I slowly looked back out the window, and I saw a huge buck walking up. It was beautiful, the most breathtaking creature I’d ever seen. I counted really quickly. It was a big twelve point. He is huge. As he got closer, I felt the excitement building. He walked right up toward us, and when he glanced up, I swore he looked me right in the eyes. I let out a gasp and brought my hands up to my mouth. The buck snorted and ran off.
Oh…shit.
I turned to see Layton glaring at me.
He was shaking his head. “If I’d been hunting, do you know how pissed-off I’d be right now?”
I felt the heat move across my cheeks. “Oops. ”
His mouth dropped open. “Oops? That’s all you’ve got? You’re never going hunting with me—ever. That was a heavy twelve point, Whit. A twelve point!”
“Yeah, I counted. He was big!” I smiled.
My smile quickly faded as he took his hands and rubbed them down his face.
“Oh, for Christ’s sake, Layton. It’s not even hunting season. Why are you getting all upset?”
“Let’s go. ” He started to make his way down the ladder as he mumbled something about it being a huge, heavy twelve point that would look awesome on his wall.
I went to get down, and I froze. “Um…Layton…”
Then, it started pouring right as Layton was helping me down and out of the stand.
I glanced over at him as he drove the Jeep in the rain. He looked so damn handsome when he was mad. I looked away and giggled. He didn’t think I had noticed the three times he’d placed his hands on my ass to help guide me down from the stand.
Something caught my eye, and I spun around to look at it. “Wait! Layton, stop!”
He came to a stop and looked at me.
“There’s an old house back there. Can we go look at it?”
His face turned white as a ghost. “I haven’t been to that house in years, Whitley. ”
“Oh, come on! Please? I want an adventure!”
“Driving in the rain isn’t adventurous enough for you?” he asked with a small smile.
“Nope,” I said.
He started to turn around, and we made our way up to the house. After he stopped, I jumped out of the Jeep and about slipped and busted my ass in the mud.
Thank God I brought the change of clothes Courtney had insisted I bring.
I had barely seen the house from the road. As I walked up to it, I could tell it was unfinished. It was a white clapboard house with a tin roof. It would have made a darling ranch house if the owners had only finished it.
I walked up onto the porch and pushed open the door. The inside was filled with old torn-up furniture.
“Please don’t go in. ”
I turned and saw Layton standing in the yard. He looked gutted. I quickly stepped back out of house and shut the door. I glanced to my right and saw two chairs sitting on the porch.
My eyes caught the carving in the wooden rail—Layton and Mike. There was a date, but I couldn’t make it out.
No…oh God, no.
My head snapped over to Layton. Our eyes met, and I knew it wasn’t rain on his face. I walked down and took him into my arms.
He lost it and started crying. I’d never in my life seen a grown man cry.