The Rancher Meets His Match

by Kate Pearce

  “Finally.” She inclined her head an icy inch. “That’s a way better apology than anything followed by a qualifier.” She stepped away from him. “I need to find my father.”

  He, too, took a step back, even though he didn’t want to. “Okay, I’ll be in touch.”

  She gave him her best haughty lawyer’s smile. “No, thanks.”

  “You can bet on it. I’m going to make this right, Julia, I promise you.” He refused to give up on her that easily.

  “We’ll see, won’t we?”

  He had to watch her walk away knowing that she might never walk back into his arms, or be willing to listen to him ever again. It was the hardest thing he’d ever had to do in his life. He swallowed down a barrel load of emotions. Funny how you only realized what you were losing and what you loved when it was too late.

  * * *

  Kaiden opened the refrigerator door as quietly as he could and got out the milk. After the awfulness of the party he hadn’t been able to sleep without reliving Julia’s expression the moment he’d accused her of selling out her own father. Even as he beat himself about that, he’d remembered how her father wouldn’t trust her because she was a woman, and realized that extra level of hurt he’d created. He should have called and laid it all out for her. He was an idiot.

  He found the pan his mom used to boil the milk and retrieved the hot chocolate mix from the pantry. When he reemerged into the kitchen his dad was sitting at the table.

  “Make that for two, will you, Son?”

  “Sure.” Kaiden was way too miserable to argue with his father. He made the drinks in silence, brought them both to the table, and sat opposite his dad.

  “Thanks.” Jeff took a sip. “That’s good.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Your mom thinks this helps me sleep.”

  “She thinks it makes everyone sleep. It’s like her wonder drug.” Kaiden wrapped his hands around his mug. “I thought you’d be tired after the party.”

  “I was, but that doesn’t mean I can sleep. I do my best worrying at night.”

  “Me too.”

  “We’re quite alike in some ways.”

  “So everyone keeps telling me.” Kaiden kept his tone neutral. “I can’t say I see it myself.”

  “That’s because you worked much harder than I ever did to control your temper. Getting riled up is fuel for me—it keeps me going. For you it was . . . destructive.”

  “I don’t remember the last time I lost my temper,” Kaiden lied. He wasn’t stupid enough to tell his father he’d lost it with Julia earlier that night.

  “I do.” His father blew on his hot chocolate. “You were in the barn and were supposed to be stacking the hay bales as I sent them up. You and Ben were messing around, and he knocked you flying. You got mad and rushed him, and he almost went over the edge. He probably would’ve broken his neck at that height if I hadn’t reached out, grabbed hold of his shirt, and hauled him back in.”

  “I don’t remember that.” Kaiden studied his hands.

  “Sure you do.” Jeff set his mug down. “You don’t want to, but it’s the truth. You cried your eyes out and ran off. I had to find you and bring you home. I didn’t even bother with a punishment because I thought you’d learned your lesson, and I was right. You never let your temper get out of control now, maybe too much.”

  “I don’t like conflict.”

  “I know, you’d rather turn it away with a smile and a joke, but sometimes you need to get your mad on, Son. Sometimes you need to dig in and do the hard work.”

  Like he’d done earlier . . . and that had gone so well because he had no idea how to handle his anger. He’d learned to tamp it down and pretend it didn’t exist. Kaiden took another slow drink aware that his father might be onto something but unwilling to admit it. “So what’s that got to do with anything anyway?”

  “Nothing much.” Jeff shrugged. “Just passing the time until you have something of interest to tell me.”

  “Why would I tell you anything?” Kaiden asked.

  “Because sometimes you need advice? And, because you are like me, maybe I can help you.”

  “I screwed up. It’s on me. I’m the only person who can fix it,” Kaiden said firmly. ”I don’t need anyone to tell me that. I should have slowed down, I should have listened more before I jumped to any conclusions.”

  “Story of my life.” His father nodded. “But, one thing I can tell you is that if the other party is willing, then you can make things right.”

