“I guess he was looking for something to help you out. But he told me it didn’t look good, that case law won’t back up the deal your dad made, and that it would be a big waste of money to try it.” He shrugged sympathetically. “But I guess you knew that.”
“I knew it,” Luke said. “My goal is to fight it long enough that I have time to get enough money together to buy the ranch back. I’m driving over to Denver tomorrow to go over things with Dan.”
“Seriously?” Jackson said, surprised. “You guys don’t have the money for that.”
“I have the money,” Luke said.
Jackson sighed. “Everyone appreciates your determination, Luke. But your dad doesn’t want to go back to the ranch. Do you know that? I don’t know if it’s because his wife is gone, or it’s too hard to handle Leo out there, but he’s been pretty straight with me—he doesn’t have any interest.”
“Maybe so. But Leo and I do.”
Jackson cocked his head to one side. “Leo, too?” he asked, sounding skeptical.
“Yes,” Luke said. “Leo, too.” He didn’t know if that was true or not, and now he would make it a point to speak to Leo about it. “But definitely me, Jackson. Everyone seems to forget that Homecoming Ranch is my legacy, too.”
Jackson nodded. “I thought you were sticking to Denver.”
“I am,” Luke said. “For now. That’s where the work is. But one day, I’m going to have kids. And I want the ranch to be there for them, just like it was for Leo and me. Like it was for my dad. I’m not willing to say, hey, you know, my dad made a mistake, and move on. There is too much family history, too much of my life wrapped up there.”
“I hear you, man. But it’s happening all across Colorado. Ranches are too expensive to run and maintain. We can agree to disagree about Grant’s methods, but he was onto something. You’ve got to have twice as many cattle up there to pay for that operation. Your dad was sinking faster than a stone in a pond.”
Luke folded his arms across his chest and stared back at Jackson.
Jackson groaned. “Okay,” he said, throwing up his hands. “Okay. I’ll help you however I can. Just promise me one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“Promise me you won’t tell me how much money you lose in this deal. My tiny money-grubbing heart can’t take it.”
TWENTY-EIGHT
“This is going to be great,” Libby said as she put the finishing touches on her own special project, a welcome sign for the Johnsons. She’d labored over it for several days, painting it onto some weathered boards that had come from an old shed the men had removed to make way for the showers.
“Looks great,” Madeline said. She was reviewing the budget she’d made Jackson give her. If there was any money to be saved, she would find it.
Libby stood back and admired her handiwork. “If Luke would ever show up again, we could get this hung.” She glanced sidelong at Madeline. “Do you know where he is?”
Madeline had to swallow down the bitter lump of disappointment. “No,” she said as lightly as she could. “Haven’t heard from him.” She was puzzled by it, hurt by it. He hadn’t come out to the ranch, and the one afternoon she drove into town for some things, she didn’t see his Bronco on Elm Street, or anywhere else. There was a terrible ache in her heart where he had been these last weeks, and she wanted him to fill it back up.
Love. Love was doing this to her. Not anxiety. Now she understood what an incredible, physical yearning love was, and it was turning her skin inside out.
“The first wave of Johnsons is coming this afternoon!” Libby reminded her. “Did you see the little wagon I put coffee and tea on?”
“No.”
“Come and see!” she said, beckoning Madeline up away from the kitchen bar. They walked out the front door, down the porch steps Luke had repaired. There, by the fence next to Madeline’s bulletin board, was a miniature red covered wagon. Big urns of coffee and tea were placed on it, next to creamers, sugars, and Styrofoam cups.
“It’s great,” Madeline said. “Where’d you get it?”
“Dani. Oh, there’s Ernest!” Libby said and flashed a smile at Madeline. “I bet I can talk him into hanging the sign.” She scampered off, her curly hair bouncing behind her.
Their work was done; there was nothing left but the waiting for hordes to arrive. It was a glorious day, a great day for a family reunion. Madeline thought of the Kendricks, and how many reunions they must have had here. Her heart ached—they should still be here.
She decided to walk—it occurred to her that she might not have many more opportunities to do so.