“Going out isn’t always a pleasant experience. Either people want you to do something for them, or they’re mad at you for something you did.” He shrugged. “Thought I’d bring the restaurant to you.”
Some people viewed what he did as a blessing, but other people, people like my cousin Sue, they saw him as part of the problem in Montana.
The small farms were disappearing and he was one of the companies buying them up.
Wyatt opened his door and then mine, helping me out of the truck, my body sliding in his hands as he made sure I landed on the ground safely.
I was glad I’d worn cowboy boots with my sundress, otherwise I’d be sinking into the soft ground below me.
A single waiter was there, cowboy boots and white dress on as she waited to greet us.
“Jeanine, thank you so much for setting up. I’ll text Jinny to come pick it all up when we’re done. Go ahead and take the night off.” He slipped something into her hand, it must’ve been a large bill because she looked at it, her eyes got real big and she nodded turning and walking down to her SUV.
“You’re going to serve me?” I asked in disbelief. I couldn’t imagine Wyatt Graves serving anyone. He was the kind of man who had so much money he didn’t need to lift a finger or do anything. Hell, he could hire people to put his boots on for him if he wanted to.
I was in shock.
“I am tonight.” He guided me to my seat and then turned and grabbed my plate, taking it over to the buffet table. “Venison over asparagus, or a bison burger with greens?” He asked looking between the two meal options.
“Bison, please.” I hadn’t had either in years, living in Denver meant I had access to it, but it was expensive when you were living as a college student, and then hand to mouth trying to make ends meet.
I looked over the spread as I sat across from Wyatt he was so devilishly handsome even now after all these years. I couldn't help but stare at him instead of the food in front of me.
"Rose, you haven't touched your dinner." Wyatt commented.
"I'm sorry, it's just that I forgot how beautiful Montana could be." It certainly couldn't be because I was too busy looking into his deep green eyes to take a bite of anything. I grabbed my burger and sunk my teeth into it, the savory juices making me moan out loud.
"Yeah, these Montana nights are my favorite. I’ve always been the lover of a Montana Sky in spring. The lengthening days and the deep winds from the mountains. That’s my heaven.” Wyatt stabbed the greens on his plate smiling before he took a sip of his beer.
I, on the other hand, had a glass of red wine that I swirled while thinking about the space between us. It was an unusually poetic statement coming from him.
We were quiet during the rest of dinner, eating and grabbing stolen glances of each other. Finally when we were finished he stood and grab the plates, stacking them and then pulling me up from my chair and away from the table.
“Where are we going now?" I asked as he pulled me towards the row of trees against the edge of the field.
"I want to show you something." I let him hold my hand, trying not to think about the feel of his skin against mine. That wasn't an easy thing to do, his skin was so warm, the touch of him so real. I couldn't let him get to me. I couldn't let this happen. It was crazy. He was the same exact man that he was five years ago, the same exact man that he be in ten.
We weren't walking long before we came to a clearing in the forest. One that was the top of a ridge. From there we could see everything. It felt like I could see the entire state of Montana. The trees, the fields, they were all laid out there bare before me. This was what I walked away from all those years ago. This is why I had to come home.
“Wyatt, I didn't realize that this was here. How come you never brought me here before?”
"I was planning to we just never had time." He was quiet now looking out across the expanse and then back to me. A part of me wanted to believe that he was telling the truth but it couldn't be possible. He was the kind of man who saved the special spots for only himself. Changing women every other day, why would he share something like that with them?
“That was a long time ago." I didn't know what else to say. It was like a lifetime had elapsed. We were two different people now, two adults. I wasn't sure if this was even going to work. Yes he was handsome but I didn't even know him.
“With the sun going down like this. This is my idea of what heaven must look like.” He smiled at me and then said," this is just the beginning of our night.”
"What do you mean?" I furrowed my brow as I looked at him through the fading sunlight, the twilight so dark that I could barely see the intent in his eyes.