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I reach for her and tug her onto my chest. She comes to me and snuggles closer. I trace her spine with my fingertips.
“Brad’s wife is friends with—the blond who didn’t speak—Uri Donati’s brother, Nico. Nico and Uri helped Brad to start a sports agency for his wife. When he retired from football, he joined the firm.
“He now lives in New York part of the year. LaSalle is one of his silent partners. To start a construction company in New York takes capital and connections. I have the capital to an extent. Not to do things at the level I can with LaSalle and Uri backing me, but they have the connections.
“When Brad suggested I go into business with them, it made sense. Now, I don’t know if that’s what I want. My heart is here in Texas.
She sits up and looks down at me. “Are you trying to give this up for me?”
“You have a lot to do with it.”
“Trevor Paul Monroe, you will do no such thing. I will figure this business with the ranch out. You don’t have to stop your plans because of me. We’ll make it work.”
I don’t tell her I don’t think we have any other option. I’m just happy to see that fire turn on inside her for us. My wild heart is still in there. I’ve been watching it come to the surface.
I nod. “We’ll figure it out, darlin’. Now come here.”
CHAPTER 28
What Happened
Lynn
I rode with Trevor to drop the boys off to football camp. We dropped Snacks back off with Nanna first. My heart swelled to see how much my grandmother’s eyes lit up to have her little buddy back with her.
I feel like it’s time to confront my father about what I’ve learned before I dive in to save the ranch. I want to hear what happened in his words. I mean, we’ve made a ton of assumptions, but I would love to understand where this all birthed from.
So here we are, visiting my father to get some answers. The way his face lights up as Trev and I enter walking hand in hand is sort of weird, knowing how hard he fought to keep us apart all those years ago.
I still don’t get it. When did he become such a Trevor fan? I shove those thoughts to the back of my mind to focus on the task at hand.
“You look good. I’m happy to see you smiling and with Trev,” Mama whispers in my ear as she stands and pulls me into a hug.
Trevor pulls the two chairs in the corner closer to the bed. This place is nice. It looks like a little apartment. Elise is getting a raise.
“Daddy, I was able to take a look at the ranch’s financials,” I say as Trevor and I settle into the chairs.
“My mama never could keep her nose out of my business. You would think I wasn’t a grown man,” he grumbles. Then with a sigh he looks me in the eyes. “God always has my back. I was going to figure it out. I had it under control.”
“But what happened? How did things get so bad? Why’d you take that loan? The terms are ridiculous.”
The loss of the oil contracts is what has me stumped most. The ranch could have coasted along with just that income. The horses were a bonus. I can’t believe he released those contracts.
“At the time, the loan seemed like a good idea. I was introduced to some hard money lenders and figured I could get things back on track and hand the money back. Then we had that feed infestation, and we kept taking hit after hit.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Baby girl, I started to feel like someone was targeting the ranch. Call me old and paranoid, but it was a feeling in my gut. The only reason for someone to do that would be to get to you. Ain’t no way I would give someone that type of opportunity,” Daddy says.
I knit my brows in confusion. “What happened to the oil contracts?”
He frowns and purses his lips. “There ain’t a dime worth disrespect. Them folks called me one day out the blue and that young girl spoke to me like I was some slave she intended to put in check.
“I dismissed them and our agreement. My family worked with that company for over three generations. Don’t know where that bull junk came from, but I wasn’t gonna tolerate it,” he huffs.
“The sad part is, he couldn’t get any bites after that. It’s like he was blacklisted. Then the little problems started and began to add up. I never knew how bad it has gotten,” Mama says.
“Because I don’t want you stressing about this,” Daddy says as he looks at Mama lovingly.
Trevor has fallen unusually quiet. I reach to place my hand in his. He turns to me with a tight smile.
