A chance fall, p.10
A CHANCE FALL, page 10
His head sunk. It would have made her feel bad if it wasn't for the fact that all she saw now was red.
"It wasn't my fault. He was the one cooking fish in a shared kitchen. That's a known rule," he said, brows furrowed. April realized that he truly thought he'd done nothing wrong.
He never thought he did anything wrong. That was what April found so infuriating about him. It didn't matter what she said, he would always have an excuse. There was someone or something else to blame.
But April had had enough. Not just with her father, but with everyone. No one seemed to give her a break. Everything she did came with a fight of some kind.
She continued, unable to stop her rants, "And you can't just hit on my employees like that! It's unprofessional and inappropriate."
Richard's face contorted into a confused expression. "What are you talking about, April? I was just giving her a compliment. There's nothing wrong with that. I was just having a little fun. It's not like I'm hurting anyone."
"Can you just please-" she began to cry out, her head in her palms. But her father put a hand out, stopping her in her tracks.
She looked up at his face, waiting for him to respond. Waiting to continue yelling at him for everything he'd done wrong. She needed an outlet for this fury burning inside of her.
"I'm sorry," Richard said. It was the two words she'd been waiting all day to hear. Everyone should have been saying it, but it meant something coming from her father. One apology was better than none.
April wiped her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She didn't want to fight anymore. She was exhausted.
With a frown and raised brows, he appeared genuinely remorseful, a look of regret etched on his face. It was a rare moment of vulnerability between them.
Though one apology wouldn't make up for everything, it was a start.
When April didn't respond, he continued, "I know that it's been a hard few days. And I wanted to thank you for putting up with me."
April stared at her father, not sure what to make of his sudden change in mood. She had been ready to keep fighting, to keep yelling until she was hoarse, but now... she wasn't so sure.
Maybe it was the exhaustion getting to her, or maybe it was the fact that her father had actually apologized, but for the first time in what felt like forever, she felt herself softening towards him.
"I appreciate your apology, Dad," she said quietly, unsure of how to respond.
April didn't want to admit it, but hearing those words made her feel a little better. Maybe her father wasn't completely hopeless after all.
Her father smiled up at her. "I've really enjoyed being able to spend time together here."
The time they'd spent together was far from perfect. It was nothing like what she expected when he told her that he wanted to make things up to her and rekindle their relationship.
He'd always come when he wanted something. But she always let him, because he was still her dad.
And it was times like this that reminded her of that fact. That people could change, and this time could be different. This could be the time that he actually showed her that he was different now. He hadn't showed any improvement until now, but it was a small step forward.
April didn't believe he was a new man, but she believed that the apology was genuine.
"I'm glad you came to see me, too," she said.
Richard leaned forward and took his daughter's hands in his own. "Forget the grocery shopping," he started. She'd already forgotten about it because of everything that had happened. "Let's go out to eat. It'll be my treat. We can get some dinner and spend time together."
She nodded reluctantly. It wasn't what she expected, a dinner with her father after a day like she was having. But it was another opportunity for him to prove that he was different now, interested in getting to know her better.
Maybe it was the apology that made her take the offer, or maybe it was something else. Either way, April decided to accept the offer. After a few moments of thoughtful silence, she finally said, "Okay, Dad. Let's go out to dinner later tonight."
April was still hesitant and unsure if this was the best idea, but she accepted his offer regardless. She still wasn't sure if he was truly trying to make amends or if this was just another attempt at getting back into her life, but it didn't matter because either way they were spending time together.
She was willing to give it a chance. Maybe this time would be different.
She would have to find out when it was time for dinner.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Sweat dripped from Jackson's brow as he raked through the tall grass. April watched him scrape at the weeds surrounding the fence.
They had already finished cleaning up around the barn by now, all thanks to the hard work of Jackson, the perfect ranch hand. Now, it was time to start spreading out and fixing the overgrown patches of weeds and greenery.
"Do you know who Isaac Greenfield is?" April asked.
Jackson shrugged while not missing a beat with the rake. "Maybe. I think I've heard his name around town recently. What'd he do?"
"He's running for mayor. But he's also the one trying to take down our plans of turning the property into a horse ranch."
Now, Jackson stopped and looked up at her with furrowed brows. "How'd he figure that?"
April explained to Jackson the lengths that Isaac Greenfield had gone in order to get her to back down from her plans of turning the property into a horse ranch. She was furious and felt as if she was being taken advantage of by someone who was short sighted and didn't care about the long term effects his actions could have on the island.
All Isaac wanted was to make her life miserable. He couldn't plow down her property himself, so he was going to make her leave.
She wanted to save the horses not just for her ranch but for their history on the island. They'd been a part of this place as long as anyone could remember.
If Isaac won, he'd be taking the wild horses away from everything they'd ever known. And that infuriated April. She told Jackson all about it with the passion of her fury from the day's events.
Jackson listened intently, nodding every so often. When she finished, he leaned on his rake and shook his head. "Sounds like a piece of work."
