Redeeming the Rancher

by Deb Kastner

  “Consider me your right-hand woman. I happen to sit on the board for Redemption Ranch. I’ll contact the other board members and let them know where we’re thinking of going with this. Come see me at the café on Monday and we’ll work out our strategy.”

  A step beyond the exhilaration, Griff felt a moment’s panic. What was he doing? Exactly what he’d sworn he’d never do—help another woman in distress. He was running, not walking, down the path of potential destruction.

  He believed in Alexis. He did. But that didn’t stop the doubt from looming like a dark shadow in his mind. Not doubt in her, but in himself. Would he get in over his head again, lose perspective as he had before? Caro had set out to trick him in a way that Alexis never would—but still, he’d be putting himself out there becoming this invested in the project. And doing that opened him up to getting hurt.

  He forced a smile. “Yes, ma’am. Will do. I’m anxious to get started. Oh—and, Jo. One more thing, if you don’t mind?”

  “What’s that, dear?”

  The one thing he could still do to shelter his heart. “I’d prefer that Alexis not be aware of my involvement in this project at this stage of the process.”

  “Now, how’s she gonna know it’s your gift to her if she ain’t aware of who’s doin’ it for her?”

  “Right. Good point. But I have my reasons—good ones.” He tensed, his jaw tightening, as he waited for her to press him.

  Her wide-eyed stare penetrated his, disconcerting him. It was almost as if she could tell what he was thinking without him saying anything out loud. He barely restrained himself from fidgeting on the balls of his feet.

  “Good enough for me,” she said with a definitive nod.

  Relief flooded through him at the realization that she wasn’t going to push him on the issue. He wasn’t ready to disclose his past to anyone but Alexis. Ironically enough, it was Alexis who would most understand his reluctance to reveal his involvement in this arrangement. And how crazy was that?

  “Griff?”

  He returned his attention to the older woman, half afraid she’d changed her mind and would push him for more information. But she just smiled up at him and gently patted his cheek.

  “I’m proud of you, dear.”

  She turned and walked away before he could respond, which was probably a good thing, because he couldn’t have said anything to save his life. His face was flushed and he was too choked up for words.

  No one had ever said they were proud of him before.

  As he was struggling to contain the unfamiliar deluge of emotions flaring through him, Vivian danced past him. He snaked out an arm to grab her elbow.

  “Griff!” she exclaimed with a sincere smile. “Isn’t this wonderful? Are you enjoying my party?”

  He chuckled. She really didn’t hold grudges. There wasn’t even the hint of accusation in her gaze.

  “I am. Happy birthday, Viv.”

  Her eyes glowed. Once again Griff was struck by how much different Viv looked to him than Alexis. Funny how that was; his intimate familiarity with the twins. It was totally disconcerting to realize he had a strong preference for one of the women—he would rather be looking into Alexis’s eyes than Viv’s.

  “I have a gift for you.” He dangled the words like a carrot, knowing Viv would bite. “But it’s not something I can wrap.”

  Vivian squealed in delight and clapped her hands, reminding Griff of an overexcited toddler. “Tell me. Tell me.”

  Her enthusiasm rubbed off on him. “Hmm. You’re sure you want to know? Because I can keep it a secret.”

  She grabbed at his collar. “Spill it, mister.”

  “Hey.” Griff was surprised to hear Alexis’s voice coming from behind him. “I don’t want to see you manhandling my houseguest.”

  Griff’s heart thumped so heavily he thought the twins might be able to hear it. Alexis had referred to him as her guest, not their guest. It probably meant nothing to her, but it meant something to him. He turned to include Alexis in their little group.

  “I was just wishing Vivian a happy birthday. Same to you, Alexis.”

  “He mentioned a gift,” Vivian added eagerly. “And he was about to tell me what it was when we were so rudely interrupted.”

  “Please don’t let me stop you,” Alexis said with a laugh.

  Griff winked at Alexis. “I was just about to tell her that I’m planning to secure the investors she needs to complete her financing. You can build your spa, Vivian.”

  Vivian squealed and hugged Griff, then dashed off through the crowd to share her good news with her friends.

  Griff chuckled and turned toward Alexis. “That went well, I think.”

  “Oh, Griff.” Alexis sniffed and blinked rapidly. Griff was surprised to see her beautiful blue eyes brimming with tears. “You do realize you just gave Vivian her best birthday present ever. I’m talking, like, the best gift of her whole life. You blessed her with the answer to her prayers.”

  Seeing Alexis’s tears made Griff’s gut tighten into knots. He fervently wished he could bless Alexis with the answer to her prayers, as she had so eloquently phrased it. But he couldn’t, at least not yet. He wasn’t even completely certain he’d be successful at all in the plan he’d constructed. If his idea fell through, it would be back to the drawing board. And even if it all worked out, he’d never dare term it an answer to a prayer.

  But what if he failed? What would Alexis do then? As far as he was aware, her business plan was non-­existent and the investment capitalists he’d worked with in the past wanted to see profit. Success measured in the reformation of teenage delinquents didn’t make for a noteworthy bottom line for men such as that.

