Her Alaskan Cowboy

by Belle Calhoune

  Joshua let out a low whistle. “Please tell me you’re not doing this all by yourself.”

  “No way. That would be tough. I have two full-time workers and a few part-timers who come in as needed. We’re all really hands-on since the whole point of the center is to provide a safe, nurturing environment for animals who’ve been in precarious situations.”

  “This place is impressive,” he said with a nod. “It’s nice to see you making a difference in the community. I know it’s what you always wanted to do.”

  She brushed her chestnut locks away from her face. “I consider myself very blessed. Not many people get to work in their dream job.”

  Violet’s shyness faded away after a short amount of time in Honor’s presence. She couldn’t take her eyes off the animals. Or Honor. Joshua suspected his daughter found Honor fascinating because she herself didn’t have a mother. There really weren’t too many female figures in her life. Although Joshua had always dreamed of having a wife and kids, he didn’t think he was very good at relationships. He’d reconciled himself to the idea of raising Violet as a single dad even though he knew finding a wife would be a dream come true. The thing was, he still couldn’t seem to reconcile the word wife with anyone but Honor. It was probably one of the reasons his marriage to Lauren had failed.

  “Do you still ride?” she asked.

  “Not regularly,” he admitted. “Riding isn’t big in Seattle. It’s a large, bustling city.”

  “I’m surprised to hear that. You loved riding more than anyone I’ve ever known, including Bud. You were the quintessential Alaskan cowboy.”

  Honor was right. It had been a huge part of his life. “Those were the days. I miss it,” he said, his eyes straying toward the horses in the paddock. “I never felt more like myself than when I was on horseback. I don’t know how to put it into words, but sometimes it seemed as if I was one with the horse.”

  “Spoken like a true horseman. You miss the ranch,” she said, a knowing look glinting from her eyes. “I know what it meant to you. You and Bud were an amazing team. Two peas in a pod.”

  “I never imagined I’d leave,” he said in a wistful tone. “In the end I didn’t really have a choice, did I?”

  “Not really,” she said in a soft voice. “Considering everything, it was for the best.”

  The best? It stung a little hearing Honor felt that way about his exile from Love. It had been the most agonizing period of his life. He was probably being overly sensitive, but he wondered if he’d been wrong after all. Maybe Honor had never really loved him.

  “It came out the wrong way,” she blurted out. “It sounded harsh, but I didn’t mean to sound so cavalier. Bud probably never told you, but things were really tense around here after the fire. People were really up in arms. I remember hearing Boone say if you had stuck around there could have been retaliation against you.”

  He jammed a hand through his hair. “I’m not surprised. Tensions were running high before I left town,” Joshua said. “Bud never said a word about it though. I hated it for him. It makes me angry he had to suffer for our actions.”

  “Bud was tough. He could handle all the backlash. He was also beloved in this town. The majority of residents had his back.”

  Warmth settled over him at the idea of his grandfather being supported by the residents. He had deserved no less. Bud Ransom had been a wonderful person.

  “So, where did you go when you left Love?” Honor asked. “I was at school, but I heard a lot of things through the grapevine.” She began to giggle, then placed her hand over her mouth. “It’s not funny, but rumors were running rampant about your whereabouts. Someone even surmised you’d joined the traveling circus.”

  Joshua burst out laughing. Never in a million years had he ever thought he’d laugh over the circumstances of his expulsion from town. But, as in the past, Honor had the ability to make him chuckle.

  “After completing the first-time offender program, I traveled with my parents. My dad got an assignment overseas. So I was in Singapore for a year. I took some business classes and stretched myself.”

  Honor’s eyes widened. “Wow. Singapore? That’s impressive. And here I imagined you were sitting in a dungeon somewhere.”

  Joshua met her gaze. He sensed her comment was on the passive-aggressive side. Did she think he hadn’t suffered? “I didn’t get off scot-free in case you were wondering. I had to pay restitution in addition to what Bud paid to repair the church.”

