The Cowboy's Love

{Chapter} 31

Pausing a moment, Aubrey looked down at her own writing.

*All my love,

Aubrey.*

Looking over to where Wade slept, she took a deep breath and walked to his side.

“You’ve got to understand that I can’t stay, Wade,” she whispered. “Every fiber in me wants to stay here and wants to believe that this is some terrible mistake. I love you so much, yet I hate what you’ve done. Someday you’ll understand me.”

She didn’t feel the confidence in her words she was hoping for. She would never forget Wade or what they had shared. As if her insecurity about her own feelings wasn’t enough, he had gone and disproved what she thought he meant when he said “I love you”.

She leaned down and kissed his forehead, feeling her heart shatter into pieces.

“Goodbye, Wade.”

Tears pooled at the corners of her eyes and threatened to spill over. She turned on her heel and walked away before she changed her mind.

She desperately wanted to tell the others good-bye, but didn’t want to risk Wade catching up with her and convincing her to stay. He made her go out of her head and she would likely forget how serious the situation was.

She walked out to the barn and saddled Cookie.

*I hope I’m making the right decision here.*

**********

Wade rubbed his eyes and woke up, blinking as he stared at the ceiling. He smiled. Today, all of his work would pay off. Today, his marriage would get ten times better.

Then he noticed the bed was cold beside him and his arms felt empty.

The door flung open.

“Hey, Pa” Jay’s voice said, carrying Sadie inside.

“Did you have a good time?” Wade asked groggily, still processing his surroundings.

Aubrey’s hat was gone, and so was her robe.

Strange.

“Tiny snores too loud. Then Ms. Toni started screamin’ in the middle of the night and woke us all up. Mr. Erik said that she’s kinda cranky sometimes,” Jay explained, setting Sadie on the floor.

Wade smiled. “So not that good, huh?”

He looked around. Her dresses and nightgown were gone, too.

He sat up and looked around again.

“Have you seen Ms Aubrey?” he asked Jay.

“Nope” Jay said.

Wade looked to the corner. Her suitcases were gone.

What was happening?

Jumping up and pulling on his shirt, he jerked on his boots with rising panic.

“Where’s she at?” Jay asked.

Wade walked to the door and saw something on the table that resembled a note. He picked it up and read the contents with haste.

This couldn‘t be real. This was just a joke someone was playing on him. She couldn‘t leave. Not now.

“Where‘s she at?” Jay repeated.

“I have no idea” Wade squeezed the boy’s shoulder before sprinting toward the barn. Looking inside, his worst fear was confirmed.

His knees went weak with dread, but he forced himself to think.