“Anytime Mrs.Hart invites me over, I’m just treating it as an order.”
“Good approach, and you better start getting used to calling her Gran.”
Renn thought maybe of his three brothers he was most like Wes, a bit quiet and maybe a little suspicious of others.But it was probably the most honest conversation he’d had in his entire life.And he liked the ability to suddenly have several people to count on and talk about his past with.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Miranda
Keep Them Guessing
Staring at thespreadsheet full of red zeroes Miranda’s chest squeezed.She was on the phone with the staff for the upcoming Augusta breeder auction.She’d registered Beast and Thor weeks ago.
“What do you mean I still owe five thousand for the entry fee?”
She listened to the woman’s southern drawl that told Miranda she was clearly getting frustrated with her.Although she’d paid the registration fee, she still owed the rest of the fee to participate in the show, which covered the space in the arena for her horses.
“Times two, and stable rental fees.Okay is there anything else?Any other fees I should be aware of?And when exactly is the last day to pay?”
With a grunt she thanked the woman and hung up the phone.She would have screamed if Sara and Jeremy weren’t in the living room listening to every word of the conversation.
“Everything alright, Andy?”Sara asked.
She unfolded from where she sat stiff at the dining room table, her makeshift office, and closed her laptop.“Yep, nothing to worry about,” she said, lying to herself and Sara.“Jeremy, the bus should be here any second?”
He popped up off the couch and headed for the front door, as if listening to any grown-up conversation might instantly make him one.
“Your daddy left you a pile of debt, and this ranch to manage.From my view all you’ve got are worries.”
“We’re fine.”
“No we’re not, and the sooner you get honest with me the sooner I can help you think up a solution.”
“Don’t even worry a little bit,” Miranda said as she sat in the chair next to Sara.
“We could sell the rest of my jewelry?It’s not like I need it.”
“I promise I’ll figure this out, but if I hit a big wall I’ll let you know, okay?”
Sara nodded.“I wish I could go out and help you with those horses.I miss riding.”
“I’m going to figure out how to get you one of those fancy lifts and a saddle that will help you sit securely so you can ride again too.We’re in our building years.”
“I have one hundred percent faith in you, my little gumption girl.”
“Ha, you didn’t call it that after you married Daddy, when I was a know-it-all teenager, and I tried to run you out of here with all my pranks.”
“You were just a lonely little girl in need of some TLC.”
Miranda reached out and squeezed Sara’s frail hand.“And you were just what I needed.”
“Alright, now that we’ve established we both need each other, what do you think about Jeremy going out for the varsity team?It’s all he talks about, but I’m worried he’s too small and will get hurt.”
Miranda had been meaning to get out to a few of Jeremy’s practices and speak to the coach.She’d been so busy with the horses she hadn’t had time.
“Should we go watch practice today?”
“You go.I don’t want him to be embarrassed by me,” Sara said.“Besides I don’t think I can walk from that parking lot to the stands.”
