Page 54 of A Cowboy Takes A Chance

“I love her, Bethany. Doesn’t mean I didn’t love you. I did. I do. Shit.” He ran his hand down his face, then placed his hat back on his head. “I’m not making a lot of sense, am I? I’ll always love you. You held my heart for a long time. I thought it would be longer though. I really thought we’d grow old together. Have kids.” He swallowed hard. “This is so hard, Bethany. I don’t want you to think I didn’t love you. You must know I did and you will always have a place in my heart, but I want to move on with Presley. I—I love her so much, and I’m going to lose her if I don’t get my act together and let her know. But I had to talk to you. You wanted this for me, damn it,” he growled as he stood again.

Turning on his heel, he started to walk away then turned back. Clenching his hands into fists again, he swore as he stared at theheadstone. Tipping his head down, he reached into his pocket, pulled the chain out holding their two wedding rings. He’d put it away earlier that day but now he removed his wedding band from it. Staring at it, he took a deep breath then blew it out as he put the chain with her ring still on it back into his pocket. He would put it away in a drawer.

“What the hell do you want from me? This is what you wanted. This is what you told me the night you…left me. Find someone, is what you said, and now I have.” Tears rolled down his cheeks, and he angrily wiped them away. “Damn it, Bethany. I have found someone, but I want you to be happy for me. I love you, but I love her too.Christ!I hate saying that. I’m going now, and I’m not coming back for a long time. I want to be with her. I want to marry Presley and spend my life with her. Please be happy for me, Bethany. Please.” Jaxon reached up to swipe his hand across his cheek when he felt something else brush against it. He looked at his hand but didn’t see anything, and nothing other than grass lay on the ground at his feet. It had felt like a…like a flower petal.

Looking up at the sky, he shook his head. He knew it couldn’t have been a flower. Could it? It felt just as it had when Bethany stroked a lily across his cheek. Jaxon pulled in a deep breath and blinked his eyes. Reidhad told him that Zeke had let him know some way. Had Bethany just let him know?

“I’ll always hold you in my heart,” he whispered and placed his wedding band on the top of the headstone then turned and walked back to his truck.

Once he returned to his house, he removed all the photos on the mantle except the one of them with Bethany holding a tiger lily, put them in a box, and stored them in the attic.

Chapter Twelve

The party was in full swing. Presley stood in the kitchen, fixing another tray of snacks. Who knew so many people would show up? The one she really wanted here wouldn’t show though. Jaxon was done with her. A small cry escaped her as she thought of the last time she’d seen him. The look on his face as she told him she was returning to Idaho. If he’d only asked her to stay. She would have dropped everything and stayed with the man she fell in love with. But he didn’t because he’d told her he couldn’t give her what she wanted. When she heard the doorbell ring, she sighed with relief when someone shouted they’d get it. A small smile touched her lips. The more, the merrier. Just not for her. Picking up the tray, she turned to head for the living room when her neighbor, Brenda, entered the kitchen and smiled at her.

“One gorgeous cowboy is asking for you.”

Presley set the tray down as her heart slammed against her ribs.

“A cowboy?”

“Yep. Lip smacking hot too.”

“What does he look like?” Presley held her breath.

“Tall, black hair, gorgeous light grey eyes. Look, Pres, if you don’t want him…”

“I’ll be right back,” Presley said as she slowly moved toward the living room. She heard Brenda laugh.

“That’s what I thought.”

Presley entered the living room and looked toward the door to see Jaxon leaning back against it with his arms folded over his broad chest as his eyes skimmed the room. When he spotted her, he straightened up. She walked up to him and stared into that gorgeous face that had been in her dreams every night since meeting him.

“Jaxon? What are you doing here?”

He jerked his chin toward the crowd. “Some party. What’s the occasion?”

“Why are you here?” She noticed he’d avoided her question, so she avoided his.

“Won’t the neighbors complain?” Again, he didn’t answer her question.

“Not if they’re all here.”

A corner of his mouth rose. “Smart.”

“Jaxon—”

His eyes narrowed as he stared at her. “Presley, I…”

“Please tell me why you’re here.”

She heard him clear his throat. “It’s so damn loud in here. How the hell do you even think?”

“It’s a party, Jaxon.”

“I suppose this is what you prefer to bonfires and camping.”

“I happen to love bonfires and camping.”

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