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Her mind veered toward Violet. It had hurt her to see the child nestled in Joshua’s arms. It served as a stark reminder of the child she had miscarried six years ago. Joshua’s child. She pushed the painful feelings away. She couldn’t allow herself to get consumed by the past. It might drag her under.
As she exited the stable, Honor spotted Lee, who was quickly making his way toward her. With his salt-and-pepper-colored hair and sea green eyes, Lee had a distinguished appearance. There was something so solid about him. He was trusted by the whole town. At the moment he had an intense expression etched on his face. His movements seemed full of urgency.
“Honor, it’s nice to see you,” Lee said, warmth emanating from his voice.
“Hey, Lee,” Honor said. “Good morning.”
Lee ran his hand around his shirt collar. His fingers seemed unsteady. “Under the circumstances, I’m sorry to have called you out here. It was a mistake.”
She frowned at him. He looked flustered. Normally, he was a calm, unflappable man. It was slightly alarming to see him acting this way.
Was Lee referencing Joshua’s unexpected appearance at the ranch? Like most of the townsfolk, he was fully aware of their history.
“There’s been a bit of a hiccup regarding the reading of the will and Bud’s property,” he said, his tone apologetic. His eyes radiated disappointment. “I probably jumped the gun by inviting you here to the Diamond R.”
“What’s wrong?” she asked. Adrenaline began to race through her veins. Instinctively, she steeled herself for bad news.
Lee let out a ragged sigh. “Bud didn’t update his will, Honor. He made no written provisions to donate the property to the land preservation society.” Lee threw his hands in the air. “There’s not a whole lot more I can say, but I’m very disappointed.”
“What?” Honor exploded. “That can’t be right. He said it over and over again. Everyone in town knew his wishes.”
Lee shook his head. “According to his attorney, Bud had the best of intentions, but he passed away before he could make it official. He never updated his will. Knowing Bud, he probably figured he had plenty of years ahead to make those changes.”
Honor felt numb as the ramifications of Lee’s disclosure began to settle in. “He verbally stated his intentions on several occasions. We all knew what he wanted to do with regard to the ranch. Isn’t that enough?”
Lee stared at her with sadness radiating from his eyes. “I’m afraid not, Honor. Our hands are pretty much tied. We could file suit against the estate, but it would cost a fortune. And to what avail? Alaskan inheritance law is very clear.”
Her heart sank. “So what happens now?” she asked. “Who inherits the property?”
“According to Bud’s attorney, Theo and Joshua and another relative named Violet are listed as the heirs to the Diamond R and all of its assets and acreage.”
Honor let out a deep breath. She felt like a deflated balloon. The old adage was true: don’t count your chickens until they’re hatched. In her mind she’d formulated so many plans for the expansion of the wildlife center. Now, in a puff of smoke, those dreams had been dashed.
Lee stroked his chin. “I’ve heard some rumblings about a developer from Texas who’s been circling around trying to buy up property in Love. It seems that Theo has already been in contact with them. They came to the ranch first thing this morning.” His chest heaved as he sighed. “There’s no easy way to say this, Honor, but I think we have to prepare ourselves for what lies ahead.”
Anger flared through her at the idea of Theo making deals to desecrate Bud’s ranch. Even as a kid he had never had an appreciation for the ranch. Joshua had been the one who had loved horses, the cowboy lifestyle and riding across the property with Bud. Honor had always thought of Joshua as her hometown cowboy.
“Lee, give it to me straight,” Honor demanded. Having grown up with three older brothers, she knew when she was being treated with kid gloves. She had always fought against it. She was way tougher than she might look on the surface.
“Do you remember the town council meeting where we discussed the upsurge in interest from developers in acquiring land here in Love?” Lee asked.
“Yes,” she said with a nod. “With the popularity of Operation Love, this town has been in the media spotlight. And now that Lovely Boots has taken off, a lot of developers view this town as a hot commodity.”
Operation Love was a matchmaking program created by Honor’s grandfather, Jasper Prescott. As town mayor, Jasper had devised a way of fixing the imbalance in the male-female ratio in town by bringing eligible women to town who were seeking Alaskan bachelors. The program had been very successful, with dozens of marriages and engagements. And Jasper’s wife, Hazel Tookes Prescott, had created genuine Alaskan boots that the town had mass produced as a way of boosting the local economy. After years of recession, it had been a brilliant way of bringing revenue to a cash-strapped town.
