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“I know, and I’e was very fair I have so many plans for the ranch”

“You don’t own the ranch Not yet”

“But the judge said I can rees”

“Wouldn’t it be better to wait until this is settled? We could go back to—”

“I’ht, her expression defiant “This is where ere happy as a family You saw the state of the house and the land I want to fix it Even if I don’t get to keep the ranch, I want to leave a part of myself there I want it to be better for what I’ve done”

He dropped into the club chair on the other side of the large coffee table and held in a groan “Which means what?”

Deter beyond him

“I want to make a home here Oh, Rafe, we had so ht and we didn’t always have the newest of everything, but ere a family”

He ignored the fact that his me the ranch isn’t going to give you a do-over, Moain”

“I know, but I’ve been drea about the Castle Ranch since we had to leave, all those years ago” She shifted her gaze to his were difficult for you here I let you take care of me and of everyone else You were just a little boy and you never got a chance to be a child”

“I was fine You were a great parent”

“I hope so, but I’m not blind to my faults You worried for me and about me Maybe that’s why you can’t be happy today”

He thought longingly of a good legal battle with another corporation, or winning a contract against i would be better than talking about his feelings with his mother

“I’m plenty happy”

“No, you’re not All you do is work You don’t have anyone in your life”

“I have lots of people”

“Not someone special You need to fall in love”

“I’ve been in love” It wasn’t all it was cracked up to be

He’d ent choice—fallen for a young woman who should have been perfect She’d been pretty, s and supportive He’d been more interested in her than in anyone he’d everold with her If that wasn’t love, then

as?

Their brief, two-year ested a divorce, and he’d felt little ue sense of dissatisfaction and failure

“You weren’t in love,” his mother told him “Love is powerful Love sweeps you away You were never swept away”

“Fine But I’ to find someone now So I’m happy”

May wrinkled her nose “You’re going to a matchmaker, Rafe Who does that? What does this Nina person know about you, anyway? When the tiht, you’ll find the one Just like I found your father”

“Moan

“No You have to listen I’ht about this You need to find so to risk it all for”

As if that was going to happen “I’ll find the right woet married and have children”

If he hadn’t been so set on having kids, he would have never considered h to want a traditional faht hi a ent or successful sales rep When he wasn’t the best at so, he found someone as Nina had a nearly perfect track record

“I would love grandchildren,” his“Just think, I’ll have the ranch and you can bring your family to visit”

There was a particular vision of hell, he thought griuided her back on topic “You’re sure about the ranch? You want it?”

“Yes I want to live there perrow etables”

“Not with the goats around”

“Heidi and I ork so out”

Rafe didn’t bother telling her that Heidi and her grandfather weren’t going to be an issue Like Nina, Dante was the best at what he did There was only going to be one winner at the end of the day, and it wasn’t going to be Heidi and her goats

“Isn’t the ranch close to nearly a thousand acres?”

May shrugged “I’m not sure I know there’s a fair amount of land”

Maybe he could figure out so to do with it, so his time here wasn’t a co Not until May had what she’d come for

He stood and pulled his ed her and kissed her temple

“Okay, then,” he said “You want the ranch, I’ll get it for you” No matter what it cost

CHAPTER FOUR

HEIDI WAS PLEASED THAT her hand was steady as she poured coffee into fourup a e had dismissed them, they were in Heidi’s kitchen, about to e her life forever She wanted to tell herself not to be dra sense of panic Sure, the judge had given her a reprieve, but she could still lose the ranch, and then what? Where would she and Glen go?

Worries for another time, she reminded herself as she took her seat at the rickety table For now, she was going to cooperate with May and figure out how to come up with two hundred and fifty thousand dollars in, say, the next three weeks

“Thank you soat Heidi

“You’re more than welco the challenging expression on Rafe’s face

This was the first time she’d been in a relatively small room with the man, and she was annoyed to discover he took up too much space He had broad shoulders that spilled past the back of the chair She couldn’t seem to focus on anyone but him, which frustrated her and made her want to pretend he wasn’t there An i her captive