There was a sad tone in his voice that shook me to the core. Behind the rough rancher exterior was a man that I barely knew. For the first time since he'd picked me up, I felt my guards start to lower. I didn't want to keep hurting him, but the fear of the unknown was a powerful thing for a mother. I just had to get through the night.
The Calumet came into view as my heart started to race again. It was even more stunning in the pale light of the moon. Dim lights lit the path to the front porch as we walked up silently. The mood had returned to an awkward silence as we worked through our odd situation. He pushed open the front door.
"Welcome to Calumet," Walker said. "I hope you like it."
My heart jumped. "My God, it's beautiful. How big is it? Never mind, that doesn't matter. I don't understand all that anyways. The wood is amazing, is it local to Texas?"
He laughed, his hand finding the small of my back as he navigated us toward the kitchen. I couldn't take my eyes off the artwork that hung throughout the log cabin. The cherry floors perfectly set off the counter's soft oak as I took a seat at the island.
Watching Walker as he worked around the kitchen made my heart stir. There was nothing I could do about the attraction between us. He was nothing like I'd expected. I took a deep breath to steady my nerves. I wasn't there to land back in bed with him. I needed to know who he really was.
"So, what do you do when you aren't seducing a woman, running a ranch, and baking?"
Walker chuckled. "I have lots of hobbies, but I've got to say that I enjoy anything that takes me away. My mother says that's why I haven't found anyone yet, I've got a wandering soul."
My eyes lit up, "you like to travel? That's unexpected. I didn't take you as the type to like to get out. Wait...you mean outside of Texas, right?"
He laughed. "Yes, outside of Texas and often outside of the country. My work selecting the perfect cattle takes me all over. At least, that's the excuse I like to use. Honestly, I'm just a sucker for history."
"Huh. So, let me get this straight. You cook, you like to travel, and looking around, I'd say you really do have an eye for art. Explain to me how you are still single?"
Walker shrugged. "Have you seen where we live?"
"Ah, you make a good point. I guess women around here don't really want that?"
"Women around here see one thing when they look at me," Walker admitted, "my last name. They think just because I'm a Wheeler that I want the same thing as my family or, in most cases, my mother. She loves setting me up with one aging debutant or another. That isn't the life I want, though."
"And what are you looking for?" I asked.
"I don't know honestly. I know that I want a woman who loves to travel as well. What's the point in being with someone forever if you spend half your life away from them? That isn't for me. Maybe a woman who loves nature. I could spend hours hiking."
"Harrison loves to hike. His favorite place is the waterfall off route ten. I don't think I've ever seen that boy smile so much before."
"He's got good taste; I go there sometimes when I need to think. It's weird to have such a favorite spot that isn't owned by Lakeview."
"You aren't kidding; most of this state is owned by your family."
"I know, it doesn't mean we deserve it. But at least we take care of the land. There are big farms out there that just bleed it dry, same goes for their herds."
"You really care about the animals around here, don't you?" I asked.
His cheeks flushed as he grinned. "They don't have anyone else to look after them, someone has to be in charge. I know it's a little strange coming from a beef and dairy farmer, but even livestock deserve good treatment."
Everything about his was throwing me off. I couldn’t seem to wrap my mind around who Walker was. The Wheeler family had a lot of clout around the state, but I'd never heard a bad word against them the more I thought about it. It was hard to realize that the man I'd made into a monster was actually a decent