A Moment To Love

by Jennifer Faye

  “Hey, Cord. Wait up,” a male voice called out.

  A quick glance over his shoulder revealed Mr. Forbes, his real estate agent, hustling down the sidewalk. Cord paused and turned. He hoped the man had chased him down to tell him the property had been sold and his troubles were now behind him.

  Cord gazed down at the stout man gasping for air. “Do you have good news for me?”

  “Well…” The man ran a hand over the short strands of white hair on the top of his head. His gaze lowered, avoiding Cord’s expectant look. “I wish I did. I wanted to apologize for the mix-up and to assure you that everything has been cleared up.”

  “What are you talking about?” The muscles in Cord’s neck bunched. The last thing he needed was another problem when he was poised to ask the bank for an extension on his loan. He couldn’t afford for it to all go wrong now.

  “Oh. I thought Melanie had kept you on top of everything.” Mr. Forbes’s round face puckered with worry lines. “She’s probably just embarrassed by the whole matter since she’s usually so thorough with her work.”

  Cord tapped his boot. He had a windmill to repair, as well as a fence line on the western boundary to inspect. If that wasn’t enough, before he called it a night, there was a pile of bills on the kitchen table with his name on them. He did not have time to chitchat.

  “Mr. Forbes, just spit out the problem.”

  “A while back, Melanie and I were discussing your account, and I filled her in on the unique aspects of your ranch. You know, about Haggerty. She was intrigued to find out it’s a ghost town.” Mr. Forbes searched his face as though looking for a sign of understanding. “When Melanie went to upload the information online about the couple hundred acres you’re selling off, she misunderstood and included details about Haggerty being for sale too.”

  Cord fisted his hands. He knew what was coming next—someone wanted to buy Haggerty. In that moment, his mind strayed to the possibilities that could bring. If he were to forsake his heritage and sell the land, he wouldn’t lose everything to the bank. He’d be able to save the house and barn. Yet he remembered the solemn vow he’d made to his grandfather that when Haggerty became his responsibility he’d respect and protect the land where his family had lived and died.

  Cord always maintained he was nothing if not true to his word. Even though his short-lived marriage hadn’t been the best, he’d have stuck it out and kept his vow till death do us part—but his ex-wife had had other plans. And when he hadn’t complied, she’d taken her anger and frustration out on him by painting an ugly picture of him for the townsfolk. She’d claimed with on-demand-tears in her eyes that he was mean and stingy. The worst part was that most of Whistle Stop believed Susan’s tall and malicious tales.

  “Cord, you all right?” Mr. Forbes sent him a concerned look.

  “Yeah, I’m fine.” He couldn’t let himself get distracted. The most important thing was saving the land. “You know I’m in the process of applying to have Haggerty listed with the National Register of Historic Places.”

  “I totally understand.” The Realtor patted him on the arm.

  “Do you?” Because the history of his family’s land wasn’t something people talked about, but Cord’s grandfather had spent years teaching him about his ancestors. “As long as I’m alive and kicking, no one but a Lawson will own Haggerty.”

  Mr. Forbes’s round face grew red like an heirloom tomato. “We have solid interest in the ghost town.”

  This news struck Cord like a sharp blow to the solar plexus. He didn’t need this complication. What if the bank got wind of this and twisted his arm to force the sale? Those bankers wouldn’t care about his heritage so long as they got their money. The thought soured his stomach.

  Just then, Ms. Business Suit strolled out of the store. When their gazes connected, he noticed the deep-blue depths of her eyes. Okay, maybe she wasn’t so bad. In fact, she was pretty hot. She flashed him a broad smile, and he forced himself not to smile back. He didn’t have time to waste with flirting—that was a thing of his past.

  He and Mr. Forbes moved aside to let her pass. Cord turned his head, allowing his gaze to linger on her, catching the sway of her rounded hips. It didn’t hurt to look. And, oh boy, was Ms. Business Suit a fine sight.

  Mr. Forbes cleared his throat. “About the ghost town—”

  Cord turned back to find amusement in the man’s eyes. “Yes…how far did this inquiry go before it became clear your office had made a mistake?”

