Rescuing her ranch, p.1
Rescuing Her Ranch, page 1
“I can pay my own way.”
Macey folded her hand over Cole’s, crushing the money between his fingers. “No one said you couldn’t. But when someone else wants to do something nice for you, just say thank you.”
“Thank you.” Heat warmed Cole’s neck.
Macey looked at him hesitantly. “Aunt Lynetta asked me to check on Lexi. So if you don’t mind me taking a quick peek...”
Grinning, Cole closed the storm door behind her. He nearly bumped into Macey as he turned around.
He grabbed her arms as her hands flew to his shoulders. “Whoa. Sorry about that. I didn’t expect you to be so close.”
He certainly didn’t mind, though.
Being around Macey for the past couple of weeks ignited feelings he’d snuffed out after his ex-wife had left.
But they were friends, and that was all they could be.
The last thing he needed was to fall for the daughter of his uncle’s enemy.
No matter how well she fit into their lives.
Heart, home and faith have always been important to Lisa Jordan, so writing stories with those elements comes naturally. Happily married for over thirty years to her real-life hero, she and her husband have two grown sons, and they are embracing their new season of grandparenting. Lisa enjoys quality time with her family, reading good books and being creative with friends. Learn more about her and her writing by visiting www.lisajordanbooks.com.
Books by Lisa Jordan
Love Inspired
Lakeside Reunion
Lakeside Family
Lakeside Sweethearts
Lakeside Redemption
Lakeside Romance
Season of Hope
A Love Redeemed
The Father He Deserves
His Road to Redemption
Rescuing Her Ranch
Visit the Author Profile page at LoveInspired.com.
RESCUING HER RANCH
Lisa Jordan
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;
and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him,
and he shall direct thy paths.
—Proverbs 3:5–6
For Jeanette and Gabe Walter—
you’re NF warriors and such blessings to so many!
May your stories bless others and change their lives.
Acknowledgments
Lord, may my words glorify You.
My family—Patrick, Scott, Mitchell, Sarah and Bridget. I love you forever.
Thanks to Jeanne Takenaka and Alena Tauriainen for brainstorming, texting and calling when I was feeling overwhelmed by this story. Thanks to Dana R. Lynn and Christy Miller for being wonderful sounding boards. Thanks to my Novel Academy morning sprint crew for daily prayers and encouragement as I wrote this story.
Thanks to Jeanette Walter, Jen Tezbir, Dalyn Weller and Jeanne Takenaka for your willingness to answer my research questions. Any mistakes are mine.
Thanks to Cynthia Ruchti, my inspiring agent, and Melissa Endlich, my exceptional editor, for continually encouraging and inspiring me to grow as a writer. So thankful you’re on my team. And to the Love Inspired team who works hard to bring my books to print.
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Epilogue
Dear Reader
Excerpt from Her Amish Adversary by Vannetta Chapman
Chapter One
Macey was back where she started.
But this time, instead of standing on Cole Crawford’s porch with tears streaking her makeup while blasting him for the humiliation he caused her, she was offering her help.
Only because Everly, her baby sister, had begged her.
Otherwise, she’d still be ignoring Cole like she’d been doing for the past decade.
With her career—and quite possibly her reputation—ruined, Macey returned home. Disgrace drove her out of Denver where she’d been a nanny for the Crane family for the past six years—since graduating college with her degree in early childhood education.
Maybe she should’ve waited until morning to leave the city instead of driving through the mountains, going thirty miles an hour while the blizzard howled and swirled around her.
But she couldn’t stay a minute longer. Her broken heart pined for the security of home where no one could take advantage of her.
With her car loaded down with nearly everything she owned and nowhere else to go, failure and shame chased her all the way back to Stone River, the cattle ranch nestled in the valley of the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado that had been in her family for three generations.
Now, with an icy wind sliding down her back, Macey scuffed her boots on the snow-covered welcome mat. She glanced over her shoulder and nearly sprinted back to her still-warm car parked in front of Cole’s stone-face condo.
But she couldn’t do that. She’d given her word.
If she wasn’t jobless and slightly desperate at the moment, she wouldn’t have given in to Everly’s pleading.
Tightening the hold on her tote bag, she drew in a steadying breath, released it slowly, then pressed the doorbell.
The oak door trimmed in white opened, and Macey forced her jaws to stay closed.
The tall, lanky kid with braces from her childhood had grown into a broad-shouldered man who filled the doorway with his presence. Worn jeans did little to disguise his muscular legs. His hoodie stretched over his broad shoulders as he held a little girl with blond curls in his arms. His square jaw sported a darkened shadow that couldn’t conceal the dimple in his left cheek. His dirty-blond hair had darkened to a rich brown. About the only thing unchanged were his eyes. They were still as blue as the Colorado sky.
“Cole?”
A smile stretched across his face, revealing even white teeth. He stepped back and opened the door wider. “Macey Stone. Hey. Come in.”
