by Jaclyn Hardy
Trust his mom to catch his mood from one simple word. “No, it’s not, but I’ll survive. You up for dinner tonight?”
“Of course. Pick me up at six?” Mom sold her car once she moved into the condo, figuring she could get everything she needed right at the center.
Patrick checked his schedule more out of habit than anything. The page was completely blank, since he was still supposed to be in Idaho. “See you at six.”
Mom answered her door and threw her arms around Patrick. “I still can’t believe you’re back. I hadn’t planned to see you for another couple of weeks. Come in, come in.”
Patrick followed her inside, amazed at the transformation in the few weeks since she’d moved in. “Wow, Mom, the place looks great. Did you do it all yourself?”
“I had a little help, but you know I can’t sit still. I got rid of everything from our house and started over. It’s not what your dad would have chosen, but I like it.” She beamed. The colors were much brighter than what Dad liked, but it did suit her.
“It’s perfect.” Patrick walked along a wall of pictures. It was like a timeline of his life from when he was a baby until he’d graduated from college. “I see you didn’t get rid of these.”
“Of course not.” Mom stood next to him. “You don’t mind that I sold everything else, do you? I just couldn’t bear looking at it anymore.”
He put his arm around her. “No, Mom. I think you did the right thing. Dad would have thought so too.”
She sniffed and pulled away. “Enough of that. Let’s go to dinner. I was thinking Italian. How about you?”
“Italian sounds perfect.” He helped her with her jacket, and they walked out to his car. He drove to their favorite restaurant.
Once they were settled in at a table, Mom folded her arms and leaned forward. “Now, I want to know what’s going on.”
Patrick sighed. Where to start? “Things just aren’t panning out how I hoped. And the worst part is, I should have known they wouldn’t.”
The waiter came by to take their orders. Patrick ordered the lasagna and salad, like he always did, and his mom ordered the gnocchi.
“Okay, let’s start with the house. Was it as amazing as the pictures?”
“Yes, although it’s much more worn down. We have to pull down walls to fix the electrical and plumbing, but it’s going to look amazing when it’s done.” He pulled out his phone and flipped through the pictures. “Rachel helped me with some of the concepts, and we’re keeping the wood—”
“Whoa, hold on.” Mom held up a hand. “Who is Rachel?”
Right. He’d never mentioned Rachel in his emails or calls to his mom. For this reason. “She’s the one who owns the ranch I stayed at while I was there. Well, her dad does.”
“I knew you’d find a girl.” She clapped. “Is she pretty?”
“Beautiful. And feisty. And she lets you know what she’s thinking.” He could see her eyes and smile so clearly, the dress she’d worn the night of the Fourth when she sang. Breathtaking.
“But?”
“She wanted the mansion. Since no one lived there for years, she thought she could buy it and saved up her money. When I showed up, that messed with her plans. She helped me, even though it wasn’t what she wanted.”
Mom patted Patrick’s hand. “Plans change, sweetie. The fact that she helped you is big. What did she want to do with the house?”
He pulled up the pictures he took of Rachel’s designs. If she knew he’d taken the pictures . . . . “She wanted a hotel. They have this huge celebration for the Fourth of July every year, but there’s nowhere to stay. She wanted to change that. Who knows? Maybe I should just cut my losses and sell it to her. It would be better for both of us.”
“I don’t believe that for a second.” She held up another picture she’d found on the phone. “This doesn’t look like a guy who wants to give up on a girl.”
He’d forgotten about the selfies they’d taken before the parade. In that one, he’d caught Rachel laughing at something he said.
“It’s not that I have a choice. I said something stupid after the fireworks that night, and she won’t talk to me.” He went on to explain what happened, and by the time he got done, he felt worse than he had before.
“Okay, tell me: what does your company think of moving to Idaho?” The glint in her eye told Patrick she already knew the answer. How did she do that?
“They hate the idea.” Patrick sighed. “I made a huge mess of things, didn’t I?”
