Sitting on a stool at the kitchen counter, Max closed the exchange of texts and placed his phone face down. His father had complained that Max was wasting time. According to Father, he wasgallivanting aroundandavoiding his responsibilitiesinstead of being home andplanning for his future.
Father had asked him pointedly:“If you are not willing to be responsible, then stop delaying and abdicate to Alex.”
Stop delaying and abdicate.
Was that what he should do? Abdicating would certainly take away the pressure to marry.
Yet, all his life, Max had prepared to be the next king. He had practiced for it, lived for it, and dreamed of it. He’d had the education and training to be a king. He even had the heart for it in a way that Alex never would.
The truth was, Max did not wish to abdicate, not only because he was ready and capable of leading his country but also because he was unaccustomed to admitting defeat. He had clung to the hope that he would discover a way to make the situation work in his favor, and he was still clinging to that hope, although less tenaciously.
“All set for the excursion?” T.W. asked as he shuffled from the hallway into the kitchen.
After staying in the family home for the past two nights, Max had spent enough time with T.W. to know he was a smart and savvy man who had accomplished great things with Healing Springs Ranch in his lifetime.
Emberly had been right about his love for his wife. He was love-crazy for Leah—so much so that Leah adored him in return. Max had been watching the way T.W. interacted with Leah, and he’d witnessed the older man putting into practice many of the examples Emberly had shared. T.W.’s genuine, unconditional, and comprehensive love was truly inspiring, and Max had determined more than ever to facilitate that legacy of love in his own marriage—even though he was not a McQuaid.
’Twas clear T.W. also cared deeply for his children. He expected them to love God, love family, and work hard. He was very open about his desire for each of his children to have fulfilling marriages with loving spouses. With both Tyler and Brock having fallen in love, he believed Emberly was next.
“She needs someone who isn’t afraid of her sass and who appreciates her strength,” T.W. had told him yesterday when they’d been eating breakfast together. “She also needs a man who isn’t intimidated by her brothers.”
Strangely enough, Max had wanted to claim that he fulfilled all those requirements, that he liked Emberly’s sass and strength. They were among the qualities he liked best about her. He was also utterly unfazed by her brothers, especially Tyler, who seemed the most perturbed by Max’s decision to remain on the ranch through midweek.
“I’m sure Emberly already warned you to dress in layers,” T.W. said as he approached the refrigerator. “You can always take off the layers if you get too warm, but you can’t do anything if you get cold.”
“Emberly did indeed relay that advice.” With all the layers, Max was starting to overheat as he waited for Emberly to arrive at the house so that they could begin their snowshoeing trip.
Max was not a novice to snowshoeing, and he was looking forward to hiking into the wilderness and getting to see more of the backcountry. More than that, he wanted to enjoy one more day with Emberly.
She had taken the time away from her work and spent the past two full days with him. They had cross-country skied, hiked to a wildlife viewing area, taken one of the ranch’s photography classes, relaxed in the spa and hot spring, and eaten plenty of excellent food.
Today, on Max’s final extra day here, T.W. had suggested they hike out to the cabin his father had built in the Tarryall Range near Cowboy Peak. The cabin wasn’t accessible by vehicle but could be reached in the summer by ATVs and in the winter by snowmobiles. The place was apparently rustic compared with the cabins on the ranch and didn’t have running water or electricity. But T.W. had talked fondly of how he and Leah had gone there often over the years for a romantic night or two alone.
From the base of Cowboy Peak, the hike to the cabin by snowshoe would only take three or four hours. Emberly had made the journey many times and knew the way well. But she’d planned for Winzig to accompany them on a snowmobile in order to carry in supplies for lunch. Although she had not explicitly stated that the snowmobile would also provide an emergency way out of the mountains if anything happened to them, Max suspected that was also part of her motivation.
When Braun had learned of the expedition, he’d insisted on having a snowmobile of his own and joining them. Among his many eccentric interests, Braun was an avid snocross follower. He watched the snowmobile racing competitions and knew the statistics of the top contenders for the upcoming WinterX Games. Although Braun admitted he had actually never managed a snowmobile himself, he was giddy about the prospect of riding one, and Max hadn’t the heart to deny him.
T.W. poured himself a glass of orange juice, then paused to peer out the large kitchen windows to the western range. “Looks like we’ll get some snow today.”
Max shifted on his stool at the center counter and took in the magnificent vista—the low clouds that touched the peaks. The clouds did appear heavy and full of moisture. But the rest of the landscape was bathed in brilliant sunlight with blue skies overhead.
“Emberly has been keeping an eye on the weather forecast for today.” Max appreciated her attention to detail in all the activities they had done.
“She’s smart.” T.W. took a sip of his juice. “Even if you get a little snow later, she’ll be able to handle it.”
“She is quite smart and independent.” Among a hundred other excellent qualities.
T.W. drank more of his juice before setting the glass onto the counter and turning his full attention onto Max. “I’ve appreciated getting to know you. You’re a fine young man, Max.”
“Thank you.” Max had the sudden feeling that their conversation was taking a serious turn, and he braced himself for T.W.’s assessment.
“I like you a lot,” T.W. continued. “And I think you’re perfect for Emberly.”
Perfect for Emberly? Max’s racing mind came to an abrupt halt. What was T.W. saying? “But...?”
T.W. chuckled softly. “There’s nobut.”
Was T.W. telling him that he would support a relationship with his daughter? That could not be true, could it?
