LITMIR.BIZ

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      And in that moment Emma caught a look of deep sorrow in the blue of his eyes. His mouth tightened, and she wondered where his thoughts had gone.

      “I don’t think so,” was all he said.

      Emma glanced from him to Adam and then made a quick decision. “Honey, why don’t you go ahead. I’d like to talk to Mr. Carter.”

      Thankfully, Adam just nodded. Then with another wave to Carter, he ran across the yard, his feet kicking up clouds of dust.

      Emma looked up into Carter’s impassive face with its lean, almost harsh lines. She wished she felt more confident. More sure of herself. He didn’t know it, but this conversation would determine her future.

      “Wade said that I should talk to you about an acreage I’m interested in.”

      “I don’t own an acreage.” Carter frowned down at her, and Emma wished she had chosen a different time and place to discuss this with him. Looking up at him placed her at a disadvantage.

      “No, you don’t, but there’s an old yard site on the ranch that you bought before. I know that it’s easier to subdivide a yard site than to create a raw acreage. So … I was wondering if you … if you would be willing to subdivide it off. I would be willing to pay the market price. I have some money left from my father’s ranch for a down payment. I’d have to move a trailer onto the yard—”

      Stop. Now. You’re talking too fast, and you’re saying too much. Try to make some sense. Emma bit her lip and braided her fingers together, taking a breath.

      “So would you be willing to subdivide it?” she asked.

      Carter looked into his coffee cup as he swirled it. “Sorry, Miss Minton. But I’m putting the whole ranch up for sale.”

      “I … I understand that. I mean, I heard that. But would you be willing to subdivide it before you sell the ranch?”

      Carter shook his head. “I’ve already talked to a real estate agent. The place is listed. I’m sorry, I can’t do anything for you.”

      “I see,” was all she managed, each word of his evaporating the faint wisp of hope she had nurtured.

      The thought of making other plans was too much to comprehend. Finding this place had been a sheer stroke of luck and grace. Where else could she live and board her horses? Give Adam the easygoing country life she’d grown up with?

      She looked up at Carter again, wondering what was going through his mind, wondering if he had told his family about his plans to sell. Nana Beck had told her the history of the place, how the family was so much a part of this ranch. She knew how much Nana and Shannon loved the ranch. How could he ignore all of that?

      “What does Nana Beck think of your plans?”

      As soon as she blurted out the words, she wished she could bite her tongue. It was none of her business. How many times did she have to remind herself of that?

      “I apologize. That was uncalled for,” she said quietly. “It’s just this place …” She looked around, letting the utter peace that surrounded the property wash over her. “It’s so beautiful, and I know it’s been in your family a long time. That’s rare.” She thought of her father and how easily he had disregarded his legacy. How he had disregarded her when his life imploded. Why were men so casual with the blessings God had given them?

      “I’m not going to let history dictate my choices,” Carter said, taking a final sip of his coffee. He tossed the remains out. “This place means nothing to me anymore.”

      Carter’s reply held a heaviness that underlined the sorrow she’d seen in his eyes. He sounded like a man who had come to a place where there was no other option. She assumed it had to do with losing his son. “I’m sorry about ruining your plans,” he added.

      Emma gave him a tight smile. “I thought asking was worth a try.” She gave a light laugh as if to show him that the dreams she had spun around owning her own place meant as little to her as the coffee he had just tossed out.

      He tapped his cup against his thigh, his movements jerky. “I’m also sorry about your job,” he said. “Maybe the new owner could hire you.”

      “Don’t worry about me,” she said, holding up her hand as if to placate him. “I can take care of myself and my son,” she added with more bravado than she felt. “Always have.”

      How that would happen over the next few weeks, she wasn’t sure. But she had to put it in God’s hands. She had to trust that somehow, something would come up.

      The jangling ring of a phone sounded from the cabin, and Carter glanced back over his shoulder.

      “That’s my cell phone. I should answer it.” Then he was gone.

      Well, wasn’t that a scintillating conversation. Emma spun around on her heels and strode back to Wade and Miranda’s house.

       Don’t count on men. Don’t count on men.

      The words pounded through her head in time with her steps.

      She would be making her own phone calls this evening. Maybe she could take tomorrow off and go into town to look for a place for her and Adam to stay. Look for a job.

      Her steps faltered at the thought, but she suppressed the negatives.

       Help me to let go of my fears, Lord. Help me to trust only in You.

      “Carter? You won’t believe this, but I think I got a buyer for the ranch.”

      Carter leaned against the wall of his cabin, his hands tightening on his cell phone as the words of the real estate agent sunk in.

      “Already? I just talked to you yesterday.” He tucked the phone under his chin as he made up the bed. He had turned down Miranda’s offer to move into the house, choosing to bunk in Hailey’s cabin. If he had known that Emma and her son were staying in Shannon’s place, one cabin over, he would have rethought his choice.

      Seeing both of them coming out of his cousin’s cabin first thing this morning was an unwelcome jolt. He had assumed they were staying in the main house.

      “Tell you the truth, I had a guy from Sweden, Jurgen Mallik, who came to town about six months ago, looking for property in the valley,” Pete said. “We went touring around and ended up at your place. He loved it and said, as a joke, if the place ever came up he was interested. So when you came in yesterday, I called him. He definitely wants to sign up something immediately. We can do that by fax if you want. He’s very excited, very interested and very well financed.”

      “Wow. That’s quick,” Carter said, surprised at the lift of panic Pete’s words created.

      “Quick is what you wanted.” Pete was quiet a moment, and in his hesitation Carter heard again all the warnings Pete had given him yesterday. How he shouldn’t rush into this. How he had to talk it over with his family. But two years of holding on to the past and waiting was hardly rushing into things. And now that Nana, one of the main reasons he had held on to the ranch, was moving, it was all the incentive he needed to get rid of the place and move on.

      “So you’re sure none of your cousins are interested?” Pete continued. “Not even your brother, Garret?”

      Carter threw the blanket over the bed and sat down, easing out a sigh. “He said no. And he’s the only one that can come close to affording it.” After talking to Nana Beck yesterday, he’d made some phone calls to his brother and cousins about the ranch.

      Garret wasn’t interested at all. Their cousin, Naomi, was still dealing with her fiancé’s cancer and didn’t have enough money. Hailey would have loved to buy the ranch, but she was swimming in student loans and was desperate to pay them off. Furthermore, she knew nothing about running a ranch.

      He had expected to get the strongest protest from Shannon, but when he told her his plans, she said she

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