Leigh Duncan - His Favorite Cowgirl

“I’m more familiar with land prices in North Florida, but I’d be glad to run some comps—comparison sales—for you. It’ll give you a good idea of the market.” He gestured to the barn door, which, thanks to a broken hinge, tilted at an odd angle. “I can tell you one thing, though. You won’t get top dollar without fixing the place up a bit.”

“I have a meeting with Pops’s attorney in West Palm tomorrow morning. I’ll know more about what I can or can’t do with the ranch after that.”

“Oh, yeah? I’m going there myself. I’m driving over to pick up my daughter.” Hank lifted his Stetson and ran a hand through his hair while he worked out the logistics. The two-hour drive into the city would give them time to hammer out a plan for selling the Bar X. “Maybe we can ride together and talk over those comps on the way.”

Kelly’s head rose. “You have a daughter?”

“Noelle. She’s ten, going on eighteen.”

Something dark worried Kelly’s eyes. “You didn’t mention you were married.”

“Divorced,” he corrected. “I met Amy while I was riding in the rodeo. The marriage didn’t last past Noelle’s first birthday.”

“Didn’t take you long to move on, did it?”

He winced at the accusation, but he couldn’t argue. She was right. He’d practically bounced from the breakup with Kelly straight into Amy’s arms. With her golden hair and a willowy figure so much like his first love’s, the fan who’d walked up to him in a bar the night before the Silver Spurs rodeo had seemed irresistible. As it turned out, the two women were nothing alike, though Amy had kept her true colors under wraps for a while. It wasn’t until after the wedding that he’d discovered his bride’s family owned half of Tallahassee. A short while later, he’d realized she’d skipped over the faithfulness part of her oath to love, honor and obey.

He cleared his throat. “It was one of those whirlwind courtships you hear about all the time, but nobody thinks will happen to them. This one didn’t have a happy ending.” But that was a story for another day.

For a minute, he thought Kelly might insist on hearing the sordid details. He held his breath until, at last, she shrugged.

“Well, I best get moving if I’m going to have a handle on Pops’s accounts when I meet with the lawyer.”

“And I’ll check out the local real estate tonight so we can go over some numbers on the way. Pick you up at nine?” Noelle’s flight was due a little after noon.

“That works.” On her way to the house, Kelly turned back. “Thank Emma for the casserole,” she said. “And you for all your help.”

Hank resettled his hat. Forgiveness wasn’t a particularly strong trait in the Tompkins clan. He supposed, based on the harsh relations between their families, an uneasy truce with Kelly was the best he could hope for. But, watching her walk away, he couldn’t help wishing fate had spooned just a smidge more forgiveness into the tall blonde’s nature. If it had, he was pretty sure they’d still be together.

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