He shook his head and turned abruptly, intent on getting as far away from Indiana Lane as he could.
“Stone. Wait! That wasn’t what I meant.” He heard a rustle behind him like she was scrambling off the bed but he didn’t stop to find out. She wasn’t going to get another chance to practice her acting skills on him.
“Stone, please!” she cried and then she was at his side, and she was grabbing his arm, and she was clinging to him. “Let me explain.”
He shrugged her off and kept on walking, his only acknowledgement of her a growl over his shoulder. “I want you out of here by sundown. I’ll tell the driver to be ready with the truck.”
******
Indie ran to the cottage door but Stone was already yards away, striding purposefully in the opposite direction. He did not slow his pace and he did not look back and all she could do was stare at him in horror.
What could she say to him to make him stop? Her heart rose and lodged in her throat. She couldn’t even call out to him.
Feeling like someone had just pulled her heart from her chest, she whirled away from the door and ran back to the bedroom where Tessa sat frozen on the bed.
“He’s gone, Tessa. I couldn’t stop him.” She put a trembling hand to her forehead. “How could he think those things about me? How could he think I would do something like that?”
“Easy,” Tessa said. She got up and walked toward Indie and put a hand on her shoulder. “He just heard something that sounded really bad. You and I know what you were talking about but he doesn’t.”
“But what he heard…it was out of context.”
“Exactly. And that’s why you have to go to him and explain what you really meant.”
Indie pulled away from her and walked over to the window. She’d been surprised to see Stone at the door then shocked to witness his rage but now she was angry. “Me? I don’t think so. If he could think something like that about me then maybe I don’t want him to marry me.” She was so angry she wanted to punch something. She walked over and punched the pillow.
“Calm down, Indie,” Tessa walked over and caught her friend's arm then pulled her to sit down on the bed. “I know you’re upset but what you said about not wanting Stone to marry you, you don’t mean that. That’s just the shock and anger talking.”
Indie’s shoulders slumped. She drew in a shaky breath then let it out but still she said nothing. She couldn’t. The lump in her throat had grown huge and if she tried to speak she was going to break down in tears. And Indie didn’t do tears, not for Stone Hudson, not for anybody.
“You have to go to him, Indie.” Tessa reached out and put an arm around her shoulder. “Don’t allow pride to make you lose out on this. You love Stone and I know he loves you, too.”
Indie looked at her friend askance. What did she know? For someone who loved her he’d been pretty quick to walk away.
“I know he does, Indie,” Tessa continued. “From the first time I saw the two of you together I could tell. He couldn’t take his eyes off you. That man adores you.”
Indie bit her lip. Maybe Tessa had a point. She didn’t want to lose Stone, not like this. She had to give it a shot.
She looked over at her friend. “You’re right. I have to talk to him about this.” Then she gave a sad smile. “But after all that he still might not want me. We’d better have a plan B.”
She got up off the bed and walked to the door. Then she turned and looked at Tessa. “I’ll go find him. But just in case he still wants me out of here, start packing until I get back.”
******
The words swirled around in Stone’s mind. Every swear word in the book. How could he have been so stupid? He’d actually thought he’d fallen in love when all he’d been was seduced by a green-eyed witch who turned his insides to mush.
Love? He would never believe in that crap again.
He threw open the closet and began to rip his clothes down from the hangers. He dragged a duffel bag from behind the shirts and threw it onto the bed. There was no way he was going to stay here tonight. He’d told Indie he’d arrange for a ride for her but he would book a driver for himself, too. Even after she was gone this place would remind him too much of her.
Then he paused and stared ahead with glazed eyes. Now he’d have to do the dirty work. He had his parents to call, his brother and sister, his friends. Flights would have to be cancelled, caterers told not to come, the minister to explain things to. Jesus, what a mess!
He was muttering to himself as he turned back toward the bed with his clothes strewn all over it when he looked up and there in the doorway stood Indie.
Stone straightened and stared at her. “What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice cold.
She took a step forward then stopped. “Can we talk?”
He almost laughed at that. “We have nothing to talk about.”
“You need to hear what I have to say.”
“Why? I owe you nothing.” He glared at her then shoved his hands into his pockets and looked away. He couldn’t bear looking at her. She’d trampled his heart into the dust even though she knew he loved her. And, God help him, he still did.
“You hurt me, Indie,” he said, his voice a low rasp. “Real bad. How can I ever trust you again?”
“Just hear me out, Stone. Please.”
When he looked over at her she was staring at him with huge eyes, sad eyes. Despite his resolve his heart reached out to her. But still, he said nothing.
She drew in a breath then continued. “What you heard was totally out of context. I can’t blame you for what you thought. I can’t even blame you for being angry. But it’s not what you think.”
“Oh?” This was going to be good. What story was she going to cook up now?
“No, it’s not.”
Her voice was bolder now. She was probably thinking she could use her acting skills on him, worm her way back into his good graces. Well, it wasn’t going to happen.