The Cowboys Heart 1

by Helen Evans

  “The entirety of my ranch, including the house and property, all the furnishings within the house minus those items already bequeathed is left to my granddaughter, Heather Mills Walsh,” Mr. Munroe said, finally looking up for the papers.

  My jaw dropped, and the tips of my ears burned hot. Had I heard that correctly? My grandmother left me her ranch? Why would she do that? I cleared my throat and shook my head. “Uh… I don’t know…”

  Mom reached over and patted my arm, smiling. “This is what she wanted, honey. You know her dream was always to have you home, to raise Jamie here, with his family.”

  I sat speechless. Of course. Why hadn’t I put the pieces together? That was the argument we’d had the last time I saw her. She told me she wouldn’t ever give up on me, and even in death, she’d kept her promise. My heart raced. What was I going to do with her ranch? I couldn’t possibly move in. I had my job and my friends back in the city. Jamie had school and his friends and his father, who didn’t visit nearly as much as he should, but still. I couldn’t tear him away from everything he knew. Could I?

  “Upon your grandmother’s death, I took it upon myself, per her wishes, to begin the title transfer. All I need is your signature, and it’s all yours.” Mr. Munroe handed me a clipboard with a pen. “I’ve put signature stickers near each spot I need you to sign.”

  In a daze, I took the clipboard from him and began to sign the papers. I was too surprised to make any rational decisions right now, but I knew I couldn’t decline the ranch. It would break my mother’s heart, not to mention it could make my grandmother roll over in her grave. Once the property was legally mine, and I had a chance to think things through, I’d made a choice. Either I’d move it or sell it.

  I hesitated. The thought of selling my grandmother’s ranch induced a mild panic attack. I couldn’t imagine someone else living there. What if they demolished the house? Tore up the yard? Some of my best childhood memories were at that ranch. How could I even think about letting it go?

  “Heather, are you all right?” Mom asked.

  “Yeah.” I smiled and nodded then resumed signing. When I was finished, I handed the items back. “So, what happens now?”

  “I’ll file these papers with the county and in a couple of weeks; you’ll receive the official title in the mail. There’s a small mortgage owed on the property.” He flipped through more papers. “In the amount of seventeen thousand dollars, this will automatically transfer to you as well. Your grandmother was a very thorough woman. She made sure there would be no issues with the transfer of the ranch to you.”

  My stomach knotted. A mortgage? I could barely afford the mortgage on my house in the city. There was no way I could afford a second mortgage on top of it. I gripped the arms of the chair and forced my breaths to stay calm.

  “Now, as the executor of her will,” he continued, “we can schedule a time to meet at the ranch and disburse the personal items she bequeathed in her will. What date and time will work best for you?” He looked directly at my mother.

  “Uh, I’m not sure. Heather?” She turned to me as if I had any idea what to say.

  “Well, um, how about tomorrow? I know it’s Saturday, but I have a flight back to the city on Monday, and it’s really the only time I can do it…” I trailed off, uncomfortable with how he and my mother were staring at me. “What?”

  “You’re going back to the city? Why? Your grandmother just left you the ranch. Why on earth would you even think about going back to that crowded, unsafe city?” my mother asked, indignation dripped from her voice.

  I sighed and shrugged. “I don’t know, okay?” I said sharper than I intended. “My job is there. Jamie’s school and friends. His father. It’s not so easy to just pack up and move back to Texas.”

  My mother’s face reddened. It was the telltale sign she was about to give me a tongue lashing. I held my breath, waiting for it to come, but thankfully, Mr. Munroe cut her off.

  “I can certainly do tomorrow. How does eleven a.m. work for the two of you?” He smiled in an attempt to diffuse the situation brewing between me and my mom.

  “Fine.” Mom stood and yanked her purse over her shoulder. Then she stormed out of the office.

  Great. It was going to be a long drive home. I stood as well. “Thank you, Mr. Munroe, for everything, and especially for looking out for my grandmother. She always spoke so fondly of you.”

