Total pages in book: 248
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
“We’re looking forward to retiring someplace warm. Forty-plus years of ranch winters is more than enough,” Ma added with a laugh.
They wrapped up their speeches as a special dessert was wheeled across the deck and parked next to the tables of food. The six-layer cake was done in the ranch logo colors, and ‘So long’ was written in an elegant swooping script around the top layer. The guests begin lining up for a slice.
He kept the scowl inside, but it irritated him that the other guests didn’t seem to care that an institution was dying. The idea that the ranch was being sold probably struck them as sad, but none of them had taken the emotional hit that Carter had. While he sat there staring into the fire with his stomach twisted in knots, they filled their faces with cake.
The ranch would be sold. Ma and Pa would head south, and then what? He’d never see the place or them again, and after he’d only just discovered that he’d been welcome here the whole time. He swallowed hard and felt a hot prickling behind his eyes.
“Are you okay?” Allegra was looking at him, forehead furrowed.
“Yeah, I—” He stopped and shook his head. He wasn’t okay, not really. “I can’t believe they’re selling the place.”
“Maybe they’ll find people to buy it who will keep everything the same. We could still come back,” she said, after a short hesitation.
He didn’t say anything, just squeezed her against his side and buried himself in memories. Eventually people began to trundle off to bed. Allegra went to say goodnight to some of her new friends who were leaving. While she was gone, Pa made his way over and took a seat on the log.
“You look hypnotized,” he said. “Careful you don’t fall in.”
Carter blinked and dragged his attention from the bed of coals. He had been enthralled by the glowing and shifting of colors. “Sorry, I zoned out.”
“You looked a little lost, son. You doing alright?” the older man asked.
“I’m not sure.” Carter shot him a look and then shrugged. “This trip brought back a lot of memories and … cleared up some misconceptions on my part. Big emotions all around and then finding out you’re selling the spread sort of blew them up.”
Pa was silent for a few minutes, gathering his thoughts. “It was a hard decision to make. Not one we came to lightly. But we’re getting up there in age now. Ma’s arthritis is a misery in the winter, and we’re just not going to be up to the full-time job of running this place forever. We don’t have anyone to inherit it when we’re gone, so we figured it was best to make the decision on our own, rather than have it made for us.”
It all made sense. Carter understood the reasons, and how could he begrudge them a peaceful retirement? He just couldn’t find the words to explain how he felt. “Do you think it will sell fast?”
“Hard to say. Oh, we’ve had plenty of offers over the years, but we’re not selling out to a corporation, or parceling it off piece by piece to developers. We want to keep it intact and that could take a while. Why? Thinking of making another visit? You know you’d be welcome, and not as a paying guest.”
That sounded nice. He wondered how hard it would be to talk Allegra into coming back in a month or two. “I wouldn’t mind that. You sure it wouldn’t put you out?”
Pa shook his head, chuckling. “No. You know, Carter, we never had kids. We wanted them. Always thought we might get around to it, but it never happened. You were the closest thing to a son we ever had, of course you’re welcome.”
He grabbed a stick from the ground and used it to stir the coals. “Anyway, we’re going to work hard to find a buyer who will love this place the way we did. We’re willing to work with the right person to make it happen.”
“I hope you find them. The ranch deserves a second chance too,” Carter said quietly.
Pa dropped the smoking stick onto the coals, where it flared up briefly. “It does. I’m sure someone out there will see that, and we’ll know the right person when we see them.” He cleared his throat, clapped Carter on the back, and got to his feet. “I’m glad you’re going to be here for another week. Once most of the guests leave, I’m hoping we can spend some time with you and your lovely bride, just the four of us. We’d love to catch up with you.”
He was gone before Carter could do more than nod, and then Allegra returned. She had a piece of cake the size of her head, and insisted on trying to feed him bites, but her aim was terrible. It was impossible to feel lost, when the love of his life was giggling and smearing frosting across his face every time she missed his mouth.