The Promise of Forgiveness

by Marin Thomas

  But Mia had placed Hank on a pedestal and worshipped the ground he shuffled across. What would happen to that love if she learned her grandfather was a swindler? Part of Ruby—the part still jealous of Mia and Hank’s closeness—wanted to expose him for the fraud he was, but she didn’t dare. Ruby’s relationship with her daughter might be on the mend, but bad-mouthing Hank would turn Mia against her. Besides, exposing his faults was just a cheap way for Ruby to get back at him for abandoning her. And since Hank had hinted to Mia that he wished he hadn’t put Ruby up for adoption, no good could come from holding on to the hurt and anger.

  “When we painted the nursery, you asked a lot of questions about my adoptive parents.”

  “Can’t blame me for wanting to know who took care of my little girl.”

  Little girl sounded like an endearment. “My mother kept a diary, but I haven’t read it.”

  His slumped shoulders straightened. “Why not?”

  “I forgot about the journal until Mia and I”—Ruby mostly—“planned our move to Kansas.”

  “What’s keeping you from reading it now?”

  “Whatever my mother wrote isn’t going to magically erase my anger at her and my father for not being honest with me about my adoption.” And what if her mother confessed that she’d regretted adopting Ruby and wished she’d brought home a different baby girl?

  “Maybe they had a good reason to keep your adoption a secret.” Hank’s stare pierced her—was he hoping she’d share the journal entries with him? Was he looking for redemption after choosing not to raise her—assurance that he’d made the right decision? What if neither of them found what they were looking for in the journal?

  “Be right back.” Ruby went into the house and fetched the diary from the nightstand, then returned to the porch and dropped the leather notebook in Hank’s lap. “Since you’re so nosy, you read it first.” She’d taken a big step, trusting Hank with her mother’s thoughts and allowing him a glimpse into the life he’d chosen for her. But it was best this way—she wouldn’t feel pressured to pick and choose the details she believed he should know. He’d read the raw, uncensored version, and in doing so maybe he could help her see her way through the hurt and pain.

  His gnarled fingers caressed the leather cover. “Did you get a copy of my oil lease?”

  “I did.” She removed the envelope from her purse and handed it to him.

  “Turn on the porch light,” he said.

  She reached around the screen door and flipped the switch.

  “The date’s wrong,” he said. “It says the lease terminates on September thirtieth of this year. It should be September 2050.”

  “Simple mistake?”

  “Maybe.” Hank didn’t sound convinced.

  “Does your lawyer have a copy of the original lease?” she asked.

  “I didn’t have a lawyer look over the paperwork before I signed it.”

  “What happens if they refuse to fix the date?”

  “Then I’ll lose my income.”

  “Will you be able to afford to keep the ranch if you don’t have money coming in from the lease?” If the Devil’s Wind went on the auction block, she and Mia would have no choice but to move somewhere else.

  “I’ve got enough money in savings to keep this place going until . . .”

  You die. “How much money do you have in the bank?”

  “Little over a million.”

  A million dollars and he lived like a pauper. If there was ever a man who embodied the saying “Money doesn’t make you happy,” it was Hank McArthur. Ruby was positive he’d give away his fortune to bring Cora home.

  She left him alone on the porch and retreated to her bedroom, where she sat in the dark, listening to the wind rustle the tree branches. When she’d first learned the ranch was her inheritance, she’d wanted nothing to do with the miserable place.

  But a million dollars went a long way in saying I’m sorry.

  • • •

  Sunday morning Ruby pulled the string hanging from the naked bulb in the attic ceiling. Ever since she’d discovered Cora’s trunk, she’d wanted to investigate the contents. The gold latches winked at her from the corner, beckoning her closer. The room was hotter than Hades, and sweat beaded across her brow.

  Her mouth went dry when she knelt before the trunk. She knew what she wanted to find inside—something that would represent one single redeeming quality that Cora had passed down to her. She opened the lid—lace bras, panties, and corsets. The sexy material held Cora’s secrets—maybe the ones she didn’t want Hank to discover. Ruby buried her nose in a satin camisole, but there was no hint of perfume—just a musty smell.

  Along with the photos of herself, Cora had left her costumes behind. Was she trying to outrun her past? Ruby pushed the clothing aside and found a pair of jeweled slippers. Tucked inside one of the shoes was a velvet pouch. She dumped the contents on the floor and stared at the earrings and bracelet that matched the teardrop ruby around her neck.

  Now she knew why Hank had asked where she’d gotten the necklace when she’d first arrived at the ranch—he’d known it had belonged to Cora.

  If only she understood what had been going through Cora’s mind the day she’d fled the hospital. Maybe then Ruby could make sense of every wrong turn she’d made in life.

  She placed the jewelry back in the pouch, then hid it in the slipper. When she tugged the silk lining at the top of the chest to close the lid, the thin material tore, exposing a packet of letters held together by a faded blue ribbon.

  There were six letters in all, showing the Devil’s Wind as the return address. Ruby shouldn’t read Hank’s private messages to Cora, but that didn’t stop her. She slid the first letter out of its envelope.

