Finally Home (18 page)

“
Do you want some hot chocolate?” Maria asked as she rushed after Amanda.

“
Thanks, but I’m going straight upstairs.”

And she did. But headed to Brandon’s room and flung open the door.

“
You have a bad habit of barging into rooms!” Brandon scolded her.

She gently shut the door behind her. “I thought I could trust you!”

His face twisted into obvious confusion. “What’s this about?”

“
I ran into Mr. Ellinger at the festival.”

“
My gosh,” he swung his feet over the bed and sat on the edge.

She stared at his green silk pajamas, then rubbed her eyes. “How could you do this to me?”

“
Amanda, tell me what he said.”

“
He crept up on me and then pulled some papers from his coat. Tearing them up, he bragged about doing some checking on you!”

“
I thought I felt a strange vibe when I met with him earlier.”

“
Were you just pretending to help me, Brandon? Was this your plan? To work against me with Mr. Ellinger?”

“
Listen to me. I did nothing of the sort. I’m on your side.”

She took a deep breath. “So you were careful? You never mentioned my name?”

“
No, Amanda. I never said a thing about you or Moonlight Ranch. Maybe Mr. Ellinger had me checked out because that’s just the type of man he is. Untrusting and suspicious.”

“
Well, when he checked you out he must have found something that linked you to me. Because the deal is ruined.”

“
I’m sorry. I really did do my best to be secretive.”

Amanda combed her trembling fingers through her hair. “Now I’ll never get West Furniture back for Noah. Unless...I sell Moonlight Ranch to Mr. Ellinger.”

“
No, don’t do that. No matter how much I insult this place...I have to admit it grows on a person. And you...have convinced me how truly happy it makes you.”

“
But it’s the only way for me to get back Noah’s business.”

Brandon shook his head.

She felt dazed as she left the room, knowing what she had to do and hating the queasy feeling in her stomach.

********

Standing in the empty living room of her grandparent’s house, Amanda felt a draft. She swallowed a lump in her throat. Should she call her grandparents and tell them she’d be selling their old house along with Moonlight Ranch? Would they be upset with her for giving up?

She chewed on her fingernail. Mr. Ellinger had been pleased to hear from her this morning. Said he was expecting her call. She had waited two days after their confrontation...hoping another idea would pop up. Something that would prevent her from having to sell the ranch in order to get Noah’s business back. But nothing surfaced.

Brandon wanted to stay in town for another day. Maybe go with her to the meeting she had with Mr. Ellinger this afternoon, but she said he should go back to Chicago. Noah had been keeping his distance from her, and she knew it was because of Brandon.

Oh, how she would hurt when the ranch passed from her hands to Edward Ellinger’s. But it was a sacrifice she had to make. Noah’s happiness was more important to her than her own.

She pulled a check from her pocket and stared at it blankly, still stunned that Brandon had written it for more than they had agreed upon. She guessed he had felt guilty for not being able to reverse the deal he had so eagerly made to sell her web design business. Actually, she hadn’t been surprised when he told her how quickly Web Accents had drawn up a buyer’s contract. The company had been hounding her for years after she had left them and made it big on her own. Now they had what they wanted. Her successful business and all the clients that went with it.

Depressed, she sighed and wiped the tears from her eyes. Never would she have predicted how terrible things would turn out. Of course, she never thought she’d fall for Noah. Or inherit half the ranch from Thomas. Now she would lose both.

As she left the quaint cottage that held so many memories for her, she held back a strong urge to fall on the ground and weep. But she wouldn’t allow herself that grief. She couldn’t be weak for her meeting with Mr. Ellinger. So, as she climbed into her truck, she held her chin high and started the engine. She wasn’t going to give that man one ounce of sadness.

********

Amanda buttoned up her heavy wool peacoat and approached Mr. Ellinger’s office building. There were no flowerbeds along the sidewalk, no welcoming potted plants at the glass double door. Just a drab sign with large black letters that said Office of Edward P. Ellinger.

She tried to peek through the tinted glass before entering, but the tint was too thick and she wasn’t able to see much of anything. Inhaling deeply, she swung open the door, relieved there was not a bell attached to announce her entrance! A gray-haired lady with bright green eyes greeted her immediately.

“
Hello there, miss. What can I help you with?”

“
Hi, I’m here to see Mr. Ellinger.”

“
Hmmmm, I don’t remember him scheduling an appointment so late in the day.”

“
Well, please let him know I’m here,” Amanda fixed her hands upon her hips. “He’s expecting me.”

“
One moment.”

Amanda watched as the receptionist left her desk and disappeared behind a wall. No longer than a minute later, she returned, a small smile on her lips. “Mr. Ellinger is ready to see you now. Please, follow me.”

She forced her feet to move and tried to calm her racing heart. It wouldn’t be long now. Her signature on a few papers would do it. Then Noah would have his business again. And Mr. Ellinger would finally have Moonlight Ranch.

The petite receptionist stopped at an open door and extended her arm toward it. “Go on in and have a seat. He’ll be with you shortly.”

“
Thanks,” Amanda walked into the spacious office. It was almost bare. She didn’t see one picture. And there were no books on the corner bookshelf. Staring at the empty leather chair behind the desk, she wondered where Mr. Ellinger was.

“
You had the audacity to show up?”

She swung around to face him. He was stiffly in the doorway with a sour look on his face. Did he ever take off that darn black trench coat?

“
We have an appointment. Remember?”

His lips twisted into an ugly sneer. “How rude of you to keep it after what you did.”