  “Well…information was forwarded about soil samples and water supplies.”

  “So you didn’t bother to inform this person that Haggerty isn’t for sale? You didn’t take the time to tell them the listing is only for the two hundred acres on the eastern border of the Brazen H?”

  “C'mon, Cord.” Mr. Forbes grabbed a hanky from his pants pocket and dabbed it across his brow. “The property may have been in your family for generations, but selling it would keep you from losing everything. It's perfect.”

  Cord gritted his teeth. “Really? What about all those folks buried in the Haggerty family cemetery? Is it good for them? Would you sell out your grandmother's last resting place to earn a buck?”

  Mr. Forbes tugged at his shirt collar. His forehead glistened again. “No. I…I’ll have Melanie call the woman back and clarify which property is for sale.”

  “Make sure they know your office made the mistake. I want Melanie to convince this person to buy the two hundred acres. Time is running out for both of us to make this sale.”

  “I understand.” The man swiped the hanky down his face. “I’m really sorry about this. I don’t want to lose you as a client.”

  Cord inhaled a deep, calming breath. He hated being responsible for the pained look on the older man’s weathered face. Not long ago he had made a monumental blunder himself by marrying Susan. His failed marriage had landed him in this difficult financial situation. He shouldn’t be so hard on Mr. Forbes or Melanie. Neither of them would intentionally hurt this deal.

  “That won’t happen,” Cord said, checking his anger.

  Mr. Forbes rocked back on his heels. A weary smile puffed up his cheeks. “Thanks for understanding. We won’t fail you.”

  They couldn’t fail. As of right now, Cord didn’t have a plan B.

  Mr. Forbes met his gaze. “Melanie will be in touch as soon as she speaks with the potential buyer.”

  Cord yanked his key ring from his jeans pocket.

  “Make it sooner rather than later. If I don’t come up with the money for the balloon payment soon, the bank is going to foreclose.”

  “We won’t let that happen. Have faith.”

  Cord’s faith was really shaky at this point. He didn’t even want to contemplate what he’d do if the worst-case scenario happened. Where would he go? What would he do for a living? Ranching was all he knew. And with his dyslexia, it was the only place he felt comfortable.

  Besides, if he sold off half the ranch, it’d fix only part of his problem—paying off the mortgage. But at the same time, he’d lose too much grazing land to sustain his herd. Without enough cattle, he’d never be able to keep the place afloat. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Somehow. Some way. He’d find the means to hold on to the only life he’d ever known—the place where he belonged.

  ♥♥♥

  Surely, she hadn’t heard them correctly.

  Please say it isn’t so.

  Alexis blindly stared at a colorful poster for the area’s high school talent contest taped to the windowpane of Evert Feed Store. Ever since she’d heard the men mention the ghost town, she’d been rooted to this spot on the sidewalk. What they were saying just couldn’t be true—Haggerty had to be for sale.

  When the conversation ceased, she turned to see the cowboy’s retreating form. Her worried gaze lingered on his dusty tan Stetson with a brown leather band around the crown. A crop of light brown hair crept out from under it and curled against the nape of his tanned neck.
/>
  That was Cord Lawson—the man she’d flown across the country to meet? Her stomach plummeted into her suede heels. Getting on the cowboy’s bad side by making a fuss over the candy definitely qualified in her book as her third piece of bad luck. Oh, what mess had she gotten herself into this time?

  Standing around fretting wasn’t going to rectify things. Alexis set off after the cowboy. She raced past the stuccoed storefronts with their brightly painted signs as fast as her high heels would allow. She had to catch up to him. She needed to smooth things over before the man dug his cowboy boots in any deeper about not selling the ghost town.

  “Hey! Wait up!”

  Cord slowed and turned. “You again. I already gave you my only candy bar.” He pulled at his shirt pocket. “See? Empty.”

  She couldn’t help but laugh. “That isn’t why I stopped you. I was wondering if maybe I could repay your kindness by offering you dinner?”