  He stood and shook my head. “Well, she was certainly my favorite client. She’ll be greatly missed.”

  I gave him a final smile, and then proceeded out of his office. When I approached Mom’s car, she was already inside, the engine running. I couldn’t help but feel like a teenager again, like I’d done something wrong and had to suffer the punitive wrath of my parents. As much as I loved my mother, she needed to understand I was a grown woman now. I had an ex-husband and a teenaged son. I hated disappointing her, but my decisions needed to be made for me and my son.

  “I can’t believe you, Heather Marie!” She pulled out of the parking lot, squealing her tires as she did.

  “Mom,” I groaned. Even at thirty four, I still cringed when she used my middle name like that. “I haven’t made any definite decisions yet, okay?” I turned to look at her. “But I have a job I need to go back to on Monday. Jamie has school. And even if I decide to move back here, I have to sell my house, pack everything…” I turned to stare out the window. “It’s not just a matter of never returning to the city, you know.”

  “I know,” she whispered.

  I jerked around to stare at her. I couldn’t remember the last time she’d ever agreed with me so easily.

  “I also know how much this meant to your grandmother, and I’d hate to think of her not being at peace in heaven because of the decisions we’re making down here.”

  I rolled my eyes and turned away again. That was my mother – the queen of guilt trips. Well, this time, it wasn’t going to work. No matter what she said or did, I had to make a decision that would be in the best interest of Jamie. He was my top priority.

  The rest of the drive was made in silence. I was grateful for that, but based on the way my mother slammed her door, I knew she wasn’t. She wanted me back in Texas, and it was hard to blame her for that. I couldn’t imagine my child or grandchild being so far away from me. I sighed and climbed up the front steps.

  “Hey mom, how’d it go?” Jamie asked when I entered.

  He was in a surprisingly good mood. “It was good,” I said, dropping my purse onto the kitchen island and taking a seat on a stool across from him. “How were things around here?”

  “They were cool. Monica made me the best grilled cheese sandwich for lunch.” He grinned, and I chuckled.

  “That’s good.” In that moment, I realized something: Maybe moving away from the city would be good for him. I hated the idea of tearing him away from his school in the middle of the year and away from his friends and father, but we’d been here two days and his attitude was a hundred times better. The people around here were nicer, more accommodating and welcoming. Maybe this was exactly the change we both needed to be happier.

  “You really have to learn how to make them,” he said.

  “I’ll be sure to do that.” I stood and ruffled his hair like I used to do when he was a little boy. I was shocked when he didn’t push my hand away. It felt like he was my boy again, and the love I felt for him squeezed at my heart. I missed him terribly, missed the closeness we always had.

  “Did you know Monica had a son?”

  “No, I didn’t. How old is he?”

  “My age. She said he’d be here later, after school. She’s going to introduce us. His name is Dean.”

  “Cool,” I said, unsure where he was going with this. Then it hit me. “Let me guess, you want to hang out with him tonight?”

  Jamie laughed. “If he’s not a total dork, yeah.”

  I pretended to be upset with him. “Jamie,” I said with an exasperated sigh and a shake of my head. “That’s not
nice.”

  “Mom,” he groaned and moved out of my reach. “I’m not about to hang with a nerd.”

  “I doubt he’s a nerd, but if you two hit it off, I don’t mind if you hang out tonight. It’ll do you good, I think.”

  “Thanks.” He smiled then planted a kiss on my cheek. “I’m actually having fun here this time.”

  My breath hitched. It was now or never. He was in a good mood and now was the time to strike. “Jamie, we’re going to move here. To Texas.”

  He stared at me for a moment as my words registered in his mind. “What?”

  “Nammy Noreen left me her entire ranch and all the property. So, I’ve decided we’re going to move to Texas and live there.” I swallowed hard. Generally, I wasn’t afraid of my son or his reactions. I was the parent after all, but this entire situation was so big and scary for both of us.

