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She shifted closer to her friend. “Take a look at this house. It popped up as a new listing yesterday. I’m not sure why it showed up in my search.”
Her stomach felt tied in knots as she read the property’s description out loud to Lily. Esme had looked at it so many times since the house came on the market the previous day, she practically knew it by heart. “‘Turn of the century charm meets modern luxury. This four bedroom, five bath, old homestead ranch stunner has a gourmet kitchen that will welcome family and friends alike. The main-floor primary bedroom has his and her walk-in closets with an en suite bathroom that boasts a steam shower and double vanity. Each of the second-floor bedrooms includes connected bathrooms, high ceilings and window seats perfect for enjoying the view of the open plains.’”
“Is that a library?” Lily asked, grinning at Esme as she pointed at the screen. “It would be perfect for you.”
“Can you believe it? If someone had built the house I dreamed of when I was a girl, this would be it. Only I’m not a little girl anymore.” She swiped at her cheeks when a few errant tears spilled over. “I know I shouldn’t want the fantasy. My heart was frozen after my marriage ended, but it melted for Ryder. I’m not going to close it off again, even if love isn’t in the cards for me right now.”
“I wish it were,” Lily told her with a sympathetic smile.
“It’s okay. I should be grateful for the happiness I do have. Chase’s health scare showed me that I can’t take the good things in my life for granted.”
“Of course not,” Lily agreed. “You would never do that, but it’s also okay to want some things for yourself.”
“I wanted Ryder, and that blew up in my face.”
“Ryder is an idiot,” Lily said simply, and Esme threw an arm around her friend’s shoulder.
“That’s just what I needed to hear. But I’m in charge of my own happiness and always have been. I’ve always managed to find a way to be happy.” She released a wistful sigh. “And so what if my dream house is for sale in the town that feels like home to me. I’ll just use a spare bedroom in whatever house we buy to create my own library.”
“That’s right. You are in charge of your destiny, Esme Fortune.”
“What’s all this talk about destiny?”
Lily jumped about three feet in the air, and Esme snapped shut the laptop as Asa took a seat across from the two of them.
“What are you lovely ladies doing today?” Asa tapped a finger on the laptop case. “You closed that pretty quickly, little sis. Don’t tell me you’re setting up your online dating profile already. No, wait. Do tell me because it would serve Ryder Hayes right to have to watch you go out with another man so soon after he mucked up his chance with you.”
“Asa, I’m not—”
“I can help weed out the weirdos if you want. Here’s a hint, if a guy poses with his guinea pig, both of them dressed in leather chaps, he’s probably not the man for you.”
Esme and Lily laughed at Asa’s silly joke.
“I’m not planning to date anytime soon,” she assured her brother. She couldn’t imagine any man filling the Ryder-size hole in her heart. But as she’d told Lily, Esme was grateful that these past few weeks had shown her she could love again. She hadn’t been sure that was possible but now hoped her heart would eventually mend again.
“Besides, I don’t think you have any room to talk. Right, Lily? Asa would probably make his profile picture a selfie of him and Major.”
Lily, who normally had no problem joking with Esme, seemed a bit tongue-tied at the moment.
“Major is a fine horse,” she said softly.
Esme groaned while her brother reached across the table to high-five her friend.
“He’s the best,” Asa agreed. “I’m not joining any matchmaking sites. I don’t exactly have trouble finding my own dates, if you know what I mean.”
“Just trouble keeping them around,” Esme teased, then lightly kicked his shin under the table. “Love ’em and leave ’em cowboy would be your perfect online username.”
“I always leave them happy.” Asa wiggled his brows. “Very happy, for the record.”
Lily had lifted the cup of coffee she’d ordered to her lips and choked on the sip she’d just taken.
“Stop that,” Esme scolded her brother. “You’re going to make my friend upchuck, and my corneas are burning at that mental image.”
Asa chuckled and handed Lily a napkin. “Sorry about that.”
“No problem,” she said, her voice strained.
“On the subject of happy...” Asa pumped a fist in the air. “I think I’ve finally convinced Val that I’m the ideal buyer for the dude ranch.”
