Chapter Thirty-Six

Evelyn

 

Closing on the ranch was set for next week, but I couldn’t wait another minute to tell James the good news. After my busy Friday docket was clear, I locked up my office and headed towards the ranch. My body trembled with excitement, mixed with fear of James’s initial reaction. I knew he would be offended, maybe even furious, at first, but that would change. It had to.

My car pulled up the lane, passing under the JJ Ranch sign, and parked in the spot next to where James’s truck would normally be. Instead, Pedro’s old truck was in its place, the barn door open, and shadows moving about inside.

I stood by my car for a moment, staring at the small ranch. It was locked up, curtains drawn, and I noticed the chair where James liked to sit and watch the sky was missing from the porch.

“Miss Evelyn,” Pedro called.

I jumped in my spot, turning, startled by his voice. My cheeks were blushing with embarrassment, and my heart racing as I nodded towards the house.
“Where’s James?” I asked.

Pedro’s face drooped as he tilted his head with hesitation.

“You didn’t hear?” he asked.

“No,” I replied.

“The ranch sold,” Pedro sighed.

“Oh, yes, I knew that. But, where’s James?” I repeated my question.

“He left. Said no to be here when they arrived. We are here feeding animals now, and each day until,” Pedro’s voice trailed off, or I stopped listening.

I walked towards the barn, past Kyle, and then stopped short of reaching the stables where Gulliver and Queen were supposed to be. They were empty.

“Where are the horses?” I gasped.

“James had us take them to Fuller’s farm,” Kyle answered.

My hands wiped away my tears and then pushed against my chest to soothe the ache in my heart. He’d left. He actually left, and took the horses with him, my horse even. He told me he would leave town and never look back if he lost the ranch, if it sold. I didn’t think he would really do it, at least not this quickly, and not without at least saying goodbye.

“Do you know what he paid for them?” I asked, hoping to get them back from the old man before he became too attached.

“Oh no, he didn’t sell them. Fuller is stabling them for him, just until he figures out his next step,” Kyle explained.

It was like a light being switched on in a dark room. My heart beat hard against my chest, and hope filled my veins.

“He hasn’t left town?” I gushed, gripping Kyle by the shoulders as I turned him towards me.

“No, ma’am,” he smiled nervously.

My nails were digging into the poor boy’s flesh as I jumped with excitement without releasing my grip.

“Where did he go?” I demanded.

“He didn’t say, exactly. I know he bought a place in town,” Kyle confessed.

I pulled him in, hugging him tightly, and then ran to my car. Dust kicked up from my back tires as I sped down the lane, and then onto the main road.

The town was larger than most small towns, but I was determined to find him. I skipped the apartment parking lots since Kyle said he bought a house and focused on the houses near the outskirts of town, ones with more land than house. There was no sign of his truck, no sign of him.

I called Axel.

“What’s up?” he sounded busy as he answered, out of breath, and distracted.

“I’m looking for James; do you know where he is?” I asked.

He paused, and I heard something clanking in the background.

“Sorry, I’m making my famous chili for the guys. No, I don’t know where he is, did you try the ranch?” he stammered.

“He left the ranch after he got word of a new buyer,” I sneered.

“Oh, shit,” Axel gasped.

“Yeah, oh shit,” I groaned.

“He didn’t leave town, did he?” Axel inquired.

I told him everything I knew, which wasn’t much. I couldn’t believe James just took off without telling anyone where he’d gone. My heart ached at the thought of him all alone, everything in the world he cared about gone.

“What should I do?” I asked.

“Evelyn, you just bought a ranch, you, my little city slicker cousin, a fuckin’ ranch,” Axel laughed.

“Yeah, and for what?” I growled.

“Because you were following your heart. If your heart wants James, which I think we both know it does, then don’t give up, just find him. You’re a smart girl; I’m sure you’ll figure out how,” Axel coaxed.

“I’ve already checked all the properties in, outside of, and on the skirts of town that have some land, some feeling of freedom,” I mumbled.

“I don’t see him getting a loan for anything around here, so check houses that he could buy outright,” Axel suggested.

“Of course,” I sighed.

After thanking Axel for his help, I hung up and let him get back to his chili. He was a godsend, always helping me out when I was frazzled. I’d already started to give up hope, and was driving back to Amarillo when he told me he hadn’t spoken to James. I took a deep breath, turned my car around with an illegal U-turn, and headed back towards town.

I called the bank, speaking directly to the loan manager. He checked recent home sales in the area and found one that was purchased with cash. That was it. It had to be.

