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“Maybe not legally but as far as Jordan and I are concerned, it’s his. I know it’s hard for Avery to accept, but Jordan is making his career in the Air Force. And I have plans that don’t include Marietta. Our home is wherever my brother is. The memories we already have tucked in our hearts. No sale co
uld ever take those away from us.”
Jillian was deeply touched by the love between these siblings. “Sounds like you should be talking to Avery.”
“I would but he never hears me. He still treats me like I’m ten. But I have another idea in mind to show him just what I mean.”
Jillian didn’t like the sounds of that. Beth did have a tendency to act first and think later. Sometimes Jillian wondered if she should be more like Beth instead of cautiously planning out her life, but she also knew that Beth got herself in a lot of messes. Maybe Jillian’s cautious tendencies weren’t so bad after all.
“Do you mind if I ask what you have in mind?”
Beth gave her a broad smile. “I think I have the answer for everyone.” She glanced at the coffee. “Do you mind if I pass on the coffee? There’s someplace I need to be.”
“No problem. If you need anything, I’m here.”
Beth gave her a hug. “You’re already doing enough by helping my brother with the Bake-Off. Thank you so much. Now I’ve got to go.”
And with that Beth disappeared out the door, leaving Jillian to worry about what the young woman had in mind. Her first instinct was to phone Avery and fill him in. But Beth wasn’t a kid anymore. She was grown up and it wasn’t Jillian’s job any longer to fill Avery in on his sister’s activities. Besides, she had a feeling Avery would find out about this mysterious plan soon enough.
*
So his little sister was home.
Avery had yet to see her, but Jillian had called to see if he wanted to cancel tonight’s baking session. At first, he hadn’t understood. He thought Jillian was backing out because she was washing her hands of mentoring him, but then she’d mentioned his sister. Suddenly the pieces began to fall into place.
When he rang Beth’s phone, she didn’t pick up. He assumed she was catching up with friends since she hadn’t been home since the holidays. He had to admit that he found this spontaneous visit highly suspect. What had drawn her home when she was supposed to be wrapped up in her classwork?
He’d just concluded a meeting with Blake where he’d laid out his plans for the ranch. He’d proposed ideas of how they could co-own it. Blake had sounded interested until Avery had mentioned the financial obligations. Blake didn’t waste any time making it perfectly clear he didn’t have access to that kind of money.
Avery’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel. Why did everything have to be so difficult?
And then Jillian’s words came back to him: If it was easy, you wouldn’t appreciate it nearly as much.
And to give up on purchasing the Crooked S meant giving up on keeping Jillian in his life as more than his friend. Because the more time they spent together, the harder it became to deny his growing feelings for her.
He knew she deserved more than a cowboy who spent his life on the road going from one rodeo to the next. She deserved someone who would be there for her day in and day out—like she’d been there for his family. He just had to buy the Crooked S. It would make them both happy.
In silence, he drove home. He couldn’t stop thinking that if he tried harder there would be an answer that he’d missed. Or maybe he was just refusing to accept the inevitable.
When he drove up his road, his gaze snagged upon a For Sale sign. He was surprised to find one of his neighbors was moving. Usually he heard about these things before they happened. And then he realized the sign was sitting in his yard.
What in the world is going on?
He didn’t even tap the brakes as he wheeled into the driveway. And that’s when he spotted the cute little car that he’d bought his sister. He sensed she was the root of the problem, but he had no idea what she was up to. Why in the world would Beth want to sell her home?
He hopped out of the truck. A twinge of pain in his knee didn’t slow him down as he hurried up the walk. He swung the front door open. “Beth! Beth, where are you?”
She strolled out of the kitchen with Marshmallow in her arms. “Would you quit yelling? You’re upsetting the cat.”
He glanced at the cat who was squirming to be let loose. Beth bent over and set the cat on the floor. His gaze returned to his sister as he waited for an explanation for the sign in the yard. And then realizing that in his surprise he’d forgotten to pull the sign, he rushed back out the door.
Beth was hot on his heels. “What are you doing?”
Without a word, he strode toward the sign.
“Avery, don’t you dare!” When he yanked the sign from the yard, she said, “Put it back.”
He didn’t care what she said. The sign was going away. If this was some sort of prank, it wasn’t funny. He took the sign and marched over to the garbage can by the side of the garage. Knowing it would never fit into the can, he placed it beside it. He turned to face Beth. “Now, you have some explaining to do.”
