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And that felt plain disloyal to Anna.
CHAPTER SIX
Red Moon Rising seemed quite at ease in his new surroundings, and Everett Yost climbed back into his big rig for the trip back to western Nebraska, but not before asking for Lizzie’s number.
“You have it,” she reminded him. “On the paperwork.”
“Not the ranch number.” He grinned down at her and tipped his hat, just so. “Your number.”
“At the moment they’re one and the same,” she told him honestly. “Right now I’m pretty much eating, sleeping and drinking ranch stuff.”
“Is it getting to you?” he asked nicely. “It can, you know.”
She glanced toward the lambing shed and didn’t try to mask the concern in her voice. “No, I’m doing something I love and maybe helping this place stay special, the way my uncle wanted. Plus I’m spreading my wings in a way I never thought possible as a publishing executive. I’m pretty sure all of this happened for a reason.”
“Well, then, I wish you the best, Lizzie.” He slanted a sweet smile her way. “At least until Caufield gets a clue.”
She hoped she didn’t blush, but with her pale skin, it wasn’t easy to hide. “Have a safe trip home. And thank you, Ev.” She raised her hand toward the equine pasture. “You and your father.”
“Will do.”
He pulled away, made a wide U-turn in the barnyard and headed for the road.
He’d nailed her interest in Heath. Was she that obvious? Still deep in thought, she relieved Corrie at the stables, pulled out her phone and scrolled through her contacts. And when her sister Melonie answered, she did what she’d always done: she spilled her guts. The only thing missing was the plate of cookies or brownies they usually shared during conversations like this. She found a fun-size Snickers bar in her uncle’s desk, and felt like she’d just discovered gold as she relayed the past week to Mel.
“Heath is running the ranch?” Melonie’s voice arched in a true Southern drawl. “That is the very definition of impossible, Liz.”
“Clearly not.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this last week? I could have been on the next plane.”
“You had cable TV producers coming into town and I didn’t want you messing up what could be influential professional contacts just to come up here and hold my hand. You’ll be here soon enough. You’re already taking time away from your boyfriend and your media profile to be here. It’s not like the situation is about to change, Mel. You tie up your loose ends, then head north.”
Mel had been working as the on-site interior decorator for Fitzgerald Publishing’s popular Hearthside Home magazine. The final issue would be complete in the next week or so, then Mel would follow Lizzie to Idaho. But Mel longed to launch her own HGTV-type show. Taking a year off to secure her part of the ranch would thicken her pocketbook with the inheritance but thin her career profile. “A year in the mountains wasn’t exactly in your plans and I didn’t want to mess up your last weeks of work.”
“We look out for each other. The four of us,” Mel reminded her. “You. Me. Char and Corrie. That’s how it’s always been. And the boyfriend downsized me two weeks ago.”
“What? Charlotte and I were already picking out bridesmaid gowns behind your back. Really ugly ones, too. He dumped you? What a—”
“Dumped like a concrete block in the East River, darling, once he realized that my fortune was gone and the magazine right along with it. But don’t call him names. You’ll regret it later because I’m fine with it. Although I must admit I was not quite as calm and low-key when it first happened.”
“I am calling him names. In my head.”
Mel laughed. “Better to realize this sooner rather than later.”
“Still, I’m sorry that he hurt you, Mel. Because you deserve the best.”
“Ditto. So… Are you crushing on Heath? All over again?”
“No. Of course not.” She knew better. They’d crashed and burned once. Once was enough. Wasn’t it?
“Do you need me to tell you what a bad idea that is?”
“No, because it’s not happening. Leave it, Mel. I’ve got this.”
“Of course you do, honey,” said Mel in about as unconvinced a tone as there could be. “Why is he still single?”
“Widowed.”
“Oh.” Mel’s voice changed completely. “Oh, gosh, Liz. I’m sorry to hear that. So what’s the plan? How do we handle this? What do you need from me? And I can seriously get on a plane first thing tomorrow if it will help.”
