Page 47 of Carly's Heart

♥ Chapter Twenty-Two ♥

Layla was overtired and grumpy by the time Carly left work. After yet another day of filling in for Tanya, Carly was exhausted. She called Birch and begged off going to see him. It cost her a promise to come out the next day first thing in the morning.

The day dawned bright and beautiful. Carly was tempted to take Layla and spend the morning in the park playing and enjoying the peace and quiet. Instead, she packed Layla up and headed for Birch’s ranch.

She was torn between trepidation and excitement. She’d get to snoop around the ranch and see what Birch had built, but she’d be having a discussion she’d rather put off until ... well forever.

“Mama, where are we going?” Her daughter’s sweet voice was calming.

“We’re going to see Birch and Grandma Helen and Grandpa Buck if he’s there.”

“Are we staying for dinner?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps. I brought snacks for you if you get hungry.”

“I want to stay for dinner. Grandma Helen is the best cook.”

“We’ll see, but no promises. I have to talk to Uncle Birch for a bit. After we talk, I’ll decide what to do about supper.”

“’Kay,” she said in her ‘I’m pouting’ voice.

“Love you, Little Bean.”

“Love you too, Mama.” Paper rustled and Carly peeked in the rearview mirror. Layla was reading her favorite car book. She loved looking at the pictures and making up her own stories. Grateful that her daughter was occupied, Carly turned her attention to her problems.

If she took a leap of faith and got serious with Birch, that meant ranch life. She wasn’t much of a horsewoman, though she had ridden a few times with Tanya. She liked the animals, but she wasn’t obsessed like Birch and Tanya. What she really loved were the views at the ranch. The fields of crops, the cow-mown grass, and the amazing stands of forest. She loved the outdoors and would thrive in a ranch environment.

Foremost in her mind was the question of whether dating Birch was the right plan. She wanted to be with him, she had for years, but what if this was just a proximity thing? What if she only wanted him because she couldn’t have him? She’d be ruining a friendship if things didn’t work out.

She stuffed the thoughts aside. Before anything was decided, she had to talk to Birch and see what he wanted to say to her. She was almost at Birch’s ranch when an attack of nerves struck. She pulled into a roadside turnout and shut off her engine. Spreading her fingers wide, she pushed out a long slow breath. “You can do this,” she whispered. After a few deep breaths, she pulled back onto the highway and traveled the last five kilometers and turned at the enormous sign she’d noticed the first time she was here. She parked beside Birch’s parents’ SUV and went up to the house.

Helen, his mother, answered the door. “Oh, Carly. Come in. It’s wonderful to see you.” She wrapped Carly in a warm embrace. “I am so sorry about the wedding debacle. I had no idea you were stuck in the basement. You should have said something. Oh, I get so angry when I think about it. How my daughter could marry that man, I’ll never know.” She shook her head. “There’s Layla! Come give Grandma a hug.”

“Where is Birch? I thought he was expecting me.”

“He’s out at the main barn, I think. If not, he’ll be at the visitor center by the track. Just follow the path out back. You can’t miss them. The visitor center is just to the left of the barn.”

Carly walked around the house on the deck and stepped down onto a patterned concrete pathway leading away from the house. The main outbuildings weren’t far away. She must have been totally out of it to miss them the night she visited. There were several yard lights on poles. They probably came on at night and illuminated everything.

A light haze covered the sun keeping it from getting too warm. Birds chirped and a horse nickered nearby. The scent of hay and freshly turned dirt brought back memories of working in her mother’s garden. She glanced around, taking in the pretty scenery and the upscale buildings.

The visitor center and barn were painted classic barn red with white trim. There was a straight-walled open-ended structure near the visitor center, though she couldn’t identify its use. She veered right toward the barn’s wide open doorway.

A young man in well-worn jeans, a cowboy hat, and boots, was working inside the doorway. He straightened up when she approached, shifting toward the center of the doorway, as if barring her from entry. “Good morning, ma’am. How can I help you?”

“Hi. I’m looking for Birch.”

“I think he’s at the guest center.” He pointed to his left. “You can find him there.” He tipped his hat. “Have a nice day, ma’am.”

She walked away. “Ma’am my backside. I’m not that old,” she muttered under her breath. There was a small parking lot beside the center. What did he do that required that much parking? Were the stands, the odd building, and the visitor center part of his business? They must be. Jeepers, he was doing more than just training horses.

She stopped in her tracks. She knew Birch raised horses, but there had to be millions of dollars in the buildings alone. How had she not known this? His sister was her best friend. Tanya frequently rattled on about Birch’s silly horses. Was she unaware of how much money was involved? Was it a function of having been raised wealthy?

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