The downside of her grandfather’s matchmaking program and Hazel’s creativity was the sudden focus on their Alaskan hamlet. Suddenly, developers were viewing Love as a potential moneymaker. The idea of developers swooping down and buying up Alaskan land only to dig it up and build businesses on it made her sick to her stomach.
Lee’s features creased with tension. “This one outfit is serious about buying land here in Love and the Diamond R property is on their radar.” His mouth tightened. “It seems they have plans to build a five-star Alaskan dude ranch. There’s a chain of them all across the country.”
Honor’s jaw dropped. A dude ranch! Right here in Love?
“Theo and Joshua probably had a big check waved in front of their eyes by these developers.” He made a tutting sound. “They might find it hard to turn down such a lucrative offer.”
She let out a shocked sound. Joshua was in on it? She was stunned that he would go along with such a materialistic scheme. Was this the real reason the brothers had made their way back to their hometown? To make a quick buck by selling the Diamond R Ranch and the surrounding property?
“He wouldn’t,” she murmured. “He’s always loved this ranch.”
Lee narrowed his gaze as he looked at her. “Never say never, Honor. It’s been quite some time since you’ve known what Joshua may or may not do.”
“Is there any way to intervene?” she asked, instantly discouraged by the defeated expression stamped on Lee’s face.
“There’s nothing more for us to do except say a few prayers,” Lee said with a shrug. “Maybe the Ransom heirs will do the right thing and fulfill Bud’s heartfelt wishes.” He shook his head. “It’s doubtful though. Theo seemed very cocky about being owner of the ranch. Something tells me he won’t budge an inch.”
Anger rose up inside her. She felt her cheeks getting heated. How could they even consider such a drastic move? It went against everything Bud had stood for in this world. It would be fine by Honor if the property wasn’t handed over to the town, just so long as it wasn’t torn up to create a tacky dude ranch. She didn’t want the town of Love to become a commercial enterprise. Her hometown was a small fishing village filled with God-fearing people who loved the quaint and charming aspects of their town. If the Ransom brothers decided to sell, it would be a nightmare for the residents of Love.
Her stomach churned with worry. Hadn’t Joshua just told her he would be heading home after settling his grandfather’s affairs? Clearly he wasn’t invested in the ranch or in this town. Honor fumed. Joshua might not care about the fate of the Diamond R or this town, but she cared deeply about its future.
“There may not be anything we can do to change their minds,” she said in a fierce tone. “But I’m going to let Joshua Ransom know exactly what I think of him turning his back on a town he used to call home.”
Chapter Two
Joshua threw his hands up in defeat as he gave in to temptation and moved toward the side window so he could check up on Honor. Was she still outside? He pushed back the curtain and peered out the window, keeping his eyes peeled on the stables. Honor was standing with Lee and they seemed to be having a very intense discussion. He watched as she threw her hands in the air and kicked her booted foot in the snow. The gesture almost made him chuckle. Some things never changed. Although most of the townsfolk had always regarded her as sweetness and light, Honor Prescott had always possessed a feisty side. He remembered it well. More times than he’d like to admit, he had been the recipient of her ire. He sighed. Joshua knew he hadn’t made it easy for Honor to love him.
But she had loved him, hadn’t she? Love never fails. How many times had Honor said those words to him, quoting the verse from Corinthians? In the end, their love hadn’t been strong enough to survive adversity. It had withered and died. And he had walked around with a broken heart for years, pining for the one who’d gotten away. That was a long time ago though. He no longer harbored any love for his ex-fiancée. It had taken years, but he’d finally gotten over her.
He probably shouldn’t be spying on Honor, but his curiosity had gotten the best of him. What was she doing here in the first place? And what was she discussing with Lee that had become so contentious?
All in all, it had been a strange morning at the ranch. Theo had met not only with Lee and his grandfather’s attorney, but with a developer from Texas who had come to discuss the Diamond R Ranch. Joshua hadn’t attended the meeting. His hands had been full with wrangling a cranky Violet.