Mom shrugged. “Maybe. But I think you already know how to fix everything.”
“I do?”
“Of course you do. Now, tell me more about this ranch. I’m dying to know what it could possibly have that would draw my boy in so much.”
Patrick laughed, but allowed her to change the subject. His mom already gave all her advice on his problems, and now it was up to him to decide what to do.
Patrick rolled over for the hundredth time. Sleep refused to come as his mind ran over the conversation with his mom. He knew there was an answer in there somewhere, but it eluded him—most likely because it was three in the morning.
Rachel, the ranch, the mansion, his work. They were connected.
Suddenly he laughed. The answer to everything. He climbed out of bed and went to the computer. The rooms he planned as offices could easily be converted into bedrooms. They were big enough. The kitchen was meant for serving many guests. And best of all, the master bedroom could be converted into both an office and a bedroom.
He needed to work fast to get the plans ready to go, or it would cost more to change it back. He pulled up his email and typed a letter before he could stop himself.
Eric,
I’ve thought long and hard about what to do with the mansion. I don’t want to sell it, so I’ll transfer to Idaho on my own. If this isn’t something you or the board accepts, consider this to be my letter of resignation.
Thanks,
Patrick
Patrick read and reread the email, making sure it was right, and then hit send. That was the easy part. Now to completely change the blueprints from the business offices he’d planned to a hotel people would travel miles to visit. He just hoped he could do it justice.
Rachel readjusted the saddle on Old Blue. It was the third time she’d put it on him. She cinched the strap tight and stepped back. Finally it was right. She took his reins and went out to meet the group. Her part of the harvest was entertaining the rancher’s families. Not that she minded. It was good to keep her thoughts from drifting to things she didn’t want to deal with.
Like Patrick.
He’d been gone for over a month now, and while she missed him more than anything, she couldn’t bring herself to email and tell him that. The first few days after the Fourth, she’d allowed herself to wallow in self-pity, but the truth was, she’d totally overreacted. Blake was a jerk. Patrick treated her well the whole time he was here, even including her on the plans for the mansion when he didn’t need to have her anywhere near it.
“Okay, are you all ready?” She forced herself to smile at the group standing in front of her. “This ride is pretty simple, so even brand-new riders should be just fine.” Brand-new riders like Patrick. No. Get him out of her mind. “We will easily be back in time to eat with the rest of the group.”
Rachel helped a few of them climb up on their horses and then led them out behind the ranch. They headed up the hill while she pointed out flowers, bushes, and other fascinating details. She’d done it often enough that she could pretty much recite them in her sleep. When she came to the spot where they usually took a break, Rachel was tempted to keep going. The last time she’d been up here she was with Patrick and Dallin. There was a spot to rest farther up, but there were newer riders in the group who would have a hard time getting there.
“Okay, let’s take a break. I have a blanket and snacks in my saddlebags.” Rachel climbed down and helped the younger kids while the moms set out the blankets. She k
ept away from the edge and stayed busy making sure everyone stayed where they were supposed to. If she took just a few steps, she could see the mansion she’d wanted for so long. Just a few steps, and she could see the progress that had been made, what she was missing out on.
“What’s that down there?” A young girl, Sadie, pointed down the cliff.
Rachel’s heart sank. She knew it was too good to last. She stood and walked over to the girl. “That mansion has been there for almost a hundred years. Isn’t it amazing?”
“Can we go see it?” Sadie asked.
“Maybe. They’ve been working on it for the last little while, so we might not be able to get close.” Rachel led Sadie away from the cliff. “Come on. It’s getting late.”
Sadie skipped back to her mom, and Rachel gathered the supplies and put them in her saddlebag. They made it down off the mountain just as the sun set, which meant they wouldn’t have time to ride over to the mansion that night. It was almost as if she planned it that way. She smiled to herself as she brushed Old Blue.
