But that wasn’t what had him all tongue-tied and strangled. It was the clothes. An old pair of his mother’s cowboy boots, dark jeans, and a loose top that seemed to fit Mack perfectly.
“What’re you doing up here?” He hadn’t intended on the words coming out so rough, but memories were starting to spin around him.
“Oh. I’m sorry.” She shifted her stance cautiously. “Agatha asked me to bring these up here.” She held out three new halters.
Of course his aunt had sent Mack up here. Agatha obviously wanted him to get to know her, but he had no interest.
His gaze lowered. Okay, maybe his body had a slight interest, but he wouldn’t let it go any deeper than that.
“You can hang those up over there.” He gestured to the hooks on the far wall where about ten good halters already hung.
“Okay.”
While Mack went about the task, he turned back to Big Ben. He should give the horse a good check-up while he was home. And maybe order some of that special grain he liked…
“You didn’t seem too thrilled about the idea of a nonprofit.” Mack came alongside him but kept a wary distance from the horses.
“Why would you say that?” Nash pulled a brush off a nearby shelf and focused on grooming the horse. It was better than staring at Mack. She had some intense eyes. Somewhere in between blue and green and lit with a certain energy that threatened to draw him in.
“Your facial expressions give you away,” she informed him. “I could tell you hate the idea of turning the ranch into a nonprofit and I’m wondering why.”
The woman was more direct than he’d given her credit for. Last night she’d seemed timid and unsure. Granted, the circumstances of their meeting hadn’t exactly been ideal. In the heat of the moment, it was possible he’d misjudged her.
“My aunt is nearing eighty years old. And I can’t be here enough to help.” He paused to let her do the math. “I think it would be more practical to sell the land and set her up with a nice place in town.” She would be comfortable, safe, and set for the rest of her life.
“You want to sell this place?” Mack looked as horrified as his aunt had. “But I thought the land had been in your family forever.”
“It has, but that’s no reason to hold onto it.” His family had fallen apart right under his feet. A lot of good the land would do them now. “It’s too much to keep afloat.” He stopped. Why was he explaining himself to a complete stranger?
“But a nonprofit would help,” she argued.
Looked like this woman had already been hanging around his aunt too long.
“There would be funds coming in and—”
“Who’s going to help her run it?” he interrupted. Not Mack. There was no way she would stick around. Once this little break from her city life got old, she’d go right back and then his aunt would be alone again.
After a pause, Mack’s chin lifted in defiance. “She could hire a staff.”
“Then she would have to manage staff.” And pay a staff regularly. He couldn’t even imagine what that would look like. His aunt wasn’t into details.
“It makes sense to sell. Right now. While the market is good.” Why could no one else see that this was the practical move? In reality, it was their only option.
“Isn’t it your aunt’s land?”
He didn’t like that gleam in the woman’s eyes. “We own equal shares.” So he would have to approve anything she did on the land. And he did not approve of a nonprofit.
Mack looked past him to Big Ben. “What will you do with the animals then?”
He’d already thought long and hard about the logistics. “She can take a couple of the dogs with her. And we’ll find new homes for the rest.” If they split them up, it wouldn’t be too hard to find good homes.
“But you love this horse. I can tell.” The woman must’ve been watching him longer than he’d thought.
Why was she watching him? What was her end game here? Mackenzie Benson seemed impossible to figure out. Just when he thought he’d pegged her as something, she went and changed up his perception.
“I would find Big Ben a good home.” He had plenty of connections around the valley.
Mack crossed her arms. “Your aunt loves it here. It’s beautiful. It’s like a…refuge.”
It was hard to find refuge when everything reminded you of what you’d lost, but Mack would never understand that. “Agatha shouldn’t have to work so hard. I worry about her.”
Something softened on the woman’s face. “I think she worries about you too.”
Great. What had his aunt told her about him? That was another thing he’d rather not know. Agatha never shied away from sharing personal information.
“What if there was a way you didn’t have to worry?” Mack asked, gazing up at him from underneath those long eyelashes. “What if we were able to get her all the support she needed so she could stay?”
This woman was obviously going to be a problem. She seemed to be as equally as persistent as his aunt. “I don’t see how that would be possible.” But maybe he should let this whole plan run its course so he didn’t come out as the bad guy who trashed the idea.
“I’ll show you how it’s possible. I only need a few days.” Mack’s small smile engraved itself on his subconscious. She had a beautiful smile.
“And I need you to be open-minded,” she went on. “If you don’t like what I come up with, I’ll help you sell this place myself.”
Now that he could agree with. Nothing Mack or anyone else could show him would change his mind about selling.
“Fine. You have a few days.” That would give him time to get the land appraised and find a good realtor.
Then he’d take her up on her offer to help him unload this place for good.
“Welcome to River Haven.”
Agatha parked the truck in front of one of the quaint shops that lined a charming downtown street. The place looked like something off of a postcard.
Mack surveyed the uniform brick buildings, scalloped awnings, and colorful flowerpots hanging from iron lampposts.
She pushed open the door and climbed out of the truck, inhaling the scent of petunias and some yummy food that must be nearby.
