Chapter Thirty-Five
Krystina
“Ms. DeLouch, won’t you come in?” the scruffy salt and peppered haired lawyer stepped into the tiny reception area.
The office was in one of the older, basic buildings in what I think is the original part of the small cattle town. In fact, as far as I knew, Ronald Broxton was the only lawyer around.
“Thanks for seeing me on such short notice. The family is handling the sale of the land directly? No realtor?”
“No, no realtors of yet, they thought they had some interest parties on the hook but so far no sale.”
“Very well, I have an offer,” I took a piece of paper from my purse and slid it across the desk to him.
“Not exactly the asking price the family was hoping for. About a seventeen percent decrease. But I have done my research and this is a more than appropriate figure. I don’t have to worry about financing, it is a cash on the barrel offer. Money can be transferred tomorrow at the earliest as soon as the families legal heirs sign the bill of sale.”
“Do you want your legal representative to review the paperwork, the contracts and such?” Broxton asked me placing his hand on his chin as if he were pondering my offer.
“No need. I will be sufficient.”
“I heard you had a legal back ground.”
I beamed. “This town does like to talk.”
“No that would be from my baby sister. Carla likes to keep me informed.”
“I didn’t know Carla had a brother or family in the area,” I paused. “I’m sorry that came off terribly rude.”
“No need for apologizing. I’ve announced my retirement a few months ago. My wife and I want to move south to Arizona and Carla is not happy with me about it. She can be… bossy to say the least.”
“Carla? Bossy? Never!” I laughed.
“She told me you were a lawyer, I am looking to sell my practice.”
“I’m not a lawyer. Not yet anyhow. I graduated but I never took the bar.”
“You should. Especially if you plan on hanging around town. It’s not wealthy or exciting law by any means. But the town will need someone to look after them nonetheless.”
“I’m not sure what my plans are at this moment. But I appreciate the thought.”
Ronald had been approved to accept any offer in a certain range so he fell quiet as he typed away on his computer, getting things in order for my real estate deal. The who transaction was setting me back just over three hundred thousand. About a of the price tag on the house me and Jimmy had shared in the city. Only a small scratch in my settlement money.
Delores had money and I have Jimmy’s balls. It was a good trade.
I had hoped that this would be the perfect gift for my Gentry. An addition to Mirror Lake, a piece that had once belonged to it as well. Most importantly the temptation for Jimmy was off the table and hopefully Gentry never had to know my ex tried to undercut him.
Jimmy would never move here but he would purchase land near enough to make Gentry’s life a living hell.
I needed to make Christmas perfect. I had been here over a month and a half. While that was a blink of an eye in relationship time, I needed to make plans. Do I stay on the ranch and take the bar here? So many questions I needed answered. So much I didn’t know.
Things had been so good for Gentry and I, especially since the rodeo. Neither one of us wanted to have the future talk it seemed. We danced around it, afraid. I didn’t miss the city. Not Manhattan or Boston. Occasionally I craved authentic and different cuisine that the ranch life didn’t offer. But that was it. I wanted this life. This life felt like me, the me that was always supposed to have been.
Hopefully, just maybe, this will prove that this is where I was meant to be.
Ronald’s printer started to wiz, spitting out papers. He turned around and put together the paperwork, flipping the pages and handing me those that needed my signature.
I pulled a high-end fountain pen from my purse. It cost more than a month’s rent on my mom’s trailer. But it had been a gift from my former father in law when I graduated from law school. I used it to sign my divorce papers and ever since considered it lucky.
“I’ll see you tomorrow then? Call me to set up a time and try to keep this quiet as possible. This is a Christmas gift.”
I walked out of the office. It was sunny today despite the chill in the air. I pulled my sunglasses down and wrapped my scarf around my neck. It was a six block hike, nothing to a former New Yorker, but in this town no one often walked this far.
I was without a vehical and had hitched a ride in to town with Ed this morning. I disappeared under the pretense of Christmas shopping, which wasn’t a lie. Now I was meeting him at the diner for lunch.
On block three I heard the whimpering of tiny puppy howls as I passed a truck parked two doors down from Fi’s. A middle aged woman leaned against the black Chevy.
“Want to take a look?” she asked me.
I peeked in the bed to see four fluff balls tumbling around each other. “Australian Sheppard mother and questionable father. They’re six weeks old, trying to find them homes. Three boys and one girl. They still need they’re shots but they would make great Christmas gifts.”
I picked up a grey fluff ball with brown and black spots. The little tyke squirmed happily in my arms and nuzzled in to lick at my face.
“I think he likes you,” the woman said as I stroked his fur.
“I know I like him.”
“Well take him then.”
I hesitated. “I’m staying with friends, not sure how well they would like me bringing home a pup unannounced.”
Just then the bell of Fi’s dinged and out strode Gentry.
I shouted his name and waved him over eagerly. “Please, please, please,” I begged holding the pup out to him as he walked over.
“A dog’s a big responsibility Krys,” he told me as if talking to a child.
I handed him the puppy with a scowl. “I’m not five Hollis. Besides, if I can be trusted with all the horses, what’s a puppy? Every ranch should have a ranch dog.”
The pup wiggled and yipped in Gentry’s arms and just seeing him with something so small pulled at my maternal instincts and I felt my ovaries want to explode.
Men and babies of any kind. I heard did that to women but I had never experienced it before. Damn hormones.
“It means vet appointments, potty training and making sure he doesn’t get under foot of the horses or herd. One hoof will end something this small.”
I put my hands on my hips. “I graduated from law school. I can surely tend to a dog.”
Gentry didn’t reply just patted the puppy. I stuck out my lower lip and pouted.
“He’s not sleeping in our bed.”
I smiled at him and took the puppy back. “We will see.”
“What was that Krystina?”
“I was agreeing with you.”
We said good-bye and took our new puppy and walked towards the dinner.
“What on earth is that?” Ed asked as we met him standing by the truck.
“Our new puppy!” I held my furry friend out for him to see.
“How did you get Gentry talked into that one?”
“I did my pouty face. Yes I did, didn’t I? I did my pouty face now you get to come home and sleep with me.”
“On the floor,” Gentry interjected in on my baby talk. I ignored him.
“Well, he can’t go in here. Put him in the bed. He’s a thick furred thing. He will be fine,” Ed told me and I reluctantly let Gentry take my new baby from me.
“Got a name for him?” Ed asked me as we went inside.
“I’m thinking Duke maybe? Duke’s a good dog name.”
“And Gentry always wanted a dog named Duke.”
“That too.”