Joshua turned away from the window and gazed at his surroundings. His grandfather was all around him at the ranch, but especially in this very room. The den had been Bud’s favorite place in the house. Before she had passed away, his grandmother, Pearl, had always enjoyed teasing her husband about holing up inside his man cave for hours on end. Joshua could hear her voice now. Bud Ransom, we might as well put a bed and a stove in there with you. Then you’d never come out.
He missed both his grandparents. They had been two of the most loving, generous people he had ever known. They had doted on him during his childhood and shown him unconditional love. His own parents were living in Singapore, too far away to come back for the memorial service. For all intents and purposes, his family had been reduced to a small circle.
Did a person ever stop yearning for the ones they had loved and lost? Honor’s face flashed before his eyes. Beautiful, headstrong Honor. He now knew for certain he wasn’t over the events of the past. Not by a long shot. Seeing her in the flesh had proven that point. After all this time he still felt a pull in her direction. Not that it mattered. She had shown him years ago that he was dispensable. Honor had tossed him aside like yesterday’s garbage. He imagined the whole town of Love had stood up and cheered her on.
A sudden noise drew his attention. Joshua cocked his ear to the side and listened for any cries. These days it seemed as if he was always bracing for the slightest sounds. It was amazing how a child could alter a person’s life. He exhaled as silence reigned. Suddenly, Joshua heard the slam of the front door, followed by heavy footsteps. He was about to give Theo a piece of his mind. How many times had he warned him about making loud, disruptive noises when a baby was in the house?
All of a sudden, Honor was standing in the doorway of the den, her hands strategically placed on her hips. Pure molten fire radiated from her eyes. Little huffing sounds were coming from her mouth. He was fairly certain steam was coming out of her ears.
“Are you seriously considering selling out?” she asked in a raised voice, quickly swallowing up the distance between them.
Honor had come charging up to him like a wild bull reacting to a red flag. If she hadn’t looked so angry, he might have laughed at her aggressive stance. Her arms were folded across her chest, and she was breathing heavily as she glared at him. She was tapping one of her feet on the hardwood floor.
Old memories crashed over him in unrelenting waves. How could he have forgotten this defiant side of Honor?
He held up his hands. “Can you lower your voice to a dull roar? Slow down. What are you talking about?”
“Lee said there’s a developer who wants to buy the Diamond R. He says they want to build a resort on the property—some bootleg version of a dude ranch for people who want a so-called authentic Alaskan cowboy experience.”
Joshua stiffened. Hadn’t Theo said to keep things quiet about the offer from the developers? Clearly his brother had been running his mouth about the subject. And he had failed to mention anything about a dude ranch. Typical Theo.
He let out a sigh. “Nothing has been decided yet. I just found out about it myself.”
Her face fell. “So you’re admitting someone is circling around and making an offer on the ranch?”
“Yes, Honor. It’s true. Theo told me there’s an outfit from Texas that’s very interested in buying the property.”
“Bud would never have wanted this place to be sold to a developer. How can you even consider it?” she asked, her voice ringing out in the stillness of the room.
Joshua clenched his teeth at the accusatory tone of her voice. He felt his anger rising.
“Excuse me? I don’t reckon you want to pick a fight with me over my family’s land.” He hadn’t meant for his voice to have such a hard edge to it, but so be it. He hadn’t come back to Love in order to be pushed around and judged by his ex-fiancée. The days of everyone here in town making him feel less than were over. “It’s nobody’s business but ours.”
Honor let out a shocked gasp. She took a few steps closer to him until he could hear her breathing. He could see the flecks in her blue-gray eyes. She was bristling with rage.
“Do you know what will happen to this land if you sell? This developer will come in and tear up the land and make it some ghastly commercial enterprise.”
Joshua frowned. “You’re getting way ahead of yourself.”
“Am I? These things seem to happen fairly quickly. One minute they’re making you an offer and the next thing you know papers are being signed. This is precious land. It shouldn’t be transformed into something unrecognizable. And Bud wanted to donate the property so it would be preserved from developers.”
“Then why didn’t he put it in writing and make it official?” Joshua asked. “Bud was smart. He knew the risks in not following through on his promise.”