  “Is this some kind of joke?”

  “No, this is no joke, Jamie. Financially, it makes sense.”

  “What about Dad?” He crossed his arms and glared at me.

  I gritted my teeth. There was so much I wanted to say – like how his father was too busy diddling his secretary to be a dad, or how his father couldn’t be bothered to visit once in the past three months, or how his father was a month behind in child support – but I didn’t say any of those things because I didn’t want Jamie to think poorly of his father simply because of the hurt feelings I had toward Phillip.

  “The decision has been made. We’ll return to the city on Monday and spend the week making the necessary arrangements.” My tone was firm, and I hoped he knew this wasn’t up for discussion.

  “I hate you!” he screamed and ran up the stairs. A second later, he slammed the guest room door. I cringed.

  “What on God’s green earth is going on out here?” Dad asked, coming in from the backdoor.

  “Nothing.” I headed upstairs to try and talk some sense into my only child.

  Chapter Three

  The transition from the city to my grandmother’s ranch – or rather, my ranch now – didn’t go as smoothly as I’d hoped. Jamie fought me on everything. He hated it here, and I couldn’t blame him. He’d left behind all of his friends, everything he’d known, his father – who gave me a ton of shit about moving back to Texas yet didn’t do a thing to talk me out of it or make amends with our son. And on top of all that, I was struggling to learn the ropes around here, to know what to do and when. There were so many animals that needed my attention, so much land that needing tending, and not enough time or money or help. The five ranch hands my grandmother had employed agreed to stay on, to help me get my bearings, but six people wasn’t enough. I honestly don’t know how my grandmother did this all the time.

  We’d been here about a month now, and every day brought on a new challenge, a new skill I needed to have but didn’t, new arguments with Jamie, and constant visits from my parents wanting to offer “helpful” advice but never willing to get their hands dirty to actually help. I was constantly exhausted, and I didn’t know how much longer I could go on. Maybe selling the ranch was my only option. It would certainly bring peace to my life. But every time I think of selling, my heart breaks, knowing it would disappoint my grandmother.

  I wiped my hands on my jeans and walked up the front porch. There was still a lot to be done, but I needed a few minutes to catch my breath and get a cold drink. My mind, however, didn’t ever rest. I poured over different scenarios on how to make life around here easier, more affordable. I might be able to sell some of the animals. Surely there must be people around here willing to buy a cow for meat. The horses – there were several horse farms nearby and a rodeo.

  The problem was I didn’t know where to begin seeking buyers. Would placing an ad in the local paper work? Maybe I should just ask one of the ranch hands. They’d probably know. Once inside, I grabbed the pitcher of lemonade from the refrigerator and filled a glass. I took a long drink, then another. The cool liquid calmed me a little. Grandma always told me no problem was insolvable, that you just had to ask the right questions and the answer would find you. I channeled that thought, clung to it, and prayed it would come through for me now like it had in the past.

  I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. When I answered it, four tall, well-built men in cowboy hats and boots stood on the porch. The man in front had a thick, dark mustache. He took off his hat and bowed. “Ma’am.”

  I remained in the doorway, refusing to let them in until I knew who they were and what they wanted. The ranch was situated on several acres far from town, far from any other houses and help. “How can I help you gentlemen?” I eyed each of them, committing their appearances to memory.

  “Sorry to bother you this afternoon, but we were hoping you had time to accommodate a brief meeting with me and my brothers here,” the man said.

  Brothers? That was shocking. None of them looked anything like each other. “Excuse me for sounding rude, but who are you?”

  The man smiled, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on edge. Something about the way he smiled, the way his eyes darkened and his teeth filled his mouth creeped me out. Then he chuckled. “I apologize for my manners. I’m Buck Jennings, and these are my brothers Will, Jim, and John.”

  I nodded and gave my politest smile despite the unease in my veins. “Nice to meet you.” I stepped out onto the porch and closed the door behind me before nodding toward the wicker table and chairs situated on the far end of the porch. “I have time now to meet with you gentleman. Please, let’s sit.” The sooner I heard them out and got rid of them, the better.