“What’s the name on the contract?” I asked eagerly.

“James Laurie,” he replied.

I nearly jumped out of my seat with excitement as he gave me the address. It was just a few streets over from where I was. I made a right at the stop sign, slowed down as I read the address on each house, and before I could find the one I was looking for, I noticed James’s truck parked on the side of the road. I pulled in behind it, looking at the white house it was in front of, and gasped when the address on the front of the house matched the one the loan manager had given me. It was a wreck, a dump, and so small. I couldn’t wait to get him out of there.

My hand trembled as I reached out with a closed fist and knocked on the shabby door. The window that I stood next to was cracked, the porch beneath my feet crumbling, and the paint chipping away from years of neglect from the wood siding of the house. I heard something inside, something being knocked over, and then James cursing as footsteps sounded closer, and closer. The door opened, and there he stood, tall, broken, reeking of alcohol, and eyes reddened from lack of sleep.

He didn’t speak when he saw me there on his porch. I stared at the man I loved, that I wasn’t afraid of admitting my feelings for anymore, and feared his reaction to what I was there to tell him.

“Evelyn,” he spoke softly as if he were trying to convince himself my presence was real.

“I’m sorry to bother you. If you’re busy, I can come back,” I stammered, worried that his expression didn’t show any signs of happiness to see me.

“No, of course not, come in,” he offered, stepping out of the entrance.

Beer bottles were everywhere, on the floor, the cheap card table that sat in the dining room, and overflowing the trash can. It was obvious he had a rough first night in the new place, and looking around, I could see why.

“Sorry about the mess, I haven’t had time to unpack or anything,” James explained.

“That’s good,” I smiled, unable to hide my enthusiasm any longer.

“Nothing’s good anymore. They sold the ranch, and in less than a day of it being on the market; you know what that means don’t ya?” James spat.

“It means some corporate piece of shit bought it up for the land, hell, no tellin’ what will be put on the land after it's flattened, could be a fuckin’ mall for all I know,” James continued without giving me a chance to respond.

“I don’t think it was a corporation,” I beamed.

“Yeah, well, it doesn’t matter now, does it?” James growled.

“So, I came here to tell you something, about the ranch,” I interrupted his ranting.

“What, you know who bought the place?” he asked, his eyes filled with anticipation, ready to erupt at my response, cursing the new owner with creative exploits.

“I do,” I paused.

James stared at me, his eyes starting to soften.

“You look great. I’ve really missed you,” he whispered.

“I’ve missed you too,” I admitted, tears starting to form in my eyes.

“Don’t cry. I’m really sorry. I j-just couldn’t bear for you to see me like this,” he confessed.

“I wish you wouldn’t have shut me out,” I whispered.

“Me too,” he sighed.

The familiar scent of James’s cologne mixed with alcohol. I sucked it the aroma into my lungs, my pulse racing as I began to tremble. I wanted to lean in, tip-toe to his mouth, place my lips over his and taste him.

I watched as James became distracted and hesitant, his eyes pulling from mine and moving to the floor. I wanted to wrap my arms around him, tell him “it’s okay, I’m here now,” but he shifted from his spot in front of me and walked towards a torn and tattered couch. He sat. His head fell into his large hands, and he exhaled a deep sigh before looking back up at me again.

“You said you know who bought the ranch?” he stammered.

“I bought it,” I blurted nervously.

My hands grew clammy, my pulse quickened, and tremors erupted throughout my body as I watched James. The lines in his forehead zigzagged as his face scrunched up into a confusion. His eyes widened, then narrowed, and his bottom lip sucked into his mouth. He chewed on his own flesh, his cheeks caving in as the suction increased His head tilted, and then fell back to his shoulders, slowly, and then snapped back up, his eyes locked on to mine.

“What the fuck did you do that for?” his fingers massaged at his temples as he barked at me.

“For you,” I confessed.

“Jesus, Evelyn, how could you go and do something so stupid?” James stood, his tall frame towering over me, and his tone making me anxious.

“Stupid? I thought I was doing something nice,” I fought back tears as I responded.

“I just hate the thought of you being the one to fatten those spoiled brat’s bank accounts. So they get to fuck us both,” James snarled.

“If you would’ve answered my calls, you would know that the judge was a connection of John’s, one he owed quite a bit of money to, and after that, a hefty amount was going straight to loan sharks for his gambling debts, so they won’t be getting much,” I blurted.

James sat back down on the couch, pushed his head back into his hands, and I stood there, trembling, angry, but still madly in love with him, even after his foolish rant.