“What a lovely place.” When she’d told Agatha she needed to shop for a few essentials—namely a supply of underwear—the woman had insisted on driving her to town. But she’d never imagined River Haven would be so idyllic.
“The place is lovely, but the people are even lovelier,” Agatha told her as they strolled past the storefronts.
They passed an antique store, a coffee shop—which was almost full to capacity—and a toy store.
It reminded her of a trip she and her parents had taken to Estes Park when she was probably about seven or eight years old. Mack had loved the small town, the friendly smiles, and the eclectic mix of mom-and-pop shops, but her mother had complained about the lack of high-end restaurants and stores.
“Agatha!” A woman dashed down the sidewalk and gave Nash’s aunt a hug. They looked to be about the same age, though the other woman’s hair was dyed a bright red color. “I heard that sweet nephew of yours is in town. How is he?”
“Nash is doing just fine.” Mack didn’t miss Agatha’s proud smile.
“You tell him to come by if he can find the time.” The woman beamed. “I made a batch of my butterscotch cookies. I know how much he loves them.”
“Thank you, Dorthea. I’ll tell him. Though it might be a short visit this—”
“He’ll be here at least a couple of days,” Mack interrupted. She’d been shocked when Nash had agreed to give her a shot at coming up with some ideas for the nonprofit, and she hadn’t known if she should tell Agatha or not. What if she failed? What if Nash hated her ideas? But on the other hand, she was too excited to keep it from the woman.
“Nash is staying a few days?” Agatha’s eyes went wide. “And how do you know that?”
“I asked him to give me a couple of days to prove w
e can turn your ranch into a non-profit.” Since Nash was the practical sort, she wanted to put together a cost analysis, potential revenue streams, and ideas for free publicity.
“You think you can do that in a couple of days?” Suddenly Agatha seemed concerned. She likely knew how much was riding on this ultimatum.
“I already have some ideas floating around in my head.” She’d had a long talk with her assistant back in Denver and had asked her to make a bunch of phone calls. “I’ve even jotted down a few concepts for a logo.”
“A non-profit?” Dorthea looked back and forth between them. “What’s all this about? And who is this gorgeous girl?”
“This is Mackenzie Benson.” Agatha presented her proudly. “She’s a good friend of mine. You can call her Mack.”
“Well, Mack.” The woman seemed to size her up. “Any friend of Agatha’s is a friend of mine.” She turned back to Agatha with a mischievous smile. “Does she have anything to do with Nash’s impromptu trip home?”
“Oh, no,” Mack answered quickly. “I don’t even know Nash. We just met. We’re not friends or anything.”
“Not yet,” Agatha corrected.
“Well, you won’t find a better man, honey.” The woman pointed at her as if to drive home the point. “You can search the world over, but there isn’t anyone like Nash Campbell. Heck, if I wasn’t old enough to be his grandma—and also happily married for over fifty years—I’d be lining up at his door, I can tell you that.”
“He seems…nice.” She wasn’t quite sure how to describe Nash. After last night she would’ve labeled him a jerk, but since their midnight meeting she’d caught glimpses of a different side to him.
A jerk wouldn’t have waited on his aunt during breakfast the way Nash had. A jerk wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of dragging down that box from the attic for her. And then watching him with that horse…a subtle quivering overtook her heart.
“Honey, he’s more than nice.” The woman elbowed her. “He’s as hot as a bucket of black tar sitting in the sun. And he’s good with animals to boot.”
“Mmm hmmm.” She’d seen his way with animals that morning when she’d watched him with Big Ben. Too bad Nash didn’t seem to be as good with people.
“Are you single?” Dorthea asked, eyeing her as though appraising how she’d look standing next to Nash.
“Just out of a serious relationship, I’m afraid.” And nowhere near ready to start another one. Not that it would ever be an option with Nash anyway, with him mainly despising her and everything.
“Well, that doesn’t matter,” the woman declared. “When I met my Leroy, I was dating someone else.”
Mack’s cheeks heated. Dorthea clearly wasn’t going to let this go until she knew how serious her situation was. “I was engaged. And I walked out on my wedding yesterday.”
That seemed to shut the woman up.
“It was wonderful to see you, Dorthea.” Agatha gave the speechless woman’s arm a squeeze. “Give my love to Leroy.”
The two of them walked away and Mack bent her head, staring at the ground. “Sorry. I guess I shouldn’t have said that. She was being kind of pushy, and I didn’t know what else to do.”
“Kind of?” Agatha chuckled. “That woman was born bossing other people around. But she means well. Everyone here loves Nash. He’s always helping people out when he’s in town. He treats a lot of the animals around here for free.”
Okay, so it appeared he had a few more good qualities, even if he wouldn’t let her see them. But still…their conversation that morning bugged her. He might think he knew what was best for his aunt, but he wasn’t taking into account how much she needed the ranch.
“Did you know Nash wants to sell the ranch?” She’d been debating asking Agatha about it since her conversation with him earlier and now the words kind of tumbled out.
“Of course I know.” Agatha waved the whole thing off. “He’s been going on and on about that for a couple of years now.”
Mack slowed and turned to Agatha so the woman would look at her. “He seemed pretty serious to me.”
