Truth to be told, they were on opposite sides of the fence.
Despite what he had just said to Boone, Joshua’s decision about the ranch had been made early this morning prior to Bud’s memorial service. Theo had basically confirmed it just now. Bud’s ranch would be sold. Joshua’s life was in Seattle. He didn’t need to hold on to anything here in Love. Once upon a time he had dreamed of settling down here with Honor, but all of those dreams had gone up in smoke. It was best that he cut all ties with the town that had made him an outcast. His grandfather’s passing signified an end of an era.
Theo was right. Selling the ranch to the Alloy Corporation was the best choice they could make. He wasn’t going to feel guilty about the decision. The money he would make on the deal would secure Violet’s future. And it would permanently sever ties with a town that had never really embraced him.
* * *
Heat stained Honor’s cheeks as she left the gathering and followed Boone into the kitchen. As soon as they were alone she tugged on her brother’s arm and turned him around. “Was that really necessary?” Honor asked. “Why were you being so confrontational? We didn’t need a scene at Bud’s memorial reception.”
Boone frowned at her. “Please don’t take up for him. I thought six years would have given you some distance from the situation. I would hope you’d gained some objectivity.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “I’m not defending him. Hazel arranged this reception. She went to a lot of trouble to do so. We all promised to respect her wishes. I think part of that meant not picking fights or rehashing old grudges.”
Boone let out a snort. “He picked the fight six years ago.”
“Don’t make it personal,” she cautioned. “I understand where you’re coming from, but it doesn’t serve any purpose.”
He clenched his jaw. “He burned down the church our folks got married in. We were all baptized there, all four of us. It doesn’t get more personal than that,” Boone said in a raised voice.
She let out a sigh. The fire that had gutted the church was still an emotional subject. In many ways, there hadn’t been closure to the incident. It was like a scab that had never healed. So much had changed in her life after Joshua burned down the church. In her heart she had always believed it was accidental, but it still had been too much to forgive. There was no defending arson.
She had given Joshua his ring back and headed to college in Michigan at Boone’s urging. He had wanted her to get as far away from her ex-fiancé as possible. Although she had initially been angry at her brother for forcing her hand, she’d been grateful to him in the long run.
Tears pooled in her eyes. A tightening sensation spread across her chest. “I know what he did, Boone. Why is it that you always seem to forget what I lost? I was engaged to him. He was my high school sweetheart. I loved him. So I understand you were devastated about the church, but for me it was like a tsunami effect. I lost my entire world!”
Boone reached out and pulled her into his arms. He cradled her against his chest and patted her back in a soothing motion. “I’m sorry, Honor. I let my temper get the best of me. You know I never liked Joshua. I didn’t think for a single second he was good enough for you.”
Still, after all this time, it hurt to hear Boone talk about Joshua in such a negative way. “But he was good,” she insisted. “I realize you never approved of him. I know he caused trouble and he ran wild all over town. You took him into custody more times than I can count. But there were great qualities about him as well. He was kind. Loyal. Sweet. Funny. He treated me well.” Her voice began to quiver as thoughts of her ex-fiancé came into sharp focus. “So for me, it’s always been hard to judge him by his worst moments when there were so many others along the way.”
Boone cupped her chin in his hand. “Honor Prescott, you’re a good woman. You believe in people. Sometimes too much. I believe in forgiveness, but when it comes to Joshua I have a hard time with it.” He pressed a kiss against her temple. “I’m sorry about earlier. The thought of this town turning into a tourist’s haven is weighing heavily on me.”
“I know. Me too. It would be a nightmare,” she said. “But I’m not giving up on the idea of the Ransom brothers deciding not to sell. It’s their birthright after all. Maybe they’ll change their minds.”
A hint of a smile twitched at Boone’s lips. “There you go again with your pie-in-the-sky thinking. It’s one of the things I love most about you. You’re idealistic.” A sigh slipped past his lips. “I hate to break it to you, but Theo and Joshua haven’t lived here in quite some time, nor have they been back to visit. What makes you think they harbor warm and fuzzy feelings about Bud’s ranch? I think Theo was giving it to us straight. They’re selling.” His mouth was set in grim lines.
Honor opened her mouth, then shut it. How could she dispute Boone’s assessment of the situation? He was right. Theo had pretty much confirmed it. In all likelihood, Joshua would accept a big fat check for the sale of the ranch, then head back to Seattle where he belonged. But she was still going to hold on to a kernel of hope. Joshua had always loved the ranch. It was hard to imagine him selling it.
Her sister-in-law Grace popped her head in the kitchen and regarded them both with a wary expression. “Is everything all right in here?” she asked.
“Everything is fine,” Honor said, reaching up and pressing a kiss on her brother’s cheek. No matter if they disagreed from time to time, Honor adored her older brother. He, along with her grandfather, had raised her in the absence of their parents. He had always wanted the best for her. She hadn’t always been able to see it or appreciate his overprotectiveness, but at this point in her life she knew Boone had led with his heart. No doubt he would do the same with his own daughter.
“Good,” Grace said with a grin. “We should probably get going. Eva is fading fast. Jasper’s holding her right now and he’s telling her stories about her ancestors searching for gold in the Yukon.”
