Rescuing Harmony Ranch

by Jennie Marts

  And would there even be a place to move in to? Mack claimed he wasn’t going anywhere, but that choice might not be his. If they couldn’t save the ranch, then they’d all be out of a place to live. What would happen then?

  She went back inside and locked the door. There were so many factors in this equation. But the most important one was rescuing Harmony Ranch and keeping the livelihoods of Mack and her grandmother secure.

  The little dog jumped off the sofa and circled her legs. Jocelyn reached down and scooped her up. The dog licked her cheek, then nuzzled into her neck. She was so sweet. But the dog was one more problem Jocelyn wasn’t sure how to solve. She couldn’t keep her, and she wasn’t sure Gram could handle taking on a dog along with all the other stuff she was dealing with, like a fractured leg and dire financial problems.

  Her phone’s ringtone interrupted her thoughts, and she spied it on the table. She’d been in such a rush to follow Mack, she must have left it behind. She grabbed it and peered at the name on the screen. Why was her boss calling so late?

  She answered it. “Hello.”

  “I’m so glad I caught you.” Andrea’s words came out in a breathy rush, as if she’d literally been running after her.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing’s wrong. Everything is wonderful. I took a call from Midtown Perk earlier, and they loved the campaign proposal. Like loved it. So much that they want to meet you. Tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow?”

  Jocelyn did the panicked calculations in her head. There was no way she could get a flight back to New York tonight.

  “Yes. Tomorrow. Why? Did you have other urgent plans for the day?”

  “No.” Nope. No plans—just a huge benefit concert event and a plot to save her grandmother’s legacy. Other than that, she was totally free. “But I’m not sure how fast I can make it back to New York.”

  “You don’t have to. When I told them you were visiting family in Colorado, they said that was perfect. They’re looking to expand into Denver, so they flew there today. They’re scouting a couple of locations for new stores tomorrow. They want to set up a lunch meeting, and then have you go with them to tour the facilities. They want you to take some “before” photos to maybe use in the social media blitz you’ve prepared.”

  “Wait.” Jocelyn’s mind was swirling. “Does that mean I got the account?”

  “Fingers crossed. But it’s looking that way.”

  Jocelyn did a quick wiggly dance. The dog raced around her legs. Jocelyn bent down, ruffled the pup’s neck, and tried to calm her pounding heart. Because she still had one more question to ask. “And the promotion?”

  “If all goes well tomorrow and they agree to sign with us, the promotion is yours. As you know, it comes with a title, your own office, and a pay raise. Plus you’ll get a fifteen thousand dollar signing bonus on the spot. Now remember, it’s pretax money, so after Uncle Sam takes his cut, you’ll probably only end up with ten or twelve thousand.”

  Ten or twelve thousand dollars?

  Exactly the amount needed to save her grandmother’s beloved ranch and living history museum. And Mack’s job.

  Mack.

  Taking the job would mean staying in New York—not coming back to Colorado. To him. They still had the benefit concert, but…how likely was it that they would really clear ten thousand dollars?

  Taking the promotion would mean she’d have the money to save her grandmother, no matter what happened with the concert.

  “Joss? Hello? You still there?” her boss asked.

  “Yes, I’m here. Sorry.” She clutched the phone in her hand.

  “Okay, so can you get yourself to Denver tomorrow to meet the clients?”

  Jocelyn chewed the loose cuticle of her thumbnail as she considered her options. “I’m a few hours from Denver. I’d have to rent a car.”

  “That’s fine. You can expense it. We want you to take the clients out for dinner and drinks—really wine and dine them. At the end of the night, I don’t want them to be able to imagine not working with us. Got it?”

  “Got it.”

  Even though she was standing in her grandmother’s kitchen with the shadow of the mountains just visible through the window, she suddenly felt like she was back on New York time—talking fast, making deals, scheduling travel and discussing clients and proposals.

  This was it, the real deal—her ticket to the future career she’d spent years trying to obtain. Pulling this off would take careful thought, planning and real effort. She couldn’t just toss some salt and pepper into a few cans of Hormel chili and call it done. She had to show up with the real goods—beef, beans, and some sweet and sassy chili powder.

  “I’ll email you the contract and the schedule for tomorrow,” Andrea said. “Print out the contract and get it signed and back to me.”

  “That will be a bit of a problem. I’m at my grandma’s, and she doesn’t have a printer. Well, not one that works. But she has a fax machine.”

  “A fax machine? Where are you? The Nineties?”

  A nervous laugh bubbled out of Jocelyn. “I know. But it’s the best I’ve got. I’ll text you the number.”

  “Fine. Now go get ready for tomorrow.”

  “You can count on me,” Jocelyn told her boss. “I’ve got this.”

  She hung up and did another dance in the kitchen. She’d done it. Well, she’d almost done it. The promotion was within her reach. And the signing bonus was the answer to their prayers.

  Jocelyn could literally save the day. She wasn’t doing this just for herself. She was doing it to rescue her grandmother as well. Of course, Gram would never accept the money from her outright, so she’d have to figure out a way to wire it directly to the bank loan. Or maybe she could make an anonymous donation. Gram would never have to know.

