Despite the opposition to their relationship, Honor had always been his biggest cheerleader. She had believed in him until he’d been arrested for burning down the church. Still, after all this time, it gutted him to have caused her such heartache.
Joshua shrugged off the feelings of guilt and recrimination. He had worked steadfastly over the years to redeem his character. He had painstakingly rebuilt his life, laying the foundation one brick at a time. God was a central part of his world now and he lived life with a purpose.
Coming back to his hometown hadn’t been easy, but he owed it to his grandfather to pay him his last respects and to tidy up his affairs. He hadn’t realized things with the Diamond R would be so complicated.
Joshua made his way to the room he was using as Violet’s nursery. Once he entered the bedroom, he stood by her crib and gently rocked her from side to side. When he felt her head droop against his chest, he slowly lowered her until she was resting on her back. Her eyelids were closed and she was peacefully asleep. He quietly made his way back downstairs.
For Violet’s sake, he felt grateful that he could finally hold his head up high in Love. He had put the shameful events of his past in the rearview mirror. He felt proud of himself, if only because he knew so many people had given up on him. This town had viewed him as irredeemable and broken. They had been dead wrong.
Joshua hadn’t expected to feel such a wealth of emotions upon his return to Love. As soon as he had spotted Kachemak Bay from his seat in the seaplane, he’d felt a tightening sensation in his chest. Despite everything, this town still lived and breathed in him, just like Honor Prescott. One look in her blue-gray eyes had shown him that the past was still a powerful force to be reckoned with.
* * *
As Joshua walked back toward the homestead and away from her with his baby girl, Honor’s shoulders sagged. Her cheeks felt flushed. Joshua had a child!
She’d been composed during their encounter, even though seeing Joshua holding his daughter had shaken her to the core. Her limbs were trembling. Coming face-to-face with her ex-fiancé hadn’t been on her agenda for today. And it had been shocking to realize he was a father. She felt as if someone had just thrown an ice-cold bucket of water over her head. Joshua looked even more handsome than she remembered. Age had only enhanced his masculine appeal. At six feet or so, Joshua’s frame had filled out, giving him a more rugged appearance. His dark hair set off against his blue eyes made a striking combination. He was the type of man who drew stares when he walked down the street.
Her mind veered toward Violet. It had hurt her to see the child nestled in Joshua’s arms. It served as a stark reminder of the child she had miscarried six years ago. Joshua’s child. She pushed the painful feelings away. She couldn’t allow herself to get consumed by the past. It might drag her under.
As she exited the stable, Honor spotted Lee, who was quickly making his way toward her. With his salt-and-pepper-colored hair and sea green eyes, Lee had a distinguished appearance. There was something so solid about him. He was trusted by the whole town. At the moment he had an intense expression etched on his face. His movements seemed full of urgency.
“Honor, it’s nice to see you,” Lee said, warmth emanating from his voice.
“Hey, Lee,” Honor said. “Good morning.”
Lee ran his hand around his shirt collar. His fingers seemed unsteady. “Under the circumstances, I’m sorry to have called you out here. It was a mistake.”
She frowned at him. He looked flustered. Normally, he was a calm, unflappable man. It was slightly alarming to see him acting this way.
Was Lee referencing Joshua’s unexpected appearance at the ranch? Like most of the townsfolk, he was fully aware of their history.
“There’s been a bit of a hiccup regarding the reading of the will and Bud’s property,” he said, his tone apologetic. His eyes radiated disappointment. “I probably jumped the gun by inviting you here to the Diamond R.”
“What’s wrong?” she asked. Adrenaline began to race through her veins. Instinctively, she steeled herself for bad news.
Lee let out a ragged sigh. “Bud didn’t update his will, Honor. He made no written provisions to donate the property to the land preservation society.” Lee threw his hands in the air. “There’s not a whole lot more I can say, but I’m very disappointed.”
“What?” Honor exploded. “That can’t be right. He said it over and over again. Everyone in town knew his wishes.”
Lee shook his head. “According to his attorney, Bud had the best of intentions, but he passed away before he could make it official. He never updated his will. Knowing Bud, he probably figured he had plenty of years ahead to make those changes.”
Honor felt numb as the ramifications of Lee’s disclosure began to settle in. “He verbally stated his intentions on several occasions. We all knew what he wanted to do with regard to the ranch. Isn’t that enough?”
Lee stared at her with sadness radiating from his eyes. “I’m afraid not, Honor. Our hands are pretty much tied. We could file suit against the estate, but it would cost a fortune. And to what avail? Alaskan inheritance law is very clear.”
Her heart sank. “So what happens now?” she asked. “Who inherits the property?”
“According to Bud’s attorney, Theo and Joshua and another relative named Violet are listed as the heirs to the Diamond R and all of its assets and acreage.”
Honor let out a deep breath. She felt like a deflated balloon. The old adage was true: don’t count your chickens until they’re hatched. In her mind she’d formulated so many plans for the expansion of the wildlife center. Now, in a puff of smoke, those dreams had been dashed.