  “I’m not willing to wait twenty years until Julia returns to Morgan Valley, Dad.”

  “Then do it sooner.” Jeff set his mug down on the table with a thump. “You’ve got no responsibilities here right now, you have a great skill set. You could live anywhere.”

  “Trying to get rid of me again?” Kaiden sat back.

  “I’m trying to make up for keeping you here after Ben flaked out.” Jeff grimaced. “I was afraid you’d make the same mistakes so I clipped your wings. That’s one of the reasons why I let you go from the ranch. I wanted to give you back your freedom.”

  Kaiden stared at his father for a long moment. “Do you really think I’m going to buy that crock of shit?”

  His father slowly smiled. “Why not? It’s the only one I’m selling.”

  * * *

  Julia settled her father into bed and walked through to the kitchen to fetch him a glass of water. She snapped on the lights and gasped. The new accessible appliances gleamed softly and the cabinetry . . . was so beautiful, and so Kaiden that she wanted to bawl like a child. She smoothed her hand along the work surface, admiring the line of the grain and the intricately carved edging. She’d wondered if he’d pass the work on to someone else, but she could feel him in every curve.

  She took the water back through to her father and lined up the many pills he had to take. There were five for his MS, and two for high blood pressure, a side effect of the other drugs.

  “Here you go, Dad. I’m sorry we had to leave so early. I had a really long day, and I was just exhausted.”

  “To be truthful, I was getting rather tired myself.” He patted her hand. “I’m not used to such big crowds.”

  Julia waited as he took his pills, and tried to think of how to phrase her next question.

  “How is Beth working out for you?”

  “She is an angel.” His smile widened. “I don’t know what I would do without her. Even after all the amazing improvements to the place I was beginning to wonder how I’d manage all on my own after you’d left. And Beth is such sunny company. She cheers me up without even trying.” He hesitated. “It’s been hard to deal with the thought that I’m stuck in this chair for the rest of my life. It made me miserable as hell.”

  “I’m not surprised.” Julia nodded, amazed that her father was actually confiding his feelings in her. “It’s a big change for you.”

  “I’ve tried to accept it as God’s will, but I’ve still got a long way to go with that.” He smiled up at her. “I guess that’s why I’ve been so intent on getting Miguel home where he belongs.”

  Julia sensed her opportunity. “Dad, is it true that Miguel came here?”

  “Yes.” Her father’s smile disappeared. “He was very pleasant until I refused his request to sell the ranch.”

  “Did he say who he planned to sell it to?” Julia asked.

  “He brought a proposal from that colleague of yours.” Juan pointed to an MZB folder in the stack by his bed. “They wanted to build three hundred houses on my land.”

  “That’s awful.” Julia shook her head. “Is it okay if I read this?”

  “Of course.” Juan handed over the file. “Miguel said you agreed with him.”

  “Did you believe that?” Julia met her father’s gaze.

  “No, because why would you have spent so much time and money making the ranch a better place if you planned on tearing it down?” He met her gaze. “When I saw the final bills for the remodel I was horrified.
It never occurred to me that you would have to keep working to pay for everything. I was too worried about myself, and didn’t think about the cost for you.”

  “That’s okay, Dad.” Julia swallowed hard.

  “I told Miguel that too. He was very unhappy with me.”

  “I wish you’d called me. I would’ve set him straight.”

  “I was too embarrassed to call you.” Juan sighed. “You’ve been telling me that Miguel didn’t have my best interests at heart for years and I’ve refused to believe you. He threatened to have me declared incompetent. He said that Blaine would find a way to do it legally.”

  “You should have called me immediately.” Julia said.

  “I was too ashamed to admit that my son, the person I’d wanted to continue our family legacy, had so little regard for me or the place of his birth that he was willing to sell it to strangers.”

  She reached out to hold his trembling fingers. “You don’t need to worry about Blaine anymore, Dad. He’s been fired. And, I wouldn’t have agreed to let Miguel get power of attorney over you anyway.”

