“A lot has changed in six years,” she noted. The town of Love had gone through a recession, lost beloved members of their town, created a lucrative company, Lovely Boots, and created the innovative program, Operation Love. They had gone through some difficult times, but the town was still standing. The town of Love had endured. Yet, Joshua had missed all of it. The tragedies and the triumphs. The townsfolk coming together to rebound from financial ruin. And he hadn’t been aware of Bud’s determination to bequeath the Diamond R to his beloved hometown.
Both she and Joshua had changed. They were no longer the high school sweethearts who had been head over heels in love with one another. They were two strong-willed people who might be headed for a legal showdown in court over Bud’s property. They didn’t believe in the same things. She sighed. No matter how fantastic their kiss had been, it couldn’t alter reality.
“It really has,” he agreed with a nod. He locked gazes with her, his eyes filled with intensity.
Honor bowed her head. She was beginning to think kissing Joshua hadn’t been such a good idea. Looking into Joshua’s eyes complicated matters. They were pulling her in. “We should be getting back. Violet will be looking for you,” she said in a brisk tone.
He nodded his agreement. They began to walk down Jarvis Street toward the Moose Café. Joshua’s mood seemed contemplative. Perhaps he, too, was coming to the realization that the kiss between them had only served to complicate an already messy situation.
Silence reigned as they walked back toward the café. From this point forward, Honor was determined to avoid being alone with Joshua. She didn’t need any more trips down memory lane with him or tender kisses in the moonlight. Joshua had the ability to make her forget all of the reasons why they shouldn’t be kissing in the first place.
Honor needed to focus instead of getting distracted by Joshua. She wasn’t going to allow a tender kiss to deter her from the main objective—preventing the Ransom brothers from selling the Diamond R to the Alloy Corporation. If Joshua Ransom thought he had softened her up tonight with his boyish charms, he had another think coming.
* * *
On the ride home to the ranch after Hazel’s party, Joshua had plenty of time to reflect on his impulsive decision to kiss Honor. Kissing her had been an act of sheer nerve on his part. And, although it had felt good in the moment, he was having deep regrets. Honor wasn’t the type of woman a man should casually kiss. Everything about her screamed home, hearth and forever. But he couldn’t give her any of those things. Their one shot at a happy ending had fallen apart six years ago. He clenched his jaw and let out a ragged sigh. It had been foolish to give in to nostalgia. There wasn’t a single thing tying them together in the present.
Theo kept giving him curious sideways glances. He knew his brother wanted to ask him about his mood, but so far Theo hadn’t peppered him with any questions.
He began tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. Suddenly, he was a bundle of nervous energy. Irritation bubbled up inside him. If he had been alone in the truck, Joshua knew he might roar with frustration. Life wasn’t fair.
Theo grumbled. “All right, already. What’s up with you tonight?”
Joshua feigned ignorance. He didn’t need Theo coming down on him about the foolishness of kissing Honor. His brother had made it clear years ago he didn’t care for her. Theo had always believed Honor hadn’t loved him as much as he’d loved her. And he had been of the belief that they had been way too young to commit to a future together.
“I’m just tired. It’s been a long day.”
Theo scoffed. “Gimme a break, Joshua. I’ve known you all your life. It’s not simply fatigue. Fess up.”
Joshua sighed. “Honor and I shared a special moment.” He was trying to be discreet, while at the same time letting his brother know they’d connected in a meaningful way. Joshua needed someone he could trust to confide in.
“A special moment?” Theo asked. “What does that mean?”
“I kissed her,” he blurted out. “And she kissed me back.”
Theo began to mutter in an angry tone. “What in the world did you do that for? Are you a glutton for punishment or what?”
“Whoa! Take it easy. Haven’t you ever acted on impulse?”
Theo shook his head and muttered angrily. “Why are you doing this to yourself? She demolished your heart six years ago. What do you think is going to happen this time around? Roses and moonlight?”
