She started walking back to the house and Kyle followed. “But sometimes I just can’t let it go. And our last fight was one of those times. I accused him of not caring about our heritage, of putting other things first while he still had some family. And now he’s not here.”
Kyle saw his angle. “Maybe he feels really bad about it but doesn’t know how to approach you. Maybe he wants to come home.”
“You don’t know my brother. When he makes up his mind, that’s it.” She swiped her hand across her face.
“Reminds me of somebody,” Kyle joked as he opened the back door for her.
But Arden’s mood had darkened. The humor didn’t touch her. “Can we please stop talking about him? He’s not coming home for Christmas, I’m settled with that in my mind, and I’m carrying on.” She looked over at Camo, who was lying in his bed, tongue out, looking at her like she was the sweetest thing he’d ever seen. “I’ve got that guy right over there,” Arden said. “He’ll just have to do.”
“You’ve got me too,” Kyle said. “Not that you particularly want me here.”
That seemed to break the spell that held Arden’s attention. She studied him as she unwrapped her red scarf. “You know, Kyle? I could think of worse company to have.”
His heart took off like a shot. “Oh really? Worse than me? Worse than a dick who came to reclaim his dog?”
Arden arched her eyebrows and the corner of her mouth quirked up. “He’smydog. And yes, much worse.” She headed for the kitchen and the crockpot sitting on the peninsula. She lifted the lid and the room filled with the rich aroma of chicken and dumplings.
Kyle shrugged out of his parka and walked to the peninsula. “Worse company would be your neighbor Rick maybe?”
Arden dropped the lid back down and made a face. “Oh, please don’t even say that man’s name or you’ll spoil my appetite! He is theworst.”
“Yeah, I’d put him in something my friend Jake calls the sockable face club.”
Damn, what a wicked laugh Arden had. “You don’t know the half of it.”
“I saw enough to know he’s a complete asshole. He was willing just to stand there and talk to Mr. Sanders out in a fucking blizzard, not even caring that the poor old man was totally confused and cold and wearing bedroom slippers and pajamas.”
Arden’s face flushed red and she made a fist. “Oh that son of a bitch. Sadly, that’s the least of his sins. In addition to being a total coke-head, the man oozes smarm.”
“Got that right. I caught part of their conversation and it was like he was encouraging Mr. Sanders’ dementia.”
Arden tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”
“I didn’t hear everything they were talking about but I did hear Rick tell Mr. Sanders that he’d be much happier living in Denver, because he would be much closer to his wife.”
Arden’s eyes went wide as saucers. “Oh my God, did he really say that? Peggy passed away years ago and heknowsthat.” She shook with rage. Her gray eyes turned to cold hard steel. “He’s been trying to get ahold of the Sanders’ ranch ever since he moved up here. He’s trying to get us to sell to him. He bought up a couple places already. Three of us are still holding out, and the truth is Frank Miller’s probably going to sign the papers any day now.” She huffed. “I’m angry at Frank, but I also can’t blame him. The cash offer is pretty ridiculous and Frank’s getting on in years. He’s got a daughter living down in the Springs who’s been encouraging him to move closer.”
“Let me guess who the other holdout is.” Kyle leaned forward, bringing his face closer to hers.
Her red rage turned to a blush. “Yeah, three guesses and the first two don’t count. There is no way that I am selling my ranch. This is my home, this is my heritage, this is where my people are. And if I did have to sell my ranch, he’s the last person on earth I would sell it to, especially after the way he’s treated Mr. Sanders. The man has no conscience.”
“So, I guess Ellie refuses to sell because she wants to honor her dad’s wishes, correct?”
“Yup, that’s it exactly. Thing is, if Rick hadn’t pushed so hard, or if he were willing to wait even one more year, she probably would have sold the place to him. But if you think I’m stubborn, Ellie is ten times more stubborn than me. She’ll make sure her dad doesn’t leave that ranch unless it’s feet first.”
“What does he want to buy all the land up for?” Kyle asked. “Is he planning on starting a giant ranch?”
“Oh no, he wants to develop it into some sort of, I don’t know, it’s almost like a compound.”
“Compound?”
“Yeah. A lot of people want to move to Colorado because it’s a great lifestyle for one. Land’s going up in price but it’s still relatively cheap. Places like mine, I’m isolated enough so that it feels like I’m in the middle of nowhere, but I can get to a city pretty quick if I want to.” She grinned. “Weather permitting. Anyway, I guess there’s this group he represents, I don’t know, he’s a little sketchy on the details, but they have deep pockets and they’re willing to pay a lot of money for all the land up here. But they want everyone gone. I heard that if he can’t buy up every single property, they’ll look elsewhere and use someone else. And he would literally lose millions in the deal.”
Kyle whistled. “That’s a lot of motivation for some people.”
“It sure is. And it makes me afraid to think of what lengths he might go to in order to get all of us to move. Especially after what you’ve told me today.” Arden shook her head. “I think I need to have a talk with Ellie.” Her eyes brightened as though she were about to cry.
“Hey,” Kyle reached across the peninsula and took her hand. She was visibly trembling, both with rage and sadness and maybe even fear. But knowing Arden, she would never admit to anything like that. Especially not to him. “I want you to know, that even though we have our differences, I’m not going to let anything like this stand while I’m here. If Ellie is so much as feeling threatened,” he squeezed her fingers, “ifyouare feeling threatened, I’m not afraid to face this guy. He shouldn’t be able to get away with this, with putting a defenseless old man’s life at risk. Or his daughter. Or you.”
