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“You guys seem pretty happy,” I observed.
Jonah grinned like a little kid. “Yeah, she’s a fascinating girl.”
“That’s refreshing,” I told him.
He looked at me. “Why?”
I shook my head at the memories. “All my friends back home couldn’t describe Bridge as anything other than hot. I beat more than my fair share of asses.”
gan to kiss her and I’d decided I’d seen enough. I was still careful not to put too much stock in their fledgling relationship, but I couldn’t help the very good feeling their mere existence put in my heart.
I dressed, showered and drove myself to the auction—just myself and no one else. Since realizing I was in love Cricket, I had never felt more alone in my life. I sort of felt myself spiraling, retreating into myself, but I had no idea how to crawl out of the hole.
I was in love with Cricket.
She was choosing to be with Ethan.
Ethan didn’t really understand her, as cliche as that sounded.
So I, I was going to accept that, be as kind to both Ethan and Cricket as I could, get through the next few months for Bridge, set her up wherever she wanted to be, and get myself as far away from the Hunt Ranch as possible—not just for my own heart’s sake, but also to protect them from my father because his eerie silence was starting to scare the bejezus out of me.
I’d also made the decision to come clean to the man I’d helped my father blackmail. That I’d do it when I could secure the safety of Bridge and all the Hunts.
The inside of the old schoolhouse was packed; hundreds of people gathered around, mingled and laughed while waiting for the rest of the comers and the auctioneer. My eyes went straight for the stage and I wished I’d never come.
“Hey,” I heard from behind me.
My head hung low for a moment.
“Hey,” I said, turning around and facing Cricket and an older man in a wheelchair.
His right leg was missing below his knee.
“This is Amos McAllen. He wanted to meet you just as soon as you got in. He insisted.”
I smiled at him and extended my hand.
The old cowboy took it and shook it with a strength I hadn’t expected of a seventy-year-old. “Mr. McAllen, it’s an honor.”
“Son,” he said, patting our joined hands with his free one. “I needed you to know that what you and Jonah Hunt have done for my family will not go unpunished.” He smiled. “My wife and I pray for you every day and your generosity is much appreciated. I’m humbled, young man.”
This shamed me because I remembered complaining almost every moment of the day with Jonah. If I had put his face to the ranch, I would have been silent and worked twice as hard. “Sir,” I said, “you give me entirely too much credit.”
“Not possible,” he said, unwilling to accept anything else.
I nodded and smiled and gave it to him. He was obviously the more generous one. He wheeled off and Cricket stood beside me.
“He’s a very nice man.”
I watched him struggle with the chair and it broke my heart. “Extraordinarily.”
Around five o’clock, the auctioneer began the auction and things took off at an entertaining pace. I found a chair at a table near the back and sat.
“Can I roll in here?” I heard Amos McAllen ask me.
“Of course,” I said, sliding out the chair next to me so he could wheel himself in.
“Faye tells me you liked her cooking.”
