“Yes, she was. And we spoiled her beyond belief. It’s our fault that she turned out as she did. We should have been stricter.” He heard the door open behind him. “Oh, that must be Stanley !”
Max turned to see the man who walked into the room where they were sitting. He was a tall man, with gray hair and blue eyes. “It’s nice to meet you, sir .”
The man walked around to the front of the couch where Max was sitting with his grandmother. “You look just like her, you know .”
Max shook his head. “Do I? It’s been over half my lifetime since I last laid eyes on her. I’m afraid I don’t remember much.” He remembered her yelling, but it was her voice, not her face he remembered .
His grandmother hurried away, while his grandfather simply said, “We’d like you to stay with us for a while .”
“I have a job that I don’t want to lose.” And a girl that I might have already lost by running off this way. “I’m afraid I can’t stay .”
“If you’ll stay with us a week, we’ll make sure you’re written into our will. You’ll be our sole beneficiary .”
Max tilted his head to one side. “What do you do, sir ?”
“I’m a lawyer. And, please, call me Grandpa like you used to .”
“I’m not interested in money. I just wanted to meet you both .”
“You’d walk away from millions ?”
He shrugged. “I’m more interested in the relationships I have with people around me than money. I have a good trust fund already that I rarely touch .”
His grandmother walked back into the room then, holding a framed photograph. She handed him the picture, letting him look at his mother when she wasn’t much older than he was .
As he stared at the picture, he realized his grandparents were talking to one another, but he didn’t hear them. He couldn’t focus on both things. The woman in the photo looked angry. She definitely hadn’t been happy around him .
“Would you agree to that, Max?” his grandfather asked .
Max looked up, surprised. “Agree to what ?”
“Will you stay for a week so we have a chance to get to know you? In exchange, we’ll leave all of our money to that ranch you love so much.” His grandmother had a pleading look in her eyes as she asked .
Max frowned for a moment. The McClains had a fundraiser every year to help with the ranch’s expenses. He couldn’t be certain, but if his grandparents had the kind of money they seemed to have, the ranch would be set for a long time. “I’ll do it .”
His grandmother clasped her hands together, smiling happily. “You won’t regret it !”
* * *
T wo weeks later, Max called Kelsi at River’s End Ranch to get a ride back from the airport. His truck was already there, which left him without a ride .
“I’ll have Shane come and get you .”
“Thanks.” After making the arrangements, he sat down and waited for his flight back to Salt Lake City. He had an overnight layover there, and a flight to Lewiston early the next morning. After two weeks with his grandparents—they’d begged for one more week, and he’d acquiesced—he was ready to get back to the real world. A world where people didn’t live in a mansion and didn’t have servants. He was ready to go back to his ranch, but he had some unfinished business at River’s End first .
Soon. Soon he’d talk to Joni and apologize. Soon he’d be able to go home .
* * *
M ax felt his heart start beating faster as soon as the sheriff drove onto the ranch property and he spotted the café. Joni’s car was parked in front of it, so he knew she was there. “Just drop me at the café if you would, Sheriff .”
“Happy to.” Shane parked in front of the small building and Max got out, grabbing his bag from the backseat .
“I appreciate the ride .”
“Anything to help the course of true love .”
Max wasn’t sure about Joni’s feelings, but he knew his own. He was worried she was going to be angry with him, but he didn’t know what else to do except apologize and explain the deal his grandparents had made with him .
He saw that his usual booth was empty, and he walked over, sliding in. He took his hat off and laid it on the seat beside him .
Joni watched him walk in and took a deep breath. Kelsi had warned her he was on his way, but she’d had no idea what the impact of seeing him would be until he’d walked into the café. She grabbed a cup of coffee and the coffee pot, taking them both to him and filling his cup. “Want Bob’s special ?”
Max’s eyes met hers. “I would like that a great deal. Do you have a break coming up ?”
She nodded, walking back toward the kitchen and telling Bob that she needed two specials. Then she told Kelsi she was taking a quick break, and she walked back to Max, sliding in across from him. “How did it go with your grandparents ?”
He searched her eyes, and to his surprise, there was no anger there. Simply compassion and understanding. “You’re not mad ?”
She frowned. “Why would I be mad ?”
