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Lexi picked up the glass. “Has he had many headaches in the past?”
“If he has, he certainly hasn’t told me. And definitely nothing like that before.”
“Sounds like he has a lot on his mind.”
Ellie exhaled heavily. “You don’t know the half of it.”
Lexi touched her arm. “Do you need a moment to talk? Sounds like you could do with a listening ear.”
Ellie glanced at her, and Lexi caught a shimmer of tears before she blinked them away. “Want a cup of coffee?”
“Love one.”
Five minutes later, they were perched on stools at the breakfast bar, drinking coffee that would never be as nice as what Lexi was used to. Even the diner had better coffee than this. If this was what passed as standard, it wasn’t surprising so many people added flavors and creamers. They needed to, to disguise the bitterness. But perhaps the shot of caffeine was just what she needed to free her mind of some of the emotional muddle and helping her to hear more clearly what was really being said.
Judging from what Ellie was saying, the chaos lining the kitchen was a sign that all was not well here at the Reilly ranch, and the problems extended far deeper than a mother with possible early-onset dementia.
“So you’re saying he needs to sell the ranch to pay the costs?”
“I don’t know what Jackson is thinking. Today was the first I’ve heard of it. We were talking to my brothers, and they were as shocked as me.”
“But surely the rest of you have a say in running things. He can’t just sell the ranch. This is your family home, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.” Ellie swallowed the last of her coffee. “But he’s the only one who ever wanted to take on the ranch. My other brothers basically left or let him have his way. Even I—” She stopped, glanced down.
“Even you?” Lexi prompted.
Ellie sighed. “It sounds disloyal to say, but sometimes I wonder whether this is all I’ll ever do. I mean, I love it here. I really do. But I sometimes wonder what it would be like to travel, to see a little more of the world. Like you have.”
“I was able to travel because my dad is from Australia. I grew up there before coming here for a few years. So while I’ve seen a bit of the world, that was mostly because of family. And you’re what, twenty-four, twenty-five? You’ve got plenty of time to get out and about.”
“But that’s the thing. I don’t know that I ever can. Not when Jackson needs me here. Not when Mom …” She blinked rapidly, and Lexi had a strong sense she was going to cry.
“Hey.” She slid off the stool and wrapped Ellie in a hug.
From the way Ellie stiffened, then slowly relaxed until her arms clung on like she’d never let go, it seemed she rarely received hugs. And truth be told, apart from those from her parents, Lexi hadn’t received too many hugs in recent times, either.Lord, please heal the hurts here. Heal Mrs. Reilly. And Jackson.She swallowed.
Ellie pulled away, wiped under her eyes. “Wow. I wasn’t expecting to get teary today.”
“What can I help with?”
Ellie threw her hands in the air. “Everything?” She shook her head. “Scrap that. I should be asking what you’re doing here today.” She smirked, a sparkle of mischief returning to her eyes. “Was it to see Jackson?”
Lexi lifted a hand. “It was, but not like that. We’re just friends.” And would remain so, especially after overhearing his comment from before. “No, he mentioned something yesterday about your mother not being well, and it made me think about the fact that I’m pretty much sitting around at the Bible College, pretending to help my mother redecorate, when I could be of some use here. If you wanted me to be, of course.”
Ellie frowned. “You mean like care for her?”
“I’m a nurse. It’s what I do. And while I may not have qualifications that mean I can practice nursing here,”—not yet, anyway—“I still have the training and the experience to help. But that’s only if you, Jackson, and your mum are okay with that.”
“You’d really come and help?” Hope lit Ellie’s eyes.
“I’d hate to be at home twiddling my thumbs when I could be doing something.”
“You sound like me and Jackson. We hate sitting around too.”
“See? You’d really be doing me a favor, letting me come and help. You’d be saving me from dying of boredom.”
Ellie laughed. “I get the feeling you’re kinda good at getting your own way.”