Rachel went into the house to wash up for dinner. The temporary maids and cooks were busy making sure everything was set by the time the bell rang. While the ranch was generally quiet through the early parts of summer, harvest brought its own excitement. Rachel usually loved visiting with the guests, but now she looked forward to the quiet she’d have once everyone was in bed.
Mama knocked on her door and opened it. “Hey, how was the ride?”
“It was good. It’s always fun to take the kids up into the mountains.” Rachel brushed her hair and pulled it back into a quick braid.
“That’s good. I’m surprised you went up that trail. You’ve avoided it for too long.”
Rachel stopped braiding and turned to face Mama. “How’d you know which way I went?”
“I always stand out on the porch when you leave with a group. You’re just too preoccupied to notice.” She smiled. “Dinner will be ready in a bit. Will you ring the bell to let everyone know?”
“Sure.” Rachel went outside. As soon as she rang the bell, the doors to the bunkhouse flew open, and the ranch hands flowed out. She had to jump out of the way so she wouldn’t be trampled.
She caught a glimpse of a black cowboy hat among all the people, and her heart jumped into her throat. Patrick couldn’t be here, right? Rachel went into the dining hall and searched the crowd, but there was no black hat. Clearly, she was going insane. She dished up her food and slipped into the kitchen to grab some pie.
Laughter broke out in the dining room, and Rachel’s ears perked up when she heard what she swore was Patrick’s laugh. Instead of bursting in there like she wanted to, Rachel forced herself to eat quickly so she could go upstairs. Still, as she passed by the dining room, she couldn’t help but check again to see if he was there. But there was no sign of him, and it just made her heart ache that much more.
Sadie stood in the yard bouncing up and down with excitement when Rachel walked outside the next morning. The little girl ran up to Rachel with a huge smile on her face. “Are you ready? Can we go now?”
“Go . . . where?” Rachel hadn’t slept the night before, and she was behind on chores.
“You said we could go to that big house, but it was too late last night. Can we please go today? Please?” Sadie’s cute freckled nose and dancing eyes were too much for Rachel.
She sighed. “Sure. I need to get my chores done, but then we’ll head out.”
“Yay! I’ll go tell Mommy we’ll leave in an hour.” Sadie was off before Rachel could correct her.
The milker’s machine parts had finally arrived, so Rachel just had to wash each of the cows and get them hooked up. What took over an hour before was now done in half the time. Once she had everything cleaned up, she collected the eggs and carried them into the house. All she had left on her list for the day was weeding. She grabbed her pair of gloves and walked out to the flowerbeds, but Mama was already on her knees with a small trowel in her hand.
“Oh, hey. I thought you’d gone to the store this morning.” Rachel grabbed another trowel and knelt next to Mama.
“Papa went instead. He had to get some parts for the pivot and offered to do my shopping as well. I figured I’d get this done so you wouldn’t have to.”
Rachel dug up a dandelion and broke the dirt off the root. “Mama? Have you heard from Patrick?”
There was silence for a moment. “Why do you ask that?”
“I . . . swear I heard him last night. But that’s impossible, right?”
“That would mean he’s here in Idaho. I thought you said he was off in California.”
Rachel stared at Mama. She wasn’t answering the questions. “Mama. What’s going on?”
“Sweetie, maybe you should—”
“Is it time yet?” Sadie interrupted. “You said after your chores are done. Are they done yet?”
Sadie’s mom caught up to her. “Sorry about that. I told her she needed to wait. Come on, Sadie. She’s obviously not finished.”
“No, she’s ready. I’m just about done anyway.” Mama smiled at Rachel. “Go.”
“What were you about to say?” Rachel ignored Sadie’s cheers.
Mama sighed. “You’ll find out soon enough. Go on the ride, and I’ll talk to you when you get back.”