Lee stroked his chin. “I’ve heard some rumblings about a developer from Texas who’s been circling around trying to buy up property in Love. It seems that Theo has already been in contact with them. They came to the ranch first thing this morning.” His chest heaved as he sighed. “There’s no easy way to say this, Honor, but I think we have to prepare ourselves for what lies ahead.”
Anger flared through her at the idea of Theo making deals to desecrate Bud’s ranch. Even as a kid he had never had an appreciation for the ranch. Joshua had been the one who had loved horses, the cowboy lifestyle and riding across the property with Bud. Honor had always thought of Joshua as her hometown cowboy.
“Lee, give it to me straight,” Honor demanded. Having grown up with three older brothers, she knew when she was being treated with kid gloves. She had always fought against it. She was way tougher than she might look on the surface.
“Do you remember the town council meeting where we discussed the upsurge in interest from developers in acquiring land here in Love?” Lee asked.
“Yes,” she said with a nod. “With the popularity of Operation Love, this town has been in the media spotlight. And now that Lovely Boots has taken off, a lot of developers view this town as a hot commodity.”
Operation Love was a matchmaking program created by Honor’s grandfather, Jasper Prescott. As town mayor, Jasper had devised a way of fixing the imbalance in the male-female ratio in town by bringing eligible women to town who were seeking Alaskan bachelors. The program had been very successful, with dozens of marriages and engagements. And Jasper’s wife, Hazel Tookes Prescott, had created genuine Alaskan boots that the town had mass produced as a way of boosting the local economy. After years of recession, it had been a brilliant way of bringing revenue to a cash-strapped town.
The downside of her grandfather’s matchmaking program and Hazel’s creativity was the sudden focus on their Alaskan hamlet. Suddenly, developers were viewing Love as a potential moneymaker. The idea of developers swooping down and buying up Alaskan land only to dig it up and build businesses on it made her sick to her stomach.
Lee’s features creased with tension. “This one outfit is serious about buying land here in Love and the Diamond R proper
ty is on their radar.” His mouth tightened. “It seems they have plans to build a five-star Alaskan dude ranch. There’s a chain of them all across the country.”
Honor’s jaw dropped. A dude ranch! Right here in Love?
“Theo and Joshua probably had a big check waved in front of their eyes by these developers.” He made a tutting sound. “They might find it hard to turn down such a lucrative offer.”
She let out a shocked sound. Joshua was in on it? She was stunned that he would go along with such a materialistic scheme. Was this the real reason the brothers had made their way back to their hometown? To make a quick buck by selling the Diamond R Ranch and the surrounding property?
“He wouldn’t,” she murmured. “He’s always loved this ranch.”
Lee narrowed his gaze as he looked at her. “Never say never, Honor. It’s been quite some time since you’ve known what Joshua may or may not do.”
“Is there any way to intervene?” she asked, instantly discouraged by the defeated expression stamped on Lee’s face.
“There’s nothing more for us to do except say a few prayers,” Lee said with a shrug. “Maybe the Ransom heirs will do the right thing and fulfill Bud’s heartfelt wishes.” He shook his head. “It’s doubtful though. Theo seemed very cocky about being owner of the ranch. Something tells me he won’t budge an inch.”
Anger rose up inside her. She felt her cheeks getting heated. How could they even consider such a drastic move? It went against everything Bud had stood for in this world. It would be fine by Honor if the property wasn’t handed over to the town, just so long as it wasn’t torn up to create a tacky dude ranch. She didn’t want the town of Love to become a commercial enterprise. Her hometown was a small fishing village filled with God-fearing people who loved the quaint and charming aspects of their town. If the Ransom brothers decided to sell, it would be a nightmare for the residents of Love.
Her stomach churned with worry. Hadn’t Joshua just told her he would be heading home after settling his grandfather’s affairs? Clearly he wasn’t invested in the ranch or in this town. Honor fumed. Joshua might not care about the fate of the Diamond R or this town, but she cared deeply about its future.
“There may not be anything we can do to change their minds,” she said in a fierce tone. “But I’m going to let Joshua Ransom know exactly what I think of him turning his back on a town he used to call home.”
Chapter Two
Joshua threw his hands up in defeat as he gave in to temptation and moved toward the side window so he could check up on Honor. Was she still outside? He pushed back the curtain and peered out the window, keeping his eyes peeled on the stables. Honor was standing with Lee and they seemed to be having a very intense discussion. He watched as she threw her hands in the air and kicked her booted foot in the snow. The gesture almost made him chuckle. Some things never changed. Although most of the townsfolk had always regarded her as sweetness and light, Honor Prescott had always possessed a feisty side. He remembered it well. More times than he’d like to admit, he had been the recipient of her ire. He sighed. Joshua knew he hadn’t made it easy for Honor to love him.
But she had loved him, hadn’t she? Love never fails. How many times had Honor said those words to him, quoting the verse from Corinthians? In the end, their love hadn’t been strong enough to survive adversity. It had withered and died. And he had walked around with a broken heart for years, pining for the one who’d gotten away. That was a long time ago though. He no longer harbored any love for his ex-fiancée. It had taken years, but he’d finally gotten over her.
