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Cal gazed at her in confusion. Why hadn’t her own family told her what happened?
“Why haven’t you asked your grandmother?”
“I have. She won’t talk about it. She told me to give it up. That we would never live here again,” she said, her sapphire eyes filled with tears. “I just want answers. I loved living here on the ranch, and it’s like part of my childhood was stolen from me.”
He was all too familiar with that feeling.
What did he do now? He understood why she was here, besides the wedding, and the thought of someone taking away the Sweet B filled him with rage. And yet, this woman was the best thing to walk into his life in ages. Not since Emily had he felt the urge to consider marriage again.
Already, he could feel his heart wanting to connect with hers, but now this. How could he ever let go of the one place he’d been happy? But she had experienced the same thing.
With a sigh, he glanced at Nathan watching the two of them closely. What did he do now?
They both wanted the same thing. They both wanted the Sweet B.
“I’m not giving up my ranch for you. Not unless you prove that my grandfather did something wrong and somehow took it from yours. That’s the only way I’ll ever give it up. And even then, it’d be the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
Nathan sighed. “Cal, why don’t you speak to your grandfather and see what he’ll tell you? Maybe even consider letting him talk to Lillian. I’ll help Lillian find her grandfather Paul. Maybe he’s still somewhere around here and can give us answers.”
Always the lawyer. The peacemaker, the let’s get the facts before we jump to any conclusions.
“It’s too late today to speak to him. I’ll do it tomorrow while you and Lillian search for Paul Bradley,” he said, knowing that now he needed to know the truth.
No matter what happened, he had to know if his grandfather, his mentor, his idol, the man who saved him from foster homes, had done something wrong.
“After this, do you still want me to stay at the ranch?”
He thought about it for a moment. If she were at the Sweet B, he could keep an eye on her and learn what she knew before she took action. If she were staying in a hotel, he wouldn’t get to experience the sweetest pussy he’d had in years.
“Yes,” he said, gazing down at her. “No matter what we learn, I’m still attracted to you. I’m not saying this is going to be easy. In fact, it’s going to be damn hard, and I’ll fight you every step of the way. But there is something I’m enjoying between us.”
She nodded. “If I were in your position, I’d feel the same. The Sweet B was the only place where I felt safe. I felt love and joy, and my family was so happy there until we had to leave. I want to give that to them again.”
It was strange how they both had found happiness at the ranch while they were children. It was strange how he felt like their stories must be similar, yet his story started before he arrived at Sweet B, and hers was after she left the ranch.
“Have you ever gone through your uncle’s papers?” Nathan asked.
“Oh yes,” he said, remembering all the documentation the nursing home needed before they would allow him to stay.
The records had been haphazard at best.
Now he wondered if there was anything in the safe he’d not seen that could explain what happened. There had to be a logical reason as to why Mr. Bradley gave his grandfather the ranch.
There just had to be.
Nathan gazed at him, and he could see the concern in his friend’s eyes. But he also knew that no matter what, Nathan would be on his side helping him fight to keep the ranch.
“So what do we do now?”
Concern filled Cal, but he was adept at hiding his feelings. When he was a child, he’d learned that was the best solution. Don’t let them know what they’d done to you and how it affected you. Keep all emotions hidden. Make your pain invisible.
And so he did.
“Let’s grab a bite to eat, check Lillian out of the hotel, and then go back to the ranch and fuck all night,” he said, gazing down at her. “Butt plug number two should be inserted, and I can’t gaze at your ass without taking your sweet pussy.”
A smile flitted across her face.
“You’re not mad at me?”
