The Missionary's Purpose
Page 20
“Yeah, just a minute.” He looked at Camille, waiting for an answer.
The only answer Ty got was more irritation. “What is there to talk about?”
“Funny thing, being co-owners of a ranch means we’re gonna have to talk to each other once in a while.”
The blank look she gave him left a cold feeling on the back of his neck. Oh, no. Don’t tell me…
The birthday group was standing with their arms crossed. One of them had her phone out and was typing furiously as she shot daggers his way.
Ty flashed back to the blogger from two months ago whose bad review had sent their ranch into a tailspin: Sky High Ranch = Sky High Disappointment. Another review like that and the financial dip they’d take would be irrecoverable.
He turned to Dillon. “Start up Cessna 2. We’ll head up in five.” Dillon hurried to the hangar.
Camille’s hands were back on her hips. “What did you mean by that? We’re not co-owners of anything. George left the house to me.”
Great. Ty got to be the messenger, and messengers never had it easy. “And he left me the land.”
The bottom of her jaw dropped toward the grass. “That’s not true.” Inside the hangar, the Cessna started up, drowning out their words so they had to shout everything.
“Ask your lawyer.”
“I don’t have to. I know you’re lying.”
Ty didn’t like being called a liar. The only person he’d ever lied to was himself, and that was a habit he was trying to break. “Just ask him.”
“No.” Her dimples took an angry turn. They got bigger and deeper, more like peach pits.
“Have fun trying to sell a house without the land to go with it.”
Something wet touched Ty’s nose. He looked at the sky as sprinkles almost immediately turned to showers. Camille looked at him triumphantly, as if she and God had conspired against him.
The birthday group ran for their cars. Ty promised a full refund and felt the pinch in his already lean wallet. If they wanted to come back again, he’d give them each a free lesson. Anything, so long as their bad reviews didn’t go viral. The redhead’s irate look made no promises.
The Cessna’s engine cut out and thunder cracked overhead. When Ty turned back to Camille, she was already halfway over the hill and back to Sweet Dreams.
Dillon came over. “If you hadn’t argued with her for twenty minutes, we could’ve made it.” Just the bolster Ty needed right now. “I’ve never seen anyone rattle you like that. Not even Mia.”
Dillon had better not be playing matchmaker. “Mosquito bites are less annoying.”
They watched the birthday group drive off. “Think they’ll leave reviews?”
“Definitely.”
“Think they’ll be bad?”
“Yes.” But that didn’t mean their ranch had to close. Yet. “As long as we win over Phoebe Saylor and her fiancé, people won’t care about bad reviews for flying lessons. Movie star weddings have a way of making people forget all that.”
A smug look ran across Dillon’s face. “You can thank me for my brilliant idea at any time.”
Brilliant? Maybe half-brilliant. “Hosting a wedding is one thing. Full-service wedding planning is another.”
The smug look scattered. “I had to do something. Or was it your plan to let Liam beat us out before Phoebe even got to see our ranch? He still might, you know. He’s hosted weddings before. We’re the newbies on the block.”
Ty knew. All too well. He gritted his teeth and lightly slapped his brother’s arm. “We’ll be fine. Don’t ruin things.”
Copyright © 2021 by Christine DeRenzis
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ISBN-13: 9780369715128
The Missionary’s Purpose
Copyright © 2021 by Kimberly Duffy
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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