Saved by the Rancher

chapter Twenty-Eight


JENNA SENT LILY back to her parents and retrieved the envelopes from her purse and the flowers hidden in the pantry that Beth had picked up for her. She returned to the Great Room with the envelopes in one hand and the flowers hidden behind her back.

“Lily, I have a gift for you.” She drew the huge bouquet of flowers out and held them up to Lily.

“Look, Mommy, flowers.”

“These are Stargazer lilies, and they are for you.” She brushed her hand over the little angel’s golden hair, her delight evident in the glow of her blue eyes. The heady scent of lilies quickly filled the room.

“They’re so pretty and big.”

“Yes they are. This is also for you.” She handed over an envelope. “Give it to Mommy and Daddy, so they can read it.”

Jenna sat next to Jack and held his hand while Summer and Caleb opened the envelope. Lily had her arms wrapped around her flowers and her face buried in the fragrant blooms.

Caleb’s head snapped up. “Jenna, no. You can’t do this,” he said, indicating the papers.

“I’ve already done it. I hope you’ll accept. There’s enough money in that trust for her to go to college anywhere she wants and live a good life.”

Caleb was still getting over the shock when she handed him a second envelope that read: For Baby Bowden. The same trust fund had been set up for the new baby. “Oh, Jenna, you didn’t,” he said, shaking his head.

“I did. You’ll never have to worry about their financial future. Now you can spend all your time being the loving parents you already are.”

Jack kissed her hand. “You are an amazing woman.”

Summer cried softly against Caleb’s shoulder, her eyes on the papers he held. “It’s unbelievable. You’re unbelievable. You’ve changed our lives. This can’t be real.”

“I’m not done yet. I have something for you, Jack. I wasn’t sure if you would accept, so I have the papers here for you to sign. I hope you’ll accept this as my gift to you.” She gave him a half smile and squeezed his hand. “Please don’t be mad I snooped.”

“Snooped into what?” Jack took the papers and read them. “You want to set up a trust for the ranch? I don’t understand.”

“You love this ranch. It’s been your family’s home for three generations. I want you to always have it, and for every future generation of the Turner family to have it. I haven’t had a home in a long time. Everyone should have a home, so I want to make sure you always have yours. You make a profit on the ranch, but there are outstanding loans. As you can see, there’s a substantial amount in the trust. The trust pays off those loans and allows the land to stay in your family for every generation to come. If there isn’t a family member to take over the land, the trust will go into effect and the land will be held in conservation. The ranch and land will always be here.”

“So, according to this trust, I own everything free and clear and my children will get the property and their children and so on.”

“That’s exactly it. It’s yours, as it is now, but this way it will always be here for your family. It will be your legacy.”

Humbled, he understood exactly what she’d done for him. She was right, the ranch made a nice profit, but he didn’t know what would happen if he were gone. Future generations. He wanted there to be future generations stretching into time, starting with them.

He couldn’t believe she’d made it this easy for him to ask her for . . . everything.

“Will you help me fulfill this trust?” Her gaze moved from the papers in his hands up to meet his eyes.

She knew what he was asking. Children. Provide the next generation. After losing her baby, Jenna had a hard time thinking there would ever be another. Looking at Jack, she wanted it all, to win the brass ring. With Jack, it seemed so easy to grasp. “Yes.”

“Good, let’s go upstairs and start.” He kissed her palm, then draped her arm over his shoulder and leaned in to take her mouth.

“Jack, Summer and Caleb are here. Knock it off. Sign the damn papers.”

He kissed her again, silencing her protest. The kiss was long and slow with his hand on her neck, holding her to him. She melted, and only then did he pull back. He did sign the papers. “With my signature, you just agreed to give me everything I’ve ever wanted and never thought I’d have.”

Choked up, she could only lean in and kiss him softly to seal the bargain. It felt very much like the promise made at a wedding.

Jack hadn’t considered one thing. She decided to give him a hint and see if he ran with it. After all, one good deed deserves another. She hoped Jack would get the hint.

“Jack, you understand that the trust pays off all the land and buildings, right?” She crooked her head in the direction of Summer and Caleb.

