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Authors: C. J. Carmichael
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can’t believe it.”
“We should contest the will,” Dani said. “It simply isn’t fair.”
Callan shook her head. “I wouldn’t want the Circle C that way. And it’s not as if we were left high and dry.”
“At least dad let you have the house,” Sage said.
Callan shook her head. “I don’t want that either.”
“But—what will you do with it?” Sage asked.
“Might as well try to sell it to Court. He has everything else.”
Worried glances were exchanged around her. Callan dropped her gaze and took a drink of her tea.
Baby Bev started to fuss and Eliot got up to attend to her. Nat stood up a few seconds later. “Sounds like the Carrigan sisters need to have a family meeting. Portia and Wren, would you help me load our luggage into the SUV?”
Dawson nodded. “I’ll help Eliot pack up the baby stuff.”
And then it was just Callan and her three sisters. She could see that they were concerned about her, but she just wanted to be left alone. “I might look for a place outside of Marietta. Nothing too big, just enough so I can own a few horses. Eventually I’ll have to look for work.” She glanced down at the half-eaten sandwich on her plate. All she knew was ranching. But the idea of working somewhere other than the Circle C was not appealing.
“Oh, Callan.” Mattie squeezed her hand. “This is so unfair to you. And it’s all been such a huge shock. Please give yourself a few months before you make any big decisions.”
“Mattie’s right,” Sage agreed. “Honey, you should stay here. It’s your home.”
“It doesn’t feel that way, anymore.”
“That’s what you say now. But I agree with the others. You should take some time before you do anything rash.”
“Plus, it would be nice to have at least one last Christmas at the Circle C,” Sage added.
The wistful tone in her voice made Callan realize that this wasn’t just about her. All three of her sisters had been stripped of their birthright and their home as well. Even though they’d all moved on and made new lives for themselves, they still had an emotional investment in the Circle C.
“I’ll stay until December,” she promised them. She would give her sisters one last Christmas at the Circle C Ranch.
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A fter lunch, everyone began to hustle with preparations for travel. Once all the luggage was loaded, they gathered out on the porch. Farewells were rushed, which was the way Callan preferred them. Protracted good-byes were not her thing.
First Nat and Mattie got on the road for their drive back to Flathead Valley. Then Eliot, Dani and the baby, as well as Portia and Wren, drove off to catch their flights in Bozeman. Sage and Dawson were the last to leave, headed to Marietta.
Callan waved and waved, until suddenly everyone was gone, and all she was looking at was an empty road and a sky heavy with low grey clouds. The wind whipped up, tossing her hair into her eyes and making her shiver again.
She retreated inside, to a house that had never seemed so cavernous before. She wandered through the rooms on the main floor, pausing at the door to her father’s study. His desk was covered with stacks of paper. One of the filing cabinet drawers was so full it didn’t close properly. In another corner was the armchair, positioned to view the old TV built into the bookshelves. Whenever they had guests this was where Hawksley retreated to watch his programs.
He had not been a fan of paperwork or computers. But all those stacks of bills, accounts and records were Court’s problem, now.
Back in the family room, she stopped in front of the black velvet bag containing the rest of Hawksley’s ashes. Pain flowed in waves through her body. Just four days ago, they’d been saddling up those colts. She’d been so happy. It had been such a beautiful autumn day. And even her fath—Hawksley, he had been happy, too. Or as close to happy as he got. There had been that hint of a
“We should contest the will,” Dani said. “It simply isn’t fair.”
Callan shook her head. “I wouldn’t want the Circle C that way. And it’s not as if we were left high and dry.”
“At least dad let you have the house,” Sage said.
Callan shook her head. “I don’t want that either.”
“But—what will you do with it?” Sage asked.
“Might as well try to sell it to Court. He has everything else.”
Worried glances were exchanged around her. Callan dropped her gaze and took a drink of her tea.
Baby Bev started to fuss and Eliot got up to attend to her. Nat stood up a few seconds later. “Sounds like the Carrigan sisters need to have a family meeting. Portia and Wren, would you help me load our luggage into the SUV?”
Dawson nodded. “I’ll help Eliot pack up the baby stuff.”
And then it was just Callan and her three sisters. She could see that they were concerned about her, but she just wanted to be left alone. “I might look for a place outside of Marietta. Nothing too big, just enough so I can own a few horses. Eventually I’ll have to look for work.” She glanced down at the half-eaten sandwich on her plate. All she knew was ranching. But the idea of working somewhere other than the Circle C was not appealing.
“Oh, Callan.” Mattie squeezed her hand. “This is so unfair to you. And it’s all been such a huge shock. Please give yourself a few months before you make any big decisions.”
“Mattie’s right,” Sage agreed. “Honey, you should stay here. It’s your home.”
“It doesn’t feel that way, anymore.”
“That’s what you say now. But I agree with the others. You should take some time before you do anything rash.”
“Plus, it would be nice to have at least one last Christmas at the Circle C,” Sage added.
The wistful tone in her voice made Callan realize that this wasn’t just about her. All three of her sisters had been stripped of their birthright and their home as well. Even though they’d all moved on and made new lives for themselves, they still had an emotional investment in the Circle C.
“I’ll stay until December,” she promised them. She would give her sisters one last Christmas at the Circle C Ranch.
––––––––
––––––––
A fter lunch, everyone began to hustle with preparations for travel. Once all the luggage was loaded, they gathered out on the porch. Farewells were rushed, which was the way Callan preferred them. Protracted good-byes were not her thing.
First Nat and Mattie got on the road for their drive back to Flathead Valley. Then Eliot, Dani and the baby, as well as Portia and Wren, drove off to catch their flights in Bozeman. Sage and Dawson were the last to leave, headed to Marietta.
Callan waved and waved, until suddenly everyone was gone, and all she was looking at was an empty road and a sky heavy with low grey clouds. The wind whipped up, tossing her hair into her eyes and making her shiver again.
She retreated inside, to a house that had never seemed so cavernous before. She wandered through the rooms on the main floor, pausing at the door to her father’s study. His desk was covered with stacks of paper. One of the filing cabinet drawers was so full it didn’t close properly. In another corner was the armchair, positioned to view the old TV built into the bookshelves. Whenever they had guests this was where Hawksley retreated to watch his programs.
He had not been a fan of paperwork or computers. But all those stacks of bills, accounts and records were Court’s problem, now.
Back in the family room, she stopped in front of the black velvet bag containing the rest of Hawksley’s ashes. Pain flowed in waves through her body. Just four days ago, they’d been saddling up those colts. She’d been so happy. It had been such a beautiful autumn day. And even her fath—Hawksley, he had been happy, too. Or as close to happy as he got. There had been that hint of a
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