Page 21 of One Summer Day (Prosperity Ranch 1)

Did you transfer the money yet?

Holt glanced at the text that flashed across his cell phone screen where it lay on the kitchen table. He picked up the phone and slipped it into his pocket. Knox would have to wait for his answer, and he wasn’t going to like it.

Before Barb had interrupted him, he’d been going over last month’s accounts. Things were looking grim; Holt needed ideas to increase the income of the ranch, and fast. If he let things go too long without coming up with a solution, he’d have to let his parents know. As it was, as soon as Holt had everything balanced and the spreadsheets updated, he planned on telling his dad.

Barb was currently leaning close where they sat next to each other at the dinner table. “Lost in thought, pumpkin?”

He gave her a half smile, but tried not to encourage her at the same time.

Barb showing up in time for the family dinner, which his mother served every night at six o’clock sharp, was either completely planned on Barb’s part, or a coincidence.

Holt believed it was the former.

Barb was a planner, down to the minute. And when Holt had seen her walk into the office inside the barn, he hid a groan. Barb was relentless. And yeah, she was a nice woman, nice-looking even, but she wouldn’t back off.

No matter how politely Holt had turned her down, over and over, she always managed to find him and to somehow work her way into family events that he couldn’t get out of. Like dinner.

Walking into the house with Barb clinging to his arm, Holt’s first thought was what would Macie think? Which was ridiculous, because who cared what she thought? They hadn’t been a part of each other’s lives, ever, until today. And now, he was self-conscious about Macie seeing how Barb was hanging all over him?

Macie didn’t look at him directly, though, at least not at first. And he couldn’t blame her, not really. Things outside had gotten a little too personal for his liking.

“This all looks delicious, honey,” his dad had told his mom, kissing her cheek.

“Oh, don’t thank me,” she said. “Macie did most of the work while I sat at the table and watched.”

Macie’s eyes did connect with Holt’s then. Just for an instant. But in that instant, he understood what she was trying to do: ease his mother’s burden. And he was grateful for that.

“Well, pumpkin,” Barb had said close to his ear. “I guess we’re sitting next to each other.”

So Holt and Barb ended up sitting together.

“Will you say grace, honey?” his dad had asked his mom.

His mother smiled. “Of course.”

Then everyone grasped hands, and Holt noticed Macie’s hesitation. Did she not say grace as a habit?

“Bow your head and close your eyes,” his mother told Ruby. The little girl hurried to comply.

Macie took Ruby’s hand on one side, and his mother’s on the other side of her.

His and Macie’s gazes connected again just before his mother began. Everyone else was bowing their heads and closing their eyes. Holt really should have, too, but he couldn’t look away from Macie’s brown eyes. As it turned out, she closed her eyes first.

When his mother finished saying grace, she continued to talk about Macie’s help with dinner.

Barb smiled through it all, then commented, “Macie sure is a good little homemaker. Is there anything you can’t do, hon?”

A faint pink had bloomed on Macie’s cheeks. “There’s plenty I can’t do, but I’m willing to learn, especially if it has to do with preparing delicious food.”

Holt could practically feel Barb’s scowl, although she was still smiling. “How precious.”

“Tell us what you’ve been staying busy with, Barb,” his mother said.

If there was ever a favorite topic Barb loved to talk about, it was herself. For the duration of the dinner, Barb spoke about the upcoming rodeo, where she served on the committee, specifically over the barrel racing.

Her voice grew more and more animated as she described her volunteer work in detail, down to the shopping trips she’d planned to get the girls outfitted “pretty as pictures.” Holt had no doubt they’d all look like mini-Barbs when she was done with them. That was when Holt had become distracted with the text from Knox and tuned out of the conversation. Barb noticed, of course, if her pout were any indication..

“I’m sorry, Barb,” he said. “What were you saying?”

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