  “You were fortunate to have Bud in your corner.” She avoided looking at him. Instead she reached out and fiddled with Violet’s fingers. He heard a slight edge to her tone. Joshua felt a nagging sensation inside him. Honor was still harboring negative feelings from the past. Did she believe he had put his grandfather in a bad position?

  Suddenly, he felt guilty all over again. He hated feeling this way. How long would he have to beat himself up over the choices he’d made? Was it a life sentence?

  He cleared his throat.

  “Honor, you’ve been gracious to me and Violet. I know most folks here in town wrote me off a long time ago. They’ve been cordial only because I’m Bud’s grandson. You didn’t have to invite us over here today, especially considering everything that went down between us in the past.”

  Her hair swung about her shoulders as she shook her head. “We’ve both moved on from all that, Joshua. We were kids back then.”

  Kids. He hated the way she phrased it, as if they hadn’t known what they were doing. In reality, they had been very much in love and committed to a life together. Their dedication to each other had been heartwarming, although being intimate with Honor had been a huge mistake. Since that time, Joshua had turned his life over to the Lord. He now knew how wrong their actions had been.

  He shook off his irritation with Honor. “It’s only fair that I give you a heads-up. The bottom line is that Theo and I have decided to sell the ranch. It’s really the only sensible thing for us to do.” He pushed the words past his lips before he could chicken out.

  A look of shock passed over her face. The lines of her mouth hardened. She raised an eyebrow. “Sensible? That’s hardly a word I’d choose to describe what you and Theo are planning to do.”

  Something about her disappointed expression made Joshua want to reach out and hold her in his arms. It was a reflex from back in the day. He had always strived to soothe Honor’s wounds. It was no longer his job to do so, no matter how much he might want to at this moment.

  “I know it’s not happy news. But, to be honest, we’re between a rock and a hard place. Love hasn’t been our home for quite some time. We’re only passing through town, so to speak. Our lives are elsewhere.”

  She frowned at him. “Jasper has an expression. You can try as best you can to run away from home, but it’s always going to be a part of you.”

  “I agree with you, Honor. To an extent. And I’m not running away from anything this time. I’m walking toward something. A home for Violet and me. Security. A place where she’s always going to know she’s loved. We have a great life in Seattle.”

  Who was he trying to convince? He was making it sound way more idyllic than it really was. But he was being truthful about this town. Love hadn’t been home in quite some time.

  Honor bowed her head. “And what about the ranch? Can you really just walk away from it, knowing the Diamond R is going to cease to exist as you know it? Can you live with that?” she pressed.

  He glanced down at his daughter. Violet was rubbing her eyes and fading fast. In Joshua’s opinion, it was the perfect moment to head back to the Diamond R. Honor had been kind and solicitous, but tensions were rising. He didn’t want things to completely fall apart. It was best to end things in a civil manner.

  “We’ve made up our minds,” he said in a firm voice. “I don’t expect everyone to agree with us, but I hope our decision will be respected.” />
  “Well, then,” Honor said in a crisp voice. “I guess there’s nothing more to be said.” Honor’s tone spoke volumes. Her voice crackled with anger. There was no mistaking the look of fury on her face.

  He shifted Violet to his hip. She had fallen asleep against his chest. Violet was getting heavier by the day. No doubt she was going through a growth spurt.

  Maybe coming here today had been a mistake.

  The civil mood between him and Honor had deteriorated. Perhaps both of them had just been going through the motions. The air between them was thick with tension. “We should get going. I need to run into town to get a few things for Violet. Thanks for having us over here, even though I’m beginning to think you had an agenda.”

  Honor stood with her arms folded across her chest. She appeared slightly shocked and wounded.

  “I hoped to talk some sense into you, but clearly I overestimated your ability to see beyond your own needs and wants. I thought you might consider Bud’s legacy and the integrity of this town.” Her voice quivered with emotion. He could see the pain radiating from her eyes.