She caught her breath as he moved past her, almost knocking her down. She watched as he ripped the gloves from his hands and threw them onto the gray desk.

Stepping closer, she peered at him curiously. “What did I do?”

“
You came down here to gloat, didn’t you? Well, I wouldn’t gloat for too long because I’m not finished with you and your boyfriend just yet!”

“
My boyfriend?”

He turned on her, only standing inches away. She could smell the stench of beer on his breath. With his eyes narrowed, he stared at her, obviously trying to intimidate her. Well, she shivered, it was working.

“
I am not in the mood for your little dumb act.”

“
Mr. Ellinger, I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she backed away from him. “Now, we had an appointment to sign some papers for a trade. If you are...under the weather...perhaps we should reschedule for tomorrow.”

“
Don’t play games with me!” he shouted, lunging at her.

“
Look, you’re really making me uncomfortable. Why are you so upset?”

“
Are you saying that you have no idea what your boyfriend did?”

“
Who
is this boyfriend you keep referring to?”

“
Noah West,” his nose twitched.

She laughed softly, then scratched her chin. “Um, Noah? What did he do?”

“
Paid me a visit earlier. Don’t tell me you didn’t know,” he cleared his throat and rubbed his eye.

She had been avoiding his face because she simply didn’t like to look at him. But she looked at him now, couldn’t stop staring at his black eye. “Did you and Noah fight?”

“
As if you didn’t know,” he hissed.

“
Really...I’m very confused as to why Noah came to see you, Mr. Ellinger.”

“
It was your plan!” he insisted, punching a fist into his palm.

“
The only plan I had was to make a deal with you!”

“
Sure, I believe that! Why don’t you just leave...now!”

“
We have...papers to sign. I thought you wanted Moonlight Ranch! And you said you would give me West Furniture.”

“
Ha! That measly furniture business will never be yours, or Noah West’s. Or Brandon Barrington’s! Not now. Not after you tricked me.”

“
Please tell me what’s going on!”

He stared at her intently, his nostrils flaring. “You’re being very stubborn. Maybe you really
don’t
know what Noah West did.”

“
Like I said, I came here so I can sign that contract.”

“
But it’s no good now. It’s in bits and pieces after your boyfriend tore it up!”

Her mouth opened in shock, then she sat on the only guest chair in the room. “He did
what
?”

“
He barged into my office and demanded to see the contract on the ranch that I drew up for him months ago. The one that he signed...but you wouldn’t at the time. Then he ripped it into pieces.”

She couldn’t believe it. How did Noah find out about her appointment with Mr. Ellinger? Shaking, she stared at him in awe. “That contract...was the one I was going to sign today?”

“
Yes, yes! I need both your signatures for the sale, remember? Your Noah West had already signed months ago! And you
supposedly
were going to sign today,” he shook his head.

“
Now, even if I did sign a contract...it would be useless because we need Noah’s signature also,” she murmured to herself.

“
Then he punched me!”

“
What?” she focused on the man hovering over her and decided it was best that she stand. She didn’t like the wicked frown on his face.

“
He punched me for no reason, that hooligan! Right in the eye.”

“
I-I’ve got to g-go. Looks like the deal is off,” she felt dazed as she shuffled to the door.

“
Now
you’re leaving?” he bellowed, pushing a stack of papers off his desk and onto the floor. They scattered at his feet and he stepped over them.

“
Stay away from me,” she warned as he approached her.

“
You shouldn’t have come here. You just made things worse for you and your boyfriend.”

She moved slowly through the doorway, making sure he didn’t follow. Then she hurried to the front of the building.

“
Meeting over so soon?” the receptionist hummed as Amanda walked by her.

“
Yes,” Amanda smiled happily. “It is.”

********

She walked out of the house into a hazy evening. The sky was a murky gray and the temperature seemed to have dropped at least fifteen degrees in the last two hours. Wrapping her arms around her waist, she scanned the corral. Still no sign of Noah.

She couldn’t wait to see him. There were so many questions spinning in her head. The biggest one being how he found out about her meeting with Mr. Ellinger. How in the world could he have known?

Stunned...was the only word that could describe how she was feeling right now. She had been so sure of how things were going to turn out. So ready to accept that there would be no future for her and Noah. She had already tucked Moonlight Ranch away in the corner of her heart. She was even ready to move back to Chicago and take the job that Brandon had offered her with his father’s company. Even though the thought of that decision just made her stomach churn with queasiness.

Now everything had changed. She wouldn’t be leaving Moonlight Ranch. It was still hers...and Noah’s. Would he decide to stay now? She grinned at the thought. Oh, how she wanted him to!

“
Miss Amanda, it is freezing out here. Why don’t you come inside?”

Amanda shrugged, tossing a smile at Maria. “I’m waiting for Noah.”

“
Oh, you are?” Maria hummed. “Do you have something special to tell him?”

“
Maybe,” she tapped her foot and then leaned over the porch railing, closing her eyes to the chill in the air as a breeze caressed her face.

“
I hope so! It’s about time you two started dating. My dear late husband and I were already engaged by our
second week
together!”

“
My goodness,” Amanda giggled and walked over to Maria. “I bet you miss him.”

“
Very much.”

“
Well, I better get Webster and take him for his walk before it gets too late or he’ll give me attitude the rest of the night.”

“
And I will start making dinner. A special dinner for a special occasion,” Maria nudged Amanda’s shoulder.

“
Oh, Maria!”