Oh boy, this couldn’t be good.
He walked up the front porch and she opened the door and limped inside. The woman pointed to a chair.
“Sit,” she said as she sank down in a rocker.
“How was Montana?”
What could he say?Oh, I loved the property and fell in love with the woman who owns it, but I deceived her and now she probably hates me.
Geez, he’d screwed up. If he had to do it over again, he would run to her and tell her everything he knew about what her brother was doing. He would be spreading gossip like an old woman.
“It was good,” he said with such mixed feelings.
Her brow drew together. “I know you’re trying to leave the Burnett Ranch and I understand. But you’re a valuable member of this family.”
“Thank you, Aunt Rose. The Burnett Ranch is my home and means a lot to me. I appreciate the opportunities I’ve had here. It’s not that I want to leave, but rather I want to expand my horizons.”
She grinned at him. “Yes, well, I know sooner or later one of you roosters are going to fly the nest and I think you’re going to be the first one.”
“Possibly,” he said grinning. “But there are plenty more Burnetts growing up here on the ranch.”
Just then the radio on his belt crackled.
“Cameron, come in,” a young voice said.
Lifting the radio off his belt, he asked. “Cameron, here.”
“You’ve got a visitor,” the young man at the front gate said. “Samantha Anderson.”
His heart leaped in his chest and he jumped to his feet. “Yes, let her through. Make certain she finds my house. I’m on my way there now.”
The sun had long ago set. What was Samantha doing here?
“I gather this is someone important to you?”
He grinned at his aunt. “Very much. I just hope she doesn’t hate me for what I did in Montana.”
His aunt’s brows drew together.
“Gotta run, Aunt Rose.”
“Bring her to meet me,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be tonight, but soon.”
“Will do,” he said all but running for the door, his lungs gasping as he ran to his house.
What brought her to see him? When he left, the wedding had collapsed and she had her hands full. So much so, he’d left without seeing her that morning. If he had, it would’ve been hard to leave.
Standing on his porch, he watched as the car pulled up to the door. Getting out, she walked toward him.
“Samantha,” he said unable to stop himself from walking toward her.
“You lied to me,” she said. “You were not there for the wedding, but rather to scope out the property because you were thinking of buying it.”
Oh no, she was furious with him and he couldn’t blame her.
“Let’s go in the house,” he said, trying to take her arm, but she jerked away from him.
When they got inside, she turned on him.