Ellie prepared her angry lecture as Landon carried her up the hill. When at last they reached the top of the outlook point, he set her on her feet and kept a steadying hand at her waist. She spun toward him, fully ready to let him have a piece of her mind, but then she saw it…
Heaven had come to earth and lain itself out before them.
Ellie turned in a slow circle, taking it all in. This view had a bit of everything—mountains, trees, fields, and ocean all came together to form one magical, uninterrupted picture.
The mountains stood majestically in the distance, framing the land below. The ocean sparkled on the horizon far more beautiful than any piece of diamond jewelry could ever be. Horses sprinkled the open meadows while a burst of trees framed them in with deliberate care. Other than the fireweed and pops of rainbow color from the flowers, everything remained a strong emerald green. Ellie couldn’t even imagine how beautiful this view would be when the fall colors arrived in all their glory.
“Takes your breath away, doesn’t it?” Landon’s voice broke her from the spell she was under. She realized then that he still hadn’t taken his hand away from her waist and—perhaps even more surprisingly—that she was okay with it.
“It’s beautiful,” was all she managed to murmur in that moment. Ellie simply couldn’t tear her eyes from the stunning scene that had unfolded all around them. She’d always loved being a part of the ranch, but being above it, being able to see the whole picture… well, it did something to her.
Is this how her life would look once she was able to piece it all together again? Would it also be a beautiful mix of color and textures, or would the picture that revealed itself turn out far bleaker?
She was almost afraid to find out because until she knew for sure, she had hope. Hope that she could be anything.
She continued to watch the world in awe until Landon guided her to a patch of shade and motioned for her to sit. “Go ahead and rest for a bit before we make our way back. We might have overdone it by coming this far today, but I just couldn’t stop myself from bringing you here.”
As much as she hated to lose part of her view, Ellie couldn’t deny that a rest would be helpful. She allowed Landon to help her to the ground, but still gave a cursory argument as was her way with the bossy cowboy. “I’m fine. Honestly, this has been likely the best thing I’ve done since I got here. So don’t ruin it for me!”
Landon’s laugh rumbled deep in his throat as he brought his hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay, you win! I’m going to quickly check on the horses and grab the sandwiches Liz sent for us. Try not to get into any trouble while I’m gone.”
When he winked at her, Ellie was sure her heart stopped beating. At least for a moment.
Watching him walk away now, she sighed softly to herself. Why did he have to be so perfect sometimes? Sometimes Landon irritated her to no end, but then he brought her to a place like this, and…
No and’s! she scolded herself. How can you be falling for someone else when you don’t even know who you are yet? And what about the man in your dreams? Do you really want to break his heart? Do you really want to cheat?
The answer of course was a resounding no.
Her thoughts drifted back to her dream last night. Who was the man she kept seeing? She still hadn’t been able to see his face, and it was killing her to think she might never figure out his identity. He was the only memory that had found her all the way in Alaska. And no matter what the doctors or anyone else said, Ellie knew he wasn’t something her mind had made up.
He was real, and she had to have loved him. She probably still did, but she couldn’t fully remember…
And it tore at her heart to know he might be out there somewhere while she was here falling for another man. What would happen if she gave in to her budding feelings for Landon only to regain her memories and rediscover her love for the dream man?
Everyone would get hurt then, and it was the last thing she wanted.
She leaned back against the tree and kept her gaze facing forward as Landon came back into view. How long had he left her alone with her thoughts? And was that move intentional?
Finishing his ascent, he folded his legs and sat down beside her, placing a satchel between them on the ground. “I brought you something else I thought you might like while you’re staying here,” he explained, and then pulled out a camera and offered it to her.
“It’s just one I had sitting around that I never have time to use. I figured it might be a way for you to pass the time while you get better.”
She looked down at the sleek digital camera in her hands, unsure of what she should say. “It looks brand new,” she blurted out, knowing what she should have said was thank you.
He shrugged and leaned forward onto his one bent knee. “I bought it a long time ago but never really used it. Someone may as well help it fulfill its purpose.”
Its purpose. She liked that. Now to find her purpose.
Except… in all the time she had spent with Landon, he’d never really talked about himself. Only the ranch, the horses, and the plans for Ellie’s recovery. Why was that? And was it Ellie’s fault for failing to ask, or was he hiding himself from her on purpose?
So many questions swirled through her head, she had to lie back in the grass to avoid getting dizzy.
What did it mean that he had singled her out for this special offering? Was he simply being nice? Or could he be falling for her, too?
“I’m not sure I would even know how to use it, but thank you. It’s going to be fun learning.” She smiled at him as she realized just how much this gift meant to her. He was right—there was a lot of beauty around here, and she couldn’t wait to take the pictures that would document all of it.
“It’s my pleasure,” Landon said as he pulled a sandwich out of the bag and handed it to her.
Placing the camera carefully beside her, she grabbed the proffered lunch, realizing only now just how hungry she’d become while also trying her best to ignore the jolt to her skin as his fingers briefly touched hers.
“So Landon…” she started as she unwrapped her sandwich. “You’ve never told me anything about yourself. Did you grow up in Alaska?”
He looked down at her suspiciously as he finished chewing. Was she being too forward? Too nosy?
Landon left Ellie to wonder as he slowly finished his bite then leaned back beside her. “No, I moved here when I found this job.”
“Do you have any family or anything around here? I know you live right on the ranch, so I was wondering if you ever leave to visit with anyone or go anywhere. It must get pretty boring always being in one place, no matter how beautiful that place is.”
From the corner of her eye, she could see him twisting some long pieces of grass between his fingers that were resting on his knees. Oh, gosh! She was rambling. She was being pushy! She should stop and apologize…
But then he answered. “No, my family is all over the place. It’s really just me on my own, and this ranch is pretty much my entire life at the moment.”
She could see he wasn’t comfortable talking about himself, but still Ellie couldn’t resist asking more questions. Suddenly, it had become very important to learn whatever she could about this strange cowboy who kept her company these days.
“So, no girlfriend?” As soon as the words escaped her mouth, Ellie’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. Why in the heck did I ask him that? And, more importantly, why am I dying to hear the answer?
“I mean, I can’t imagine a man like you wouldn’t have someone on his arm,” she continued, speaking quickly to alleviate the awkwardness from the situation. “I’m sure there are plenty of women around here who would enjoy your company. I know I do. I mean, I…”
Stop talking, Ellie! her inner critic screamed.
And now, of course, she was mortified. Way to play it cool, Ellie. Great job. She looked back at the mountains on the horizon, willing them to calm her racing heart. “You don’t have to answer that,” she mumbled into her sandwich.
Landon burst out into laughter—definitely not the response she’d expected. “No, Ellie,” he answered at last. “I don’t have a girlfriend. As a matter of fact, the only girl who has my attention at the moment is this stubborn redhead I’m teaching to ride. She’s more than enough for me at the moment.”
Ellie’s cheeks grew as red as her hair, she was sure of it. She took another bite of her sandwich, hoping in equal parts that she would and wouldn’t choke.