Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 79831 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79831 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
The corner of my mouth lifts. “This is your home, too. You don’t have to ask my permission.”
“Well, I know it’s my home in that I grew up there, but it feels like it’s yours. You’re the one who has busted his ass for the last eight years to keep things running while I ran off with a ball. You have every right to tell me to kick rocks.”
“I don’t really want Mom to haunt me, but thanks.”
Our chuckles are soft, mixing in reverence for a woman I know we both miss more than we’d ever admit.
I smile as I drive out of the field and onto the dirt road that winds through the ranch. I can imagine Mom’s reaction to Gray’s news. She would’ve been thrilled to hear him say that he’s settling down—her wild child finally finding peace. And she would’ve been over the moon to hear about talks of grandkids.
The thought of my parents missing out on this stage of life hurts. I think about them a lot. But, then again, I’m surrounded by their life in every way that matters. My home was theirs. I work the same land my father did, and the men who I sign checks for once answered to him, too. There’s not a corner of my life my parents didn’t touch, and for a long time, that brought me peace.
Carrying on the Adler legacy is a privilege. I just didn’t realize how much of myself it would cost.
I shift in my seat. “While we’re talking about the ranch, I want to clue you in on something.”
“All right.”
“I found out this morning that Ed Beardsley has been talking to Lolly.” I force a swallow. “I heard she said she wasn’t going to sell to him, but we both know how convincing he can be. And even the strongest people can cave when millions of dollars are flashed in their faces.”
The line goes quiet as my words sink in.
“Anyway, there’s not a damn thing we can do about it if Lolly does decide to sell. But I just wanted you to know,” I say.
“Yeah, thanks.” I hear the lump in his throat. “I’m pulling up to the Royals facility now. I’ll call you later.”
“Sounds good.”
“Bye.”
He ends the call before I can hit the red button on the dash.
I drive through the ranch, turning off the air and rolling down the windows instead. I have every intention of heading straight to the house for lunch. Instead, I stop by the barn and find myself peering into the stall holding Pigasso Pigglesworth.
He grunts when he sees me.
“Sounds like she got the best of you, too,” I say, resting my arms over the stall door. “It’s kind of what she does. She swoops in, makes a mess, but steals your heart in the process. Then you might not see her again. Prepare yourself for that.”
I get another grunt, as if Pigasso has already figured this out.
“She means well,” I say. “The woman has a heart of gold, so don’t take it personally when she leaves you in the dust.” I laugh as the piglet begins to squeal. “I know. It sucks. But the one thing about her is that she never pretends otherwise. She never pretends that she’ll stay.”
A smile touches my lips as I think back to seeing her this morning. My gosh, she’s beautiful.
Her hazel eyes were a bright green today, meaning she was keyed up and excited. They’re browner when she’s calm and in the morning when she wakes up. Her hair is darker, showing off her clear, smooth skin. In a few months, when the weather is hot, she’ll have blond highlights from the sun. And those curves—damn those curves.
“I have so much work that I turn a lot of it down. People keep saying that AI will put me out of business, but they don’t realize that a computer can’t generate the emotion of a real human being—which is great for me because the money is good. It keeps me from having to settle down anywhere.”
An ache ripples through me, following a groove cut through my chest by the thousands of other times I’ve had to accept reality.
Mira St. James will never be mine.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out.
Cathy: Lunch is ready.
Me: I’ll be there in a second. Thanks.
I give the pig one last look, then head toward the house.
CHAPTER
FOUR
Mira
“There it is,” I say softly.
Lolly’s two-story farmhouse sits proudly on top of a small hill overlooking Sugar Creek. Ferns sway in the breeze on the front porch, perfectly in rhythm with the swing on the far side, and a welcome flag dances happily from a shepherd’s hook by the steps. I can’t help the ghost of a smile that graces my lips.
I park beside Lolly’s SUV and climb out of my car. The afternoon sun is bright and warm, and birds chirp from the trees surrounding the house. Honeysuckle perfumes the air with its sweetness. Memories of pinching off their blooms and gently pulling their pistils to try to get a drop of nectar come barreling back to me. I was never good at it. Markie said it was because I pulled too hard and didn’t have enough patience.