“Because the house has air conditioning?”
“Are you kidding me? You’ve been in the house all day while I’ve been shoveling shit and feeding kitchen scraps to pigs? I had to chase a crazed dog away from the coop, and you’re what? Playing video games? Arranging hookups on your dating apps?”
The man was completely unruffled. “At the moment, I’m going to meet some friends for a barbecue, but I spent the day doing office work.” He gave her a pointed look. Are we done?
“So, that’s what you’re doing for the month? Filing?”
“Well, it’s more accounting, but yeah, that’s what I’m doing. I asked what my choices were, and that’s what I chose. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
“I honestly don’t know whether you’re trying to punish me for selling Kurt’s property, or you’re just an asshole.”
His features hardened, and his intensity unnerved her. “If the only thing you see here is dirt and rocks and animals, then I don’t have anything to say to you.”
“Oh, come on. You must know I’d run this place into the ground. Isn’t it better to sell it to someone who’ll operate it like Kurt did?”
“We’re talking hundreds of thousands of prime acres in Jackson Hole. If you sell, it’ll most likely be turned into a subdivision or kept as some rich guy’s playground. How many people are going to spend seven-hundred-million-dollars to continue his work creating an ecologically sustainable ranch?” He stepped outside. “Did you know that Max Grevers came to the New World in sixteen-thirty-five? And that the five Grevers brothers came to Wyoming in eighteen-sixty-four when free land was offered?”
“No. Is that what you and Kurt sat around talking about?”
“Sometimes, but I got that from reading up on it last night.”
Like flicking a switch, anxiety lit her up. While she was wasting time doing chores, he’d gotten the jump on her. He was a cleverer opponent than she’d expected. “Where did you find that kind of information? Because it’s incredibly unfair that you get access to his office and library while I’m banished to a couch in an Airstream.”
He shook his head as if he couldn’t believe her stupidity. “I read it online. Just like you can do. And I’m not going to let you sell the land they worked so hard to hold onto for future generations.”
“You’re not a Grevers.” Why was he being like this? “Why do you care so much?”
“I don’t have to be Kurt’s son to know how much this land mattered to him. It’s your fucking history, and I’m going to keep it going just as Kurt intended.” He took a step back into the house and shut the door in her face.
She stood there rattled, shame creeping up her neck. And that just wasn’t fair. She banged on the door.
He must not have gotten far because he threw the door open. “What?”
“Put yourself in my shoes. That’s all I’m asking. Imagine a relative you didn’t know passed away and left you a massive farm in Germany. You’re a hockey player. Would you keep it? Live on it? If you had no money, no hopes of earning a real living, wouldn’t you sell it?”
“Sure, let’s play. Except it’s not a ‘relative.’ It’s my dad. And what if he involved you for the sole purpose of making sure I didn’t sell? What if you knew his values and priorities, would you let me sell it? Or would you fight like hell to make sure the man who was like a father to you didn’t lose his life’s work?” He held her gaze for so long and with such intensity, she could feel her anger and resolve shriveling.
He had a point.
“Now, I have to go.” He gave her a look that said We good?
Unsettled, she could only nod. Once he closed the door—this time gently—she crossed the stone patio and pool, breathing in chlorine and fresh mountain air. With a trembling hand, she let herself out of the gate and headed back to the garden.
She hated the puck chaser for humiliating her.
Dropping to her knees, she twisted a plump tomato off the vine and bit into it. Oh, God. She’d never tasted anything better. She demolished it in four bites.
I hate that I’m five thousand miles from home and so tired and hungry I can’t think clearly.
The carrots were filthy, so she reached for another tomato.
And it’s all Kurt’s fault. I hate him for putting me in this position.
But none of that rang true. Declan’s first inclination had been to give her the ranch. He’d only switched course to follow Kurt’s wishes. And she didn’t hate her biological father. He’d given her a chance to own this land that meant so much to him. He’d just brought in back-up in case she did the unthinkable. She couldn’t fault him for that.
Standing up, she brushed the dirt off her jeans. She’d never hated him. That was just something she told herself to cover the hurt of his rejection. She headed back to the Airstream.
Hurt’s such a small word, isn’t it? It required a plaster on a skinned knee. It meant a big cry when your friends stopped inviting you to go clubbing with them.
No, her father had destroyed her by giving her up so easily.
He’d blown up her very foundation. At her core, she was a good girl. A nice girl. From the time she’d been born, she’d seen the world through rose-colored lenses. An eternal optimist, she made the best of every situation, turned lemons into lemonade.
But when her father had stopped talking to her…it had shattered her sense of herself as being good, kind…
No. Of being worthy.
And, honestly, that was why she’d struggled so hard when her parents had cut her off so unexpectedly. It wasn’t that she’d suddenly had to pay her own bills. That’s fine. I’m a grown woman. I can do that. It was that they hadn’t thought she could amount to anything without a wealthy man to provide for her.
She could admit she’d taken everything for granted. Of course, she had. It had been the only life she’d ever known. But now she had a different perspective. Ten months of waiting tables in a diner in Kentish Town will do that. It had taken a bit, but now she knew how to manage her money, and she’d learned to live within a budget. And, truly, she wanted to see what she could accomplish on her own.
Back in her trailer, she checked her messages for the first time since landing in Salt Lake City.
Mum: What did he leave you?
Ugh. She didn’t want to get into that conversation just yet. No, it was far more important to research her Airstream issue. It only took a few swipes to discover it was quite simple. She could either fill her tank with fresh water or attach a hose.
Electricity turned out to be a bigger issue. If she didn’t find an outlet close enough, she’d have to buy a generator. After checking which ones would be compatible with her model, she looked up the local hardware store to find it would cost close to a thousand dollars.
Fear jolted her. I can’t possibly do that. Even if she gave up her room in the house, she still had to buy food and shampoo. She needed underwear and shirts. What am I going to do?
Wait, what am I thinking? I’m going home with hundreds of millions of dollars.
She knew exactly what to do. Without considering the time, she called her mum.