“I know this is a whirlwind of a process, but I did want to have a chance to speak with you about your routine with Thor before we make the transfer.”
“Of course.”She chatted with Mrs.Dixon for the next half hour and didn’t realize until later that Renn had left the arena until she found him back at the trailer loading up Beast.
“So, you feel like you got what you came for?”he asked, locking the trailer bolt into place.
She wasn’t sure if he meant the horse or him, but for her first official auction it was hard to say it wasn’t a complete success.The entire time she spoke to Mrs.Dixon she got the feeling she was being quizzed about her methods and techniques, even though they’d already purchased Thor.Maybe that was how it always was when you sold a horse for so much money, and she was proud of the interest her horses had garnered.
“I’m not sure this weekend could have gone any better, but it’s time to get back to the ranch and see how many of the ranches that were interested in BB breeding services actually pan out.”
“At least you’ve bought yourself some time with the sale of Thor.”Renn reached out to capture her hand, and she let him walk her to the rented paddocks.“Better give it one last look to make sure we got everything.”
They each checked the now-empty stalls and her eyes lingered on the haystack where they’d had their sleeping bag.As a quarterback for the Aces, Renn was going to be a huge NFL star, and she knew he’d have women throwing themselves at him.But for one night, under the Georgia moon, he’d been hers to have and she didn’t have any regrets about that.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Renn
Full House
That evening asthey arrived back in Sandy Point another storm was brewing and by the time they got Beast and the gear put away they were both soaked.Renn pulled a blanket down off the tack wall and wrapped it around Miranda’s shoulders.
“I hope you’re proud of yourself.You proved your business is real, made a sale, and have a dozen interested ranchers.”
She nodded and shivered but didn’t push him away.
He leaned forward until his mouth was a breath away from hers.
“I’m going to give you time, but I’m not giving up on us,” he whispered.
A faint smile pulled at her mouth.“We’ll see, Mr.Famous NFL player.Once the female population sets their sights on the next star quarterback for the Aces, they’re going to try to prove you wrong.”
He pressed his forehead to hers.“But they won’t be you and I already got a girl.”
Her hands enveloped his cheeks, and she kissed him like she was saying goodbye.Then stepped away.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said.
Before she could argue he continued, “I promised Jeremy I’d work with him on his spiral while I’m in town.”
She smiled.“You better take that contract, or I’ll never speak to you again.I’m only interested in dream chasers.”Then she ran out into the rain to get to the house.
Renn climbed back into his truck and the loneliness he’d arrived in Sandy Point with started to seep back in.He had family now, the chance at his dream job, but something still felt out of place.As he drove back into town to the inn, the answer settled around him like it’d been there all along.If he was honest with himself, he’d come to this town to settle the one question that had been haunting him his entire life.
Who was his father, what kind of a man was he, and why hadn’t he claimed Ren?But the truth was he was never going to get the answers he wanted, and he’d been fighting that for so long.He’d avoided asking his mama because he hadn’t wanted to hurt her feelings, or open old wounds.But if he was going to amount to anything he needed to ask someone and Mrs.Hart was probably the only person who could tell him.It was time to be honest with himself and accept whatever answers she had for him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Miranda
What Are the Odds?
The sound ofthe kitchen door crashing open was Miranda’s first clue something was wrong.
“Andy, did you know Renn is a pro football player?”Jeremy’s voice boomed through the room.
She nodded with her hands in the soapy water in the sink where she was washing the breakfast dishes.
“Just found that out over the weekend.Crazy right?”