Boone shook his head and laughed. “Uh-oh. We better go rescue her.”
Honor watched as Boone grabbed a hold of Grace’s hand and headed back toward the main area of the café. She felt a little bereft. Watching as other couples happily settled down was getting harder and harder for Honor. She always felt joyful for them, but increasingly she was feeling more and more alone.
What was wrong with her? Why didn’t she feel a pressing need to get out there and find love? She was lonely at times and secretly yearning for a perfect match. How amazing would it be if she could find her other half like Liam or Boone, or Jasper and Cameron? Or any other number of couples here in town?
Love one another. Wasn’t that God’s command?
These emotions always struck her whenever she attended a town event where residents were coupled up. And in a town where Operation Love was in full force, it was hard to avoid romance. It was as if there was this little hole inside her aching to be filled up. Despite what she tried to tell herself—that she wasn’t looking for love—Honor knew it was the great big lie of her life. She tended to stuff all of the emotions down so she didn’t have to face them. It wasn’t working anymore. Those needs were bubbling to the surface.
She shook off the morose thoughts. There was a much more pressing matter at hand. If no one intervened, it was very likely the Diamond R would be sold to a developer. The very idea of it made her sick to her stomach. Feelings of helplessness washed over her. She didn’t like being in this frame of mind. Surely something could be done to mediate the situation?
What if she invited Joshua to the wildlife center and showed him what a wonderful haven it was for rescued animals? Perhaps he would see how vital it was to preserve precious Alaskan land. The very land the wildlife center sat on had been given to the town by a resident—Miss Mary Mae Pritchard—in her will. If Mary had sold to a developer, the center wouldn’t even exist, nor would the animals have been rescued.
Preserving wildlife and keeping the land intact went hand in hand in Honor’s estimation. With the Diamond R bordering the wildlife’s property, Honor knew a dude ranch would impact her own way of life. The very thought of it made her feel uncomfortable. Perhaps she could sway Joshua to her way of thinking, or at the very least get him to see a different point of view.
It was a long shot, but Honor truly believed it was possible to change hearts and minds. It was a big part of her faith. Things had gotten out of hand earlier between the Ransom brothers and her own siblings. That wasn’t Honor’s way. If it was possible, she wanted to try to smooth things over. Like Hazel always said, you could catch more bees with honey than with vinegar. Honor was about to test out that theory with Joshua.
She prayed it wouldn’t be too difficult to spend time alone with Joshua Ransom and his adorable baby girl. Hopefully it wouldn’t serve as a reminder of everything she’d lost in the past.
Chapter Five
It was a perfect February Alaskan afternoon for a trip to the wildlife center. The sky was as blue as a robin’s egg. Although there was snow on the ground and a chill in the air, it was spectacular weather for this time of year. Joshua had bundled Violet up in a snowsuit, hat and mittens. He tended to be overprotective of his daughter. At three months’ old she’d contracted bronchitis, which had led to a three-day stay in the hospital. Joshua hadn’t left her side for a single moment.
He buckled her into her car seat and tested it to make sure it was secure. Parenthood wasn’t for the faint of heart. Violet twisted his heart up like a pretzel. He had never felt like this before in his life. Well, just once, he corrected himself. Honor used to make him feel as if he could soar like an eagle just by looking in his direction. His pulse began to race as he thought about those days. It had been so long ago, yet he remembered every moment as if it were yesterday.
Joshua had been floored by Honor’s invitation to visit the wildlife center. If it hadn’t been for Violet, he might have declined. Even though she was too young to fully absorb the experience, Joshua still liked to expose his daughter to the world around her. The truth was, Honor still caused his heart to beat a little faster whenever he was in her presence. He wasn’t in love with her anymore, but he still felt a tug in her direction. Perhaps it was the abrupt way their relationship had ended. One moment they had been planning to get married and settle down in Love, while in the next Honor was giving back his ring and leaving town to attend college out of state. If he lived to be one hundred, Joshua would never forget the look of hurt and disillusionment in her eyes when she had ended things after finding out about the fire.
He had asked himself the same questions hundreds of times. What if he hadn’t taken the blame for the fire? Would he have ridden off into the sunset with Honor? Would they be building a family and working together on their life goals at this very moment?
He shook off the futile questions. One thing he knew for certain. If he hadn’t taken a certain path, Violet wouldn’t be in his life now. And without his daughter, life didn’t really make much sense. She gave him a purpose each and every day. Some might say he had saved her from being an orphan, but in truth, Violet had been the best thing to ever happen to him. She infused his life with colors. Reds. Oranges. Vivid purples. He made sure to thank God each day for making him a father.
As he settled into the driver’s seat and began to make his way to the wildlife center, the stunning Alaskan vista came into view. The spectacular view of the mountains always left him in awe. Tall, snow-covered trees dominated the landscape. Hawks flew gracefully up in the sky, dipping down every now and again, then soaring back toward the heavens.
Although many residents of Love preferred to live near town, Joshua had always enjoyed living out in the boondocks. It was serene out here. Nothing but the great outdoors and breathtaking views of Alaska.