“I sort of abandoned you and took off for Dallas with no warning. You had to fly back by yourself. I never called you .”
She grinned. “Sounds like you’re trying to convince me to be angry with you. If you want, I’m sure I can make it happen .”
He laughed softly. “I should have called. I just wanted to explain it all in person…and now that I’m here, I can’t think of one word of explanation.” He reached out and took her hand in his. “Are you taking the job in Texas ?”
She nodded. “Adam said I could finish out the year here and start there on January second .”
“So you’re coming to the ranch? For sure ?”
“For sure. I’m staying here through the end of the year, because I can’t imagine how hard it would be to replace me at Christmas time.” Her eyes met his. “How long are you here for ?”
“I have another two weeks. I want to spend as much time with you as possible .”
She nodded. “Sounds good. I wish you could be here for Christmas, but I understand. You need to be with your adopted family as much as I need to be with mine.” She jumped up to get their plates and brought them back to the table. “Now, how did it go with your grandparents ?”
* * *
M ax spent Thanksgiving with Joni and her family, but he refused to shop with them on Black Friday. Instead he stayed home with her father and watched football. All day long. By the end of the day, the two men were bosom buddies, and Joni knew her father wouldn’t be happy if they split up .
After the holiday, he drove back to Texas, and she stood, crying as she watched him go. She knew she’d see him as soon as she got to the ranch, though, and there was so much to do before then. She was going to live in one of the small cabins on the ranch, and she had to pack up everything she owned—an entire lifetime of possessions—in just a month. It was good he was leaving as much as it hurt that he had to go .
She jumped into packing and the holiday season at the ranch with both feet, refusing to moan around because she was missing Max. The hard part were the holiday festivities. Always before, she’d thought of the people on the ranch as her family, and that had been enough. Somehow, this year it wasn’t .
Still, she did every single activity so she wouldn’t think about how lonely she was without him. It was strange—she was just as busy as she’d always been, just as involved with everything she’d always done. But without Max there, she felt empty and alone .
The Christmas Eve service was one of her favorite traditions at the ranch, and she was there, sitting beside Bridget. Somehow Bridget had decided they were best friends, and while she didn’t dislike the girl, she found her a bit difficult, especially in large quantities .
Part of the ranch’s Christmas tradition was that people would make special ornaments for each other, and they were passed out by the Weston siblings after the service. She watched as people all around her got gifts. When one was placed on her lap, she smiled, assumin
g Kelsi had made her an ornament so she wouldn’t feel left out. Kelsi was the one she’d talked to about her loneliness more than anyone .
She opened the package and found a small jewelry box inside. Joni frowned. This tradition was only for handmade things, not store-bought. She opened the box and gasped. There was a beautiful diamond ring inside. Looking around to see who was watching her, she saw Max kneeling beside her. “Will you do me the great honor of being my wife ?”
“What are you doing here?” Joni asked, her voice higher pitched than usual .
“I’m here so you won’t be alone on Christmas. Marry me ?”
Joni felt the tears coursing down her cheeks as she nodded emphatically. “Of course I’ll marry you .”
He removed the ring from the box and carefully placed it on her finger. “I love you, Joni Kley .”
She leaned down and kissed him softly. “I love you too, Max Logan .”
“When?” he asked .
“When what ?”
“When are you going to marry me, silly ?”
She shrugged. “When do you want to get married? I just realized you were even thinking about this. You’ve had more time to come up with a wedding date than I have .”
“How would you feel about getting married on the thirtieth? It’s a Saturday, and I already checked to make sure Kevin was free .”
She laughed. “All right. The twenty-ninth it is. I’ll get my family up here. I’m sure someone has a wedding dress I can wear. And then when we get to Texas, I can just move into your cabin with you .”
“Do you have any idea how happy that will make me ?”
Joni looked around then, realizing everyone had been watching and listening to their conversation. “Everyone else okay with the twenty-ninth for the wedding?” she asked loudly .
“Works for me!” Kelsi told her. “Just make it an afternoon wedding so I don’t have to take off work. I just lost my assistant manager !”
Max saw Jaclyn standing at the back of the church, her fairy wings in place. She smiled and nodded at him. He nodded back, silently thanking her for her help .
About the Author
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Peppermint Proposal (River's End Ranch Book 31) Page 10