  “I’m not sure you could have stopped him, my dear.” Juan sighed. “I have been very remiss and very unfair to you. I wonder if you would consider meeting with Henry to go over my will? I can’t remember what I put in there, and it’s worrying me.”

  “If you like, I’ll give Henry a call, and ask if we can speak to him next time I’m home.”

  “That’s an excellent idea.” Juan squeezed her hand.

  “Speaking of calls, Mom got in touch with me a few days ago,” Julia said gently. “She’d been contacted by someone at MZB asking if she still had any financial interest in the ranch. She originally thought it was me, but after Miley did a bit of digging, she found out that the letter originated from Blaine’s office.”

  “Blaine again.” Her father shook his head. “Kaiden told me Blaine was snooping around in my bedroom and he did ask me a few personal questions. Maybe he saw my photographs and worked out that if he wanted to buy this land, he’d have to talk to everyone involved. I’m not surprised Miguel fell for it.”

  “I’ll talk to Miguel,” Julia reassured him. “And I won’t let anyone move you one inch off this ranch unless you want it to happen. I promise.”

  “Thank you, Daughter.” Her father kissed her fingers. “Thank you for everything.”

  Julia settled him back against his pillows, handed him the novel he was reading, and left the room. She couldn’t resist going back to the kitchen to appreciate the gift Kaiden had given them both. He’d mentioned that he always tried to put little references to himself and to the people in the house in his carving. Having seen Ben and Silver’s box up close, she already had a sense of how he did that.

  It took her a while, but she found a rolled-up scroll with a ribbon in one high corner that she assumed referenced her law degree, two little faces of a cow and its calf for her dad, and a miniature of Domino, Kaiden’s horse. Whatever happened between her and Kaiden in the future, she would never forget the beauty he had created with his hands for her and her father.

  She took her cell out of her purse and sent a text to Miguel.

  Blaine Purvis no longer works at MZB so any scheme you hatched with him to get rich quick at Dad’s expense is over.

  Seconds later her phone rang.

  “What the hell did you do?” Miguel demanded.

  “Nothing. My boss’s boss fired him for incompetence,” Julia said. “Just as a matter of interest, did you contact him, or did he contact you?”

  “He contacted me.”

  “And suggested you plough up your birthright and turn it into three hundred identical boxes which would triple the size of Morgantown overnight?”

  “Everyone I talked to in the valley said they needed housing, so I’m not sure what you’re whining about. Blaine said he could cut us both in on the deal.”

  “Blaine is a snake. He would never have followed through,” Julia shot back.

  “Yeah, he would. I’d make sure of that.”

  She didn’t like the hint of menace in her brother’s voice one bit.

  “Anyway,” she pressed on. “I wouldn’t have agreed to the sale, and neither would Dad or Mom so you would’ve been outvoted.”

  “Weird because Blaine said you would do as you were told if you wanted to keep your job at MZB, and Mom gave up her share in the place to you. Dad would’ve come around eventually. I’m his favorite kid.”

  Julia took a moment to process what her brother was saying before she replied.

  “I’m kind of shocked at how easily you were prepared to sell your whole family down the river, Miguel.”

  “I need the money,” he said bluntly. “I don’t need it tied up in an old-fashioned ranch that will never make a profit.”

  Part of her wanted to reason with him, to remind him of all the happy times they’d had at the ranch, and all the love that had surrounded him, but it had never been enough. He’d always found his family and the ranch stifling, and he appeared to have gotten worse.

  “I won’t let you get power of attorney over Dad, either.” Even as she regretted all the words she couldn’t say to him, Julia wasn’t backing down. “He’s of perfectly sound mind and can make his own decisions right now.”

  “Then it appears we’re at an impasse,” Miguel said. “But don’t get complacent, Sister. I can always find another lawyer. I’m not going to let this go.”

  He ended the call, leaving her staring out at the moonlit sky, tears crowding her throat. She always felt far closer to the stars on the ranch than in the city, and tonight they were particularly bright. She picked one and wished as hard as she could.