Joshua looked away from the road for a quick moment, shooting Theo a deadly glare. “I made a mistake by kissing her. I’m already kicking myself for doing it. If you can’t say anything supportive, don’t say a word. Okay?”
Silence stretched out between them. The radio was the only sound in the car. Violet was peacefully sleeping in the back seat.
“I’m sorry, Joshua. You know how I am. I shoot from the hip. I’m sorry if it sounded harsh.” He quirked his mouth. “I’m only watching out for your best interests. I’m worried about you. And you know I always have your back.”
Joshua knew how difficult it was for his brother to apologize. It always had been, ever since they were kids. “It’s all right. I know you’re trying to protect me, but I’ve got this under control.”
“Do you?” Theo pressed. “Because it seems to me that despite all reason, Honor still has a hold on you. It makes no sense to me! Her main goal is to prevent us from selling the ranch. What happens if the injunction holds and we can’t sell the Diamond R?”
Joshua swallowed past the huge lump sitting in his throat. “We’d have to accept it. I would try to see the bigger picture and find meaning in the judge’s decision.”
“How do you think this town will react if we get the green light to move forward with the sale of the ranch? It won’t be pretty.”
He felt his jaw tighten. Why was his brother so intent on hammering his point home? It wasn’t as if Joshua was dreaming of a happily-ever-after with Honor. Their opposing views on the future of Bud’s property represented the huge chasm between them. And he wasn’t putting down roots here in Love, no matter what the judge decided.
“They’ll rebound from it,” he said, answering Theo’s question. “This is a town with a lot of faith and fortitude. Love has endured much worse than this. I’m guessing it might not be an ideal outcome, but everyone would learn to live with it, including Honor.”
The thought of it caused a tightening sensation to spread across his chest. Honor’s face flashed before his eyes and he pushed the thought of her away. He didn’t want to think about her being hurt or disappointed. Joshua needed to focus on his own wants and Violet’s needs.
“Honestly, we probably won’t even have to deal with the fallout. We’re not sticking around Love any longer than necessary,” Theo said. “If I were you, I would avoid any more tender moments with Honor. It only serves to muddy the waters.”
“You’re right,” he said with a nod. “Things don’t need to get any more complicated than they already are.”
Try as he might, Joshua couldn’t completely snuff out the memory of the kiss he’d shared with Honor. It was probably the last one he would ever share with his ex-fiancée. Soon enough he and Violet would be back in Seattle, settled into their normal routine. Honor would be nothing more than a bittersweet memory from his past.
As they approached the gates to the Diamond R Ranch, Joshua cast his gaze across the property. Illuminated by the moonlight, it was the most stunning vista he had ever laid his eyes upon. It would always be near and dear to his heart. The memories would have to be enough to sustain him.
Joshua had come back to Love, Alaska, for the sole purpose of tying up his grandfather’s estate. Honor Prescott wasn’t part of his future. He needed to work harder to put her firmly in the past.
* * *
After the guests from Hazel’s party dispersed from the Moose Café, Honor stuck around to hel
p with the cleanup. Her staying to pick up the mess allowed Hazel and Jasper to head home without having to worry about the nitty-gritty details. Boone decided to send Grace home with baby Eva so he could stay and help Honor tidy up the place. The Moose Café would be open for breakfast first thing tomorrow morning and they wanted to make sure everything was in pristine condition.
After forty-five minutes or so, they were done. Boone grabbed two sodas from the fridge and sank down onto a seat at one of the tables.
He patted the chair beside him. “Come sit with me. I need to talk to you.”
A feeling of panic immediately seized her by the throat. Having a talk with her older brother rarely boded well. More times than not, Boone subjected her to a lecture of epic proportions. She wasn’t in the mood tonight.
Boone began to chuckle. “You look like a deer caught in the headlights. I want to talk, not torture you. Have a little faith, sis.”
Honor moved toward the table hesitantly. Boone stood up and pulled a chair out for her. She sat down and folded her hands in front of her on the table.