As soon as he saw the sign for the wildlife center, Joshua turned down the road and followed the arrows. Before he knew it, he had arrived at a ranch-style house surrounded by several small, flat structures. He could see horses running in a paddock in the distance.
By the time he parked Bud’s truck and got Violet out of her car seat, Honor was walking toward them from a nearby building. With her hair pulled away from her face in a high ponytail, she looked like a fresh-faced beauty. She wasn’t wearing a hint of makeup, and she was dressed casually in a pair of blue jeans and a navy blue parka. A gray wool hat sat on her head. To this day, Honor was the loveliest woman he’d ever seen.
This invitation to the center had come as a complete surprise, especially after the tension that had flared up between him and her family at Bud’s reception.
She waved at them. “Hey, Joshua. Glad you could make it out here.”
He nodded at her. “Thanks for the invitation. I thought it would be good for Violet to experience a little bit of my hometown. When she’s older I can tell her all about how she visited Love.”
Honor smiled at Violet, who turned away and hid her face against his chest. “She’s a bit shy at first. It’ll take her a few minutes to come around.”
“I don’t blame her one bit,” Honor said in a cheery voice. “After all, I’m basically a stranger to her. And she’s here in this new town where she doesn’t really know anybody. It’s a lot for her to absorb all at once.”
He felt grateful for Honor’s understanding of the situation. It was hard for Violet to be away from home and trying to acclimate to her new surroundings. The past few nights she had awoken in the wee hours of the morning crying out for him.
“Well, she’s at a good age for an introduction to animals. I promise we won’t visit any that might frighten her.”
“I appreciate it,” Joshua said. “She spooks easily, although she loves animals. She’s really enjoying the horses at the ranch. Her favorite place back home is the zoo.”
Joshua knew he was probably telling Honor way more than she wanted to know, but things still felt a bit awkward between them. They had once had such a familiarity between them, with conversation flowing as effortlessly as a river. But now, with years stretched out between them, he was searching for something to say. He prayed the awkwardness would melt away.
“Zoos are wonderful places to engage children and educate them about animals. I’ll never forget my first visit to the Alaska Zoo when I was six years old. It changed my life. From that point forward, I knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.” Her voice rang out with conviction.
“I’ve been meaning to say congratulations on all of this,” Joshua said. He swung his gaze around the area, amazed by the scope of it. Dragging his eyes away from Honor took effort. She was extremely pleasing to the eye.
“Thanks,” she said. “I didn’t get here on my own. Boone and Jasper really helped me with tuition. I received a partial scholarship, but there was still a chunk I had to pay. It wasn’t easy, but I held a few part-time jobs to help with the bills. It was a big financial sacrifice for my family, so I wanted to pay for all the incidentals on my own.”
It shouldn’t matter after all these years, but it still rankled that Boone had orchestrated Honor’s moving away to Michigan to attend college. For a long time, he had wondered whether they would have gotten back together if she hadn’t left Love so abruptly. Michigan had been so far away and there hadn’t been a single way for him to contact her. In the aftermath of their breakup, she had changed her email address and her cell phone number. All avenues had been closed to him since she wasn’t active on social media.
It was all water under the bridge now. He had made his peace with all of it a long time ago.
“I wouldn’t expect any less from our class valedictorian,” he said in a teasing tone. Honor had been the top student in their high school class. She had deserved a scholarship to an excellent university and a pathway to the career of her dreams. It probably wouldn’t have worked out if they had both stayed in Love and be
en married as teens. It would have been yet another mistake.
“You weren’t exactly a slouch yourself,” she answered. “You were a great student when you weren’t goofing off.”
They both chuckled, enjoying a moment where they could reflect on the past with frivolity and not bitterness. There had been so many wonderful moments shared between them. Even though he had tried to convince himself otherwise, their love had been real. It just hadn’t been built to last.
“Why don’t we go take a look at the horses?” Honor suggested. “They’re very gentle, and Violet might get a kick out of petting them.”
“Let’s go,” Joshua said, walking beside Honor as she led them toward the paddock. Violet’s eyes grew wide as they reached the horses. She couldn’t seem to take her eyes off them. She pointed a chubby finger in the direction of a butterscotch-colored Palomino.
“Ba Ba,” she said, reaching out to touch the stallion.
“I think she likes him,” Joshua said, allowing Violet to pat the horse’s side. He knew better than to let her put her hands by the horse’s mouth. When Joshua was a kid, Bud had taught him how to stay safe around horses.
“She has good taste,” Honor raved. “That’s Pecan. She’s a real sweetheart. She was my first rescue and rehabilitation. I wasn’t certain she would make it at first.” Honor visibly shuddered. “She was in really bad shape. Neglected and abused. Ultimately, our goal is for people to adopt the horses, but I’ve decided to keep Pecan. She holds a special place in my heart. Just like Lola.”
Lola had been Honor’s horse ever since her thirteenth birthday.
“How many do you have at the moment?” he asked.
“About twenty-five or so. We have some wild mustangs that just came to us. They’re magnificent horses but they have some injuries that would make it impossible to be out on their own. So we’re rehabilitating them.”
Her Alaskan Cowboy Page 6
