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His heart dropped and he hurried to the door to open it. Once out of the house and on the porch, he could see two figures wandering through a nearby pasture. The yearning he felt to go to her, to confess all his feelings to her was so strong that he thought he might not be able to contain himself.
Athena had come back. That had to mean something. She hadn’t known that Rachel was here. Did that mean she’d come back for him? His head was taking him in so many different directions that it was making him dizzy. For the first time in a long time, he didn’t know what he should do.
Hudson materialized around the house, whistling a tune until he noticed Henry. He stopped and his relaxed demeanor shifted in the opposite direction. His frown appeared before the rest of his expression followed suit. “What’s the matter now? Please don’t tell me you fell for the girl’s sister. Did she leave?”
Henry glowered at his brother. “No, she didn’t leave. And why would you even ask me that?”
“Ask you if she left?” Hudson mumbled as he headed up the stairs. “Because—”
“No. Why even ask me if I like Rachel? You know I have feelings for Athena.” Henry’s gaze never left the two women as they continued to shrink from view. “I want her back.”
“Back?” Hudson laughed, finally reaching the top step. “You guys weren’t a couple. I mean, I could tell you guys liked each other. But you weren’t together.” His eyes searched Henry’s, and he froze. “You’re kidding.”
Henry ignored the derisive tone in his brother’s voice. “She’s back, you know. Athena came back.”
Hudson spun around and stared out at the field where Henry had been keeping an eye on them.
“Rachel was just about to leave, and… she was just… there.” He placed his hands on the railing, hoping that doing so would keep him balanced. He still didn’t know what he was going to do when they came back. He couldn’t let her leave without talking to her, yet he didn’t want to push her away again.
His brother hadn’t uttered another word, though he remained by Henry’s side. The two of them watched the interaction, which was so far away neither one of them had a prayer of knowing what was going on.
“Do you think… she might have come back for me?” Henry needed someone to pull him off the ledge. He needed someone who could look at the situation without bias and tell him whether or not he was dreaming.
“Maybe,” Hudson said.
Henry gave him a hard look. “If she wants to stay, I don’t want you to say a single word to her about it. As far as I’m concerned, she’s part of this family.”
Hudson rolled his eyes. “Just because she came back doesn’t mean I’m going to like her.”
“I didn’t say you had to. I said you don’t get to make any snide comments about the way she left. Do I make myself clear?”
“Whatever. I don’t care. It’s not like she’s going to stick around. That’s the way she’s lived her life up to this point. Old habits die hard. I would bet her sister tells her they can go off and be a family again, and we never see them again.”
Henry’s head whipped around to watch the girls once more. He hadn’t thought about that possibility. Athena might not want to stick around here now that she knew there was a place where she could belong again.
His hands tightened on the railing, the square edges digging into his hands. He could only hope at this point. That was all he had left.
Hudson patted him on the back. “Good job, brother. You reunited a family. Maybe they’ll be smart and realize they don’t belong out here in the country. Clearly, they’re bred for the city, and we all know how well that turns out.”
“What are you talking about?” Henry muttered with derision.
“I’m talking about a city girl and a country boy. They just don’t mix. Oil and water, you know?”
Henry spun to face his brother, catching him off guard and making him stumble back a few steps with a nervous laugh. “Hey, I didn’t make the rules. I just notice them.”
“Will you just get out of here?” Henry demanded. “It was so much nicer when you weren’t hovering.”
Hudson lifted both hands with a laugh. “Fine. I’ll go. One condition. If Athena stays, her sister isn’t allowed. We’re not a home for lost souls. And as far as I’m concerned, they’ve worn out their welcome.”
Henry took a threatening step forward and Hudson hurried back another two steps. “I’m just saying, is all.” With one more chuckle, he disappeared inside, leaving Henry to deal with his worries all on his own.
* * *
Henry couldn’t bring himself to go inside again after Hudson left. The girls only wandered back to the house when it got a little too dark to see them anymore. They stopped by Rachel’s car, speaking in hushed tones.
He remained standing on the porch, his sharp gaze watching their every move. This was it—the moment of truth. Athena could get into Rachel’s car and they could drive away together without her saying a single word to him.
His whole body felt like a coiled spring, ready to dart out at a moment’s notice so he could speak to her one last time. His body ached with the tension that went from his shoulders all the way to his toes. The dull pounding in his head hadn’t abated since Hudson left him in peace.
