“It’s your choice, Mac. Think of what your life would be like without her.”
Soon after, Nate packed his bags, hugged the kids and drove away. Mac watched the truck rumble down the long driveway and disappear over the hill.
He glanced around the valley. He looked at the mountains then watched as Cal returned from a trail ride, a group of guests following him on horseback across the green field. Then he looked over his shoulder at the lodge, studying the wide windows and high roof. Elk Valley Ranch was, as Daniel Vaughn had put it, a gorgeous piece of property.
But was it more valuable than Dani?
Laughter rang out and Mac turned his attention to the paddock, smiling as Jaxon, Nadine and Maddie chased each other. He closed his eyes and revisited what he used to see. He pictured his children in the future but, this time, imagined his family somewhere else. Somewhere with Dani.
Ask me what I feel.
Mac opened his eyes and laughed, his heart growing so big he thought his chest would burst. It didn’t matter if he lost Elk Valley Ranch. It didn’t matter where he lived or what he owned. Home wasn’t in the lodge or on the mountain. It was right there in his children’s laughter. In Dani’s arms. And he couldn’t imagine his life without her.
He jogged back inside, went to his office and grabbed the letter from the bank. No longer afraid of the bad news, he opened the envelope, pulled the paper out and unfolded it. But the document in his hand wasn’t a foreclosure notice. Instead, it was a deed.
It took Mac three phone calls to discover who’d made the payment. He smiled then dialed another number.
“Vaughn Real Estate. How may I direct your call?”
* * *
DANI OPENED THE last unemptied drawer of her desk and sifted through the items inside.
“Hope there’s not a lot in that one you want to keep.” Scott placed a small box on top of the desk in front of her and grinned. “This is the last sturdy box we have and it’s barely big enough for two packs of printer paper.”
She glanced around her office, the third biggest in the Vaughn Real Estate building, and frowned at the dozen or so taped boxes filled with books, papers and knickknacks—none of which she really needed. They were just nostalgic pieces of a former career she no longer wanted.
Smiling, she plucked a pad of sticky notes from the bottom of the drawer then tossed it in the box. “There.”
He laughed. “Seriously?”
She reached back and adjusted her ponytail. “Seriously. Those will be perfect for recording my new life goals. The rest of this stuff I can’t really use where I’m going.”
“And where might that be?”
Dani glanced up. Her father stood in the doorway, sporting a custom-made suit and stern expression.
“I’m not sure yet,” she said. “Some place green and spacious with lots of fresh air.” She smirked. “And cheap. It will definitely have to be cheap now that I’m broke.”
He entered the office, motioning toward the door. “Would you give us a moment alone, Scott?”
“Of course.” Scott left, smiling sympathetically over his shoulder.
“You still have the option of changing your mind, you know?” Her father nudged one of the boxes on the floor with the toe of his polished shoe. “Your old job is still available. A better one, too, if you want it.”
Dani drummed her fingers on the glass top of her desk. “A step up?”
“Several.”
She smiled. “Sounds tempting. But I’ll pass.”
“I thought as much.”
Her smile faded. “Did you?”
“I know you better than you think I do, Dani.”
Averting her eyes, she pushed the desk drawer closed. “Sometimes it doesn’t feel that way.”
“That’s my fault.”
Her hand stilled on the drawer handle and she glanced at him in surprise.
“Do you know why I gave the promotion to Scott?”
She straightened, shoving her hands in her pockets. “Because you had more faith in him.”
“No.” He walked to her side, wincing as he spoke. “I gave Scott the position because I honestly couldn’t picture you still working here in fifteen or twenty years.”
Dani stared, heat sweeping over her skin. “What did you say?”
“I considered it.” He hesitated, spreading his hands. “I tried to convince myself that you’d stay. That you’d fall in love with the job at some point and decide to make this a life-long career. But I just couldn’t see that happening.”
She shook her head slightly. “You...you couldn’t see it?”
“No.” He laughed. “Honestly, every time I thought about where you’d be in twenty years, all I could see was you hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, kayaking the Colorado River or cycling a Chicago bikeway.” He shrugged, voice faltering. “I tried to imagine you sitting in this office. Signing documents and negotiating prices. It just didn’t feel right.”
Dani’s chest tingled and the feeling spread, fluttering inside her. “You thought about where I’d be in twenty years? Imagined it?”
“I realize I’m probably way off base...” He smoothed his tie and looked away, his cheeks flushing. “But just out of curiosity, could you ever see yourself doing any of those things?”
She smiled. “Yes. At least the hiking part.”
Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of hiking with Mac to the overlook. The memory of sitting by the creek with him as he described the futures he hoped for Maddie, Nadine and Jaxon. There’d been such pride and admiration in his voice. The kind only a father who loved his child would have.
The kind that filled her father’s voice now.
“That’s what I pictured the most.” A pleased sigh left him and he smiled. “Mountains and trees. Fresh air and sunshine. Some place like Elk Valley.”
She pulled in a swift breath, her chest tightening.
“The photos of that place...” He laughed softly. “I could just see you there. Clear as day. That’s why I was so intent upon acquiring it. We knew it was a potential money-maker but I also knew when we did begin transforming the place, you’d be the perfect one to oversee the process. And I hoped—”
“You hoped I’d take a position there,” Dani said, heart pounding hard in her chest.
“Yes. I hoped you’d be happy there. Happier than you were here.” He lifted his hand, tucking a wayward strand of her hair behind her ear and adding gently, “And I thought if we owned it, even with you all those miles away, you’d still be home.”
Tears spilled over her lashes, tickling her cheeks. “I was.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Maybe you will be again.”
Dani forced a small smile. “No. It belongs to the right person now.” She scrubbed the back of her hand over her cheeks and laughed. “But you’re welcome to visit my tent on the Pacific Crest Trail as soon as I get settled. A sleeping bag and stars might be the perfect fit for a while.”
He hugged her then headed for the door, stopping at the threshold. “I took the liberty of arranging for a few people to help you move your things. If you’re all done here, I can send them up now, if you’d like?”
“That’d be great, thanks. And, Dad?” She swallowed hard as he looked back at her. “I love you.”
He smiled. “I love you, too, Dani.”
After he left, she walked to the windows lining her office wall and looked down. The New York streets looked small from the forty-fifth floor and the tall buildings surrounding her father’s obscured the view of the horizon.
She pressed her forehead to the cool glass then closed her eyes, imagining herself back at Elk Valley Ranch’s overlook. She pictured the birds floating on the breeze, conjured up the powerful mountain peaks and willed that warm comforting sensation back into her veins. The one she felt when Mac wrapp
ed his arms around her and held her close.
She held on to each image—each feeling—as tightly as she could, knowing she would probably never have them again.
“See something you like out there?”
Startled, she jumped. Her head thumped against the window and her hands squeaked across the pristine glass as she spun around.
Mac stood by her desk, a slow smile spreading across his face as he gestured toward the window. “I got to admit, it’s an interesting place. A little loud for my tastes but I could get used to it.”
Her eyes, hungry for the sight of him, moved slowly down his muscular length. His broad shoulders and wide chest were encased in a T-shirt and his jeans clung snugly to his lean hips and thick thighs.
She opened and closed her mouth soundlessly, unable to find her voice.
He smiled wider.
“Told you they had four elevators.” Nadine walked in, Maddie and Jaxon hot on her heels.
Jaxon scoffed. “You didn’t know ’til you saw them.”
“She did so kno—” Maddie halted abruptly then ran over, shouting, “Ms. Dani!”
She barreled into Dani’s middle and wrapped her arms around her legs. Jaxon and Nadine, all smiles, ran over and did the same, causing Dani to stumble backward against the window.
Dani laughed as she bent and struggled to hug them all back at once. “I... Why are you all... How did you...”
She shook her head, happy tears filling her eyes, and kissed the tops of their heads.
Nadine looked up, her chin poking into Dani’s belly. “We flew on a plane.”
“A jet,” Jaxon corrected. He smiled. “Your Dad’s.”
“It had a TV and a bed,” Maddie said, bouncing against Dani’s leg. “And we could see the whole world from up there.”
“From here, too.” Nadine released Dani and scooted over to the window, pressing her face against the glass and looking down. “Come look.”
Mac chuckled. “Kids.”
Dani smiled as all three of them swiveled around and looked up at him.
He raised an eyebrow, giving them a knowing look. “You mind waiting outside for a minute?”
“Why?” Maddie asked.
Nadine elbowed her. “You know why.” She smiled, skipping toward the door. “Come on.”
Jaxon and Maddie hugged Dani once more then left.
Nadine paused at the door, cupped her hands around her mouth and whispered loudly to Mac. “If you get stuck, just come get me and I’ll help you get it right.”
Confused, Dani watched her leave then turned to Mac. “What are you supposed to be getting right?”
He smiled. “My apology.”
“For what?”
His eyes roved over her then returned to her face. “For being hardheaded and letting the woman I love slip through my fingers.”