He probably shouldn’t be spying on Honor, but his curiosity had gotten the best of him. What was she doing here in the first place? And what was she discussing with Lee that had become so contentious?
All in all, it had been a strange morning at the ranch. Theo had met not only with Lee and his grandfather’s attorney, but with a developer from Texas who had come to discuss the Diamond R Ranch. Joshua hadn’t attended the meeting. His hands had been full with wrangling a cranky Violet.
Joshua turned away from the window and gazed at his surroundings. His grandfather was all around him at the ranch, but especially in this very room. The den had been Bud’s favorite place in the house. Before she had passed away, his grandmother, Pearl, had always enjoyed teasing her husband about holing up inside his man cave for hours on end. Joshua could hear her voice now. Bud Ransom, we might as well put a bed and a stove in there with you. Then you’d never come out.
He missed both his grandparents. They had been two of the most loving, generous people he had ever known. They had doted on him during his childhood and shown him unconditional love. His own parents were living in Singapore, too far away to come back for the memorial service. For all intents and purposes, his family had been reduced to a small circle.
Did a person ever stop yearning for the ones they had loved and lost? Honor’s face flashed before his eyes. Beautiful, headstrong Honor. He now knew for certain he wasn’t over the events of the past. Not by a long shot. Seeing her in the flesh had proven that point. After all this time he still felt a pull in her direction. Not that it mattered. She had shown him years ago that he was dispensable. Honor had tossed him aside like yesterday’s garbage. He imagined the whole town of Love had stood up and cheered her on.
A sudden noise drew his attention. Joshua cocked his ear to the side and listened for any cries. These days it seemed as if he was always bracing for the slightest sounds. It was amazing how a child could alter a person’s life. He exhaled as silence reigned. Suddenly, Joshua heard the slam of the front door, followed by heavy footsteps. He was about to give Theo a piece of his mind. How many times had he warned him about making loud, disruptive noises when a baby was in the house?
All of a sudden, Honor was standing in the doorway of the den, her hands strategically placed on her hips. Pure molten fire radiated from her eyes. Little huffing sounds were coming from her mouth. He was fairly certain steam was coming out of her ears.
“Are you seriously considering selling out?” she asked in a raised voice, quickly swallowing up the distance between them.
Honor had come charging up to him like a wild bull reacting to a red flag. If she hadn’t looked so angry, he might have laughed at her aggressive stance. Her arms were folded across her chest, and she was breathing heavily as she glared at him. She was tapping one of her feet on the hardwood floor.
Old memories crashed over him in unrelenting waves. How could he have forgotten this defiant side of Honor?
He held up his hands. “Can you lower your voice to a dull roar? Slow down. What are you talking about?”
“Lee said there’s a developer who wants to buy the Diamond R. He says they want to build a resort on the property—some bootleg version of a dude ranch for people who want a so-called authentic Alaskan cowboy experience.”
Joshua stiffened. Hadn’t Theo said to keep things quiet about the offer from the developers? Clearly his brother had been running his mouth about the subject. And he had failed to mention anything about a dude ranch. Typical Theo.
He let out a sigh. “Nothing has been decided yet. I just found out about it myself.”
Her face fell. “So you’re admitting someone is circling around and making an offer on the ranch?”
“Yes, Honor. It’s true. Theo told me there’s an outfit from Texas that’s very interested in buying the property.”
“Bud would never have wanted this place to be sold to a developer. How can you even consider it?” she asked, her voice ringing out in the stillness of the room.
Joshua clenched his teeth at the accusatory tone of her voice. He felt his anger rising.
“Excuse me? I don’t reckon you want to pick a fight with me over my family’s land.” He hadn’t meant for his voice to have such a hard edge to it, but so be it. He hadn’t come back to Love in order to be pushed around and judged
by his ex-fiancée. The days of everyone here in town making him feel less than were over. “It’s nobody’s business but ours.”
Honor let out a shocked gasp. She took a few steps closer to him until he could hear her breathing. He could see the flecks in her blue-gray eyes. She was bristling with rage.
“Do you know what will happen to this land if you sell? This developer will come in and tear up the land and make it some ghastly commercial enterprise.”
Joshua frowned. “You’re getting way ahead of yourself.”
“Am I? These things seem to happen fairly quickly. One minute they’re making you an offer and the next thing you know papers are being signed. This is precious land. It shouldn’t be transformed into something unrecognizable. And Bud wanted to donate the property so it would be preserved from developers.”
“Then why didn’t he put it in writing and make it official?” Joshua asked. “Bud was smart. He knew the risks in not following through on his promise.”
“I—I don’t know, but I do believe it was his intention.” She locked eyes with him. “Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
“This isn’t just up to me. Theo has some say in this as well. And I’m not convinced Bud wanted to donate the property to land preservation. He was as sharp as a tack. Maybe he changed his mind.”
He watched as Honor’s eyes widened and her mouth opened. Just as she seemed ready to erupt, a loud wail rang out in the room.
Honor froze at the sound. She turned toward the sound of the cries, which came from a nearby baby monitor.
“Is something wrong with Violet?” she asked. She sounded alarmed.
Her Alaskan Cowboy (Alaskan Grooms Book 7) Page 2