Page 17 of An Angel for the Cowboy
Chance barely eats. He pushes food around his plate, his mind clearly elsewhere. Every time I look at him, I see the fear and despair in his eyes.
After dinner, we exchange small gifts. We'd agreed to save the real presents for tomorrow morning.
The gifts Chance prepared for us are thoughtful: a warm hat for Mel, hand-knit by someone in town, and new quality leather gloves that will last for years of ranch work.
I give Mel the bracelet I made from colorful beads and charms, each one representing something about her. A horse charm, for her love of riding, a book charm because she's always reading and a heart because she's so full of love despite everything she's been through.
She throws her arms around me. "It's perfect."
Chance gets a frame Mel made herself with "Best Dad" painted on it. Inside there is a photo of the two of them smiling at the camera from two summers ago.
" I love it, sweetheart." His voice is thick with emotion.
Mel gives me a drawing she made of the three of us with the horses. It's beautiful and heartbreaking all at once. In thedrawing, we're a happy family. But at the moment, something is holding us back from being happy.
After Mel goes to bed, the house falls quiet.
I should go to bed too. But I can't. I need to know what's happening.
I find Chance in the barn, just like I knew I would. He's checking on the horses, running his hands over Duke's neck, seeking comfort from the animal who's been his companion for years.
"Talk to me," I say from the doorway. "Please."
He's quiet for a long time, his hand moving over Duke's glossy coat in long, soothing strokes. When he finally speaks, his voice is barely above a whisper.
"Zeke wants to sell his half of the ranch."
I step closer, my heart pounding. "What does that mean?"
"Means I need to buy him out or we sell the whole thing." He turns to face me, and the despair in his eyes breaks my heart. "I don't have that kind of money liquid, Anita. Not without taking out loans, I might not be able to repay."
"We'll figure it out. I have some money saved up.”
He laughs bitterly, the sound harsh in the quiet barn. "That's the problem, isn't it? There is no 'we.' This is my family mess. You shouldn't have to deal with this."
The words hit like a slap.
"This was always temporary, Anita. A one-year contract, remember?"
Each word is a knife to my heart. "You don't mean that. Not after everything we shared."
He won't look at me now, stares at the ground. "I let myself pretend this was something it isn't. But the reality is you came here looking for a fresh start, not to inherit my debts and fucked-up family."
Fury and hurt war in my chest, making it hard to breathe. "Stop deciding for me what I can handle."
I inhale deeply, trying to calm myself.
"This is about Jane. You’re afraid that buying out Zeke will make life on the ranch harder, and because of that, I’ll leave. So, you’re pushing me away."
"Maybe I am." His jaw clenches, a muscle jumping in his cheek. "At least I'm protecting myself and Mel."
I step closer. Touch his face and feel him tremble under my palm. "I was eighteen when I took on financial responsibility for Grumps. He was old and needed a lot of care. Dad wanted to sell him, but I refused to let him go. Instead, I gave up on being a ranch hand and took a high-paying job as a secretary. I took care of Grumps for seven years before he died. Does that sound like someone who runs at the first sign of hard?"
He shakes his head.
“I didn’t leave my life in Garnet City to enter a relationship with just anyone. It was the connection I felt to you, Mel, and the ranch that made me choose this path. I want a fresh start with you, not anyone else. That will not change.”
I think I've broken through to him.
