The Rancher's Redemption

“Hey.” He hastily released Lizzie’s hand. “What’s up?”

“Leanne and I are having dinner here. Thought we’d join you.”

“That would be great,” Adam said heartily. “But Lizzie and I are just about done, so—”

“I haven’t had dessert yet,” Lizzie piped up. “We could stay for a while.”

As his father turned to call Leanne over, Adam raised an irate eyebrow at Lizzie.

“Dessert? You never eat the stuff.”

“Yes, I do.” She smiled sweetly back at him. “Bella makes her own ice cream and it’s fantastic in a sundae.”

“Right, which means now I’ve got to look Leanne in the eye after hearing . . . that.”

“How do you think you were born, Adam?” Lizzie asked. “If Jeff and Leanne hadn’t—”

He leaned over and put his finger on her lips, but as she kissed it and sucked it into her mouth, his reaction was totally physical, and not quite what he’d intended at all.

“Hi, Lizzie!” Leanne took the seat next to Lizzie, which meant that Adam was doomed to look at her, which might be marginally better than looking at his father, who was in a remarkably good mood these days. “How are things at the café, and how’s your darling little boy?”

As Lizzie started chatting it gave Adam a much-needed moment to gather his resources before he had to deal with his father. Could Lizzie be right? Was Leanne contemplating a move back to Morgan Valley?

* * *

Eventually, even Lizzie ran out of reasons to hang around with his parents, and said she had to leave to go speak to Roman on the phone. Adam was just about to announce that he was going with her when his mother put her hand on his arm.

“Could you stay a minute, Adam? We wanted to talk to you about something.”

His gaze instantly swung toward Lizzie, almost begging her to give him an out, but she simply smiled and eased out of the seat.

“Come over when you’re ready, Adam, or I’ll see you tomorrow.” She blew him an air kiss and disappeared on him.

He reluctantly turned back to his parents who were now sitting side by side.

“What’s up?”

“Well, firstly, I made Jeff go down to Henry’s office yesterday and draw up a proper will,” Leanne said.

“Okay.” Adam searched their faces. “That’s a good thing to do.”

“I’m leaving the ranch directly to you, Adam, not to Leanne first,” Jeff said abruptly.

“I don’t need his money,” Leanne added. “Declan left me very well off. I own property overlooking Central Park, which will hold its value very well.”

“I bet.” Adam focused on his father. “What about the others?”

Jeff shrugged. “That’s up to you. I’ll be dead.”

“What Jeff means”—Leanne hastened to intervene—“is that if you wish to share the ranch with your siblings then you can do that yourself without any interference from me.”

“Why can’t you just leave it to all of us equally?” Adam asked.

“Because I’ve seen what happens when someone dies,” Jeff commented. “If there’s no will, some of the kids don’t want to live on a ranch, but want the money, and the ones working the ranch end up getting the place sold out from under them.”

“Our family isn’t like that,” Adam protested.

“You never know who they’re going to end up with, or where they’ll end up living,” Jeff said ominously. “Better to keep it safe in one pair of hands when you pass it on. Then it’s your call.”

“Have you told Ben and the rest of them about this yet?”

“Nope. Wanted to tell you first.”

Adam let out a breath. “I don’t think they’re going to like it.”

“I don’t care what they like. It’s my decision and I’m sticking by it.” Jeff scowled at Adam. “If you don’t want the place on those terms just spit it out right now, and I’ll change my will and leave it to Ben.”

“Jeff . . .” Leanne patted her ex-husband’s arm. “How about you let Adam think about it overnight, and get back to you tomorrow?”