  He hated himself for hurting her, but there was no point in sugarcoating the situation about the Diamond R. She would have found out sooner or later anyway. Joshua was done living his life for others. He had a responsibility to provide a wonderful life for his daughter. There was no way he could ever do that here in Love where the townsfolk viewed him as a ne’er do well. He didn’t owe them anything! Not after the way they had treated him like yesterday’s trash.

  He turned toward his vehicle and opened up the door. If he looked into her eyes, he just might break in two. Honor stayed silent until he’d buckled Violet into her car seat and settled himself behind the wheel.

  “Don’t do it. Don’t sell! You’ll regret it, Joshua,” she called out after him. “It’s Bud’s legacy you would be selling. It’s something you can never replace in a million years.”

  Joshua turned and looked at her from his position in the driver’s seat. He hated seeing her so broken up about the ranch, but there was nothing he could do to change things. He didn’t bother to respond to her. Joshua revved the engine and drove away from the wildlife center, his soul feeling wearier than it had felt in recent memory. Why, after all this time, did Honor Prescott still have such sway over his emotions? Why did she always make him question the things he thought he knew with a deep certainty?

  Honor’s words rang in his ears well after he reached the ranch and settled Violet down for a nap.

  Don’t do it. Don’t sell! You’ll regret it, Joshua.

  * * *

  Honor couldn’t seem to move from the spot she had been standing in when Joshua had roared off in Bud’s truck with Violet.

  We’ve made up our minds.

  Theo and I have decided to sell the ranch.

  Honor couldn’t shake her conversation with Joshua. She couldn’t believe the words that had tumbled out of his mouth. Her stomach clenched as feelings of betrayal washed over her. Tears of frustration pooled in her eyes. What a fool she had been to believe Joshua would be swayed by her words!

  They were selling the ranch! Bud’s beloved Diamond R would be transformed into a commercial enterprise. If only Bud had protected his land by making certain his will mirrored his wishes. In her heart Honor hadn’t really believed Joshua would be capable of moving forward with the sale. He had always been sentimental about the ranch. Who was this version of the young man she had thought she’d known like the back of her hand?

  She felt so hopeless. Her grand plan to convince Joshua to reconsider his position had been a huge flop. He had already made up his mind before he’d stepped foot on the grounds of the nature preserve.

  Honor bit her lip. She wasn’t a helpless person. She was smart and resourceful. And she believed in this town and the Alaskan environment more than mere words could express.

  What if she could figure out a way to prevent the sale of the Diamond R Ranch? What if there was a legal way to stop Joshua and Theo from selling to the Alloy Corporation? Lee had said it wasn’t possible to challenge Bud’s will. But what if there was a way around it? Something tied in to land preservation. She saw it all the time in the news where people fought against construction in rural areas.

  As town mayor, Jasper might be aware of some technicality by which the sale of the land to developers could be challenged. She needed to be certain before she crossed this bridge. Once she headed down this road, there would be no turning back. Joshua would no doubt be angry at her for interfering, but Honor felt strongly about the situation. She would be acting for a higher purpose than the Ransom brothers. Clearly, all they cared about was the almighty dollar.

  In this case, the ends justified the means. As an animal rehabilitator and land preservationist, she couldn’t bear it if strangers descended on her beloved town and started digging up the land. Having hordes of tourists stomping around Jarvis Street would ruin the town’s laid-back vibe. It wasn’t just sour grapes about Bud not leaving the land to the town. It was about principles. It was about keeping Love quaint and pristine.

  If she had to go head-to-head with the Ransom brothers in order to protect her hometown, that’s just what Honor intended to do.

