Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 73664 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73664 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Miles and I sit in the truck when Chance runs into the store for the supplies he needs and then we mutually decide to ditch the beer idea. We don’t talk much during the drive back to the ranch. I spend the time ruminating on how I disappointed Carly and how I can make it up to her.
I come up with zilch. I can’t fix my mom being sick. I don’t know how to fix this because I have no clue what’s going on.
Fuck.
We pull into the long driveway only to see a black Jaguar parked off in one of the guest spots.
“Shankle,” Chance says. “Is he going to check up on us all year long?”
“I don’t give a shit about that.” I click open the door of the truck. “But we can ask him about Vance’s land. See if we have enough money available to pay him off. I’ll forgo part of my thousand dollars a month if I have to.”
“That won’t be enough, Austin,” Miles says. “I’m not an expert on ranch land in Montana, but I know real estate.”
I sigh. I knew that when I said it. But damn, I’m willing to try anything. Anything to bring that beautiful smile back to Carly’s face. Anything to ease the ache in my gut from disappointing her. Because if Vance gets his way, she’s not coming back to work. Yeah, it would suck if I didn’t see her here, but this is about her happiness. I know how much she loves her job.
“Fine. But there’s one way to find out,” Chance says.
We walk into the house, give the dogs a few belly rubs, and then head into the living room where Shankle is sitting. In his black suit, bolo tie, and felt hat, he looks a lot like Johnny Cash. Funny I didn’t notice the resemblance the first couple times I met him.
“Mr. Shankle,” Chance says. “Didn’t realize we were out past curfew.”
“Boys,” he says, ignoring Chance’s sarcasm, “we’ve got a problem.”
Great. A problem. As if the list of problems isn’t long enough already.
Just great.
14
CARLY
* * *
I have no intention of leaving my job at Bridger Ranch, but telling that to my father now isn’t a good idea.
I want information from him.
“Daddy,” I say, when we get to the old brick building that doubles as city hall and the courthouse, “please tell me. What has Jonathan Bridger done?”
He opens the entry door without responding. It’s late in the afternoon and the building is quiet. There aren’t many court cases, but unless it’s something big—which never happens in Bayfield to anyone but me—they’re wrapped up in the mornings.
“Good morning, Mayor, Carly.” The bright-eyed receptionist smiles when we walk in.
“Doris.” Dad nods and heads straight to his office at the end of the hallway.
I simply wave and close the door to his office, taking a seat in front of his desk. He’s already settled behind it, tapping on his computer keyboard.
“Daddy…”
“In a minute, Carly. I need to take care of a few things.” He continues tapping.
I look around the tiny office’s beige walls, a metal desk, and a few faded photos of the Montana Big Sky country on the walls. It’s not much, but Bayfield is a small town. The sign as you enter says Welcome to Bayfield. Don’t blink or you’ll miss it.
In reality, it’s a little bigger than that. Population of the city proper is about five thousand, but as mayor, Dad is also the chairman of the board of county commissioners, so he has jurisdiction over all the land that surrounds the town—including Bridger Ranch.
Dad hits return and then turns to me, setting his forearms on his desk and folding his hands. Gone is the angry glare he shared with the Bridgers.
“Your mother doesn’t want you working, but I’ll allow it. I’m going to help you find another position. I’ve been looking since you announced your new job, and I’ve got a couple possibilities.”
“No, Dad. I don’t want to talk about that.” No way in hell am I sitting beside Doris and stuffing envelopes. “I want to talk about the Bridgers, and not with regard to my job.”
“The Bridgers aren’t your concern,” he counters.
If he only knew…
I’m all but in love with one of them. Seeing Austin on the street with his brothers—arguing with my dad—made me realize I wanted to leave with him, not my father. I wanted to take his hand and run. To escape to our secret spring where it’s just the two of us. No problems. No outside world.
“I’ve known Chance for a long time,” I say. “I’ve told you before that he’s a good guy.”
Dad swipes his hand through the air. “Good guy? How could he be with Jonathan Bridger as his father? Now there are two more of them. They’re ruthless, sweetheart, and I don’t want you near any of them. You no longer work for them.”