  She couldn’t believe she’d just blurted out a dinner invitation to this sexy stranger. She’d written off men after Steven had lied and cheated on her. But then again, this invite was all about business and had absolutely nothing to do with the way his gaze made her stomach feel as though a dozen butterflies were fluttering around inside it.

  The cowboy’s brow creased as he considered her offer. “No, thank you.”

  “Come on. I just arrived in town, and I don’t know a soul here.” She once again flashed her most radiant smile, hoping to thaw his frosty exterior. If she couldn’t establish friendly terms with him, launching straight into her business proposal could constitute a monumental disaster. “Besides, there’s something I’d like to run past you.”

  He shook his head. “You can’t take no for an answer, can you?”

  “Not when saying yes can be so easy.”

  His warm brown eyes deepened to a shade of dark chocolate, alerting her to the fact that she’d once again chosen the wrong words.

  “Are you implying I’m easy, Ms.—”

  “Greer. Alexis Greer.” She extended her hand to shake his, but when he didn’t move, she lowered it back to her side. Not about to let his rebuff unnerve her, she lifted her chin and spoke with what she hoped was a confident voice. “And I wasn’t implying anything.”

  He arched a disbelieving brow.

  “Can we start over?” Why was he being so difficult? Was he always so distrusting? There had to be a way to get on his good side. “Join me for a friendly dinner. My treat.”

  “There’s no need to start over, as I doubt we’ll ever meet again. As for dinner, I can’t. I’m not available.” His matter-of-fact tone left no room for persuasion. Without giving her a chance to say another word, Cord turned and strode up the sidewalk past the handful of quaint shops with colorful awnings.

  What was up with him? Her shoulders slumped. She’d certainly blown that encounter. Was this a sign of things to come? Was she on the verge of messing up the entire deal? If she failed, her father wouldn’t waste time on words. He’d jump on the first plane westbound. Being a career-driven man, he’d disregard the risks to his life to save this deal for what would be the crowning jewel in his empire.

  Alexis nervously fidgeted with one of her diamond stud earrings while worrying her lower lip. It wasn’t so much the thought of HSG going bankrupt that had her body tensing. It was the knowledge of what it’d do to the one person she loved most in this world—her father. Sure, he could be demanding, contrary and stubborn, but he could also be understanding, encouraging, and loving. Howard S. Greer III was a complex man, and she loved him with all of her heart. Without him, she’d be all alone in this world. The thought chilled her to the bone. Life without her father in it was totally inconceivable to her.

  She moved her hand to her forehead and rubbed it, hoping to ease the throbbing. Sure, she’d hit a stumbling block with the cowboy, but this wasn’t her first challenge since taking charge of HSG, and it likely wouldn’t be her last.

  Determined to take care of her father to the best of her ability, she leveled her shoulders. She couldn’t let this deal fall through. Correction: She wouldn’t let it fall through. This encounter had only been a small defeat. She’d regroup and try again.

  Alexis slipped her fingers into her purse, seeking out the remainder of the chocolate bar. After standing on the sidewalk in the hot sun, the chocolate had softened, but that didn’t dampen her anticipation. She pulled back the plastic wrapper and sank her teeth into the now-creamy chocolate. As the rich taste spread on her tongue, her eyes drifted closed.

  Tomorrow would be better.

  She took another bite of the heavenly chocolate.

  The cowboy had a price. Everyone did. She just had to figure out his.

  CHAPTER THREE

  What a beautiful morning!

  Alexis stood outside the Three-Star Motel and stretched. There was no need for an alarm clock while staying here. The train whistle blew repeatedly at precisely six a.m.. With the motel being so close to the tracks, no one could sleep through that noise. Not a chance. But then again why would she want to miss such a glorious start to the day?

  She gazed up at the clear blue sky and smiled. She had a good feeling that today her luck was about to turn around. Just then, a bubblegum-pink and vibrant-blue hot air balloon drifted into her line of vision. How beautiful. Alexis watched, fascinated, as it lazily floated over the edge of town. What must it be like to ride in one?