  With a sigh, she got herself a glass of milk, turned off the lights, and went to bed. She had to get back to work on Monday and, with all the changes going on, she knew she’d be busy. She could only hope she wouldn’t have a moment to think about Kaiden Miller. She’d set him a task. If he really wanted to make things up to her then he knew what to do. Whether it would ever feel right again was still up in the air.

  * * *

  “Thanks so much for seeing me, Mr. Evans.”

  Kaiden took the seat opposite his host and set his coffee on the table. He’d called Mr. Evans the day after the party and had driven out to see him after he’d gotten back from church. Julia was planning on leaving town immediately, and, although he desperately wanted to make things right before she left, he knew she wouldn’t listen to him right now.

  “It’s a pleasure, son,” Mr. Evans said. “How’s old Jeff doing?”

  “He’s getting there. He’s going back to the hospital this week for his final checkup before they pass him over to our local doctor’s care. He seems to think he’s ready to go back to work.”

  “Good for him.” Mr. Evans shifted restlessly in his chair. He looked like he’d lost even more weight since Kaiden had last seen him, and had an oxygen tube taped to his cheek. “I can barely get out onto the porch these days.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that, sir,” Kaiden said.

  “You said you wanted to know what I’d decided to do about the ranch?”

  “Yeah, I know it’s none of my business, but I wanted to tell you about a new foundation my brother Ben and his wife have set up. One of the things it does is offer advice to people in your situation—legal representation, that kind of thing, to stop you being taken advantage of by predatory builders or lenders.”

  Technically, Mr. Evans wasn’t in Morgan Valley, but Kaiden had asked Silver and Ben if he could use their foundation as a conversation starter. Silver was feeling so guilty about what had happened with Julia that she’d jumped at the chance to help put things right.

  “That’s a very kind thought, Kaiden, but I received excellent legal advice from Miss Julia. She laid out all the options to me and my daughters, and promised to follow through on whichever one we picked.”

  “That’s good to hear.” Kaiden paused. “She didn’t push you to choose one thing over a
nother, then?”

  “Not at all. In fact, I think she was surprised at the decision I made.” Mr. Evans chuckled, which turned into a dry cough that seemed to go on forever. “She was absolutely determined that no one, not even my girls, would tell me what to do.”

  “That’s great.” Kaiden took a sip of his coffee. “So, you’re staying put?”

  “Nope. I decided to move into town so I’ll be closer to my daughter Betty and my grandkids for the short time I have left.” He met Kaiden’s gaze. “The cancer has spread and it’s inoperable. I’ve only got a few months to live, and I want to be with my family.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. And that’s . . . totally understandable, sir.” Kaiden nodded.

  “I had a long talk with the representative from Brooksmiths, and I like what they plan to do with the place. It’ll be small cabins built from natural resources for hikers and fishermen to stay in. They’ll clean up the river, shore up the banks, and maintain all the wildlife and open spaces. Andy, the guy I spoke with, comes from Lake Tahoe, so he knows this area well, and understands the land management issues we face with the extremes of the weather, flooding, drought, and snowstorms.”

  Mr. Evans took a long drink of his lemonade while Kaiden let his words sink in.

  “Excuse me for asking this, sir, but how do you know that they’ll follow through on their promises?” Kaiden had never known when to keep his mouth shut.

  “Because after I’m gone, my daughters and grandchildren get to see and approve all the future plans for the ranch. If they object to something, it goes to the whole board of Brooksmiths, and they all get to vote.” He reached over to a stack of papers on the table and extracted a folder. “You can read up about it here if you like.”

  “Thank you.” Kaiden took the folder. “This sounds like something my brother’s foundation would love to know about as well.”

  “I think Miss Julia said she was going to mention Brooksmiths to them,” Mr. Evans said. “Now, you can’t take that away with you because it’s the only copy I have, but if you want to sit here and read it while I take my nap, be my guest.”