“I—I don’t know, but I do believe it was his intention.” She locked eyes with him. “Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
“This isn’t just up to me. Theo has some say in this as well. And I’m not convinced Bud wanted to donate the property to land preservation. He was as sharp as a tack. Maybe he changed his mind.”
He watched as Honor’s eyes widened and her mouth opened. Just as she seemed ready to erupt, a loud wail rang out in the room.
Honor froze at the sound. She turned toward the sound of the cries, which came from a nearby baby monitor.
“Is something wrong with Violet?” she asked. She sounded alarmed.
“I’m sure she’s fine. She’s been fussy since we arrived here,” he answered in a clipped tone. “She must have woken up from her nap.”
“She sounds upset.” Honor bit her lip and looked in the direction of the baby monitor.
“Sometimes she just needs to settle back down.”
She swung her gaze back toward him. “Aren’t you going to go get her?”
Joshua frowned. He didn’t understand why Honor looked so stricken. Was she suggesting he was neglecting Violet? He opened his mouth to say something, but he shut it. He didn’t need to remind Honor that she wasn’t a parent. There was already enough acrimony between them.
It really didn’t matter what she thought. He was Violet’s father. He knew what his own daughter needed better than anyone.
* * *
“I need to go see to her,” Joshua said in an abrupt tone. He turned on his heel and left the room, his footsteps echoing in his wake. Honor turned toward the baby monitor. She could still hear soft cries emanating from it. It caused a tightening sensation in her chest.
Honor hadn’t meant to sound so bossy, but the sound of Violet’s cries had been tugging at her heartstrings. There was something so poignant about the sound of a baby crying. Tears sprang to her eyes and she blinked them away. She knew it had everything to do with the baby she had lost. Joshua’s child. Although her own pregnancy had been unexpected, Honor had desperately wanted to be a mother. Not being able to hold her child in her arms was something she would never get over. And at moments like this one, the pain of loss came crashing over her in waves.
A few minutes later, the sound of footsteps heralded Joshua’s return. Honor’s gaze went immediately to Violet. The baby’s eyes were slightly red-rimmed and her hair was rumpled. She looked adorable.
Honor’s pulse began to quicken at the sight of Joshua and his little girl.
Violet was the perfect name for the blue-eyed stunner squirming in Joshua’s arms. With her chubby cheeks and a head of blond curls, Violet was a vision. Unable to stop herself, Honor took two steps toward Joshua, then reached out and grasped one of Violet’s fingers.
“How old is she?” Honor asked, filled with curiosity.
“She’s ten months old.”
Her throat felt as dry as sandpaper. There were other questions she wanted to ask, but she wasn’t sure it was really her place. Where was Violet’s mother? she wondered. She cast another gaze at his ring finger to make sure she hadn’t missed it. He definitely wasn’t wearing a wedding band.
“Bud said you’d gotten divorced a long time ago,” she blurted out, immediately wishing she could pull back the impulsive words. She didn’t want Joshua to think she’d been keeping tabs on him. Bud had hired her to come over to the Diamond R twice a week to check in on his animals. Although he’d never divulged much about Joshua’s life, he had slipped one day and confided in her about Joshua’s divorce.
“That’s right,” he said, jutting his chin out. “About five years ago. It lasted all of eleven months. I’m no longer married.”
Honor knew the shock was showing on her face. Her entire life people had told her about her inability to hide her feelings. She was certain this moment wasn’t any exception. She was reacting to the fact that Joshua hadn’t married Violet’s mother. It wasn’t shocking in itself, but it didn’t gel with the Joshua Ransom she had once known.
Joshua Ransom was no longer her business. What difference did it make whether he was single or divorced or had a houseful of babies? It was none of her concern. He was nothing more than a faded memory to her.
“Dada,” Violet said in a sing-song voice, looking up at Joshua with a gummy smile.
“Hi there,” Honor said in a light voice, smiling at the blue-eyed charmer. “Aren’t you the sweetest little thing?”
Violet gifted her with a grin, then reached out and tugged at her hair. Honor let out a squeal as Violet grabbed a few strands and wrapped them around her fingers. The expression on Violet’s face was one of triumph.
“Easy there, Vi,” Joshua said with a low chuckle. He began disentangling Honor’s hair from Violet’s grasp. “She loves to latch onto things.”
