Chapter Ten
First thing Monday morning, Keegan dragged Kadendown to the bank. They managed to get there a few minutes before the doors opened, and every second Keegan waited felt like eons.
The giddy feeling, he realized, was more like anxiety than hope. At some point during the night, he’d woken up in a cold sweat, dreaming that the bank had turned them down flat, refusing to give them a loan for the property. With a few callous words, the woman in his dream had dashed all his hopes.
He’d been almost tempted to say fuck it, to tell Kaden he’d changed his mind. Last thing he needed was another letdown. Right now, he wasn’t sure he could deal with the bad news.
At the same time, this was his dream. No way could he let his anxiety take him down.
Of course, he was damn good at hiding it, so he plastered on a smile, shoved a nuked breakfast burrito and a mug of lukewarm coffee at his brother, and forced him out the door. To keep from fidgeting, Keegan had driven, managing somehow to not break any traffic laws on the way to town.
Fortunately, the bank wasn’t busy at that time of morning, and they’d managed to wrangle a meeting with the bank manager without an appointment. At least, that was what Kaden had told him. Then again, the bank manager—who just so happened to be related to them—was the only other person working besides one teller. There wasn’t another soul inside the building, so there weren’t exactly people knocking down the door for a loan.
They’d been directed into this office, offered more coffee—which they had both refused—and were now waiting for the manager to appear. It took everything in him not to hyperventilate.
Keegan heard footsteps seconds before a familiar voice said, “I heard it through the grapevine that you boys are lookin’ to buy Tuck’s ranch.”
“We are,” Keegan said with a grin, letting some of that repressed hope out in his voice.
And then there were three in the small office, which couldn’t have been more than eight by eight if an inch, held little more than a single desk, two uncomfortable guest chairs, one executive chair, a printer, a computer, and now the bank manager, Griffin Walker, one of their many cousins.
“You realize who your neighbor’ll be, don’t you?”
“Who?” Keegan inquired, glancing between Kaden and Griffin.
“My brother,” Griffin said, leaning back in his chair. “Brantley lives next door to ol’ Tuck.”
“Did you know that?” Keegan asked Kaden.
“I did.” His brother grinned. “And I don’t think it’ll be a problem.”
“Didn’t figure it would.” Griffin glanced between them, his expression shifting to serious. He held that look for several seconds before a grin broke out on his face and he looked at Kaden. “Sorry, man. I tried.”
Keegan wasn’t sure he understood. He’d heardsorry, but it was said with a chuckle. That didn’t mean bad news, did it?
“What’s goin’ on?” Keegan asked, fear once more trickling into his bloodstream.
Griffin leaned back in his chair, his grin widening. “Congrats.”
Keegan frowned. “For what?”
“It’s yours if you want it.”
How the hell could that be possible? They were here to fill out the application, go through the process. All the bullshit Keegan wasn’t looking forward to but knew was necessary.
Keegan peered over at Kaden. “What’s he talkin’ about?”
Griffin chuckled. “You didn’t tell him you applied for the loan already?”
“No.” Kaden exhaled heavily. “Figured I’d let it be a surprise.”
Why that surprised him, Keegan didn’t know. That sounded just like Kaden. Always one step ahead, the expected outcome in sight.
“It’s ours?” Keegan asked, his gaze darting between the two of them.
“Well, provided the appraisal comes back, which, based on the asking price, I can’t imagine it won’t.” Griffin glanced between them again. “We are lookin’ for twenty percent down.”
“Twenty percent?” Keegan pulled the paper Griffin laid out toward him. “Holy shit.”
