Page 27 of Guarded Hearts
“I want to read these. I’d like to be alone for a while.”
His stare flashed to hers. A heartbeat stretched between them.
Finally, he nodded. “I’m going to walk the perimeter. Make sure everything is secure.”
When he left the study, Layne’s shaky legs gave out, and she dropped heavily to her desk chair. Her eyes blurred with more tears as she contemplated the words she’d find in those letters.
At the beginning, the letters would probably be filled with love, hopes and dreams. She dreaded reading the last.
With a trembling hand, she picked up the first letter and slit it with a silver envelope opener bearing her initials. The pages she pulled out smelled old and inky.
Her first glimpse of Carson’s scrawled penmanship gave her a sharp pain in her stomach that morphed into a knot of emotion as she began to read.
Dear Layne,
I’ve started this letter three times now, but each time I crumpled it up, unsure of what to say. By now you know that I didn’t come to Wyoming. My brothers will have delivered the message as to why I didn’t come. You don’t know how horrible I felt when my Navy contact called and gave me orders to board a plane that very night.
I didn’t get time to call you or write then. I threw my things into a duffel bag and Oaks drove me to the airport.
I was looking forward to all those warm summer days with you. And the summer nights too.
Here, the paper was slightly crumpled on the edge, as if Carson’s fingers had convulsed on the page, prepared to crush his letter in his fist and toss it into the trash.
But he went on, recounting the physical toll of boot camp and lamenting about the quality of the food.
The closing made Layne’s heart grip in the same exact twinge she’d experienced the first time she realized that she loved him.
I dream of you, my love. When I get back home, I’m going to make you my bride.
All my love,
Carson
aka Pookie
A tearful laugh burst out of her at the silly nickname she’d once called him as a joke. She bowed her head over the letter.Oh,the feels. Every cell in her body was feeling something completely different, creating a riot inside her.
Or a mutiny.
Had she ever truly stopped loving him? Did anyone ever truly stop loving their first love?
If only things had been different.
She turned her head toward the window. She couldn’t see outside through the drawn blinds. But she knew Carson was out there, walking the ranch to ensure she was safe.
If his letter hadn’t already cracked open that door of her heart…knowing that he was willing to protect her with his own life blasted itwideopen.
Chapter Seven
Carson stepped onto the front porch and stopped. The urge to go back inside, grab Layne and beg her to understand that he was different now almost ripped away every shred of his control.
He lifted his head, glaring out at the property. Goddamn her father for keeping those letters from her. If she’d received evenoneof them…
Well, things would have been different.
They might have a couple kids running around the ranch by now.
His eyes stung, and he dug the pad of his thumb into each one before tugging down the brim of his Stetson and continuing down the stairs.