I head into the house and sit down at the kitchen table, pulling out my laptop. Outside of the ranch, I’ve got a solid nest egg from consulting work and some lucky investments, including Bitcoin. I’ve always kept it separate from the ranch finances, a safety net for emergencies.
I trust her judgment and that she’ll figure anything out. She’s the most resilient woman I’ve ever met. She’s already admitted that she can’t pay the entire amount to the bank, so it’s not that I don’t trust her. I’m just putting in the action to show her I’m serious about us handling problems together.
Okay, maybe I’m doing this alone, but this feels like an emergency.
After double-checking my accounts, I close the laptop and grab my truck keys. It’s time to take action.
When I walk into the bank, I go up to one of the windows.
“Is Cal still in today?”
“Yes, sir,” Tanya, an employee, says. “I’ll let him know you’re here, Wade.”
“Thanks.”
She disappears and then comes back a few minutes later.
“Cal said to go on back.”
She gestures down a hall, and I make my way to his office. He is sitting behind his desk, his usual friendly smile in place. “Wade, what brings you in today?”
I shake his hand and sit down across from him. “I’m here to take care of the debt on the Bishop Ranch.”
Cal raises an eyebrow. “Sutton’s not with you? Does Frank know?”
“She got pulled away to another farm,” I lie smoothly. “Asked me to handle it for her.”
He hesitates, his hand hovering over his phone. “I should probably confirm with her…”
“You don’t need to,” I cut in, keeping my tone even. “We’re engaged. That’s why I’m paying out of my account.”
Well, that’s a lie I can’t come back from. It’s okay, though; it’ll be true eventually, just not right in this moment.
Cal studies me for a moment before nodding slowly. “All right. Let me get the total for you.”
He types into his computer, and I can feel my pulse pounding in my ears. Sutton doesn’t need to know that I told Cal we were engaged. The bigger picture is that I’m taking something off her plate. One less thing for her to have to worry about. If Frank were to lose the ranch, there’s no telling who would buy it or what would happen to it. I’ve heard about resorts coming in and eventually causing enough problems that they wipe out entire communities and turn them into casinos, strip malls, or whatever.
Maybe that’s dramatic, but I don’t want to take the risk. If the ranch is gone, she may not want to stay in Hicks Creek any longer. I can’t take that chance.
When Cal finally gives me the number, I don’t hesitate. I write the check and slide it across the desk.
“You sure about this?” he asks, his tone cautious.
“Positive,” I say firmly. “It’s the right thing to do.”
He nods, taking the check and entering the payment into the system. “All set. I’ll make sure everything’s updated on our end.”
“Thanks, Cal,” I say, standing up and shaking his hand again. “I appreciate it.”
As I walk out of the bank, a sense of relief washes over me. It’s not a permanent solution, but it’s a start. Now, I hope Sutton will understand why I did it—and that she’ll forgive me for the lie.
Maybe I should butter her up by bringing her takeout.
“Hey, Wade,” Martha Turner calls out from in front of the general store.
“Hey, how are you?”
“Blessed and highly favored,” she replies with a giant smile. “How are things with Sutton? She sure is a gorgeous girl. Looks just like her mama. I hope she doesn’t race back to Billings when this is all over.”
