Tumbleweed (20 page)

Since I didn't want to let Aaron in on my plans until I knew if they were feasible, I sat up after he went to bed preparing my presentation for the bank. I would not only need a loan for the place, but enough for my initial livestock and at least the first year's expenses. Given how unorthodox my resume looked on paper, it was going to take one heck of a business plan to pull it off.

The summer seemed to crawl by for me. I waited tables to pay the rent. It didn't seem fair to take on a permanent job when I had every intention of leaving in the next year.

Funny thing is, not one person in my family complained about me squandering my education. I don't know if they truly respected my goal or if they had simply recognized the determined set to my jaw and knew it was a losing battle.

There were days, though, when I would look at the calendar and want to cry. I'd never been very good at waiting for what I wanted. I happened to be frowning at a calendar when my phone rang and startled me out of my mental calculations.

“Hailey?”

My heart skipped a beat when I heard that familiar Ozark drawl on the other end of the line.

“Hey Ethan. Staying out of trouble?” I tried to be calm. Boy-oh-boy did I miss him. I missed it all. That reality had crashed over me again the moment I heard his voice.

“So I hear you got yourself a job teaching school.”

“Aaron has a big mouth.”

“You like teaching school?”

“There are worse jobs.”

“That's not an answer.”

“My time for being a bulldog has passed. I gotta make a life for Aaron and stop chasing a tail I'm never gonna catch.” What was that in my voice? Was I pleading for him to understand, to validate? Why didn't I just tell him what I was planning?

“But what if you're actually a golden retriever?”

“Aren't we carrying the dog illustration a little too far here?”

“I'm just sayin', if you could catch that tail, would you still like teaching?”

“Well there's more to it than that, Ethan. I'm working on it.”

“Yeah, well, Mac and Tumbleweed and me found ourselves a little place down here in Douglas County. We used some of that wisely-diversified money we had to buy our own piece of land and we were thinking, boy if only we had ourselves a partner with a little bit of this and that on her resume. We sure could make a go of things then. I bet someone with such a diverse background and good horse sense could really help us make heads or tails of all this paperwork I
have to fill out to get the government grant to become a mustang holding facility. Not to mention fall auctions are coming up, and I need help building a couple of cattle shoots…”

“What part of Douglas County?” I grinned ever so slightly, a spark flickered somewhere inside.

“Does that mean you'll come?”

“I can't right now, but I would be interested in helping out,” I hedged, still not sure if I was ready to share my plans with him.

“Oh come on, Hailey. I've been good. I've given you time. Don't you miss us yet?”

“It's not about missing you, obstinate man. I missed you before I left. I told you I had some things to figure out on my own.”

“Could you figure them out faster? I don't know how much longer I can wait.”

“Oh, well, if you need to move on I never told you to wait.” I straightened my spine and scowled at the phone.

“I meant I miss you, darlin',” he interjected before I could go off on a full tear.

“Oh.”

“Come home, please.”

“I can't. I have an appointment next week. I need to be here for that.”

“What appointment?”

“With my bank. I'm applying for a business loan,” I admitted.

“What business?” His ears perked up.

“You know, I don't want to get into it right this second.” I eyed the clock. Aaron would be home any minute.

“Oh, well then, I guess I could let you go.” The hurt was evident in his voice.

“But if you could get away next weekend, maybe come up to St. Louis, I'd really like to talk to you about it. I should know more then.”

“I'll be there,” he swore without a moment's hesitation.

“Good.” My heart trilled at the thought of seeing him again. “I'll see you next weekend. Do you need directions?”

“Aaron told me where you're staying.”

“That reminds me, don't mention this to Aaron. I haven't told him. It's killing me because I tell him everything, but I don't want to disappoint him again.”

“I understand. Not a peep to the kid. Hey, it's okay with you that we still talk, right? He called me one day and we've just sort of stayed in touch.”

“Little late to ask now, isn't it?”

“He's a part of my life, no matter what's going on with you and me,” Ethan sounded a little defensive.

“I was teasing. I'm actually really happy that you kept in touch with him. It means a lot to him, to me.”