  No, he had to make this plan work—helping the community embrace her and her ministry. He just had to. But in the meantime, Alexis was crying and he had no immediate gift to make her feel better.

  “Hey, I’m sorry,” he murmured, pulling her into his arms despite the fact there was a crowd around them.

  “For what?” Her voice was muffled in the cotton of his shirt.

  “I feel like an oaf. I just gave Vivian a present of sorts, but I’m ashamed to say I didn’t get you anything.”

  “Are you kidding me?” she exclaimed, leaning back just enough for her eyes to meet his. Her arms were still firmly wrapped around his waist. “You’ve given me the most precious gift ever—the look of joy in my sister’s eyes. These are happy tears, Griff. You have to understand. Viv and I have both worked and struggled so that she could pursue her dreams. You’re the answer to my prayers, too, Griff Haddon.”

  She hugged him so tight she pressed the air from his lungs. But it didn’t matter. It wasn’t as if he would have been able to breathe, anyway.

  He’d never been the answer to anyone’s prayer before.

  Chapter Eight

  Alexis closed her checkbook ledger and pushed it to the side with a sigh that was a mixture of regret and relief. She’d paid everyone’s salaries until the end of the month and as many bills as her meager bank account would allow.

  For the millionth time she wished things were different, that she could continue running Redemption Ranch and concentrate on what she could and did do for the teenagers, rather than how far she would be able to stretch every dollar. She wished she could hire an accountant, or at least an administrative assistant to help her manage all of her paperwork. How ironic was it that the very reason she couldn’t hire someone to manage her money was that she had no money to manage.

  She wasn’t a corporation or a large ministry. With only the friends and neighbors on her little board of directors to guide her, she felt alone with her goals and dreams, all of which were about to fade into the sunset. She was proud of what she’d done, but there was still so much she wished she could do—so many thoughts and plans that would
now never be brought to life.

  The craziest thought of all was in regard to Griff Haddon. Because if Redemption Ranch was a triumphant success instead of an unmitigated disaster, she would seriously be thinking about offering Griff a position at the ranch.

  That was a ridiculous notion on any number of levels. First of all, as far as she knew, he was rich as Midas. He didn’t need a job. He had plans that didn’t include her or the ranch. He’d told her straight out that he didn’t especially like teenagers. And she didn’t have a specific position in mind for him, even if she had the money to offer him something.

  Which of course she didn’t.

  She sighed and cupped her face in her palms as her mind drifted to her handsome houseguest. She simply couldn’t shake the feeling that he belonged here. He was so good with her kids. Not just Devon, although he’d certainly reached that young man in a special way. But the way that he’d rallied all the teenagers after the party and had convinced them to work together to clean up the mess was nothing if not remarkable. He was a natural leader who was able to motivate the kids without ever being condescending or talking down to them—a rare and special skill.

  He’d plunked Alexis and Vivian into armchairs and hadn’t let them get up even to refill their own drinks. They were strictly ordered to put up their feet and relax. Griff and the teens had done everything for them. There wasn’t a single dirty dish or crumpled napkin for her to care for after they’d finished.

  There was much to admire in a man like Griff. From what she gathered, he’d endured some sort of traumatic childhood, and yet had the strength of will to rise above it, to become his own man and, best of all, to recognize that making money wasn’t the be all and end all of a productive life.

  She was proud of him for the man he was becoming. And yes, she couldn’t deny it, she was attracted to Griff in a way she’d never been attracted to another man. When their eyes met, when their hands touched, she felt as if she was walking on clouds, yet at the same time, she was energized in a way she couldn’t explain in words.

  Wouldn’t Vivian have a good laugh if she realized just how effective her little matchmaking ploy had been? In one of her typical crazy schemes, she’d sent Alexis a man out of the blue, not knowing that she and Griff would have a physical and emotional chemistry that registered off the charts.

  But she wasn’t in a position to get serious about a man. Her life was in shambles and troubles were raining down all around her. How could she even consider burdening Griff with the fallout of her failed ministry? The man was looking to get away from toil and turmoil, not dive into the middle of someone else’s mire.

  Peace and quiet she could not give him. Welcome to her chaos.

  And if that wasn’t enough, he had other issues he was dealing with. The Lord was working on his heart. She could see it in the way his attitude toward the teenagers had changed, and how active he’d been visiting with her friends and neighbors at her party. Griff was learning to love—not only others, but himself. She prayed every day that this new openness would extend even further—upward. She firmly believed that it wouldn’t be long before Griff finally became aware of the love God had for him.

  She needed to stay out of God’s way and allow Him to work in His own good time. She had a bad habit of interfering, and it wasn’t up to her. Just as with her beloved teenagers, her part was to show God’s love in her words and actions and then step back and watch the Lord at work in their lives.

  She was startled half out of her wits when Griff suddenly appeared in the door of her office. He looked like a regular native in scuffed boots and blue jeans, his gray cowboy hat curled in his hand.

  “I knocked but no one answered. I hope it’s okay that I let myself in. I figured I might find you working in here.”

  “Praying, more like,” she admitted with a dry chuckle. “I’m not sure working is going to help me at this point. Come on in.”

