I was, but my heart wasn’t. Leaving was going to be harder than I thought. “You know it.”
“All right, I’m going to get off so I can get back to work. We’re going to have a welcome home party for you when you arrive. It’ll be so much fun.”
I said goodbye to both of them and made my way outside. Blake was cleaning out Snowflake’s stall. Without saying a word, I went up behind him and put my arms around his waist. He was sweaty, but I didn’t care. “You okay?”
He chuckled and set the rake down before closing his hands over mine. “Did you think I was going to cry?”
“Not really, but I know I would if I was that close to Snowflake. I know you’ve grown attached to her.”
“I have, but it’s not like I won’t see her again. The Wright’s live just down the road. I’m sure Josie will bring her by to visit.” He pulled me around to face him.
We stared at each other and all I wanted to do was tell him not to let me go. Too bad I didn’t have a choice. I had to go. Lifting up on my toes, I wrapped my arms around his neck. “What’s on the agenda for my last night here?”
His gaze darkened, but then he smiled and kissed me. “I have it all planned out. I just have to finish up out here and then take a shower. Why don’t you grab a glass of wine in the meantime?” He slid his hand up my sundress and smacked my butt.
“Hey,” I said, stepping away from him. “What are you up to?”
He winked. “It’s a surprise. Now go.”
I went inside and poured a glass of wine while he finished up in the barn. Tyla showed up and handed him something, but I couldn’t see what it was. I wanted to tell her goodbye, but she left before I could catch her.
“Give me ten minutes and I’ll be ready to go,” Blake said as he shot past me to the bedroom. Once the ten minutes were up, he joined me in the kitchen, dressed in a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt. “Let’s go.” Taking my hand, he led me out to his truck and opened the door.
“Where are we going?”
He flashed a small smile. “You’ll see.” Shutting the door and jumping in his side, he started up the truck. Instead of going down the driveway, he pulled us around to the backyard and into the pasture.
“You’re not kidnapping me, are you?” I joked.
He chuckled. “If I could get away with it, I would. It’s going to be quiet around here without you.”
“I know the feeling. Luckily, I have a lot to do when I get home. Felicity already has me booked in New York next weekend. It feels like it’s been forever since I’ve been on stage.”
“How’s the new song coming along? Have you finished it?”
“Almost. I still need a good ending. Hopefully, it’ll come to me soon.”
He reached for my hand and squeezed. “You’ll figure it out. I wish you would sing it to me. It’s not the same listening to you in the shower.”
I gasped. “You’ve been spying on me?” I smacked him on the arm and he burst out laughing.
“Hey, it’s the only time I could catch you singing.”
“You’re such a creeper,” I teased.
He shrugged. “You need to get over your fear, Hadley.”
I wasn’t afraid to sing in front of thousands of people I didn’t know, but if I sang in front of him, it’d make me vulnerable. He’d see right through me. I wasn’t ready for him to see me like that. The truck began to slow and we came to a complete stop.
“All right, we’re here,” he said, getting out of the truck. We were in the middle of nowhere, with wide open fields all around us. There were a few bison off in the distance and I prayed they stayed far away.
I got out of the truck and watched him climb into the back. There was a basket and a cooler, along with another box I couldn’t see inside of. “What are we doing all the way out here?”
Smiling, Blake pulled out a bunch of blankets from inside the box and spread them out in the bed of the truck. “I thought we could have dinner and spend the evening out here, alone.” Extending his hand, he helped me into the back of the truck and I sat down on the smooth, fluffy blankets. He opened the basket and pulled out various containers of food.
“Is that what Tyla brought this afternoon? I saw her hand something to you and leave.”
He chuckled. “She’s a really good cook, so I called in a favor.”
“I wish I could’ve said goodbye. Will you tell her for me?”
“She’ll be by in the morning. You can tell her yourself.”
The food smelled amazing, and I piled a bunch of it onto my plate. She’d made roasted chicken, asparagus, mashed potatoes, and rolls. It all tasted like heaven. “Remind me to tell her how amazing this was before we leave,” I noted. Blake averted his gaze to his plate, his body tense. “Is everything okay?”
“I got a phone call this morning, about my next mission.”
When he looked at me, my heart sank. “Okay, so what does all of this mean?”
Sighing, he set his plate down. “It means, I won’t be able to take you home tomorrow. Robert is going to fly over and escort you back.”
My eyes burned and my chest ached. I knew we were going to have to say goodbye, but I was hoping I could coerce him to stay a few days in California. I wasn’t ready to let him go. “I see. What kind of mission are we talking about? Is it dangerous?”
“Everything I do is dangerous, princess,” he murmured.
Nodding, I focused on my plate. I didn’t want him to go on another mission. Was that how it was going to be for the rest of his life? “How long will you be gone?”
“I don’t know. It all depends on what happens. But as soon as it’s over, I’ll come see you, wherever you are.”
Swallowing hard, I nodded again and quickly wiped under my eyes.
Blake moved over and put his arm around my shoulders. “Baby, don’t cry. You know our lives are completely different. You’ll be leaving me to sing at your concerts and I’ll be leaving to go on my missions. I don’t know what else to do.”
“I know. I guess I just thought things would be easier. I have one night left with you and then everything’s going to change. I’m afraid I’ll never see you again.”
Holding me in his arms, he gently laid me down on the blanket, his body covering mine. He wiped away my tears and placed a gentle kiss on my lips. “I promise you’ll see me again. I’m in love with you, Hadley. I don’t want tomorrow to come any more than you do.”
He kissed me again, but I gasped and pulled away. “What did you just say?”
Brushing the hair off my face, he smiled and traced my lips with his fingers. “I said I love you.” He trailed his lips down my neck. “And I want to make love to you . . . right here. Tonight is all we have.”
Blake nipped at my ear. “I bought you something. Hopefully, you’ll think of me when you look at it.” We’d just made love under the open sky and were snuggling under one of the many blankets he’d brought. He turned and reached over to pull out a small jewelry box from the picnic basket.
Handing it to me, I gasped as I opened it. “Oh wow, it’s beautiful.” Inside was an amethyst stone necklace, held in place by swirls of diamonds encrusted in the silver lining. He took it out and placed it around my neck. I tried to look down at it, but could barely see it through the tears. “Thank you. I’ll wear it every day.”
“Even when you’re walking the red carpet without me?” he asked flippantly. As much as he joked, I could see the pain in his eyes.
“Yes, even on the red carpet. I want you with me, always. I love you, Blake Evans.”
Hadley
“I think Nightshade’s going to miss you,” Tyla said, coming up behind me.
Gasping, I turned around, clutching my chest. “Holy hell, I didn’t hear you come in.”
She smiled and patted Nightshade’s back. “You were too busy talking to him to notice. Although, judging by the way Blake is this morning, I’d say this horse isn’t the only one who’s going to miss you. How did it go last night?”