“Good. I'll see you next week?”

“Next week.”

Chapter Sixteen

Somehow,
when I envisioned how the loan meeting would go, I hadn't quite pictured landing in my banker's lap. Things had started well enough. I'd donned an adorable black pin-stripe suit and amazing leather boots with enough of a heel to make me feel empowered. I'd painstakingly prepared my presentation. I had projections, market research, graphs, budgets, you name it.

Just as I rounded the table to pass both men the portfolio I'd made for them, I remembered very suddenly why I never wear heels anymore. My ankle gave out and dumped me unceremoniously into a banker's lap. He flushed bright red and I scrambled to right myself again.

“I'm so sorry sir. I have a bad ankle, I shouldn't wear heels really. I'm so sorry sir.” It's hard to come back from sitting in the banker's lap, but I smoothed out my suit and did my best. “Well then, now that we all know each other, I guess we should get started…”

Once I started talking, the nervousness fell away. I knew my material well, and it showed. I walked the two men through the government's current problem of too many wild horses and not enough resources, horses that would thrive in the rugged Ozarks. “I've already received provisional approval from the government to be a long-term holding facility. With this loan, I can be ready to house mustangs as early as October. As you can see from the chart in the appendix, there is a solid return on investment here. I opened my first account with this bank at sixteen. I can't imagine another bank I would trust more in venturing into the next stage of life with.”

“This is a very interesting proposal, Ms. Brandt.” The banker whose lap I'd landed in had finally stopped blushing and now
looked through the portfolio with a thoughtful expression on his face.

“Running mustangs seems a rather unlikely profession for a young woman,” the other banker frowned at the packet in his hand as he peered up at me over the rim of his glasses.

“As evidenced by my varied background, I'm a rather unlikely woman,” I assured him. “These hills, these horses, they're like air to me. I know I can do this, and it's a good investment. Don't take my word for it; call my references.”

“We'll do that.” His clipped tone didn't bode well, but I refused to give up hope. I thanked them both and gathered my things, really proud that I corralled the tears burning behind my eyes.

I couldn't help smacking the hood of my car, though. The expletive I shouted was a mixture of frustration and pain; pounding on a metal roof hadn't been my best decision ever. All the way home, I ran through the meeting over and over again in my head. Other than my rocky start, I'd done everything I could do. If they shot me down, I'd have to apply for a government grant as a minority business owner, which meant more time and a lot more paperwork. It would be spring at the earliest before I could even think about taking on horses. I'd ferreted away quite a bit of cash but not enough to buy land and put in the taller fences mustangs required.

I recognized Ethan's truck the second I pulled into my parking lot. I could tell by Blue's distinctive bawl that he knew Ethan was close, too. I sighed and rolled my eyes; that goofy dog would get us kicked out of our apartment. I didn't think I was up to seeing Ethan at that particular moment. I'd really hoped to be triumphantly sharing my business plan with him at our first encounter, not slinking home dejected.

Sitting in the parking lot wasn't going to make my dog shut up, though, so I squared my shoulders and got out of the car. Ethan wasn't in his truck, so I wasn't entirely surprised to see him leaning against my door frame. Still, nothing could prepare me for the torrent of emotions that came flooding back the moment I laid eyes on him. I wanted to throw myself in his arms.

“You're early.” It was the best I could manage. Being so close to him almost made me come undone.

“Hello to you, too.” His grin was as easy as ever. My heart thudded painfully in my chest.

“Sorry.” I was contrite. “Rough day. It's good to see you, Ethan.”

“It's good to see you, too, Hailey.”

“Should we go in?” I reached around him to unlock my door. “Blue's not going to stop until we do.”

“Sure.” He followed me in, bracing himself for an exuberant greeting from the dogs.

“Aaron will be home soon. He's at my sister's.”

“It'll be good to see him.”

“I should walk the dogs.” I grabbed their leashes from the hook by the door, trying not to think too hard about how incredibly awkward this conversation was. That was easier to do if I didn't touch him, or look at him, or stand too close.

