THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF JULY PASSED IN A BLUR. Kimberly and Tara spent every spare moment at the ranch, and with each passing day, Chet’s love for Kimberly deepened. He came up with lots of errands for Tara and one or both of the boys to run, giving Kimberly at least a little time each day on the quiet mare Chet had selected as her horse. And the lessons, brief though they sometimes were, were working. Kimberly had a growing confidence around and on the mare.
It was time to give Tara her surprise. Chet and Kimberly decided it would be the day before their first guests arrived at Ultimate Adventures. After that, no one would have time for themselves for a good long spell.
Chet stood in the doorway to the guesthouse office, his shoulder leaning against the jamb. Kimberly sat at the desk and read to him off the computer screen. “That means we’ll have guests at the ranch at least twenty days in August.” She looked up and met his gaze. “Do you think we should close reservations for the month?”
It was difficult to care about business when she looked so pretty in that green blouse. It was the same shade of green as her eyes. Her time in the sun with the horse had brought out a smattering of freckles across her nose too. Adorable.
“Chet.”
“Sorry. What did you ask?”
“Come over here and look at the budget and this balance sheet, boss man. If my calculations are right, the Leonard ranch is going to turn a nice profit. And this is even with the great discounts you’re giving during the first month in business and after you pay the chef’s salary.”
Okay, that managed to get his full attention. He pushed off the doorjamb and went to stand beside her chair. He looked at the printouts on the desk, then picked up one sheet of paper to look at it more closely. “Really?” He glanced at Kimberly. “Are you sure?”
“I’ve been over it a half-dozen times. I’m as sure as I can be.”
“Just from renting out that old line shack and pampering folks with a few well-cooked meals and some super comfortable beds?”
She grinned at him. “Yes. Just from that. And it looks like the glamping website has brought additional traffic to the Leonard Quarter Horse website too. A noticeable increase. That’s what Allison Kavanagh said in an e-mail I got earlier today. That’s got to be a good sign, don’t you think?”
One more reason he loved Kimberly. Because she cared about what happened on this ranch. Maybe he should—
The sound of a truck engine starting up in the barnyard interrupted the direction of his thoughts. A good thing for now. He wanted to give Tara her surprise first. Then he wanted to ride with Kimberly up to the plateau that overlooked the valley. He wanted her to see this land he loved, though not as much as he loved her.
“Let’s see what Tara’s up to,” he said, offering his hand.
Kimberly’s smile faltered a little. Then she drew herself up with resolve. She placed her fingers in the palm of his hand, a look of trust in her eyes. It made Chet feel like he could do anything.
KIMBERLY’S HEART THUMPED HARD AS SHE RODE Sunset toward the barn door. From outside, she heard Tara and the boys laughing over something, but the laughter stopped abruptly as Kimberly emerged into the light on horseback. The look of surprise on Tara’s face was priceless.
“Mom?”
Kimberly grinned. “Hard to believe, isn’t it?” She reined in, stopping the mare.
“When? How?”
“Sam and Pete kept you busy while Chet and Anna worked with me.” She stepped down from the saddle, pleased that she did so without clinging to the saddle horn as if her life depended upon it. “We wanted to surprise you.”
Tara hurried over and gave her mom a big hug. “I never had a clue. I never would’ve thought you’d even try. This is so cool. It’s so cool. We’ll be able to go riding together. It’s gonna be so much fun. What made you decide to try?”
“You, silly.” She brushed Tara’s nose with the pad of her thumb. “I wouldn’t have succeeded without all the encouragement I got.”
Tara almost hurled herself at Chet, giving him the same bear hug she’d given her mother. “Thanks, Mr. Leonard. Thanks so much.”
Chet’s expression was comical. He didn’t know what to do with this overt display of affection. Anna got a hug next. Thankfully Tara didn’t knock the older woman off her feet with her enthusiasm.
The ring of the telephone intruded.
“I’ll get it, Dad,” Sam said, then jogged toward the house.
“You knew about this and didn’t say a word?” Tara said to Pete.
He grinned, and she punched him in the arm.
Chet moved to stand beside Kimberly. Her heart quickened at his nearness. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“You’re welcome. Listen, I was hoping maybe the two of us could—”
“Hey, Mrs. Welch!” Sam called from the house. “The phone’s for you. It’s on the Adventures line.”
“I’ll get it in the guesthouse.” Kimberly handed the mare’s reins to Chet. “Did you decide to take more reservations in August or not?”
“Whatever you think best. I trust you to make the right decision.”
