Page 5 of The Irish Arrangement

Some days, it took all I had to keep us afloat. Today was another one of those rotten ones where I couldn’t tell whether I was drowning yet or not.

“Hiring another stable hand would help bring in more, ya know?” he said, propping his hands on his hips. “More work to be done and more income when we got more sheep to sell.”

I shook my head. I don’t have the freedom to invest like that.

“And with you taking off so often…” He winced. “It’s a lot on my shoulders, picking up your slack.”

I grabbed my gloves and glowered at him. “I’m not ‘taking off’.”

“I don’t mean it like that.” He hurried to follow after me as I returned to the bigger barn.

“I’m not slacking,” I bit out. How dare he even think to say it like that? I busted my ass to keep this farm running, to get Mom to her appointments. Every morning I woke up, I wished to escape it all. And every night when I lay in bed, my body worn and fatigued from the manual labor, I prayed that I could have another option in my life. Any other option. For an end to all this stress and toiling away with the last fiber of my being.

“Cara!” Oscar hustled to keep up with me. “I ain’t meaning anything nasty like that. But it’s a lot. When you’re not here, it’s not easy to keep up. This farm is a lot for one person. It’s a lot for two.”

“I don’t know what to tell you,” I replied, pausing at the fence where the sheep needed shearing. “This is what it is. And I’m not going to waste more time arguing with you. So long as the sun’s shining, I’ll do what I can and hope it’s enough.”

He pursed his lips, eyeing me as I opened the door to the stall and let the wooden panel slam shut at him.

My phone rang as I reached for the clippers, and I dropped my head back and groaned. I’d jinxed myself. Because if that was that office calling again, or anyone else hounding after me for money or appointment changes, or who knew what else, I’d lose all the waking hours today had for me.

Spotting an unfamiliar number on the screen, I answered. “Hello?”

“Cara Gallagher?”

I exhaled a long breath and waved at the flies. “Who’s asking?”

“I’m calling on behalf of Shane Murray,” the prim voice said.

I rolled my eyes and grinned, feeling like a maniac. “Oh, sure. A friendly call from my father.” I hadn’t heard from him since I was five. “And what does he want, huh? Since I clearly shouldn’t plan on getting any work done today.” I set my boot on the railing to the fence. “Go on, city boy. Enlighten me. Tell me what message my estranged, worthless father might want to share with me so I can accomplish nothing for this day’s work. Go on. Don’t be shy.”

He cleared his throat, not giving me the satisfaction of remarking on my sarcastic tone. “The Murray Family would like to offer a total and full payment for Nora Gallagher’s outstanding debt and medical bills.”

I froze, ignoring the bleating sheep, whinnying horses, and buzzing flies. My focus zeroed in on what this stuffy man said.

Full payment? Just like that?

“I’m listening.” I didn’t bother wasting my anger on the fact that my father would’ve snooped and investigated our lives to even know that Mom had debts. At the same time, I refused to be this gullible.

There’s a catch. I know there is.

“And the Murray Family would also like to extend an offer to see to the coverage of Nora Gallagher’s continued medical care. Private care,” he added with emphasis.

Private, meaning not as long of a wait.

I narrowed my eyes, on edge for this out-of-the-blue call. The man couldn’t even call himself. He had an assistant do it. “Out of the goodness of his heart, huh?”

“No.”

I raised my brows, surprised that he’d be honest about that.

“Mr. and Mrs. Murray would like to invite you to speak with them about this arrangement.”

Another trip away from the farm. Oscar would bitch about my ‘taking off’ again, but I wondered if this could be worth my while. While I was guarded and skeptical, I considered looking into it. After all, what the hell could my so-called father want from me that would be so bad?

“When?”

“The Murrays would like to consult with you tomorrow.”

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