Page 77 of Mister Cowboy
“I’m done with all that. Besides, I’d like to be closer to Mom. I think she’s lonely out here by herself.”
“Are you planning to build it back to what it was or just maintain it as some fun, side hobby?”
Henry looked up, eyebrows raised. “Does that mean you’re considering letting me buy it?”
“No. I mean yes. If you want it, then I don’t see any reason it shouldn’t go to you, but selling it to you feels wrong. It should have been half yours.” He clenched the reins in his hand and swore quietly under his breath. “The man couldn’t even do right by you in his last wishes.”
Henry’s chuckle surprised him. “It’s all sort of ridiculous, huh?” He kicked at the gravel with the toe of his boot, and Brecken watched the dirt stir up around their feet. “Look, this doesn’t have to be a big thing. He wasn’t my father. Not really, anyway. I love this land, and I’d be honored to own it and be a part of its re-growth, but let me make something clear—I’m not doing this because of him. His DNA might run through me, but it isn’t his legacy I want to uphold. This was our land. Mine and yours. The best days of my life were spent here, traipsing around and looking for trouble.”
It wasn’t what he had expected. How was it possible for Henry not to feel as if he deserved this place as much as he did? Hell, after everything, Henry deserved it more.
“All right. I’ll sell you the ranch on one condition.”
“This outta be good.” Henry crossed his arms over his chest. “What’s the condition?”
He let his hand brush over Master’s coarse coat, watching the silky brown color shine in the light. “No, two conditions. One, you’ll pay half the value of the property. No matter what you say, it’s half yours. You can buy out my share.”
“And the second condition?”
“I want Master and Midnight. I’ll pay you for boarding and whatever else you need to take care of them.”
“That’s it?” Henry asked, letting his arms drop to his sides.
Brecken smiled, picturing the ranch alive again and filled with animals and people. “Yup. That’s it.”
Henry shook his head and reached his hand out. “I’m good with that.”
“Deal.” Brecken gripped Henry’s hand and pumped once, something wonderful happening as he said the word. The burden of being in charge of the fate of a ranch that had meant so much to so many people no longer rested on his shoulders. It belonged to someone far better equipped to decide. Someone that loved the land like he imagined his father had. Someone that had managed to move past the lies and mistakes of their families and see only the future and its possibilities.
Someone far better than himself.
42
January
Thomas Lyle satacross from her. His black hair had grayed at the temples and wrinkles surrounded the corners of his green eyes, which twinkled as he openly assessed his daughter. “You look beautiful. How have you been?”
She forced a smile. “I’m great, Dad. A little confused about the spur-of-the-moment visit, though. Is everything okay in Chicago?”
He placed an elbow on the table. His black suit jacket contrasted against the stark white table cloth. “Everything is great. I’m here to check on you. You’ve been hard to reach for the last month.”
She stopped a laugh from escaping her lips. If she’d flown to Chicago every time he’d been unavailable, she’d be a platinum status frequent flyer. “I’m sorry. I just finished a large project. I’ve been a bit preoccupied with that I suppose.”
He nodded and brought his coffee mug to his mouth, watching her as he took a drink. He set the mug down and clasped his hands on top of the table. The way he studied her made her feel like she was a kid again and she’d been caught in a lie. “Tell me about the man. Is it serious?”
The cinnamon raisin bagel she’d just bit into stuck to the back of her throat. “How’d you—” Her question stopped short at her father’s large smile.
“The necklace.” He motioned with his head.
Her hand flew to the ruby around her neck. “How can you tell it’s from a man?” she asked.
“Call it fatherly instincts.”
She raised her eyebrows and shot him a look. She wasn’t buying it. How did he know?
“I’ve had a number of assistants pick out jewelry for you. All women and all with an unlimited budget. Never once did any of them pick out something as over the top as that.”
She let the ruby fall from her fingertips and gave him a sheepish grin.
