Page 100 of Hometown Hottie

49

NOVA

There was nothing quite as frustrating as being ready to stand up to someone and not being able to find them. That was the position I was in. I had searched high and low for Ryan but didn’t find a trace of him anywhere.

Out of sheer desperation, I went to my parents’ place, not really thinking he’d be there at this hour, but it was about the only place I hadn’t looked for him yet. As I parked outside their house, I saw another truck parked around the side and I frowned.

Is that Carson’s truck? It can’t be. Can it?

My heart clawed its way to my throat. I climbed out of my truck and ran into my mom instead of my brother on my way into their house. “Hey, baby. Let’s go for a walk?”

I craned my neck in an attempt to see past her, but she stepped in my way and took my arm, leading me firmly in the opposite direction. I glanced at her, so damn confused that I let her pull me away. “What’s going on, Mom? Have you seen Ryan, and was that Carson’s truck?”

“Ryan is rounding up the herd for Daddy, and yes, that was Carson’s truck,” she said excitedly. “That’s why I don’t want you going in there right now. I want them to be able to talk business without any stubborn mules getting in the way.”

“Okay, Mama. You’re going to have to back up a minute. What business are they talking about? Carson’s not pressing charges against Ryan, is he?”

Mom laughed as she shook her head. “No, honey. It’s nothing like that, but thanks for confirming my suspicions. Carson sure wasn’t eager to snitch on his friend. I ought to wring Ryan’s neck for doing that to him, though.”

Well, I don’t disagree with you there.

As we walked through the garden, realization dawned on me. “Wait, if he’s not here to talk about that, is he here about investing?”

I could practically see the stars in her eyes as she nodded and beamed at me. “He said something about making a deal before we accepted the other offer, and he and Daddy have been talking almost ever since.”

My feet faltered, Disbelief made me feel lightheaded. “Daddy’s actually listening to him?”

“He sure is,” Mom said, using her grip on my arm to pull me back to the table in her favorite spot out here. “Carson told him about all the ideas you have, and that even his financial advisor thinks they could work.”

My head spun as I sat down. “I’ve told you about those ideas dozens of times, but you never thought they would work before. What’s changed?”

“Well, we’ve got an investor now, honey,” she said gently. “Even Dad has become inclined to believe it’s time for a change, but starting businesses like that requires capital. A lot of it, which is money we just don’t have.”

“Ryan mentioned looking for investors before, though,” I said, inhaling deeply and hoping the fresh air would clear my mind. “He told me Daddy said no.”

“Well, that’s because your father didn’t want a bunch of rich strangers coming out here telling him how to run a business he’s been running his whole life. Plus, it could’ve taken years to find the right people to work with. It’s kind of like a marriage in that sense. You can’t just take money from the first person you meet.”

Hope suddenly streaked through me like a lightning bolt. “Does that mean you think there’s a chance he’s going to take Carson as an investor?”

“I sure do.” Tears of joy filled her eyes as she nodded at me. “This might just be the opportunity we’ve been praying for, honey. Dad could sort of retire and let Ryan manage the ranch without us having to leave. With money like Carson’s, we could start turning a few of the old barns into venues right away. We’d have to see about the upgrades and everything else, but I think—” Emotion clogged her throat.

I reached for her, winding my arms around her neck and burying my face in her hair, on the verge of tears myself. I’d been happy when Carson had said he’d be willing to invest, but I hadn’t thought there was a real chance of Dad accepting it.

Especially not just like that, but if they were still in there, then maybe we really did have a chance. Mom hugged me back, holding me for a long time before she pulled away to look into my eyes. “All of this is because of you, baby. Thank you.”

I hugged her again, not really knowing what to say. Once I let her go, she and I sat in the garden in silence, waiting with bated breath for Dad and Carson to emerge. When they did, they stopped on the porch and shook hands, and then Carson turned and strode toward his truck.

He looked a little like he’d gone through a meat grinder, and I felt awful. Mom smiled at me as she got up. “I’d better go check in with Daddy. Tell Carson thanks from me.”

She took off and I jumped up, jogging over to intercept Carson before he climbed into his truck. He blinked hard when he saw me. There was something dark in those vibrant green eyes that I hated seeing there.

“Your dad is going to accept my investment,” he said, but his voice sounded off. Hollow almost. “He’s excited.”

He didn’t reach for me or look at me in any special way, and where there should have been joy and relief in my very being, there was only worry, and it was getting heavier by the minute. “What’s going on, Carson?”

“I know a few contractors who can start working next week. I called them on the way over here just in case. Your dad has their phone numbers.”

“Okay, that’s great, but I wasn’t asking about that.”