  Dear Cora,

  Got another check from the oil company and bought twenty-five head of cattle. I’m a real rancher now. Wish you’d come see the place.

  ~Hank

  Dear Cora,

  I planted red rosebushes in front of the house. Say the word and I’ll come get you.

  ~Hank

  Dear Cora,

  Bought a used piano at an estate sale. It’s sitting here waiting for you to play it.

  ~Hank

  How many letters had Hank written to Cora before she’d finally shown up at the Devil’s Wind? Ruby closed her eyes and imagined a much younger Hank standing in front of a mailbox, full of hope and excitement as he dropped his love letter inside.

  A surge of protectiveness toward him filled Ruby, and she wished she could throttle Cora for her insensitivity. She returned the letters to the compartment behind the lining, then closed the lid and left the attic, her heart swelling with more compassion for the old man than she believed possible.

  Chapter 27

  Wednesday morning Mia burst into the back porch, where Ruby was tossing a load of dirty clothes into the washer. “Can I go with Joe to fill the new stock tank with water?”

  “What new stock tank?”

  “The one Grandpa ordered. They delivered it yesterday.”

  “I thought I was going to help you make an obstacle course for Poke to play on.” Hank had suggested that Mia put some objects in the corral to keep Poke busy; otherwise he pestered the bigger horses, testing their patience.

  “Hank and I did that yesterday when you were at work and Poke didn’t care about the stuff, so we put it back in the barn.”

  She considered reminding Mia that she’d taken another day off work to hang out with her but didn’t want to put her on the defensive. Still, it rankled that she sat at the bottom of Mia’s list of people she wanted to be with. “Just be—”

  “Careful, I know.”

  Ruby removed Hank’s bedding from the dryer and stood at the window, mindlessly folding a sheet while she watched Joe lift Friend into the truck bed. The dog was more attached to Mia now tha
n Hank. As the pickup grew smaller in the distance, her thoughts shifted to Joe. He’d been avoiding her since the carnival and she didn’t know why.

  Before she’d arrived at the ranch, Ruby would have jumped to the conclusion that she’d done something wrong or Joe had lost interest in her because another woman had caught his eye. But she shoved her fear aside, telling herself that if Joe had changed his mind about wanting to be a part of her, Mia’s, and Hank’s lives, that was on him, not her.

  Maybe the carnival had brought back too many sad memories of Joe’s previous life and he wasn’t ready to move on. Whatever his reasons, it made her sad. She’d connected with Joe in a way she hadn’t with any of the other men she’d dated and had found comfort in knowing that, like her, he’d made mistakes with his child.

  Have a little faith, Ruby.

  A sliver of panic worked its way inside her head. What if Joe turned out to be like Glen Baxter? Or Dylan. Or Hank all those years ago?

  Mia approves of Joe. Ruby was grateful for her daughter’s blessing, but Mia was motivated by the hope that her mother’s relationship with Joe would keep them from leaving the Devil’s Wind.

  Hank appeared in the doorway. “Where are Joe and Mia going?”

  “To put water in the new stock tank.”

  “You hungry?”

  Ruby checked the display on her cell phone. “It’s only eleven.”

  Hank’s mouth twitched. “Been up since five.”

  “I’ll fix lunch as soon as I finish the laundry.” After he went into the kitchen, she called out, “Hank!”

  He came back to the doorway.

  “Don’t you have a doctor’s appointment this afternoon?”

  “Two thirty.”

  “Want me to go with you?”

  “I can drive myself.”

  “I know. I thought you might like company.”

  “Suit yourself.”

  Okay, she would.

  • • •

  “That doesn’t look good.” Joe stopped the pickup and got out.

  Mia and Friend followed him over to the windmill. “What’s wrong?”

  His gaze climbed upward. “The sails are barely moving.”

  “Sails?”

  “The blades.” He examined the gearbox, squinting against the blowing dust.

  “You look mad,” Mia said.

  He was mad. Someone had put a hole in the oil reservoir. The round-the-clock wind had burned up the gears and destroyed the motor. “The oil leaked out.” Another attempt to sabotage the Devil’s Wind.

  “Can you fix it?”

  “It’ll have to be replaced.” Next he checked the connector and the pump rod—both were loose. Maybe the person had been interrupted before they’d finished the job. He fetched a screwdriver from the toolbox in the truck bed and tightened the parts. “We’re done here. Let’s go.” He whistled to Friend, and the dog leaped into the truck bed.

  When the water tank came into view, Joe kept his eyes peeled for anything that appeared unusual or stood out against the barren land.

  “Where’s the one with all the bullet holes?”

  “Is that why you’re tagging along with me?”

  “I wanted to find out if my mom exaggerated. She said there were like a hundred holes in it.”

  “Not sure about a hundred, but it was close.” He backed up the truck. “The company that delivered the new tank hauled the old one to a salvage yard.” He unrolled the hose and draped it over the side of the tank, then opened the valve.

  Mia shielded her eyes from the sun. “I don’t see any cows.”

  “Once they catch the scent of water, they’ll head this way.” Joe inspected the base of the tank for leaks.

  “You kissed my mom.”

