S I L A S
“Everything okay?” Ryke asked as I walked into the tack room. Ryke was very sensitive to emotions. I got the feeling he was always trying to stay one step ahead of a potential meltdown.
“Yeah. We’re going to settle the estate tomorrow.”
The guys nodded, their faces full of sadness as we focused on the recent events. I had no idea how things would work out without Dalton here. He was the glue that held this ranch together. His leadership and stubborn tenacity took this operation in the right direction after their dad died. He wouldn’t even fathom the idea of failing, and every time the Andrews family pushed him to sell, he reacted by putting more into it.
Ryke had mentioned he’d seen the same stubbornness in Mirabelle when he’d first met her. He seemed to think she was going to be a good thing for the ranch, but to be honest, I had no idea if she planned to stay in Colorado.
Dalton had told me she’d applied for positions in Maryland. And why would she stay here? Our conversations in the past few days either ended in anger or tears. I was seriously lacking in the communication department, that was for damn sure, and making a mess of everything.
I hung the last of the cleaned tack and went to find the guys. Ryke was feeding one of the last horses on one side of the barn, and Nate was doing the same at the other end.
“Where are you?” I asked to see where I could jump in.
“We’re basically done. Molly needs a rug.” He nodded his head toward the old mare.
I grabbed the cover and placed it over the gentle gal, sneaking her a peppermint from my pocket before leaving. Molly was a sweet quarter horse that had been on the ranch for as long as I could remember. She was so gentle you could put a child on her back, and she wouldn’t move a muscle until instructed.
“So, Nate said he’s helping you get Mira to fall for you.” Ryke flashed a half smile.
“Did he now?” I chuckled.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea, Si? You know he doesn’t do feelings well. If you’re looking for lessons on how to grunt, flash a smile, and then drag her to bed, he’ll be great help.” Ryke held back laughter. “But if you really care about her, like I think you do, be careful with his advice,” he said, a little more seriously now.
“I get it.” I smirked. “Mirabelle and I have a lot of unfinished business. I just need to get her through tomorrow, and then I’ll try to figure things out with her.”
“Good idea, Si,” Ryke agreed.
Nate took that moment to approach. “All set. I’m gonna clean up and go into town. Anyone coming?”
Ryke and I shook our heads, and Nate shrugged.
“More for me!” he hollered over his shoulder as he walked to the doors, confirming what Ryke had said.
“Call if you need a ride!” Ryke, always the responsible one, yelled after his brother.
“See you in the morning, Ryke,” I said as I headed to the house, planning a long shower and a good night’s rest instead of a wild night.
The office inside the small brick building was painted in neutral colors with only one large window overlooking the main road. Mirabelle sat next to me in complete silence. Neither of us had said much on the drive. Needless to say, our moods were somber.
The reading of Dalton’s will was not something I’d ever planned on being a part of. Not because I didn’t think he would leave anything to me, but because I never thought I would out live him. I don’t know why, but the thought of him dying had never even crossed my mind. Sitting in this unassuming office made the reality of his death even harsher than the funeral had. This was the final step in laying him to rest.
The door opened and closed behind us as Mr. Davis walked in, stopping briefly to shake our hands, and greet us. Mirabelle sat straight in her chair, hands gripping the arms so tightly, her knuckles turned white. Without thinking, I covered her hand with mine. She tensed for a second before releasing the chair and turning her palm up. My fingers entwined with hers, and she visibly relaxed.
“Thank you both for coming today.” Mr. Davis sat behind his desk and loosened his tie before shuffling through papers and opening a manila folder. “We’re here to read through Dalton’s Will and to settle his estate.” He paused, clearing his throat. “For the most part, everything’s in perfect order. Dalton kept meticulous records, and I’ve been through everything.”
I nodded in agreement without even seeing proof. I knew how careful Dalton had been with everything pertaining to the ranch. There was no surprise there.
“We can go over specifics of what he wanted to see happen with the ranch and its future, but I think it’s best for you both to understand he was adamant that his requests be followed.” Mr. Davis made a point to look at each of us.
His pause made me anxious. Of course, we would follow Dalton’s wishes. Glancing over at Mirabelle, I could see that she too must’ve been thinking the same thing.
“Dalton has left the ranch to you both,” Mr. Davis stated clearly.
“What?” I asked, sitting up straight.
“Wow.” Mirabelle leaned back in her chair.
I gripped her hand tighter, because I was afraid she would pull away, but also because my head was suddenly spinning. What was Dalton thinking?
I sat across from Mirabelle in the booth of the small diner. She kept her head down, playing with her straw, deep in thought. The morning had been emotional for us. It was hard to sit there and listen to Dalton’s wishes, knowing this was it. After the legal stuff was taken care of, all we had to do was exist without him.
“Are you okay?” I asked, worried by how quiet she had been since we’d left Mr. Davis’s office. Most of the information we gathered was to be expected, but there had been some pretty big surprises, and I needed to know where her head was.
“I’m just so confused.” She sighed, looking up at me for the first time since we’d sat down. A wild curl hung in her eyes, and I wanted to reach out and wrap it around my finger, just to feel it against my hand.
“About what?” I asked instead. Our food arrived, so she waited until the waitress left to answer.
“I guess I just don’t understand what he was thinking.”
Part of me was happy she was feeling the same way as me.
“Are you upset he left half the ranch to me?” That Dalton split the ranch equally shocked me. He’d never mentioned anything like that to me.
Mirabelle shook her head. “No, of course not. I guess I just wish I knew what he was thinking, you know, mostly about me.” She absently chewed a fry, staring at the wall over my shoulder. “I have no idea what I’m supposed to do now. I thought I had my next steps figured out, but now, everything’s just a mess.” With her brows knitted in a frown and her lips set in a grim line, she looked so sad.
“Well, maybe Dalton was trying to tell you something. Maybe he thought you belonged here instead of on the East coast.” At that moment, my response was more about what I wanted than what Dalton had, but with our last conversation still fresh, I didn’t feel bad about saying it. He wanted her back on the ranch as much as I did.
“Really?” she asked with wide eyes. “Did he say that?”
“He might’ve mentioned it. He never liked you being so far away from him.” I wasn’t sure she was ready to hear about our last conversation, or maybe I wasn’t ready to share it with her yet. Before I sprang my feelings onto her, I needed to fix things. The last thing I wanted was to scare her away again.
“Well, he’s not here anymore, so what does it matter now?”
Her words had a bit of a bite to them, and I had to remind myself she was hurting. She was also baiting me, but I wanted her to stay because she wanted to, not because I wanted her to.
“Is there really no other reason for you to stay, Mirabelle?”
A small shrug was her answer, and we ate the rest of our meal in silence. The lack of conversation did nothing for my confidence. If this was some random girl, I wouldn’t have an issue. If I was just looking to get off, this would be easy. Without Dalton as a buffer, we were completely failing in the communication department. If I had any idea how to open up to her, I would’ve already done it. God knows I wanted to be the person she remembered before she felt rejected by me. Finding a way to bring back her beautiful smile with something to warm her soul instead of drain her, was my top priority. Desperation and fear churned in my gut. The only thing I was positive of was I couldn’t fucking lose her again.
“Would you mind if I run into the hardware store before we head back?” There were a handful of items I needed for the ranch, and the less time I spent away from the ranch right now was best.
“Not at all. I’m gonna wait by the truck, okay?” She headed off, her arms wrapped around her waist as if she was holding herself together.
For a brief moment, as I crossed the road, I contemplated going to her. She looked sad, tired, and just plain overwhelmed. I made an effort to be quick with my errand so I could get her home and take care of her.