  She stood there watching until the balloon drifted out of view. Then she realized that she’d better get a move on. She had important business to attend to with one very sexy cowboy, but first she was going to get her morning run in. Just because she was away from home didn’t mean that she could slack off on her exercise and diet routine.

  All warmed up, she set off down Ponderosa Street toward the big mountain in the distance. If her memory served her right, when she’d researched Whistle Stop there had been a brief mention of the Rocky Mountains and this was…was Roca Mountain. It certainly was very impressive in size—very impressive.

  At that hour of the morning, there was a distinct chill in the air, hinting at the cooler months that would soon be here. She jogged the length of Ponderosa Street and then swung north on Silver Avenue, using Roca Mountain to keep her oriented. This road led her to a residential area with colorful adobe bungalows. Unfortunately, there were a lot of for-sale signs. She recalled reading that the population had shrunk in the past few years as people were forced to move elsewhere for jobs. Hopefully, when the resort was built, it would turn the declining economy around for the residents of Whistle Stop.

  After making her way around the outskirts of Whistle Stop, she turned onto Main Street and headed for the town square. The center of the town. The epicenter of activity. The heart of Whistle Stop.

  Alexis stopped in her tracks.

  What in the world?

  She sucked in one deep breath after the other as her body cooled down. Her eyes scanned the town square. Someone had taken the time to trim the shrubs and cut the grass, but that’s where the TLC abruptly ended. Some of the benches lining the cracked sidewalks were broken and wrapped with yellow caution tape. Her gaze moved to the gazebo that had white paint peeling from the pillars. Even some of the shingles were missing. And the tall clock that stood off to the side of the park no longer kept time.

  If she looked hard, she could see the beauty beneath the years of neglect, but it didn’t negate the sadness of seeing the park in such poor condition. Why had everyone given up on it? This was the place where the townsfolk should gather and share bits of their day. It should be the glue that made the town special—picnics, carnivals, farmers’ markets, and the list went on.

  A breeze rushed past her, sweeping some lose strands of hair into her face. Carried with the fresh air was the most delightful scent of cinnamon. Alexis inhaled a much deeper breath. Her empty stomach rumbled. If she were smart, she’d turn right around and head back to the motel. But she did need to seek out some coffee. The coffeemaker
in her room would do in a moment of desperation, but she craved some really good java.

  Her gaze moved around the town square and settled on Poppin’ Fresh Bakery. Its candy-pink and frosting-white awning rustled in the breeze. And the name was scrolled over the big picture window in teal and white paint. It looked new and cheery.

  Alexis gravitated across the town square to the cute bakery. She really shouldn’t go in. It would take a lot more than her morning run to burn off the calories awaiting her. She was just about to turn away when a young man rushed out the door with a white box of goodies. The most enticing aroma of coffee mingled with baked sugary treats tempted and teased Alexis. How could she walk away now? After all, it was her duty to make sure that Whistle Stop would fit HSG’s image for the resort.

  She rushed inside and immediately spotted the coffee machine. Inwardly she cheered. Morning just wasn’t right without a good cup of coffee. She promised herself that she’d stick to her diet. She’d get a large coffee and slip right back out the door. Easy peasy.

  “Hi, can I help you?” A young woman with a friendly smile stood ready to fill her order.

  “Just a tall coffee with cream.”

  “No problem.” The woman, whose dark hair was pulled back in a braid that trailed midway down her back, turned to grab a cup. “Are you new to Whistle Stop?”

  “Um…yes. I just got in last night.”

  The young woman lifted one of the coffee pots and steam billowed from it. “You’ll like it here. Lots of great people.”

  “If you don’t mind me asking, what happened to the town square?”

  “The economy. Young people are moving away for work, and with less money coming in, the town council voted to cut back on the upkeep.”

  “That’s a shame.” Her research into the town hadn’t turned up anything about the neglect of the town square. She’d make sure to mention in her presentation to the town council how revenue from the resort would help with its upkeep. “It looks like it was really quite a beautiful park in its day.”