  She couldn’t believe the bonus was the exact amount they were lacking. There was no way this was a coincidence—it was meant to be.

  Except she’d thought she and Mack were meant to be. What would this mean for them? Would Mack consent to a long-distance relationship? She groaned. They’d tried that before, and it had ended in disaster. Would her taking the job mean she’d have to give up Mack? Should she just break things off now before things went any further?

  That felt like closing the barn door after the horse escaped. Not a half an hour before, they’d admitted that they were falling back in love with each other. Things had gone pretty dang far. But maybe this was a sign that they weren’t meant to be.

  She slumped into the chair, ignoring the dog’s attempts to get her to throw a stuffed animal, as all the obstacles ahead of her surfaced. How was she going to tell her grandmother that she was leaving tomorrow? And that she would most likely miss the benefit concert?

  She’d just have to make it clear that it was part of her job, and it couldn’t be helped.

  But how was she going to explain it to Mack?

  The next morning, Jocelyn was up early. The little dog had slept in her bed, curled up next to her shoulder. Another part of her heart she was going to have to leave behind.

  She’d gone to pack her things the night before and been shocked to find that the handle of her suitcase had been repaired. There was a new line of stitching, and a small iron loop had been forged to replace the clasp that had broken.

  At the sight of it, her legs had almost given way, and she’d slumped onto the bed. Mack had done this. For her. And never said anything about it.

  That was the kind of man he was, quietly taking care of things and never asking for any of the credit.

  What was she doing? Was she making the right decision to leave?

  She’d wanted to text him to thank him for fixing the handle. But if she did, he’d wonder why she was packing, and she hadn’t been ready to tell him yet. She needed more time to think, to process, to come up with a way to ma
ke him understand.

  By morning, she still hadn’t quite figured out what she was going to say. But the clock was ticking and the rental car would be here within the hour, so there was no time to waste. She needed to talk to both Mack and Gram now.

  When she’d packed her stuff, she’d left out her favorite power outfit—the one that made her feel confident and like she could tackle anything. Dressed in a slim black pencil skirt, a white designer blouse, and her high-heeled leather boots, she felt like she was ready to face her new client.

  But no outfit would give her the courage to face her grandmother.

  Gram was standing in the kitchen, her knee resting on the scooter, as she poured a cup of coffee. The little dog was sitting next to her, nose tipped up as if she were waiting for a crumb to fall.

  Her grandmother’s face broke into a grin as she caught sight of Jocelyn. “Mornin’, honey.” Her smile fell as she saw the suitcase. “What’s going on? Are you leaving?”

  The little dog ran over to her, and Jocelyn crouched to scratch her chin. In the short time since they’d found the dogs, Jocelyn had already fallen for this adorable little mutt. She was afraid if she picked her up, she’d be tempted to stick her in her tote bag and bring her along.

  With a sinking heart, she stood back up. She couldn’t take the dog. And she wouldn’t be here to work on finding her a new home—another loose end she was leaving her grandmother with. “I’m so sorry. I got a call from my boss last night.”

  “About the promotion?”

  Jocelyn nodded and filled her in.

  Gram sagged against the counter. “Well, I’m happy for you, of course. But I can’t say I’m not disappointed that you’re leaving so soon. What about the concert? Do you think you can come back for it?”

  “It’ll depend on what happens with the clients. I’m going to try, but if they need me to start immediately, I may have to fly home from Denver.”

  “I understand.”

  “I’m really sorry, Gram. I feel like I’m deserting you.” She wished she could tell her that the biggest reason she was taking the job right now was to get the bonus to save the ranch. But she knew her grandmother’s pride wouldn’t let her accept it outright. “Mack and I have done everything we can for the concert, except the final stages of setup, which he would be in charge of anyway.”

  Her grandmother grimaced. “Have you told Mack yet?”

  A familiar man’s voice spoke from the doorway behind Jocelyn, “Told me what?”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Jocelyn inhaled a deep breath, then pushed back her shoulders as she turned to face him. Dang these small towns and their policy of just walking into each other’s houses. “I was on my way over to talk to you.”

  His eyebrows drew together as he glanced down at the suitcase then back up at her. “Looks to me like the time for talking has already passed.”

  “Now Mack, give her a chance to explain,” Gram said as she scooted herself out of the kitchen and toward her granddaughter. She held out her arms and folded Jocelyn into a warm embrace. “I love you, sweetheart. I appreciate you flying back to help me. I’m always here for you.” Her eyes were wet with tears as she pulled back and laid a weathered hand on Jocelyn’s cheek. “You always have a home here. And you’re welcome to come back. Anytime.”

  Home. Jocelyn wasn’t even sure where that was for her anymore. Was it the closet she called a bedroom in her cramped New York apartment? Or was it in the arms of the blacksmith in the mountains of Colorado? When she thought of it like that, the answer seemed easy. Except none of this was easy, because taking the job meant she’d be able to save the home of that blacksmith and her grandmother.

  Jocelyn leaned in and gave her grandmother another squeeze. “I know. Thanks Gram. I’ll call you when I get there.”