Her breath caught and she stared at him wordlessly.
“I received a deed for the ranch yesterday.” He walked over to the window and stood beside her. “Any idea who made that happen?”
She nodded.
“Seems to me, you’ll be needing a job now,” he said. “Probably a place to stay, too, seeing as how you quit your job and sold your share in your father’s company to pay off Elk Valley Ranch’s debt.”
“How did you find out?”
“I called your father.”
“There are no strings with that, Mac,” she whispered. “You don’t owe me anything.”
“I know.” He hooked his finger into the front pocket of her jeans and tugged her close. “But there’s a position at the ranch I think you might be interested in.” He lowered his head, his lips brushing against her ear. “And you’re the only one qualified for it.”
She nuzzled his cheek, his familiar scent and soothing tone making her melt against him. “Mac—”
“Close your eyes,” he said softly, shutting his then kissing her lashes gently.
Her eyelids fluttered shut and she pressed her hands to his chest. “But—”
“Ask me what I see.”
She stilled, feeling his warm forehead press to hers and his big palms cup her face. “What do you see?”
“Us. Dozens of years from now. Standing on the overlook under a million stars.” His hands slid down, caressing her shoulders. “I hear us telling each other how happy we are. How amazing it is that we’re even more in love than we were all those years ago, standing right here. And how that love keeps growing stronger every day.” He slid his hands over her back, pulling her closer. “I hear Maddie and Nadine asking you for advice on how to be a good mom because they want their children to feel as loved by them as they did by you. And I hear Jaxon asking me how to find the courage to propose to the woman he loves.” His hands left her, his arms brushing hers as he moved. “Because he’s seen how happy we’ve been over the years and he knows it all started right here.”
He lifted her hand from his chest and placed something in her palm.
Dani opened her eyes and smiled, tears spilling down her cheeks as she looked at the diamond ring in her hand.
“Now, ask me what I feel,” he whispered, green eyes staring into hers.
She lifted to her toes, brushing her lips over his, then asked, “What do you feel?”
“Loved.” He smiled then blew out a heavy breath. “And scared to damn death that you might say no.”
She laughed and threw her arms around his neck.
He hugged her, squeezing her tight and whispering, “I love you, Dani.”
“I love you, too.”
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes.”
Mac kissed her, slowly and tenderly, and Dani knew she’d found home right there in his arms.
* * * * *
If you loved this novel, don’t miss
April Arrington’s previous books in her
MEN OF RAINTREE RANCH series:
TWINS FOR THE BULL RIDER
THE RANCHER’S WIFE
THE BULL RIDER’S COWGIRL
THE RANCHER’S MIRACLE BABY
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Twins for the Rancher
>
by Trish Milburn
Chapter One
The floorboards creaked as Lauren Shayne took her first steps into the building that she’d become the owner of only minutes before. Her hands shook from the enormity of what she’d done. The mortgage on what had been a German restaurant called Otto’s years ago wasn’t small, but neither was her dream for the place.
A dream that she would have never guessed would take her so far from home.
Despite her initial “this is perfect” reaction to seeing the inside, the fact it was four hours from her home in North Texas gave her significant pause. Taking the leap had required a week of denial, then pondering and number-crunching after every adult member of her family had told her to go for it. She’d finally reasoned she could get the place opened and leave the day-to-day running to a manager who lived in Blue Falls or nearby. If it did well enough for her to expand in the future, then maybe she could finally find a space closer to home.
But she couldn’t let her imagination run wild. Not when there was still a lot of work and a ton of luck standing between her and making even one restaurant a success. Loyal watchers of The Brazos Baker cooking show, or fans of her cookbooks and magazine alone, weren’t going to be enough to keep the place afloat. And she needed to get the bulk of the work done before her TV show resumed production after the current hiatus—that would require her to be back in her kitchen on a regular basis.
She attempted a deep breath, but it was a bit shaky. She hoped she hadn’t just gambled her daughters’ future security away with a bad business decision.
As her steps echoed in the rafters, where forgotten cloth banners decorated with German coats of arms hung, Lauren saw beyond the dust and detritus to a restaurant filled with people enjoying her grandfather’s prize-winning barbecue, and baked goods made with her recipes, while they took in an unbeatable view of Blue Falls Lake.
She smiled as she imagined the look on Papa Ed’s face when she finally revealed the finished product to match the images that had been in her head for a couple of years. At times, those images and the support of her family had been the only things that got her through one of the toughest periods of her life.
“Now, that looks like the smile of a woman about to do great things.”
A Home with the Rancher Page 18