She moved into the foyer, and he closed the door behind her. The heated interior warmed her cold cheeks as she breathed in the scent of freshly brewed coffee in the air.
He shifted the little girl, who had the same blue eyes as her daddy, to his other arm. “I have to admit, I was a bit surprised when Everly called first thing this morning to say she couldn’t care for Lexi but that you agreed to fill in for her. I didn’t know you’d returned to Aspen Ridge.”
Macey tugged off her gloves and stuffed them in her pockets. “It was a last-minute decision. Did she tell you why she couldn’t come?”
He nodded, his jaw tight. “Yes, and I hope the interview goes well.”
“If Ev’s offered the long-term substitute job at Aspen Ridge Elementary, that will get her foot in the door for a full-time position next year.”
“While I’m happy for her, it also means I may be looking for a new caregiver for my Lexi Lou.” He blew kisses on the child’s neck, causing her to giggle.
Lexi cupped Cole’s face. “Daddy, you’re so silly. I’m not Lexi Lou. I’m Lexi Jane.”
Cole thunked the heel of his hand against his forehead. “Oh, that’s right. My mistake.”
The little girl giggled again, her eyes never leaving Macey.
“Everly said you were a nanny in Denver.”
“Yes, I was. For nearly six years.” A rush of tears pooled in Macey’s eyes, and she forced them back. She wasn’t about to have an emotional breakdown in front of Cole and his daughter.
“Was? You’re not any longer?”
“No. Things ended suddenly last night.” She rubbed her arms to erase the feel of Mr. Crane’s tightening hold on her skin.
He frowned. “So if things ended last night, then that means you must’ve driven through the mountains in the blizzard to get home. We’re like five hours from Denver. When did you sleep?”
“It was about seven hours, since visibility wasn’t all that great. I arrived at the ranch around four this morning and managed to get three solid hours of sleep before Everly woke me up.”
“You must’ve wanted to get home pretty quickly.”
“You have no idea.” Not ready to talk about what drove her out of Denver and away from the three children she loved like her own, Macey pressed a smile in place. She turned to Lexi and held out her hand. “Hi, Lexi Jane. My name is Macey, and I’m Everly’s sister.”
The little girl’s eyes widened as she scrambled out of her father’s arms. She stood in front of Macey. “You got my name right.” Then she turned to Cole, small hands on her hips. “See, Daddy, she knows my name. Maybe she can teach you.”
Cole shot them a lopsided grin. “That’s not a bad idea.”
Macey crouched in front of Lexi. “Everly has an appointment today. Do you mind if I stay with you while your daddy goes to work?”
Lexi leaned against Cole’s legs as her bottom lip popped out. “But Everly and I were going to make cookies today. Chocolate chip. Daddy’s favorite.”
Lexi danced in a circle and jumped up and down. Then she reached for Macey’s hand and waved to Cole. “Bye, Daddy. You can go to work now. Macey and I are gonna bake cookies.”
Cole laughed, a sound that rattled Macey’s locked memory bank. “Well, that was easier than I thought.”
“Cookies work wonders.”
“Not just the cookies.” He studied her a moment, then gripped the back of his neck. “Listen, Mace, I know we haven’t talked in a while—”
“A while? It’s been ten years.” She held up a hand. “To be honest, I don’t have the energy to rehash the past right now.”
A muscle jumped in the side of his jaw, and he gave her a single nod. “Fair enough.”
He opened a door and grabbed a hanger. “Give me your coat and I’ll hang it up for you.”
She shrugged out of her red wool coat, unwrapped her knitted gray cashmere scarf and handed both to him. “Thanks.”
After hanging her coat in the closet, he waved her into the house. “Come in, and I’ll share Lexi’s routine with you.”
She toed off her winter boots, lining them up in the corner by the closet, then followed him into a large open room painted off-white. She dug her socked toes into the tan carpeting. “Nice place.”
Morning sunlight poured through floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a gorgeous view of the river snaking through Aspen Ridge, the small ranching community, into the base of the San Juan Mountains.
A dark leather couch with matching recliner had been angled in front of the large flat-screen TV. Lexi’s table and chairs, playhouse and toy box sat in the corner next to a child-sized purple recliner and overflowing bookshelf.
A professional portrait of Cole holding Lexi as an infant hung on the wall next to the TV. No other pictures, plants, throw pillows, knickknacks or homey touches adorned the room. Nothing feminine or any evidence of a wife. And the place was spotless.
Cole grabbed a notebook off the coffee table in front of the couch. “This is what Everly and I use to share information about Lexi. She lets me know how Lexi’s day has gone, and I communicate about her nights.” He flipped it open. “Here’s her daily routine. She does better with a schedule. I’m not sure how much Everly’s told you about Lexi...”
“To be honest, very little. She takes confidentiality seriously. All I knew was she was caring for a little girl with a medical condition. Until this morning, I didn’t know she was your child.”