  Griff sank into the chair opposite her. “Any lightning bolts from God? Money raining from the sky?”

  “Hmm. I wish. No such luck. Not today, anyway. Was there a reason you needed to see me?”

  “Just to ask if it would be okay if I took Hercules out for a ride. He and I have kind of bonded. I thought since I have a little free time this afternoon I would pretend to be a cowboy for a while.”

  “You don’t have to pretend, Griff. I’ve seen you in the saddle. You have as natural a seat as most of the men who’ve grown up out here in the country.”

  His face brightened. “You think?”

  “Absolutely. And I’m glad you picked Hercules. He doesn’t get as much attention as some of the other mounts do. I can’t put a completely inexperienced rider on him, which of course most of my teenagers are. Hercules has a mind of his own, and he can be a bit skittish, as I’m sure you’re aware.”

  Griff chuckled. “That’s what makes him fun.”

  Why was she not surprised that docile wasn’t Griff’s style? “You might run across the teens and the wranglers while you’re out there. If I’m not mistaken, they’re out mending fences today.”

  “That never ceases to amaze me.”

  “What’s that?”

  “How you’ve taken the kids and turned them around.” He shook his head and grunted softly. “I remember how unruly they were at their first dinner with you. Now they’re out there mending your fences, and probably enjoying every minute of it, too.”

  Alexis choked on a laugh. “Them? I seem to remember how unruly you were at that first dinner.”

  Griff had the good grace to blush. “Touché.”

  “You’ve improved some upon acquaintance.” Her lips quirked.

  He smiled crookedly and tilted his head, his gaze warm and inviting. “You haven’t.”

  “Well, thank you very much for that,” she quipped back at him. The way he was looking at her was causing her stomach to do all kinds of crazy somersaults.

  “And by that,” he drawled lightly, “I mean you were already perfect then, just as you are now. There’s no room for improvement where you’re concerned.”

  “Oh, you!” Her mind flashed to her disastrous relationship with paperwork and fund-raising—both of which he knew about.

  He thought she was perfect? The man was blind as a bat.

  “Flattery, my dear man, will get you everywhere.”

  “Is that so? I’ll have to keep that in mind.” He planted his cowboy hat on his head and straightened the brim.

  “Don’t get lost,” she teased.

  He winked. “Same to you. I know from experience how massive piles of paperwork can bury a person.”

  Alexis brushed her hair back behind her ear as she watched Griff walk away. “I won’t,” she murmured belatedly.

  Even as she said it, she knew it wasn’t quite true. She was getting lost, but it wasn’t the paperwork she was worried about.

  What concerned her was that she might be losing her heart.

  * * *

  This was the life.

  Griff pulled in a deep, cleansing breath, full of the heady scent of horse and leather. He relished his boots in the stirrups, the feel of the thick leather reins threaded between his fingers. The strength of Hercules’s stride as the bay quarter horse loped across the fields. The sun in his face and the brush of the wind in his hair. The fresh air expanding his lungs as he leisurely explored acres of peaceful grassland.

  Truly, this was the life. That this was the potential of what his life was going to be like from here on out exhilarated him in a way no business deal had ever done. Even the most challenging and rewarding contracts left a bad taste in his mouth compared to the peace and contentment he was now experiencing. The only thing he would miss about his previous life was the chance to help people with his funding and experience—but he had the chance to do that here, too.

&n
bsp; After this morning’s meeting with Jo at the café, he was feeling even more motivated and encouraged. He’d known from the moment he’d met her that she would be a good person to have in his corner, but he’d had no idea what a shrewd businesswoman’s mind lurked underneath all that curly red hair. Jo had given a lot of thought to their strategy and already had a contact list squarely in place. She’d not only collected a prioritized list of names and numbers, but had provided the kind of practical and personal information about the folks on the list that he wouldn’t have been able to purchase from the most elaborate of data brokers—such as how each person or family knew Alexis and why they would be personally interested in helping her out. Thanks to Jo, he was loaded for bear and had a new sense of confidence that this small-town investor scenario would work.

  Wouldn’t Alexis be surprised to discover she wouldn’t have to set aside her dreams for the ranch? Oh, to see her face when he told her the good news.

  Wait.

  His heart dropped into the pit of his stomach as he realized he probably wasn’t going to be the one to tell her. His sense of elation dissipated like the morning dew. It was very likely he wouldn’t be there at all. It would probably be Jo Spencer breaking the news to her, just as they had discussed at Alexis’s and Vivian’s birthday party.

  It wasn’t as though he was going to be living at Redemption Ranch forever. As much as he’d come to appreciate this place and the woman who owned it, Alexis was expecting him to move on as soon as he could secure a place of his own. And rightly so. He’d taken advantage of her good graces for long enough as it was. He still wasn’t fully ready to put his heart on the line again—and the more time he spent with Alexis, the greater the risk for losing it entirely.

  No, the credit for supporting Alexis in her worthwhile ministry would go to those to whom it truly belonged—the community that loved her and would stand by her even when he could not. It wouldn’t be right for him to press his own advantage.

  Arriving back at the stable, Griff guided Hercules into the corral and dismounted, loosening the girth and sliding the reins over the horse’s head.