“You look like a little kid sitting like that.”
She squirmed in her seat. “I feel like one. I have an idea what this is about.”
Boone arched an eyebrow. He sat back in his chair, arms folded across his chest. “Really?”
“It’s about Joshua. Am I right?”
“Yes. You are.” He stroked his jaw. “There are a few things I’d like to say about you and Joshua.”
She slammed her hands down on the table. “Boone, there really isn’t anything between Joshua and me other than an uneasy truce. So you can save your speech. I really don’t want to hear a lecture from you about how unsuitable we are for each other and how rotten Joshua is. I know you think he’s a terrible, irresponsible person. You thought our engagement was the worst thing possible. And I know you must think I’m the biggest fool in the world for ever falling for him all those years ago.”
Boone’s jaw dropped. “Is that really how I sound?”
“Honestly, yes,” Honor admitted in a soft voice.
He reached out and took her hands in his. “I’m so sorry, Honor. It seems I’ve overplayed my position as eldest brother of the Prescott clan. I only ever wanted to protect my baby sister. I never for a single second ever wanted to clip your wings or make you feel less than for your choices.
“When I met Gracie we were opposites in many ways. Despite everything we fell for each other. Things fell apart when I found out she was lying to me and this town. In the end, I realized that Gracie made a mistake. I forgave her.” Boone looked down for a moment. His expression was full of emotion. “We’ve had it a bit rough, haven’t we? Two parents who bailed on us. We’ve all had to raise each other and rely on ourselves, haven’t we?”
The look of pain on her brother’s face was enough to bring her to her knees. Boone was a tough guy, one who had never shown a whole lot of emotion, especially about their upbringing. “We did,” she said through a haze of tears. “We got through it though. Prescotts are made of strong stuff.” She wiped tears away with the back of her hand.
“Here’s the thing. Loving Gracie taught me something important. You can’t help who you fall in love with. You just can’t. When you and Joshua fell in love as teenagers, all I could see was the negative. I was so scared for my little sister I never stopped to appreciate your love story. And when the church burned down, it gave me a legitimate reason to hate him.”
Honor’s eyes widened. “That’s all in the past, Boone.”
Boone sighed. “Not really. It’s crept into the present. I don’t like harboring negative feelings toward people. As a man of faith, it’s been a failing of mine. So I decided that I can’t do that anymore. I can’t hate Joshua for a mistake he made when he was barely of age. I don’t want to carry that burden around anymore. It’s too heavy.”
“Oh, Boone. That’s wonderful. Forgiveness is such a powerful gift. Not only for Joshua, but for yourself as well.” She reached out and squeezed his hand.
“I was watching you tonight with Joshua while the fireworks were going off. It made me wonder if you still had feelings for him.”
Honor bowed her head. “I’ll always have the memories of what we shared, but that’s all in the past. As it stands now, we’re on opposite sides of this issue regarding the Diamond R. Joshua can’t wait to head back to Seattle and put this town in his rearview mirror. There’s no way things could ever work out between us. Even if the injunction holds, it’s still a messy situation.”
“I just wanted to let you know that I’ll support you, no matter what. I didn’t have your back six years ago, and I know it caused you a lot of pain.”
“That means a lot to me,” she said, fighting back tears.
“Now, if he decides not to sell the ranch to the Alloy Corporation, that might change things between you. Am I right?”
Honor frowned. “I don’t think he will, Boone. He’s made no secret of his plans.”
“I’m really sorry to hear that. It would be a blessing if he changed his mind,” Boone said. “For all our sakes.”
She jutted her chin up. “It would be wonderful, but I learned a long time ago not to hope for the impossible.” She felt exhaustion sweep through her. The entire situation was taking a heavy toll on her.
“Oh, Honor,” Boone said in a voice clogged with emotion. “I’m so sorry.”