  Chapter Six

  Joshua stood outside the paddock and gazed at the wide array of horses that had belonged to Bud. Chocolate. Midnight black. Sienna. Bone white. He had always been fascinated by the vast array of colors horses came in. These animals were an integral part of the Diamond R Ranch. A huge lover of horses, Bud Ransom had been proud to call himself a cowboy and a rancher. Gramps had been the one to teach Joshua how to ride when he was five years old. Joshua had fallen in love with horses and with the Diamond R Ranch.

  It had been a long time since he had been home, but he was falling in love with it all over again. With each and every day he was falling into old, familiar rhythms and seeing his hometown with fresh eyes.

  He had just now ridden across the property on Blaze, his grandfather’s favorite horse. He wasn’t sure how it had happened over the years, but he had forgotten how wonderful it felt to fly like the wind on a prized stallion’s back. It brought back a part of him he had thought was gone forever. The carefree boy who had dreamed of being a cattle rancher and owning his own spread. There wasn’t much riding for him in Seattle due to his hectic work schedule. Getting a business off the ground and raising a child consumed most of his time.

  It was a nice change of pace to hang out with the horses.

  Pride soared through him as he swung his gaze around the ranch. The property stretched out for miles. Pure Alaskan land. He felt a twinge of regret over his decision to sell the ranch. Theo had worked overtime to convince him of the wisdom of selling rather than holding on to the property for nostalgic reasons. He hadn’t told Honor, but he’d been on the fence regarding the decision. Much like the way he’d done in childhood, Theo had pushed him over the edge regarding the sale.

  If he closed his eyes he could picture himself as his pint-sized self, following after Bud as he walked around the Diamond R. He’d been his grandfather’s shadow, wanting to know everything he could about running a ranch.

  He scoffed. What was he being sentimental for? It wasn’t possible to keep the Diamond R. It wasn’t as if either he or Theo wanted to establish roots here in Love. Been there, done that. Nobody really wanted them to stay anyway. They just wanted his family’s land.

  He heard the whir of tires crunching on the snow and turned in the direction of the road. It was Theo. He had headed into town earlier in order to meet with Eric Mathers, Bud’s attorney. Joshua had been content to stay back at the ranch while Theo sorted through the paperwork regarding their inheritance. Violet was inside the house with Winnie, the Ransom housekeeper. She had cheerfully agreed to watch the baby while he poked around the ranch.

  Theo drove right up to the stables, then stopped on a dime
. Joshua frowned. His brother had gotten out of the car and was making his way toward him. His stride was full of anger.

  So much for his peaceful morning. Instinct told him things were about to take a turn for the worse.

  “What’s going on? Are you all right? You look like a storm cloud,” he called out to Theo as he approached.

  “You’re not going to believe it!” he announced from a few feet away. His face was twisted up in anger. His eyes flashed warning signs.

  “Maybe you need to take a few deep breaths,” Joshua said. “You don’t look so good.”

  Theo stopped right in front of Joshua. He was breathing heavily. A vein bulged over his eye.

  “We’ve been stopped in our tracks, Joshua. We can’t move forward in selling the ranch. An injunction was filed preventing us from selling to the Alloy Corporation. Eric said that an argument is being made that the property should be blocked from sale to any developers.”

  “An injunction? On what grounds?” he asked. His mind raced with the impact of the news. This had Boone written all over it. In his eyes, Joshua would always be the villain. He had probably jumped at the opportunity to make trouble for him. No doubt he wouldn’t be content until he left Love forever.

  “An argument was made that since the land borders the wildlife preserve, it’s federally protected land. Since some of those animals are endangered, construction could hamper their ability to thrive.”

  Joshua’s jaw dropped. It was a slick move, designed to put a wrench in their plans. He wasn’t sure if the argument had merit, but it would surely grind things to a halt. “Sounds like they threw whatever they thought might stick against the wall.”

  Theo jammed his hands into his back pockets. “Yes. I think you’re right. Now a judge has to decide on the matter. It really messes things up for us. The Alloy Corporation might not want all this hassle and legal wrangling. And it’s going to cost us a small fortune if it’s litigated.”