Those words meant more to her than she could express. She touched his forearm and smiled. Then she hurried toward the cottage. When she reached the office, she sank onto the chair and forced herself to take a few deep, slow breaths. She didn’t want to sound winded when she answered the call. Finally she picked up the handset. “Mrs. Welch speaking.”
“Kimberly!”
She didn’t recognize the woman’s voice, didn’t know how the person had known her first name.
“It’s Irena Wainright.”
Dread filled Kimberly. Was Irena calling to cancel their reservation? Please don’t let that be the reason.
“I know I’m going to see you tomorrow, but I couldn’t wait to tell you something.”
Her pulse began to regulate itself again. “Oh? What’s that, Irena?”
Kimberly and Irena had been friendly acquaintances, years ago. Not close, like their daughters, but casual friends whose lives were similar in many ways. Occasionally their social circles had crossed. They’d worked on a few of the same charities. They’d shopped in some of the same upscale boutiques. But after Kimberly’s life had begun to unravel, she hadn’t seen anything of Irena. Why would she? Their worlds had suddenly moved far apart.
“Kimberly, I’m sure you remember that Jeffrey sits on a number of nonprofit boards. Including the board of directors of the Wildwood Center. Well, today they had to dismiss the managing director, and I thought of you the instant he told me. You have a degree in the performing arts as I recall. Isn’t that right?”
“Yes, but that was a long time ago. I never actually used it. I got married and then Tara came along. I’m afraid my degree is pretty worthless.” She’d learned that after Ellis died and she started submitting applications anywhere and everywhere.
“Listen, there’s no point having a husband on the board of directors if I can’t use his influence to help a friend. Jeffrey knows you, and he thinks you’d do great at this job. He says it’s yours if you want it. I know you could do it.”
“I don’t know, Irena. Managing director? I’ve never—”
“Don’t say you aren’t capable. You created the Leonard Ranch Ultimate Adventures from scratch from what Tara told Patty. It’s obvious you have a head for business, and you have the degree the Wildwood Center requires, whether you’ve ever used it or not.”
Kimberly felt dizzy.
“Promise to think about it. The salary is good. High five figures to start. I know you’d love the work. So think about it.”
“Yes. I’ll think about it. Of course.”
“I’ll bring along all of the details when we come tomorrow. See you then.”
“Thanks, Irena.” She swallowed to relieve the sudden dryness in her throat. “See you tomorrow.” Kimberly ended the call and put the handset in its cradle. As she withdrew her hand, she noticed it was shaking.
A chance to go back to Seattle. A real chance. It was what she’d wanted and hoped for all these months. She should be excited, joyous, ready to go pack her bags.
Only she wasn’t, and she had to wonder, What do I want and hope for now?
CHET KNEW SOMETHING HAD CHANGED THE MOMENT he saw Kimberly’s face. She looked stunned . . . uncertain . . . perhaps lost. He strode over to where she stood outside the cottage’s front door. “Is something wrong?”
She shook her head.
“Who was on the phone?”
“Mrs. Wainright.” Her eyes widened. “She called to tell me about a management position with a prestigious theater company in Seattle. A job her husband says is mine if I want it.”
Chet’s stomach dropped. “You studied theater in college, didn’t you?”
“Yes, but I never did anything with my degree. I’ve submitted I don’t know how many résumés over the last few years for positions like this one and never even got an interview.”
“What did you tell her?”
“I promised to think about it.” She brushed some stray wisps of hair off her face. “She’ll bring all of the information with her when they come tomorrow.”
He’d lost his heart to Kimberly, and now she was going to leave, go home to Seattle where she’d always wanted to be. How could she not? This was what she’d told him she wanted from almost the first time they’d met.
And Kimberly had seen enough of his financial information to know ranching had more lows than highs, plenty of times when the future would seem unsure. She’d seen that everyone had to pitch in to help with chores, that there was always more to be done than hours in the day to do it. She’d seen enough to know this way of life was a day-to-day commitment to the land and the livestock as well as to one another. It wasn’t glamorous. It was dirty boots and dusty jeans and sick animals and early mornings and late nights. It was a valuable horse dying unexpectedly. It was a barn burning to the ground. It was hard winters and summers plagued by drought. How could he ask her to embrace that kind of life when she’d made it clear from the beginning she wanted something different?
“That’s great,” he finally said. “Really.” He looked away, back toward his family and her daughter and the mare Kimberly had been riding such a short time ago.
“It is, isn’t it?” she replied softly.
“Yeah. Really great.” He glanced at her again. “Listen, I remembered something I need to do in town. I . . . I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon.”
He didn’t wait for her to answer. He strode to his pickup, hopped into the cab, started the engine, and drove away. He may as well have been driving away from his future.