“Of course he’s serious.” The woman shook her head. “Nash is too serious for his own good.”
But was he right? That was the question Mack couldn’t answer yet. Would it better for Agatha financially if she sold?
Like he’d said, the woman could travel and actually have a life if she got rid of all the responsibilities she currently had. “So you’re not the least bit interested in selling?” she asked cautiously.
She was well aware none of this was her business. She hadn’t even known these people before yesterday. But…in some ways it felt like she’d known Agatha forever. “It sounds like you could get a lot of money for the land.”
“Money. Pshaw.” The woman linked her arm with Mack’s, pulling her closer. “You can’t put a price on your true home, my dear. No amount of money can give you the sense of belonging your home does.”
She let go of a long, sad sigh. “Nash has forgotten that, but I have a feeling he’ll remember. We can show him. We can remind him what an incredible place the ranch is.”
“Maybe.” However, it seemed to her the task would be a lot more difficult than Agatha made it sound.
They continued on down the sidewalk, waving at people and saying hello, until Agatha ushered her into a small clothing boutique at the end of the street. It was a spacious store with a lot of hot pink and leopard print, and included rustic accents along with a huge supply of cowgirl boots and hats.
“Hello, Emery dear,” Agatha called to the woman sitting behind the cash register.
“Agatha…” the woman’s face brightened and she hurried around the counter to greet them. “I haven’t seen you for a while.”
“I’ve been terribly busy.” She gave the woman a short update about the ranch before turning to Mack. “This is my friend Mack. She’s staying with us for a few days.”
“Nice to meet you. I love the ranch,” Emery said wistfully.
Agatha’s face broke out into that lovely smile again. “Well, you know you’re welcome to come by for a visit anytime.”
“It’s harder to find time now that I’m working.” Emery leaned in closer to Mack. “Agatha got me this job. She helped me find a place to live too. She’s incredibly generous.”
“She certainly is,” Mack agreed.
Next to them, Agatha pretended to look at a necklace. She obviously didn’t like people talking about her generosity.
“What can I help you ladies find today?” Emery gestured to the shoe section. “Some fun new boots arrived yesterday.”
“Actually, we’re on the market for some underwear,” Agatha said matter-of-factly.
“Alrighty.” If she thought the request was weird, Emery sure didn’t show it. “Right over here.” The woman led them to a display along the back wall. “All the sizes are marked. And we’re having a sale. Buy two, get one free.”
“I love a good bargain,” Agatha told her with a twinkle in her eyes.
Mack loved a good bargain too, but she still didn’t have a credit card, and she wasn’t about to spend too much of Agatha’s money, even though she did plan to pay the woman back as soon as her assistant sent her things.
Another customer walked in, so Emery told them she’d be right back and hurried away.
Mack watched her go. “She seems sweet.”
“She is.” Agatha started looking through the underwear rack as though she might be in the market for some, too. “She’s had it rough, that girl, but she’s finding her way.”
Mack could see that. There was something about Emery. Something almost sad but resilient too. “How’d you meet her?”
Agatha hesitated for a few seconds. “She was hitchhiking on the road. Had a backpack and nothing else, poor thing.” Her eyes sharpened. “You’d better never tell Nash I picked up a hitchhiker. Oh, he’d be fit to be tied.”
“I won’t tell him.” It wasn’t her place to get between those two more t
han she already had, but… “You shouldn’t pick up someone off the highway. That’s so dangerous.” Didn’t the woman watch Dateline?
“I normally don’t.” Agatha handed Mack a pair of zebra-print underwear. “But I had a feeling about her. She just needed a hand to grab, that’s all. And I only had to hold onto her for a little while. Now she’s working and renting a small apartment in town.”
A hand to grab. The woman seemed to offer so much more than that. Agatha had offered Emery a lifeline. She’d offered Mack a lifeline when she’d felt lost. “You’re amazing,” she said, sure Agatha didn’t already know. “I’ve never met anyone like you.”
She’d never met someone who was willing to go out of their way to help someone else. Someone open and compassionate and also strong and steady. Who knew how many people the woman had helped? How many people had benefitted from her strong hand?
“Come on.” Mack snatched a few more pairs of underwear and bras in her size off the racks and prodded Agatha to the cash register. “Let’s get going.”
The woman all but dug in her heels, looking more than a little confused. “What’s the rush?”
“We have a lot to do.“ From what Mack could tell, Agatha had spent her entire life helping other people.
It was long past time for someone to help her.
Chapter 8
Armed with a supply of underwear and a fiery new conviction, Mack climbed out of Agatha’s truck.
All the way back from town, she’d been firing off ideas about potential corporate sponsors, events they could have, and how many staff members Agatha would need to hire to keep the place running.
She’d jotted notes on the napkins she’d found in the glove box, but she was dying without her computer or phone. “I’ll need a computer,” she said, coming around to meet Agatha in front of the truck. She had a ton of emails to send. “Do you have one I could borrow?”
“Oh, sure.” The woman looked thoughtful. “I think it still works, anyway. It’s been a while since I turned it on.”
This Place Called Home: Includes Bonus Story! (Forget-Me-Not Ranch) Page 6