Page 48 of Inheriting Miss Fortune

He rubbed his face with both hands as if he was exhausted already. Considering the recent spike in adrenaline, I wasn’t surprised. “Can we not do this right now? You’re going to say, ‘Why didn’t you say something?’ And I’m going to reply, ‘I tried. Several times.’ And then you’re going to act like even though I grew up on a ranch, I still probably don’t know beans about horses. And that’s just going to piss me off. So… can we just wait in silence until your friend has something to tell us?”

I opened my mouth to argue with him. To tell him he didn’t know me well enough to predict what I would or wouldn’t say.

But then I realized he was right. In fact, I’d done the same thing with Indigo.

I dropped into the seat next to him. “I’m grateful you noticed and acted quickly. Thank you.”

He leaned his head back and sighed. “I hope I overreacted.”

“You didn’t.”

“Okay, I hope it’s not colic or anything else serious.”

I closed my mind against all the possibilities and tried to distract myself. “Your family owned a ranch?”

He inhaled through his nose. “My dad ran a small cow/calf operation. Failed at it, mostly.”

There seemed to be a story there, but it sounded like one he didn’t feel like sharing. “He still around?”

Tully glanced out the window toward the road, keeping his gaze away from mine. “As far as I know. We had a falling-out when he strongly suggested I should stay home and work the ranch instead of accepting a scholarship to college. He doesn’t keep in touch with me or my little brother.”

“You have a brother?” I asked, careful not to make it sound accusatory. I could hardly be upset that he hadn’t mentioned hisbrother when I hadn’t mentioned my own, but it blew my mind how much I didn’t know about Tully. How much I hadn’t asked.

“Nolan,” Tully confirmed. “He’s a junior at Texas A&M. Studying animal science.” He darted a look at me. “He said one person in the family who wore thousand-dollar suits was enough.”

I barked out a laugh before I could hold it back. “I dunno. You make them look damn good.”

Tully released a breath. “Thanks.”

“And you made the right choice,” I offered. “Taking the scholarship.”

“Agreed.”

Hearing the two of us had something in common intrigued me. Hearing him open up made me think I needed to do the same. Maybe that would bridge the distance between us.

I cleared my throat. “Money was always tight when I was growing up, so my dad helped me get work at a nearby ranch when I was fourteen. That’s how I met Katie. It was her grandparents’ ranch.”

Tully nodded, clearly familiar with this story. “She loved being on the ranch. Her grandparents still have the land, but they’ve sold off all the stock.”

I let out a sigh. “They were wonderful to me. Gave me every opportunity to learn and grow. Made me feel capable and important. Delmar and Biddy… they were like my surrogate grandparents. Have you met them?”

Tully finally turned to me, a soft smile edging up his lips. “Yeah. I complimented Biddy on her banana pudding once, and now she makes it for me every year at Fourth of July.” His smile faded. “Katie’s death nearly broke them.”

I felt a band around my chest at the thought and leaned over to cover my face with my hands. “Fuck.” That girl had been everything to them. They had probably ten grandkids, all told,but she was the closest one to them and the light of their lives. “Are they supporting the Scotts’ bid for custody?”

“I haven’t heard. They adore Lellie. But Delmar has pretty serious arthritis, and Biddy is losing her memory. I can’t imagine they could offer to help care for her or be anything other than moral support.”

I used to touch base with them once or twice a year, but I hadn’t spoken to them since I left Dallas two years ago.

“If they were younger, I’d consider them as guardians,” I said, feeling the now-familiar pinch of discomfort in my gut at the thought of giving Lellie to anyone.

Tully looked away from me again. “Maybe they know of someone.”

“No.”

He turned to look at me. “No?”

Before I could say anything, Pete came in. And the look on his face wasn’t good.

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