Page 8 of Colt

He had shown up at this ranch at seventeen, by accident and never left. He had dropped out of school, left home, and ended up here. Walt agreed to hire him on the condition that he obtained his high school diploma, which he did by taking night classes while working during the day.

By the age of twenty-five, he had become the manager and never looked back. When he found out the ranch was being sold, he worried about what would happen under new ownership. But now, he knew exactly what would happen.

Walt nodded thoughtfully. “I have an idea. I’m not sure if it’s feasible, but I’ll look into it and get back to you.”

“Yes, sir.” Colt watched him leave the room and shut the door behind him.

He had no idea what Walt had in mind, but if it meant keeping his job, he was willing to wait and find out.

Chapter Two

Chelsea parked her car in front of the realtor’s office in Clifton. She got out and walked to the door, entering with a smile. The woman at the front desk greeted her.

“Hi, welcome to Clifton Realty. How can I assist you?”

“I would like to speak with Lydia Griffin.”

“That’s me,” said a woman standing up from a desk against the wall. “How may I help you?”

“Hello, I’m Chelsea Kennedy and I’m interested in buying the Cotton residence.”

“That’s a lovely property. Please, come sit down.”

“Thank you.”

Chelsea followed Lydia to her desk and took a seat in the chair next to it.

“Are you familiar with the property?” Lydia asked.

“Yes, I worked there for three summers.”

“That’s great. It’s a beautiful place. Well, since you’re familiar with it, I’m not sure what else I can tell you.” Lydia chuckled.

“Lydia? I’m sorry, but you have a call. He says it’s urgent.”

“Thanks, Patty.” Lydia looked at Chelsea. “Excuse me for a moment, Ms. Kennedy?”

“Of course, and please, call me Chelsea.”

“Thank you, I will. I’ll just be a minute.”

While Lydia was on the phone, Chelsea glanced around the office. When Lydia hung up, she spoke again.

“That was Mr. Cotton. He mentioned your visit today. He is such a kind man.”

“Yes, he is. I enjoyed working for him.”

“Well, I need to mention that there is a stipulation in the contract.” Lydia nervously nibbled on her bottom lip.

“A stipulation?”

“Yes. Since the ranch is considered a business with employees, Mr. Cotton wants to ensure that all employees stay unless they want to leave.”

Chelsea’s mouth fell open in shock. She knew exactly what caused this requirement. Colt Monroe. He had something to do with this.

“So, I’m required to keep all of the employees?”

“Yes, ma’am. It is common for businesses to protect their employees’ jobs in case of a sale. Is that going to be a problem for you? I can speak with Mr. Cotton, but he seemed very adamant about it.” Lydia shrugged. “He just wants to take care of his workers.”

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