“And you still came.” Cole eyed the little girl sitting on the couch with a book next to a stuffed pony. “Lexi has neurofibromatosis. Or NF1 for short. Basically, benign tumors form on nerve tissue in her body. And each case is different. For Lexi, though, it’s affecting her hearing, which is also affecting her learning.”
“She’s so happy and upbeat.”
“She is. For the most part. Like any kid, she has her moments.”
Macey glanced at Cole’s left hand and found it bare. “Everly mentioned you’re no longer married.”
He shook his head and gripped the back of his neck. “My ex and I were married only a couple of months when she became pregnant. She didn’t want kids right away, and we fought about it. She left us the day after Lexi was born. She signed away her parental rights, and I was served with divorce papers the day after I brought Lexi home from the hospital. So, we’ve been on our own from the very beginning.”
“I’m so sorry. That must’ve been tough.” Her instinct was to wrap her arms around him, but she stayed where she was.
Even though the decade-old anger had faded, she and Cole weren’t exactly friends anymore.
He lifted a shoulder. “It is what it is. I can’t change the past. I’m just doing what I can to be the best father she deserves. I’ll do whatever it takes to give her what she needs.”
Her phone vibrated in her back pocket. She pulled it out and saw Everly’s picture on her screen. “Excuse me a second.” She turned away from Cole and Lexi. “Hello?”
“Mace, I got it! Mrs. Penley hired me for the long-term sub job.” Everly squealed so loudly that Macey had to pull the phone away from her ear.
“Ev, that’s great. Congratulations.” Macey forced joy into her voice, but her stomach burned, just knowing what Everly planned to ask her.
“Thanks. I know it’s a lot to ask and you just got home, but I don’t suppose you’d consider caring for Lexi until Cole can find someone more permanent. She’s a super sweet kid, and I really hate to leave him in a lurch, but I really want to take this job. Say yes, please?”
Even though Cole had taken Lexi into the kitchen, she was sure he could hear her side of the conversation.
“Can we talk about this later? Preferably after I’ve had more sleep and time for my brain cells to kick in.”
Everly remained silent for a moment. “Well, Mrs. Penley asked if I could start tomorrow. I need to handle some paperwork and take a tour of the school.”
Macey swallowed a sigh. “Ev, I haven’t even taken care of Lexi yet. I don’t even know if we’ll get along.”
“That’s silly, and you know it. Of course, she’s going to like you. Everyone does.”
Not everyone.
“Please, Macey, I wouldn’t ask if this weren’t so important. We’re talking about my teaching future. You know how hard I’ve worked for this.” The pleading in her sister’s voice tugged at Macey.
What could she say? Macey would’ve realigned the planets for Everly if she’d been asked. Her baby sister had to overcome a lot of obstacles in her twenty-two years, and Macey didn’t want to stand in the way of her dream. But to see Cole on a daily basis...was she up for that?
She glanced at the single father brushing his daughter’s hair into a ponytail while Lexi stood on a stool at the counter, and her heart softened. “Okay, yeah, fine. I’ll talk to Cole and see what he thinks. But you owe me. Big time.”
Everly squealed again. “Yes! Anything you want. Thankyouthankyouthankyou.”
Before she could respond, the line went silent in her ear. Macey tossed her phone from hand to hand, then walked into the kitchen.
With her hair pulled back, Lexi now spread peanut butter on a slice of bread. “Look, Macey, I’m making Daddy’s lunch.”
“You’re doing a great job.” She turned to Cole. “Not sure how much you heard.”
Holding a jar of homemade jam, he closed the fridge, then leaned against the counter. “Enough to know I’m losing your sister as my daughter’s caregiver.”
Macey nodded, dropped her gaze to her darkened screen, then looked back at Cole. “She asked if I’d be willing to fill in until you could find someone more permanent.”
He straightened, and his eyebrows lifted. “Oh, really? How do you feel about that?”
Macey pocketed her phone, then shrugged. “Lexi doesn’t know me. We may not be a good fit.”
Cole shot her a half smile. “I’ve known your family nearly all my life. Your brothers are my closest friends. Plus, I trust your sister. If she believes you can do this, then I do too. Besides, Lex is pretty easygoing. She gets along with most everyone.”
Pressing her back against the sink, Macey ran a thumb and forefinger over her gritty eyes. “I’ve been home only a few hours, and my plate is filling already.”
Cole touched her elbow. “Hey, what’s going on?”
“Bear called yesterday. Dad passed out in the pasture after lunch, and Bear found him facedown in the snow. They called 911 and rushed him to the hospital. The doctors are running tests, and they suspect pneumonia. Mom spent most of the night by his side. When I came downstairs this morning, I found her at the table with this overwhelmed look on her face. She’s been planning the annual Stone River Sweetheart Ball. But now with Dad sick, she’s stressed about getting everything done on time. Since I’ll be home for a while, she asked if I’d consider taking over.”
Macey didn’t share about the flashbacks she had to the humiliating prom she’d planned in painstaking detail only be left as the laughingstock in the community.