April let out a humorless laugh. "You have no idea. He's trying to ruin my life and the lives of the horses on this island."
She looked out into the horizon, her gaze fixated on the endless expanse of greenery. It was the only thing that brought her peace lately, the only thing that kept her grounded amidst all the chaos in her life.
"I just hope that we can win this fight," she said softly.
Jackson began to sift around for the roots of the overgrown plants again. But quietly, he replied, "We will."
April's heart swelled with gratitude. She couldn't believe that she had found someone like Jackson, someone who believed in her cause as much as she did.
It was even more special because he stumbled upon her. She was so unsure of him at first, but he won her over with his expertise. April thought back to the moment he showed up on the property unannounced. Who knew he would become an ally in a fight as big as the one she was in now?
"I appreciate your help in all of this," April said. Jackson simply nodded in response.
He was still a mystery to her. "You said you grew up in Montana? What was that like?" she asked him as she started her own work beside him.
Jackson smiled softly at the question, his eyes glazing over with nostalgia. "It was something else, that's for sure. It was beautiful in its own way. I grew up on a small ranch with my family. We didn't have much, but we made do with what we had. We had a ranch, so I grew up around horses and livestock."
It was small details that she found charming, but still held him in the shadows. "What was your family like?"
"Well, I had one older brother, one younger. We were always getting into some sort of trouble, but we always had each other's backs."
"And your parents?" she asked, trying to dig deeper into him. She wanted to know him more than just the front he put on. This mysterious facade was attractive, but she wanted to hear something, anything about him.
Jackson wiped his sweaty brow as he shrugged. "They were my parents. A mother who worked hard at home raising us, and a father who worked with his hands on the ranch."
April listened intently, fascinated by him. "What kind of animals did you have on the ranch?"
"Mainly horses, but we had a few cattle as well. There were all kinds of little things running around. I used to spend hours just riding horses around the property. So majestic."
She was surprised by his use of the word majestic. It sounded foreign coming out of his mouth, like it didn't quite fit. April liked that he was sharing this new perspective. It was a side of him she hadn't seen yet.
As they worked in silence, April couldn't help but feel drawn to Jackson. There was something about the way he spoke of his past that made her heart flutter. She wanted to know more about him, to peel away the layers of his mysterious exterior.
"Why did you ever leave Montana?" she asked, breaking the silence.
"I knew I'd end up on a ranch again somewhere, but I wasn't sure where. I just wanted to get out of there. My brothers stayed to take care of the farm. I wanted to spread my own wings. I needed to explore before I ever settled down. And well... I ended up never settling down."
As they worked side by side, April snuck a look at Jackson. There was something about him that made her heart race and her cheeks flush. She knew she shouldn't be thinking like this, especially with everything going on, but she couldn't help herself.
"So, what about you, April? What was your childhood like?" Jackson asked, breaking her from her thoughts.
April hesitated for a moment, not sure if she wanted to delve into her past. But something about Jackson made her feel safe.
"I grew up in the city mainly, but we'd come out here for vacations. My parents weren't very happy, and they divorced when I was a teen. I'm an only child, so it wasn't very exciting," she replied, feeling like her story was much less interesting than his.
Jackson looked at her with a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry to hear that. It sounds like that was tough."
"Thanks," she replied with a smile. She was used to people pitying her, but Jackson seemed to see the strength in her.
As they continued to work, April couldn't help but steal glances at Jackson.
It was hard not to with his large muscles.
Though April was still hung up on Nigel, she felt attracted to Jackson. For a moment, she wondered if she should just let Nigel get back together with Lily. They were clearly still working some things out.
Lily was clearly still interested in Nigel. And she had no clue what he was thinking lately, except that 'it wasn't what it seemed'. Which April didn't believe for a single second.
She was angry with him for sure, but she did like him and was disappointed with how things were going. Being around Jackson felt easy, easier than being around Nigel lately. That seemed to always end in an absolute mess.
But here she was, surrounded by the whistling trees and green pastures where she could really relax. She could stare at Jackson and feel calm. It was different, new. It was something she wanted to consider.
"What other kinds of animals do you think you'll have on the ranch?" Jackson asked out of the blue.
She put a finger on her chin in thought. "Honestly, I haven't given it much thought. I mean, I know I want horses, but I haven't really considered other animals. At least none specifically."
"Well, you should consider getting some cattle. They're kind creatures. And they really provide some great options. A pet, a dairy cow, whatever you want," he explained. "And chickens are always a good option. Eggs could give you more sustainability."
She raised her brows. Jackson really knew his stuff. There was so much to think about, so much to do.
April had stopped herself from getting too far ahead in the planning, for so many reasons including Isaac Greenfield. But it felt nice to dream again.
She smiled at Jackson, feeling grateful for his suggestion. "Thanks for the advice. I'll definitely keep that in mind."