  Buck took the seat next across from me while his brothers sat on either side. Clearly Buck was the leader of this little group. I folded my hands in my lap and waited for him to speak.

  “We were very sorry to hear of Noreen’s passing. She was a staple in this community,” Buck said, smoothing his fingers over his mustache.

  “Thank you. She truly is missed.” I took a deep breath. “Did you know her well?”

  Buck gave a curt nod. “We’d done some business in the past, which is what brought me out to see you today Miss…?”

  “Heather,” I said.

  “Heather.” Buck grinned. “Shortly before Noreen passed, we’d been in negotiations to purchase this ranch. Unfortunately, we didn’t get around to making the deal due to her untimely departure from this world.”

  The more he talked, the more uncomfortable I became. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but everything about him screamed slimy. I glanced around at his brothers, who all appeared bored or uninterested. I shifted in my seat and leaned forward; giving the illusion I was interested in what else he had to say.

  “But we’re still very much interested in buying this ranch.” Buck leaned back, the chair creaking under his weight. For a moment, I worried it might break. “And we’re prepared to offer you twice as much as we’d offered Noreen.”

  At that, my ears perked up, and my heart raced. In one of my many nights of sleeplessness, I’d researched the value of a ranch this size. Even if their initial offer was half of the market value, it was more than she had right now. It could solve all of her problems. “And how much is that exactly?” I asked.

  “Five hundred thousand. Cash,” Buck said, a glint in his eyes.

  I inhaled sharply. Half a million dollars? That was a lot of money, more than I’d ever make in my lifetime, more than this ranch would make in the next twenty years. It was on the tip of my tongue to say, “Yes, you’ve got a deal” and shake Buck’s hand in an old fashioned gentleman’s agreement. Yet, there was something very odd about this entire situation. I couldn’t believe my grandmother had considered selling the ranch. She loved it here. She’d wanted me to be here, wanted Jamie to be here. It was her dream. So why would she sell? Unless… Maybe she’d decided to sell after we’d had our argument. Was she that heartbroken she’d give up her life’s work, her passion? I swallowed hard, tears burning my throat.
>
  That much money would solve all my problems. I could pay off the debts, give the ranch hands a decent settlement, move back to the city without having to worry about jumping right back into work. The idea of going back to the city turned my stomach. For so long it had been home, but what was left there for me? Even though Jamie hated it here, it was better for him. Around here I didn’t have to worry about him going to a friend’s house and running the streets, getting into trouble, getting mugged or worse. There wasn’t much trouble or danger for him to find around here.

  As much as I could use the money, I had to do what was best for Jamie, and I couldn’t disappoint my grandmother again. Not to mention my parents would probably disown me if I sold this ranch to anyone let alone these four guys. I took a deep breath and mentally prepared myself for what might be the dumbest decision of my life.

  “That’s a very generous offer, Buck, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to decline. I’m sorry. The ranch isn’t for sale.”

  His smile faded, and his eyes darkened as he narrowed his brows. But then just as quickly, his face lightened, the anger replaced with something easier. “You drive a hard bargain, Heather. All right,” he nodded, “we can give you six hundred thousand.”

  “Again, that’s extremely generous of you, but it doesn’t change my mind. I’m sorry.” I stood, hoping they’d get the hint and do the same. I wanted them to leave. “The ranch isn’t for sale.”

  “Told you it wouldn’t work,” Will mumbled.

  I shot him a dirty look, wondering what he meant by that. Were they trying to scam me? My decision not to sell felt better and better as the seconds ticked by. I didn’t know what these men were up to, but I wasn’t going to have any part in it.

  Buck stood, and his brothers followed his lead. “I’m sorry to hear that, Heather. I think you’re making a big mistake, one you’ll come to regret.” He tipped his hat in farewell. “Good day, ma’am.”