He put the money back into the safety-deposit drawer and shoved the box back into its slot. He realized he’d have to hurt her, but it might be the only way to give her a little peace. There would be no peace for him, though, he knew. If anything, the woman and her questions about him would probably get him killed.
But as he drove out of town, he told himself that if this had to end, then let it end in Buckhorn.
* * *
“KATE, COME ON. Think about what you’re saying.” Collin raked his hand through his hair. Since he’d found Jon gone, they’d continued to have the same argument. She could see that he was losing his patience. She understood his frustration. Everything he said was true. Unfortunately, that didn’t make any difference to how she felt.
“Why would he leave if he isn’t Danny?” she demanded. That was the question that she kept asking herself.
Collin swore. “Because he didn’t want you coming back to his workshop day after day.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “Baby, why would you want him even if he is your dead husband who left you not once but twice. Take the hint. He doesn’t want you. He left to get away from you.” He must have seen how his words landed on her and instantly stepped to her. “I’m not trying to hurt you. But Kate, we’re engaged to be married. I love you. I want us to spend the rest of our lives together. I thought this trip would be the beginning of something good for us. This man can’t offer you anything—even if he wanted to.”
“Maybe he’s not gone for good.”
Stepping away from her, Collin let out an explosion of air. “So, what are you going to do? Sit around here and wait to see if he comes back? Is that what you want to do? You want to break up with me for a shot-in-the-dark chance that this man is your husband, let alone that he’s going to miraculously remember you and want you again? Are you really going to live in that cabin out back of his workshop? Sell your house in Houston and spend winters in this town? Or are you planning to move him into your home in Houston? Maybe he could run his workshop out of your garage. Think about what you’re doing, Kate.”
He made it sound so ridiculous that she couldn’t help but see what a fool she was being. “You’re right,” she said. Jon Harper had left. She had to accept that, even if he was Danny, he didn’t want her or need her. He just wanted to be left alone. How much clearer could the man make it?
“Can we get something to eat before we leave town?” she asked, feeling weak and shaky. She felt sick at what she’d done. She’d run Jon Harper out of town. She hadn’t thought about what he wanted or needed. It had been all about her. All about finding Danny and her fantasy of bringing him home. Not to mention what she’d done to her relationship with Collin.
“Then I’m ready to leave with you,” she said. “I’m sorry I’ve put you through all of this.”
The relief on Collin’s face made him step to her and take her again in his arms. “We’ll get something to go at the café, and then we’re out of here.”
She nodded against his shoulder, wondering if she was going to be able to eat a bite. She couldn’t believe Jon would leave like that unless everything Collin had said was true.
If Jon Harper was Danny, he wanted nothing to do with her. Which meant he’d recognized her the first time she’d stepped into his workshop. He didn’t have amnesia. He’d never had amnesia. He’d simply walked away the day of the explosion and never looked back. He’d left her and the girls. Just as he’d left her again today. He didn’t want her. Worse, he didn’t want her coming after him anymore.
And if she was wrong and Jon Harper wasn’t Danny? Then what she’d done was even worse because she’d run a complete stranger out of town. Worse yet, she’d wanted a complete stranger over Collin.
“Could we walk to the café?” she asked him. “I need the fresh air.” She wasn’t ready to get into the rented SUV. She needed to clear her head. She thought she might be sick to her stomach.
Collin stepped outside to turn off the car engine. Together they walked down to the café through the falling snow, since driving a block made no sense anyway—except for the fact that he was anxious to get going.
She breathed in the frigid air, feeling the snowflakes like feathers on her face. The deep snow pulled at her boots, making her drag through it, making her feel as if this place was trying to pull her down. She’d thought she’d been ready to move on with Collin. Now she knew that once this trip was over, so were they. A deep sadness filled her. She just wanted this trip to be over. She wanted to go home and lick her wounds. Even as she thought it, she wondered if she would ever be the same.
As she watched the snow falling silently over her, she yearned to see blue sky and sunshine, wishing they’d never come to Montana. If they hadn’t, she would never have seen Danny again, her heart told her. Because no matter what a mess she’d made of their lives in this small Montana town, her heart knew that Jon Harper was Danny. Hadn’t her deepest desire been to see him one more time?
Collin held the door into the café for her. He looked cross when all the patrons turned to look at them. He muttered something under his breath and practically shoved her in. She hated that she’d embarrassed him. But at the same time, she’d saved them both from making a terrible mistake. Her behavior here proved that she wasn’t ready to move on. Right now, she doubted she ever would be.
They took a booth. Bessie seemed surprised to see them still in town. “I thought the part came in,” she said as she brought over two glasses of water and two menus. “Is the highway closed again?”
Collin shook his head. “Thought we’d better have something to eat before we leave.” Kate felt his gaze on her. She knew she must look the way she felt, miserable. This trip had been about celebrating their engagement. She’d ruined it. She’d always dreamed that when she found Danny, he would know her in just one look. He’d remember what they had had and would come back to her. She’d been such a fool.
“Can we get it to go?” Collin asked.
“Smart,” Bessie said, her gaze lighting on Kate. “You look a little peaked.”
Kate picked up her menu. The words blurred before her eyes.
“How about a couple of deluxe cheeseburgers, fries and two chocolate milkshakes to go,” Collin said, no doubt seeing her distress. Either that or he was just anxious to leave.
Bessie took their menus and went to place their orders.
“I’m sorry,” Kate whispered as she wiped at scalding tears.
“Me, too.” He pulled out his phone and began to answer a text and swore under his breath.
“Bad news?” she asked.
He shook his head as he pocketed his phone. “Just another delay. Nothing to worry about. My associates won’t be able to meet us until day after tomorrow. Not a problem. It will just give us more time to see more of Montana.”