Lately, everything felt uncertain, but April had always been a planner. "Do you think if I got too many animals here, people would be crowding, making it some sort of petting zoo?" she asked him with a smile.
Though she wanted everyone to feel welcome here, she didn't imagine it becoming a tourist attraction. It was supposed to be for the horses, for rehabilitation and therapy for child riders. Her vision for this place didn't include everyone crowding her property just so they could pet a cow.
"I guess I didn't think of that," he explained, brows furrowed and deep in thought. "They are pretty intrusive here. Everyone knows everything. You'd have to keep the special animals in private I guess. Though, I don't think people would crowd for chickens."
"So you're saying I could get away with a flock of chickens, but not an adorable cow?" April asked.
He shrugged. "I guess so. You'd probably have to hide the cow away for save keeping."
April laughed imaging trying to hide a cow from the sight of any onlookers. "A secret cow? I haven't thought about that before."
Jackson chuckled. "Well, every ranch needs a little mystery, right? Keeps things interesting."
April smiled, feeling her heart skip a beat. She couldn't believe how natural it was to talk to Jackson. It was like they had known each other for years, when in reality they had only just met.
She felt grateful to have Jackson here with her, helping her plan and dream. It was a nice distraction from everything else going on in her life.
Including Nigel, who seemed to keep popping into her mind as she felt more and more connected to the mysterious man in front of her. She still didn't know everything about Jackson, but it was nice to know him even a little bit more than she did before.
It made her feel attracted to him. She couldn't help how she felt. And he wasn't doing anything to stop her from getting to know him.
Would he ever have an ex-girlfriend come into town and then not talk to her about it? Maybe. She'd have to get to know him better before she could say for sure.
Until then, she was stuck trying to decipher both Jackson and Nigel.
April took a deep breath and tried to forget all of her thoughts. She needed to relax. As silence fell between her and Jackson, she was able to focus on the nature around her.
She looked out into her fields filled with lush green meadows that stretched to the horizon, blanketed with wildflowers and restless native plants. The area was painted in breathtaking colors of lush greens, dark browns, and bright yellows.
A clear blue sky loomed above with only an occasional fluffy cloud drifting by, a brilliant yellow sun setting over the horizon in the distance.
A fragrant blend of grass clippings, soil, and sweet flowers mingled with an earthy aroma that made her feel as though she stepped into a lush paradise. The gentle buzz of crickets, the chirping of birds, and the whirring of grasshoppers in the fields filled the air with a peaceful melody.
April took it all in, tearing up at the beauty it showed her. The sound of a gentle breeze rustled through the trees and long grass, singing a song of tranquility.
She couldn't imagine being anywhere else. It was absolutely perfect.
Soon, she would have to return to the chaos of her life. Nigel, her father, Isaac, the money she didn't have in her bank account.
But for now, she had this. And all that mattered was that she was going to fight for this peace until she was sure it would be safe.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
April stared at the email, feeling her stomach twist and turn. It was a lot of money. More than she had anticipated. The peace from working outside quickly wore off as soon as she stepped back into the hotel and opened her laptop.
The University website stated all of Georgia's tuition laid out by category. The math made sense, but April still didn't like the number.
She sighed, feeling the weight of the expenses she was about to face. She had to find a way to come up with the money. It wasn't something Georgia should be worrying about. She had enough on her plate with her studies.
She needed to find a way to make ends meet. The renovations were expensive, and the bed and breakfast wasn't ready to be bringing in tons of profit for her individually.
Her savings were dwindling more by the day. And she couldn't just magically come up with thousands of dollars. Her mind raced with possible solutions, but none seemed viable. She couldn't simply ignore the cost, but she couldn't come up with the money on her own either.
April knew it was time. She had to call her ex-husband, Carl. There had to be a time for him to take some part in this. Now was his chance.
The phone rang four times before he picked up. The phone erupted with noise which took over even as Carl tried to yell into his end of the call, "Hello?"
"Carl? What's going on?"
His mumbles were hardly intelligible. April couldn't tell if it was because he was quiet or everything else was so loud. "I can't hear you!" she yelled back into the phone, frustrated.
"Sorry, sorry. Give me a minute."
April waited impatiently while Carl tried to find a quieter spot to talk. As she waited, she couldn't help but wonder why she was even bothering with him. He had left her high and dry, and now she was calling him to help their daughter out.
The daughter that he left behind while he went off and had his own midlife crisis. But she didn't have any other options. She had to try.
Finally, Carl's voice came back on the line, out of breath, but much clearer now. "Hey, sorry about that. What's up?"
April took a deep breath, trying to keep her composure. "No, everything is not okay. I got the bill for Georgia's tuition, and it's a lot more than I expected. I can't afford it on my own."
"I see," he replied. "How short will you be?"
"Thousands," she replied. It was the truth. The money in savings was for emergencies, among so many other things. She'd budgeted for Georgia, but the tuition had been raised more than four thousand dollars. That wasn't something she could rearrange in her little budget.
