mother interrupted. "This is not the time, nor the place."
My pride
in my mother surged as she straightened her back, lifted her chin, and looked
at the attorney. "We'll figure something out,” she stated firmly. “We're
not going to lose that ranch."
With that,
my mother stood, the girls following suit. The attorney glanced at me, shoveled
some papers and handed me copies of Dad’s will as well as the paperwork
associated with the ranch. I would have to take a good, close look at it later
on, and then I needed to talk to Memphis. She had to have known what was going
on, and I needed to know why the hell she hadn't divulged the information to
the family. Or me.
Chapter 8
Memphis
I was in
town just finishing up some shopping when my cell phone rang. I pulled it out
of my pocket and pressed answer without looking at who was calling, my usual
habit. My heart skipped a beat when I recognized the voice on the other end.
"Memphis,
Donovan here."
His voice
sounded subdued. I frowned. "Donovan?" I knew the family had gone to
meet with Frank's attorney this morning, and I could only imagine that they had
been told about the financial status of the ranch. I had urged Frank to discuss
the situation with someone in the family. If not Lisa, then
surely Cameron. He had adamantly insisted that not one word was to be
shared with anyone else in the family.
"We
need to talk," Donovan said.
"Sure,"
I said, placing the last bag of groceries into my truck cab and closing the
door. I walked around the back end of the truck to climb in on the driver side.
"Are we counting this get-together as one of our dates?" I knew the
question came out a bit sarcastically, and I regretted it, but did not amend my
comment. I wasn't sure how I felt about these dates, or if I even wanted to be
around Donovan anymore. To be completely honest with myself, it hurt. While
part of me still longed for him, and I probably would always feel that way, I
didn't want to end up some spinster who had pined for a man loved and lost for
the rest of her life.
"Can
you meet me at the Chit Chat tonight at seven? What’s your work schedule
today?"
I didn't
want Donovan to know that I was not scheduled to work today, just in case he
decided to drag on the date any longer than I wanted. "I'm not sure. I'll
have to check." I felt a little guilty for deceiving him, but again, I was
only trying to protect myself – my heart. "I need to go home and put some
groceries away and do some other things, but I can meet you at the restaurant
at seven."
"Okay,
see you there.”
The call
was disconnected and I frowned. I imagined that he wanted to talk about the
ranch, but I was sure by now he knew everything there was to know. The entire
family would. I felt incredibly guilty for having been part of Frank’s
deception, but I had been nothing more than his employee and obligated to abide
by his wishes. I didn't know if Lisa, the girls, or Cameron or Shane would be
upset with me, but I figured they would. After all, that was a pretty big
secret to keep. I expected it, and wouldn’t blame them a bit. I’d have felt the same way if the shoe was on the other foot.
I drove to
my small apartment. It was quiet, so I quickly unloaded my groceries and put
them away. After doing chores around the house I had about twenty minutes
before I needed to leave to meet Donovan at the restaurant, and glanced down at
my clothes, wondering if I should change. I wore my usual attire - jeans,
cowboy boots, a tee-shirt, and unbuttoned flannel shirt over the tee. I
snickered. Since when had I dressed up for any date with Donovan? He knew me
and my clothing preferences. I certainly wasn't going to get all gussied up for
him. In fact, I wasn’t going to do or hope for anything, knowing that he would
be blowing out of Stinnett as soon as he possibly could. Come to think of it,
perhaps it was a good idea for us to have a few of these dates. I had my own
set of questions to ask.
*
Around
seven
My pride
in my mother surged as she straightened her back, lifted her chin, and looked
at the attorney. "We'll figure something out,” she stated firmly. “We're
not going to lose that ranch."
With that,
my mother stood, the girls following suit. The attorney glanced at me, shoveled
some papers and handed me copies of Dad’s will as well as the paperwork
associated with the ranch. I would have to take a good, close look at it later
on, and then I needed to talk to Memphis. She had to have known what was going
on, and I needed to know why the hell she hadn't divulged the information to
the family. Or me.
Chapter 8
Memphis
I was in
town just finishing up some shopping when my cell phone rang. I pulled it out
of my pocket and pressed answer without looking at who was calling, my usual
habit. My heart skipped a beat when I recognized the voice on the other end.
"Memphis,
Donovan here."
His voice
sounded subdued. I frowned. "Donovan?" I knew the family had gone to
meet with Frank's attorney this morning, and I could only imagine that they had
been told about the financial status of the ranch. I had urged Frank to discuss
the situation with someone in the family. If not Lisa, then
surely Cameron. He had adamantly insisted that not one word was to be
shared with anyone else in the family.
"We
need to talk," Donovan said.
"Sure,"
I said, placing the last bag of groceries into my truck cab and closing the
door. I walked around the back end of the truck to climb in on the driver side.
"Are we counting this get-together as one of our dates?" I knew the
question came out a bit sarcastically, and I regretted it, but did not amend my
comment. I wasn't sure how I felt about these dates, or if I even wanted to be
around Donovan anymore. To be completely honest with myself, it hurt. While
part of me still longed for him, and I probably would always feel that way, I
didn't want to end up some spinster who had pined for a man loved and lost for
the rest of her life.
"Can
you meet me at the Chit Chat tonight at seven? What’s your work schedule
today?"
I didn't
want Donovan to know that I was not scheduled to work today, just in case he
decided to drag on the date any longer than I wanted. "I'm not sure. I'll
have to check." I felt a little guilty for deceiving him, but again, I was
only trying to protect myself – my heart. "I need to go home and put some
groceries away and do some other things, but I can meet you at the restaurant
at seven."
"Okay,
see you there.”
The call
was disconnected and I frowned. I imagined that he wanted to talk about the
ranch, but I was sure by now he knew everything there was to know. The entire
family would. I felt incredibly guilty for having been part of Frank’s
deception, but I had been nothing more than his employee and obligated to abide
by his wishes. I didn't know if Lisa, the girls, or Cameron or Shane would be
upset with me, but I figured they would. After all, that was a pretty big
secret to keep. I expected it, and wouldn’t blame them a bit. I’d have felt the same way if the shoe was on the other foot.
I drove to
my small apartment. It was quiet, so I quickly unloaded my groceries and put
them away. After doing chores around the house I had about twenty minutes
before I needed to leave to meet Donovan at the restaurant, and glanced down at
my clothes, wondering if I should change. I wore my usual attire - jeans,
cowboy boots, a tee-shirt, and unbuttoned flannel shirt over the tee. I
snickered. Since when had I dressed up for any date with Donovan? He knew me
and my clothing preferences. I certainly wasn't going to get all gussied up for
him. In fact, I wasn’t going to do or hope for anything, knowing that he would
be blowing out of Stinnett as soon as he possibly could. Come to think of it,
perhaps it was a good idea for us to have a few of these dates. I had my own
set of questions to ask.
*
Around
seven
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