Rachel’s heart beat a little faster, and she suddenly couldn’t get to Old Blue fast enough. Something was going on. Mama was a terrible liar, which meant Patrick must have been around last night. Rachel led Old Blue out to the front of the barn and had to wait for Sadie and her mom to finish saddling their horses. A few other families joined the group, and Rachel tried not to groan. It was everything she could do not to take off on her own.
The ride seemed to last forever. She had to make sure everyone stayed on their horses and kept together. By the time the mansion came into view, Rachel was ready to scream. The once overgrown jungle of trees in front of the mansion was now well trimmed. Sod had been laid in the front yard, and the flowerbeds were planted with flowers and bushes. Rachel climbed off Old Blue and walked up the path. Tears stung her eyes as she looked up and saw Patrick standing on the stairs with a smile on his face.
“Welcome to the Cottonwood Creek Chateau. Or whatever you decide to call it.” Patrick stepped to the side. “Come on in and take a tour?”
“You’re back.” She couldn’t think of anything else to say. “When did you get here?”
“As soon as I realized that I was crazy to leave. Come on.” He looped his arm through hers and guided her into the mansion. “The first few rooms have been converted into a dining hall and a recreation room, although right now they’re just two huge empty rooms waiting to be painted. I wanted to check the colors with you first. The front desk will be here in the next few days, but here are the cubbies for mail, and we’ll have a computer system to check people in.”
Rachel stared at the transformation. It was as if her dreams had stepped out into the real world, except they were still the bare bones. “What happened to the office idea?”
“I’ll still have my office here, but getting everyone else to come proved impossible. Besides, my mom knocked some sense into me until I realized this was supposed to happen all along.” Patrick grinned. “Do you like it?”
Rachel nodded. “It’s beautiful. I can’t believe the work that’s gone into this place.”
“You haven’t seen the best part yet.” He took her hand and pulled her through a pair of French doors out to the back.
This time, Rachel couldn’t hold back tears. The garden she had dreamed of for so long was laid out in front of her. Benches and fountains covered the lawn just outside the house, and a large line of hedges grew along the back.
“Is that . . . . Did you build a maze?” Rachel glanced over at Patrick before returning her gaze to the far end of the garden.
“Yep. I’ve gotten lost in it a few times already. It cost a fortune to buy the hedges full grown, but I wanted them ready when we open. Oh, but t
hat’s not what I was talking about.” He grabbed her hand again and pulled her to the side. A small fence closed off an area of the yard. Flowers and bushes made up a fairy garden, complete with small statues of fairies and gnomes. “I have to admit, this part was a lot of fun. My cousin’s daughter helped with that part. Didn’t you, Sadie?”
Rachel gasped and whipped around to find Sadie standing there smiling. “You . . . and you . . . you knew about this the whole time?”
Sadie burst into giggles and nodded. “Patrick paid me ten dollars to talk you into coming here.”
“You put her up to this?” Rachel asked Patrick. “Was it really you I heard last night then?”
“I tried to stay hidden. I wasn’t expecting you to be the one to ring the dinner bell.” Patrick caressed Rachel’s cheek. “I thought I knew what I wanted when I came here. I was all set to run a business and go between here and California. But when I met you, nothing else mattered. If you’re willing, I’d love your help in finishing and opening this hotel. We can call it whatever you want.”
Rachel threw her arms around his neck and kissed him, allowing all the heartache from the last few weeks to fade. When she finally pulled away, she nodded. “I would love to help you. I love you, Patrick Jenkins.”
“And I love you too.”
Rachel checked herself in the mirror one more time before grabbing her keys. It was silly to worry so much about her appearance when she was going to paint all day. Mama waved from the garden as Rachel climbed into her truck. It was all she could do not to speed down the road, excited to start the project she’d wanted to do for years. The hotel would be hers. Finally. Not just hers, though. Patrick would be right there with her.
Several cars and trucks sat outside the mansion when she pulled up. Ladders leaned up against the house while workers painted the trim. Others cleared off branches and planted new flowers. A thrill went through her as she watched everything come together.
