese okay?” His voice was gravely. Did he sense her worry?
Grabbing a towel from the hook, she covered herself and opened the door, watching his eyes rake over her. She understood that look. He thought they’d take up where they left off, wherever that was. It was imperative she told him the truth soon.
“Chinese is fine. I’ll be out in a few minutes.” That should suffice him for a while.
Twenty minutes later she was sitting at the table with an order of sweet and sour chicken and rice. He watched her carefully and since he’d gone to the trouble of ordering for her, she ate a couple of small bites. “Delicious.”
“It’s your favorite.”
She nodded. He’d poured her some red wine and she drank thirstily.
“Are you nervous,” he asked.
Her mind screamed “Yes!” But instead she said, “I was thirsty.”
“I’m so glad you’re back, honey. I’ll take tomorrow off and we can get to know each other again. We can catch up.”
Rolling her finger around the wine glass, she tried to think of the ways to tell him about what she’d done with Cull, but the words wouldn’t come to her. All she could do was stuff her mouth with bad tasting chicken.