Capri lifted her glass. “Now that is a worthy investment.”
Charlie Grace laughed. “Darn right.” She shook her head. “Don’t get me wrong, this windfall is a huge blessing. But I don’t want a big deal made of it. Rest assured, none of the important things in life will change.”
The conversation settled for a moment, warmth filling the space between them. Capri leaned back and gave a soft smile. “I really have missed these nights.”
Reva sighed contentedly. “Same.”
Charlie Grace nudged Capri. “And I have to say, for all your complaining, you seem to be enjoying having Jake around.”
Capri rolled her eyes but couldn’t quite suppress her smile. “He’s fine.”
Reva snorted. “Fine? The man basically moved in to take care of you.”
Charlie Grace grinned. “And now that you’re healing, what happens next?”
Capri hesitated, eyes flicking toward the door Jake had walked out of earlier. “I don’t know,” she admitted, swirling her wine. “But for the first time in a long time, I’m willing to find out.”
Reva lifted her glass. “To figuring things out.”
Lila clinked hers against it. “And to not murdering pregnant daughters during their hormonal phases.”
Reva groaned. “Amen to that.”
As the laughter filled Capri’s newly finished home, she felt it—not just the comfort of old friendships, but the quiet hum of something new.
And for once, she wasn’t running from it.
24
Charlie Grace cradled the warm mug of coffee in both hands, inhaling the rich aroma as she stood at the kitchen window in her bathrobe. The morning light spilled golden over the pine tops beyond the meadow, a peaceful contrast to her past couple of days. The closing was done, the ink dry. Very soon, they would pay off the mortgage and own the guest ranch free and clear.
No more financial worries. No more pouring over the cash flow hoping for magic. No more sleepless nights trying to dream up yet another way to stretch their dollars.
Instead, she could focus on what she loved—her guests, her horses, and the land—without the constant worry. It was freeing, exhilarating even. For the first time in a long time, she felt light. Happy.
And it was all because Nick had nudged her toward this opportunity, believing in her even when she hesitated. Without him, none of this would have happened. Just one more reason she was falling for the man who always seemed to know exactly what she needed before she did.
A strange noise caught her attention, breaking into the quiet. She cocked her head, frowning.
Then the shouting started.
Charlie Grace stiffened, her heart kicking up a notch. Shouting wasn’t exactly unusual around a working guest ranch—wranglers hollered at stubborn horses, and the occasional ranch hand let out a curse when a boot met a stray pitchfork—but this was different. Urgent. Chaotic.
She set down her coffee mug and strode toward the back door, wiping her hands on her bathrobe. As she reached for the knob, another burst of voices rang out, overlapping, the tone unmistakable now—demanding, insistent.
Reporters.
Charlie Grace spun on her heel and bolted up the stairs, taking them two at a time. In her room, she yanked open her dresser, grabbed the first shirt she saw, and tugged it over her head, hopping into a pair of jeans before shoving her feet into her boots. No time for finesse—just fast, just necessary.
She ran a hand through her hair, barely taming the wild waves, then hurried back down, her pulse hammering. Without missing a beat, she strode back to the kitchen with her mind racing.
She could order them to vacate her private property, but she supposed they’d only corner her somewhere else. At least here at the ranch she had some control of the situation.
Bracing herself, she took a deep breath and swung open the back door?—
Only to find Jewel in her pink-striped pajamas, standing atop the porch railing, arms flung wide like a conductor before an orchestra of news cameras.
“—and let me tell you, it wasn’t that long ago when every time I asked for something—new shoes, a snack at the store, even just a little treat—Mom would sigh and say, ‘Not this time, sweetheart. Money’s tight.’ It felt like everything was too expensive, and no matter what, the answer was always no.”
