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But something had prompted Mike to come to the city to see the man. Would it have been easier to call the guy and have another meeting in Rocky Ridge? Of course. But if he’d done that, he’d run the risk of bumping into people he didn’t want to see—namely Rose and her family.
Granted, they probably all knew what was going on by now. Rose would have told them the house was damaged and all their work was for nothing. They were probably all talking about how he deserved everything that was coming to him. That was what most folks said.
Mike paced outside the building, his hesitation growing stronger. He needed to meet with the guy so he could tell him that he was ready to have the house demolished. If the lawyer still had contacts with the developer, he’d sign the paperwork today and be rid of the house once and for all.
Then he’d leave town and never look back. He didn’t belong here any more than he had when he was a kid. As much as he would have liked to live the dream, he wouldn’t have the chance. Too many mistakes on his part prevented him from coming out on top.
A sigh burst from Mike’s lips, and he pulled open the door to the building. A pretty, young woman with dark hair and dark eyes glanced up at him.
She smiled warmly. “Do you have an appointment?”
Mike shook his head. “I don’t. But this shouldn’t take long.”
The woman frowned. “I’m sorry, but Mr. Swanson is booked solid today. I don’t think he will be able to see you?—”
“It’s only going to be a minute. I’m sure he’ll be interested in what I have to say.” Mike took a step toward a closed office door but stopped himself when the secretary got to her feet. If he really wanted to get into that office, she wouldn’t be able to stop him. Fortunately for her, he wasn’t about to start a fight. His gaze pleaded with her. “Can you just tell him… that I’ve changed my mind? Mr. Anderson. He’ll know what that means.”
“I’m sorry, but?—”
“Please.” Mike’s whole body slumped. “It’s important.”
She nibbled on her lower lip and glanced toward the door. Then she gave him a short nod. “Take a seat and I’ll let him know you’re here. If he can squeeze you in, I’ll tell you right away.”
He gave her a relieved smile. “Thank you.”
The secretary picked up her phone and turned away from Mike. She spoke so quietly that he couldn’t hear what she was saying. For all he knew she was telling Swanson that they needed to call the authorities. She glanced at him, and her smile returned.
Mike straightened in his seat. That was promising. She wouldn’t be smiling at him if she wanted to get him arrested.
She nodded, mumbled something else, and hung up the phone. “Mr. Anderson?”
He stood.
“Mr. Swanson said he’d be happy to meet with you, but he has to finish up his meeting. He said you could wait in the conference room if you’d like. The chairs are more comfortable.”
Mike nodded. “That sounds nice. I’d like that.”
She rose and gestured toward a door opposite the one that Mike had originally planned on going through. The secretary made it to the door before him and pushed it open, motioning for him to enter.
“Make yourself at home. Mr. Swanson will be with you as soon as he can.”
The room was large enough to hold a table with sixteen chairs. Large windows showcased the city around them. On one wall was a row of shelves with several books. This looked like the office of a lawyer who knew what he was doing.
Mike wandered idly through the room, choosing to avoid the chairs and stay on his feet. If there was one thing this room made him feel, it was failure.
He’d been so intent on his budding relationship with Rose that he’d lost sight of the reason he was here in the first place. What about his intention of saving his grandfather’s ranch? He’d wanted to keep it from being torn down and yet here he was giving the lawyer the green light to do just that.
Raking a hand through his hair, he let out a heavy sigh. With the house destroyed, his inability to fix it, and the way he’d left Rose, he didn’t have anything left in Rocky Ridge. Mike moved away from the shelves, catching sight of a painting on the wall.
It was strange for a lawyer’s office to have a painting of a cowboy holding an infant in his arms. But stranger than the cowboy with a baby was the familiarity of the cowboy. It wasn’t just any cowboy. The man in the painting was Mike’s grandfather.
The scene was far more intimate than Mike had expected. His grandfather smiled down at the child that could only be Mike. There was a tear on the man’s cheek, but his eyes were bright with adoration. His grandfather had nothing but a gentle smile on his face.
The painting itself was stunning. Mike recognized the style as something his grandmother would have painted. But the biggest thing Mike noticed was the soft features of his grandfather’s face. He’d never seen such a loving and tender side of the man. Even as he’d gotten older and paid more attention, he could honestly say that his grandfather, while kind and thoughtful toward his grandmother, had never been that temperate.
His grandfather had been one of the most loving men there was. He might have been hard on Mike, but without him, who knew how Mike would have turned out?
Mike reached out and touched the picture. He’d thought he’d missed his grandfather at the funeral. Then he’d thought he couldn’t miss him more than when he had gone through the house. But now Mike realized this was the tipping point. He wanted his grandparents back.