Something about Boone’s tone caused her to crack wide open. Honor got up from her seat and threw herself against Boone’s chest. She began to cry—tears of frustration and loss. She had no idea what might happen to the Diamond R, but Honor knew that she and Joshua were hopelessly at odds over it. Filing the injunction had been a long shot, and even though no decision had yet been made, she could almost sense that it wouldn’t hold up.
Joshua and Theo would sell Bud’s beloved ranch to developers. The Diamond R would cease to exist as they had always known it. And Joshua and Violet would head back to their lives in Seattle. The very thought of it made her heart ache way more than she wanted to acknowledge.
Chapter Twelve
Joshua gazed out the window of Bud’s study. The ranch was blanketed in white, with a recent snowfall leaving the ground packed with snow. Everything was white, for as far as the eye could see. A few of the ranch hands were leading horses into the paddock. Maybe he would bring Violet outside later on to play in the snow. He was in an antsy mood. Last night he had tossed and turned for hours, torn apart by the moral dilemma over the Diamond R. Selling the ranch and returning to Seattle was the only thing that made sense. But every time he thought about going through with the sale he felt sick to his stomach.
Theo walked into the study, his face lit up with a huge grin. “I just got the call. The judge has lifted the injunction,” he announced in a voice full of triumph. He raised his fist in the air and shook it.
Joshua knew he should be feeling on top of the world at the moment. Hadn’t this been what he’d been waiting to hear? Why wasn’t he rejoicing? All he felt was emptiness.
“Did you hear me? It’s over. We can sell Bud’s property to whomever we choose.” Theo was practically jumping up and down with joy at the news.
“I heard you,” he said. “It’s a lot to take in.”
Theo narrowed his gaze as he looked at him. “It’s a victory, Joshua. We’re one step closer to leaving this town behind us.” Theo shook his head at Joshua. “I’m beginning to think you were hoping we would lose.” Theo glared at him, then stormed out of the room.
Joshua sighed raggedly. The legal victory had hit him like a ton of bricks. He hadn’t been expecting to hear anything definitive today. Instead of rejoicing, his head was filled with Honor. He had no idea whether or not she’d received word about the injunction. The news couldn’t have come at a worse time. She was scheduled to come to the ranch this morning to check up on the c
alves, as well as some other livestock. One of the calves seemed to have taken a turn for the worse. Joshua had called Honor to let her know about the situation.
He had no intention of telling her about the injunction being lifted. It would only cause more strain between them.
While Winnie tended to Violet, Joshua found himself listening for any signs of Honor’s arrival at the ranch. He was pacing back and forth in the den when he heard the crunch of tires from outside. One glance out of the window confirmed Honor’s arrival. He quickly put on his parka and headed outside to greet her.
She was just getting out of her car when he reached her side. Dressed in a pair of nice-fitting jeans and a snug winter parka, Honor looked casual yet lovely. The gray knit hat perched on her head gave her a wholesome look. Joshua stuffed down a wild impulse to kiss her. But he knew it wasn’t his place to do so. It would only serve to make things messier than they already were, he reckoned.
“Honor. Thanks for coming over.”
“Of course. I came as soon as I could. What’s going on with the calf?”
“It hasn’t been eating or moving all that much. It doesn’t seem to be thriving.”
Honor nodded. There were crease lines around her mouth and eyes. He knew she took her job seriously. The welfare of animals was of the utmost importance to her. Part of her profession involved wildlife rehabilitation.
They took off toward the barn with Honor leading the way. She made a quick beeline to the area where the calves were situated. He didn’t need to tell Honor which calf was doing poorly. It was evident by the way she sat off to the side, not interacting with the other calves.
Joshua stood and watched as Honor gently examined the calf. After a few minutes, her shoulders slumped. She turned toward him. “You were right. She’s not doing well. It could be dehydration or a virus, although I would think if it was viral the others would be doing poorly as well. I’m not a vet, so you might want another opinion, but it’s not looking good.” She shrugged. “She needs special care. There’s not a whole lot we can do if she continues to struggle.” She bowed her head.
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