  Gram nodded, then called the dog to follow her as she scooted down the hall and into her bedroom. She pushed the door shut behind her.

  The sound of the wood hitting the frame felt like a door was also closing in Jocelyn’s heart. She prayed she could explain this to Mack, to convince him to try another long-distance relationship, but she knew she had to put her grandmother first. Gram had always been there for Jocelyn. And now Jocelyn needed to be there for her, too.

  She gripped the handle of her suitcase, more to have something to hold onto, to anchor her than anything else. “I’m sorry, Mack.”

  “That’s an auspicious start. Sorry for what? For trying to sneak out of here without even telling me? Without even saying goodbye?” His tone was angry, but Jocelyn heard the hurt in it, like the water of a stream rushing just under a layer of winter ice.

  “I told you I was coming over to talk to you.”

  “So you said.” He crossed his arms over his chest, his body signaling to her that he was already closing off from her.

  “Let me explain.”

  “I’m listening. Just like I was listening last night when you told me you wanted to make a go of this thing between us. I guess I didn’t understand what you meant by the term ‘go’.” He gestured to his suitcase. “I get it now though.”

  “No. You don’t. I meant everything I said last night.”

  “It sure doesn’t look that way to me.”

  “Look, this all happened really fast. After we talked last night, I got a call from my boss. The clients—the ones with the coffee shop—they loved the campaign proposal I sent. They’re expanding into Colorado so they flew into Denver yesterday, and they want to meet with me. My boss said the promotion was mine for the taking if this meeting goes well.”

  His expression stayed hard, his jaw set. “Sounds like you’re getting everything you want.”

  Not everything.

  “I want you, Mack.”

  “You got a funny way of showing it.”

  “I know. I’m sorry. This isn’t how I wanted this to go. I wanted us to have more time to talk about it.”

  “Then why didn’t you call me last night? If you were so excited, it seems like I’d be the person you wanted to share your good news with. But I didn’t hear my phone ring, and I don’t seem to have any missed calls.”

  “I couldn’t call you last night. I was still processing everything—not just us, but the promotion and the clients. I’m meeting them in a few hours and needed to prepare.”

  He jerked back as if she’d slapped him. “So, preparing for the clients was more important than calling me?” His frustration radiated through his tone—he’d practically spat out the word clients.

  “No, I didn’t mean that. There’s more to all this. They offered me the promotion and a signing bonus, and you know we need that money.” She had to make him understand she was doing this not just for her, but for her grandmother and for him too.

  But he wasn’t listening. He was pacing back and forth in the living room, shaking his head as his fists opened and closed. He scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “I don’t get it. Last night, you acted like you wanted to give us a chance—a real chance. You said you were falling… Never mind. It doesn’t matter.”

  “It does matter. You matter.”

  “I don’t believe you. Last night, you practically begged me to ask you to stay. Which I did, by the way. And if that’s what you need, I’ll ask you again. Stay. Give us a chance.”

  She swallowed as she looked from her suitcase to him. “I can’t.”

  He yanked open the front door. “That’s what I thought. This is just like before. We made plans for a future together, then you leave and I never hear from you again.”

  “No, Mack. I swear this isn’t like before.”

  “Oh? Are you coming back this time?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Well, at least you’re not making a bunch of empty promises like you did before.” He let out a shuddering breath. “I can’t go through this again. Losing you the first time
almost broke me. And had me making decisions that I still regret.”

  “This isn’t like last time. I promise.”

  He blew out a harsh laugh.

  “Okay, maybe you don’t want to hear my promise.” She wanted to tell him he’d broken promises too. But he was the one staying here, and she was the one leaving. “I have no idea what will happen. But I know I want to try. And I think we can make this work. I can fly back for weekends, and you can come to New York.”

  “And what? Stay with you in your closet apartment?”

  “I haven’t figured it all out yet. But I don’t want to lose you again. Just because I’m taking the promotion doesn’t mean I’m choosing my job over you.”

  “Doesn’t it?” He glanced down at her bag. “It seems to me like you already made your choice. And long-distance relationships don’t seem to end well for us.”

  “Please, Mack—”

  He held up his hand to stop whatever she was about to say. “I can’t. I’ve got to go.” He pushed through the screen door and let it slam behind him.

  She winced at the bang, then ran to the door. “I’ll call you later, and we can talk some more. You’re not even listening to what I’m telling you. There’s more to this whole thing—more I need to explain.”

  “Don’t bother,” he called over his shoulder, not even turning around as he stomped away. “You’ve said everything I need to hear.”

  Mack made it around the corner and out of Jocelyn’s sight before he stopped and bent forward, planting his hands on his knees. He felt nauseated, and he swallowed at the bile rising in his throat.

  How could he have let her do this to him again?

  She’d all but destroyed him when she’d left before.

  But she’d finally come back. Jocelyn had been here on the ranch, in their place. She’d flirted with him and joked around and challenged him, just like she used to. They’d danced to their song, and she’d kissed him with such passion and desire. He let himself believe they had a chance again.