“She’s beautiful,” Honor said, unable to take her eyes off the little girl. She looked dainty in her pink-and-purple onesie, yet her little body appeared to be sturdy and well nourished. From the looks of it, Joshua was doing a great job in the fatherhood department. There was a funny feeling stirring around in her belly.
“Thank you,” Joshua said. “She’s changed my life in ways I never could have imagined.” Joshua’s voice was filled with reverence. “On a cloudy day, this little lady can make the sun peek out past the clouds.”
“And her mother? Is she here, too?” she asked, her heart sinking at the idea of coming face-to-face with the woman who had given Joshua a child. It was a petty emotion, but Honor couldn’t ignore it. It was an unsettling feeling. After six long years she shouldn’t care about Joshua’s personal life.
Joshua’s expression hardened. His jaw tightened. “She passed away right after Violet was born. I’m raising her on my own.”
Guilt clawed at her. Moments ago she’d felt an emotion resembling jealousy. And now she had just discovered that Violet didn’t have a mother. The situation was heartbreaking. Joshua was a single father raising a baby daughter. And poor Violet would never know the woman who had given her life.
It was incredibly difficult to reconcile the man standing in front of her cradling Violet with the ex-fiancé who had run wild all over town, leaving mayhem in his wake. He had once stolen a car as a prank and broken into a Jarvis Street shop named Keepsakes on a dare. And in one final act of rebellion, he had gone too far and started a fire that had destroyed the town’s beloved church. A local man had sustained burns after trying to put out the blaze. There had been no going back for Joshua after that heinous act. It had earned him a one-way ticket out of Love.
She shook the painful memories off and focused on the present. “I’m sorry to hear that, Joshua. It’s terribly sad for both of you,” she said in a low voice.
“Yes. It’s not fair for Violet. She’ll never get to know her mother,” Joshua said. He sighed deeply. “Tomorrow is never promised, like Bud always said. Life keeps teaching me that lesson. I thought I’d be able to see my grandfather again. He had plans to fly to Seattle to visit Violet and me next month.” His mouth quirked. “That won’t happen now.”
There was nothing Honor could say. No words were necessary. They both knew from their own experiences how unfair life could be. At the age of eight, Joshua had lost a baby sister to leukemia while Honor had struggled throughout her life with having parents who were missing in action. But developing a relationship with God during her college years had strengthened her as a person. He had shown her that despite setbacks and disappointments, life was a beautiful journey.
Honor found her gaze straying back toward Violet time and again. She felt a wild impulse to ask Joshua if she could hold his daughter. She wanted to cradle her tightly in her arms and smell her forehead. Babies always smelled like powder and soap and fresh flowers. She knew it wasn’t true, but looking at Violet made her believe it.
Seeing Joshua’s child created an ache deep within her soul.
“I need to get back to the wildlife center,” Honor said, tearing her gaze away from Violet. She needed to get away from Violet and Joshua as quickly as possible. These tender feelings were making her feel all jumbled up inside. A feeling of intense loss swept over her. Thinking about the baby she’d lost was incredibly painful. Joshua’s child. Seeing Violet brought back those devastating memories. What she wouldn’t have given to have held her own child in her arms just once.
She had only come to the Diamond R Ranch today to meet with Lee about Bud’s will. Seeing Joshua had been a complete shock to the system. And finding out that Joshua had a sweet-faced baby girl had been quite the surprise. Her mind was still whirling about the terms of Bud’s will. It was all a little much for her to absorb at the moment.
Honor had no intention of allowing herself to get swept up in Joshua’s life. When she had ended their engagement, Honor had cut all ties with him. Joshua had torn her world apart and ripped her heart to shreds. Becoming invested in his life was a surefire way to blur the lines she had established between them. She couldn’t run the risk of falling for him all over again. The sight of him holding Violet threatened to wear down all her defenses. It made her wonder what kind of a father he would have been to their child.
Joshua eyed her warily. “Are you finished reading me the riot act?”
She locked gazes with him. “For now,” she said in a low voice. “I don’t want to startle Violet by raising my voice.” On impulse, she reached out and swept a finger across the baby’s cheek. She was soft and warm. She is more precious than rubies. Honor felt a tugging sensation in the region of her heart as she gazed upon the irresistible sight of Joshua’s baby girl.