“I'll help.” His fingers brushed mine as he took a leash from me. I couldn't help getting caught in his eyes then; I ripped mine away when the dogs started jumping up and down around us, eager for their walk.

“Hobbes never did press charges,” I blurted once we were on the wooded path outside my apartment building. Ethan probably already knew that, but it was something to break the painful silence between us.

“I think he's been too busy with his own legal troubles. The mess he got into in Arkansas was just the beginning.”

“How's Allie – the little red roan pony?”

“One of the old timers out off Highway K took her in. She's fat and happy in a pasture with five other horses. I saw her just the other day.”

“Good.” I smiled at that.

“So what was your meeting today?”

I hesitated for a moment before plunging ahead. “I applied for a business loan so Aaron and I could start a little place to run mustangs.”

“Just you and Aaron?” He fished.

“Well, actually, once I got the funding I was going to call you to see if you'd like to be partners. But it sounds like you've already landed on your feet.” I tried to keep the disappointment out of my voice.

“I have the land, course the buildings were all destroyed by a tornado here awhile back, so it needs to be rebuilt. I was kind of hoping to find a partner that could help me with funding, help me develop a good solid business plan. But, it sounds like you've got things all figured out on your end.”

“I wouldn't say that. The meeting could have gone better; I don't think they took me seriously. Of course, it probably didn't help that I fell in the guy's lap.”

“And here I thought I was special. I didn't realize you pulled that trick out at every interview.”

“Don't laugh at me,” I admonished half-heartedly. I couldn't blame him; I'd laugh at me to.

“Wouldn't dream of it.” The side of his lip twitched a bit, but he did his best to look serious.

“You bought Jim's, didn't you?” I couldn't keep the wistful out of my voice. I had kind of hoped to buy a little piece of the property.

“Yep.” His face radiated happiness with that one word. “But don't worry, I would sell you a parcel if you'd like. That would actually help me get my own start-up money together.”

I didn't answer right away. I could take his offer and have the best of both worlds – my own place and Ethan right next door, all without putting my heart out there to be trampled on. The only problem with that plan was that my heart was already out there. It had been for a while, come to think of it.

“Hailey?” He stopped walking and turned to me, looking expectantly into my eyes.

“Sorry. I was just thinking.” I took a deep breath and plunged ahead. “What if we pooled our resources? Your land, my cash? We could be partners. If you're interested, I mean.”

“I don't know if you remember this, but I proposed to you not all that long ago. You said no.” He winced a little at the word.

“I remember.” I fought the urge to get defensive. “I just wasn't sure if the offer still stood, if you'd be interested in being partners of any kind with me.”

“The offer will stand as long as there is a breath in my body.” He took my head in his hands, his forehead resting on mine.

“I was scared,” I admitted. “Of so many things.”

“And you're not scared anymore?”

“Terrified, actually,” I laughed nervously, sinking my fingers into his hair. I soaked in the feel of this man I'd missed so very much. “But you're worth the risk.”

Epilogue

One year to the day
after Aaron and I first pulled down the driveway of Mountain View Ranch we once again pulled down that same driveway, rounding that same bend to emerge from the overhang of trees. It was so gorgeous my heart ached and my breath caught. The prairie grass danced in the breeze on gently rolling hills. The framework for the new house was already up. Ethan was there overseeing the progress. Mac and Tumbleweed greeted us with a cheerful hello from the new turnout paddock.

“Well, what do you think?” I looked at Aaron expectantly.

“It's really ours?” Aaron twirled around.

“Ours and Ethan's,” I nodded.

“I can't believe you finally agreed to marry him. It's about time.”

“Hey brat, you didn't answer my question. What do you think of our new home?” I draped my arm over his shoulder and pulled him to me.

“I think it's the coolest thing I've ever seen.”

“Yeah, me too.” I smiled, soaking it all in. Ethan was mine. Aaron was happy. This place was my home.

“Hailey, get over here and tell me what you think,” Ethan called by way of greeting, a big stupid grin lighting up his face.

“What I think of what?”