  He’d known if he waited long enough, Mia would divulge the real reason she’d accompanied him this morning.

  “I told my mom it was okay if you wanted to be her boyfriend.”

  He was glad to have Mia’s blessing, but he wondered how she really felt about him, especially after she’d thought of Sean as a father. “Why is it okay for me and your mom to be together?”

  Mia tapped the toe of her sandal in the dirt. “I’ve got Hank now, and my mom doesn’t have anybody.”

  “Your mother has you.”

  “That’s different. It’s not like I can just leave her.”

  Kids didn’t have to run away to leave their parents. Aaron had been here one minute and gone the next. “It’s good that you and your grandfather hit it off.” He’d rather keep the conversation on Mia than on him and Ruby—mostly because he felt like an ass for telling Ruby he missed being part of a family and then, like a coward, he’d shut her out after the carnival.

  “Hank gets me,” Mia said.

  “Gets you how?”

  “I don’t know.” She shrugged. “He understands me.”

  Joe opened a second valve on the potable water tank.

  “Are you going to ask my mom out?”

  He hadn’t thought to take Ruby on a date.

  “Don’t you think she’s pretty?”

  “Your mother’s very pretty.” Ruby’s tangled blond hair was sexy, and although the lines fanning from the corners of her eyes gave her age away, her smile reminded him of a willful teenager. She looked as wild and untamed as her spirit.

  “Are you worried she might dump you because she’s dumped all of her other boyfriends?”

  Joe coughed to cover his smile. If only Mia knew that he was worth dumping.

  “She hasn’t slept with that many guys. There were lots of times growing up that I can’t remember a boyfriend living with us.”

  He didn’t care how many guys Ruby had invited into her bed. He wasn’t qualified to stand in judgment of anyone.

  “I know you like my mom.” Mia raised her arms in exasperation. “I’ve seen the way you watch her when she leaves for work. You don’t want her to go.”

  That was true. He didn’t want Ruby working at the saloon because he worried that one of the rowdy customers would step out of line and make a pass at her. And yeah, he liked believing she was his.

  “We’re gonna stay at the ranch,” Mia said. “At least I am. My grandpa said I can take the school bus into Guymon when classes start in a few weeks.”

  “What does your mom have to say about that?”

  “She told the boss lady at the motel in Kansas that she’s not coming. I guess that means she’s gonna stay, too.” Mia dropped her gaze. “I kind of get why my mom was so hurt when she found out my grandpa didn’t want to raise her.”

  “Your mom and Hank will work things out.”

  “I know.” She peered over the rim of the water tank. “How many trips will it take to fill it all the way?”

  “Three.” Joe sat on the tailgate next to Friend and avoided Mia’s stare, baffled that the teen had unnerved him—like mother, like daughter.

  “My mom told me that you had a son.”

  Oh, man, he did not want to talk about Aaron.

  If you want to be with Ruby, you can’t pretend the past never happened.

  “What was his name?”

  “Aaron. He was six years old”—he forced the words out of his mouth—“when he died.”

  “What happened to him?”

  “He got run over by a car.”

  “That’s sad.”

  S-a-d—a three-letter word packed with enough emotion to choke a person to death. “Aaron would have been close to your age if he’d lived.”

  “How did he get hit by the car?”

  “It was an accident. He rode his bike into the street without stopping to check for cars. And he wasn’t wearing his helmet because he was mad at me.”

  “Why was he mad?”

  “I told him he couldn’t play video games with
a friend.”

  “I did something stupid because I was mad at my mom.”

  Joe patted the teen’s back. “Everyone makes mistakes. Sometimes all we can do is say we’re sorry.” Joe accepted that he hadn’t failed Aaron completely—he’d loved his son unconditionally. No amount of guilt or pain would convince him that Aaron hadn’t been aware of how deeply he’d been loved by both his parents.

  “Can I see a picture of him?”

  Joe pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and removed a school photograph of Aaron.

  “He looks like you.” She held the picture up to his face. “He’s got your eyes and mouth.”

  What kind of man would his son have grown up to be, if he’d had the chance to become an adult? He studied the heavens, searching for Aaron’s shadow in the moving clouds, hoping that wherever he’d ended up, he could still feel his father’s love.

  Mia handed over the photo, then jumped to the ground. “Will you ever get married again? Maybe have more kids?”

  A pain sliced through him—the sting sharp, but the throb afterward sweet. If he’d been asked that question a few weeks ago, he’d have said no way. But today . . . “Maybe.”

  Because Joe wanted to believe Ruby, Mia, Hank, and all their problems could sway him not to spend the rest of his life alone.

  Chapter 28

  “Hank, are you ready to leave?” After lunch he’d gone into his bedroom to nap and Ruby worried that he’d forgotten his doctor’s appointment.

  “Be right there!”

  She went outside to wait on the front porch. When he joined her, he asked, “Is Mia coming?”

  “No.” He didn’t protest when she slid behind the wheel and he had to sit in the passenger seat. “She wants to stay with Poke.”

  Once Ruby turned onto the highway, Hank spoke. “I’ve been reading your mother’s diary.”