He got what she was saying right away, his eyes went bright with excitement. “Yes, I see what you mean. You did do some snooping, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did, but only in the hope my good deed would allow you to do a good deed. It’s within your power. You own the land and all the buildings on it.”

“What are you guys talking about?” Summer asked confused by their convoluted discussion.

Not only did Jenna make it possible for him, and generations to come, to have his land, she’d made it possible for him to give his sister and brother-in-law a gift in return, a piece of that land.

“What Jenna is saying is right, I own all the land and buildings on it. That includes your home. You guys borrowed the money from me to build the house, and part of Caleb’s salary goes toward paying for the house. Jenna paid off the loan.”

“So part of my salary will continue to pay you for the house and you’ll get to keep the money,” Caleb said. “You’ll be making a profit instead of paying off the loan you took at the bank for us. We agreed we’d buy the house from you. We hope to live there the rest of our lives and raise our family.”

“That’s true, I could do that,” Jack agreed. “What Jenna pointed out is that I now have the ability to do the same thing she did. She gave me the land that’s mine, now I’m giving you the house and land that is yours.”

Summer tried to follow. “What do you mean you’re giving us the land that is ours? The ranch belongs to you, Jack. You bought it from Mom and Dad when they decided to go off and see the world. You run the ranch, with Caleb’s help, of course, but the ranch is yours.”

“The ranch is mine, free and clear now, it appears. So I can do with it as I please. I’m giving you the house and the land it’s on. You and your children for generations will have your home. Caleb will bring home every cent of his salary. No more payments. Jenna gave me a gift, now I’m giving you a gift.”

“Oh my God, Jack.” Summer’s tears streamed down her cheeks.

“That’s more than generous. We’d be happy to continue paying for the house. You don’t have to do this,” Caleb said, stunned.

“You’re my best friend, and she’s my sister. Thanks to Jenna, I can give you something I would have liked to give you in the first place. She’s right, you know. What would you do if you had that much money? I’d make sure the ones I love had the things they needed and wanted. That’s the gift she’s given us.”

He reached out and touched Jenna’s cheek, brushing his fingers over her smooth skin. “You are the most amazing person I’ll ever know. I can see it isn’t the money for you. You did this because you love us. Without the money, you’d have shown us in another way.”

Uncomfortable talking about love when their relationship was so new, she went around the subject. “The money is just a bonus. It only provided the means for me to make sure you had the things you needed and wanted. You made that love grow even more when you transferred that kindness to your sister and Caleb. You didn’t have to give them their home, but you did. Kindness, Jack. You have it in spades.”

“I’m overwhelmed. You did all of this in a couple days. Amazing,” Summer said, wiping tears from her cheeks.

“Ben is an outstanding lawyer. I’ve also made him a rich man over the years. Time for him to really earn it. He worked like a dog getting this ready for me. Summer, I know you’re overwhelmed right now. I want you to take care of yourself. You said earlier that this was life changing, and it is, for all of you. There’s one other thing Jack just gave you, which you haven’t considered. Caleb’s salary will more than double now that you don’t have a mortgage payment. You can work only if you want to. You can stay home with Lily and . . .” She nodded to Summer’s belly. Lily still didn’t know about the baby. She didn’t want to spoil the surprise.

Summer glanced at Jack, who nodded at her, then she turned to her husband. He smiled, then kissed her softly. “It’s all we’ve ever dreamed.”

“How can we ever thank you, Jenna, Jack? You’ve truly changed our lives for the better. Summer and I won’t have to pinch pennies, she can stay home if she wants, and the kids will have all the money they need to go to college. It’s hard to believe all our worries are gone. Thanks just doesn’t seem enough.”

“Your friendship is thanks enough for me.” Jenna stood and hugged the two of them. Lily continued to play on the floor with her dolls, oblivious her life had changed, her bundle of flowers next to her.

“Jenna’s right, you’re my family. The six of us are a family, and hopefully,” he locked eyes with Jenna, “we’ll add to our family very soon.”

Jenna firmed her resolve to finish her business with her ex-husband. She’d never risk the lives of any of her and Jack’s children. Despite the fact things with Jack were so new, she thought of nothing but having Jack’s baby. Nothing would make her happier. She wanted to start that future, so ready to have a real life, a normal life. One free of David for good.