Page 36 of Worth the Fight

My first thought, after her lack of animosity, is that she’s stunning.

The closer she gets, I can make out the details of her features. Creamy pale skin. Round doe eyes, and a small beauty mark that sits on the apple of one cheek. She’s beautiful. A real-life Disney princess, and suddenly, my unwashed hair and baggy sweater seem a little frumpy for this meeting.

“You must be Magnolia,” she says brightly, coming to stand in front of us. She pauses once we’re an arm’s length away. “Is it weird that I want to hug you?” She looks over at Lukas and giggles a bit. “I feel like I know you from all Lukas has told us.”

“Oh?” I turn to face him, expecting him to blush or brush off the comment, but he just smiles down at me.

“Mags is just in town for a day to see her grandma.”

“Oh, and how is she?”

I know the confusion on my face is obvious, but Lukas doesn’t falter. “She’s doing great. A couple more weeks in the rehab center, but I imagine she’ll be discharged home soon.”

“Thank goodness, what a scary thing for everyone to have to go through.” She turns to me, and I know my emotions are written all over my face. With everything I let myself imagine about the relationship Lukas and Candi have, I never thought that my name was mentioned, let alone Candi knowing about Nana.

She reaches her hand out, and I wrap my palm around hers, shaking once. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“You as well.”

Lukas ushers me forward, pulling out one of the chairs to the island and gesturing for me to sit. He crosses around the island, setting the paper bag with Ivy’s medicine on the counter before spying a Tupperware full of cookies. He peels off the lid, sniffs them once, then turns back to Candi. “Are these raisins or chocolate?”

“Chocolate chips.”

He reaches for one, popping it into his mouth before turning toward me, offering one in my direction.

“No, thank you. I’m full.” Which is a lie. I haven’t eaten lunch yet, and I probably should snack on something, but I’m still dizzy with this situation. I don’t think I could stomach a cookie right now.

He nods, taking another one out before he closes the lid. His crystal eyes fall to the monitor, and when he brings it closer, I can make out the tiny outline of a baby sleeping on the screen. I stare at the grainy footage, my eyes daring to water. That’s Lukas’s baby.

“She had a rough night last night and was up bright and early this morning. I hope the antibiotics kick in soon.”

“You should have called. I would have come over and let you guys get some sleep.”

She waves him off. “We managed to survive, but we might take you up on the offer tonight. Both of us were up almost hourly, and Rick had to be out at one of the farms early this morning.”

There’s a silence that falls over us, and Lukas eats his second cookie, chewing thoughtfully before asking, “Whose farm is he at?”

“He’s at…” She looks over to the fridge, where the family calendar sits, and squints. “It’s a farm by yours—Nelson’s?”

“Nielsen’s,” he corrects.

The Nielsen’s have been in Copper Ridge just as long as the Harts. Their farm is stunning, and the back forty butts up against the Harts. They share a riverbed that runs through, and it’s always felt like an extension of their own. If the fence gets damaged and the cows escape, the Nielsen’s have always come to help and vice versa.

“I guess they’re selling the place,” Candi says, and Lukas chokes on his cookie.

“What?” he asks, curling his hand into a fist and beating it against his chest. I reach a hand up, tapping him on the back as Candi spins to grab a glass from a cabinet. She fills it, sliding it over the island and turns to me. “Can I get you one?”

This time, I nod yes.

“The Nielsen’s are selling?” he asks again.

“Guess so. Called a few weeks ago and asked Rick to stop by and check on the cattle to verify records or something.”

“I thought their kids were taking it over.”

“That’s what Rick said, too. I guess plans changed. They’re selling the cattle to a larger ranch out west, and the land is being sold to someone from the city. The kids are moving away, and Mr. and Mrs. Nielsen are moving to a smaller place in town.”

“That’s so fucking sad.” Lukas presses his hands onto the counter, leaning forward as he curls his hands around the edge. “I bet I know exactly who is throwing down cash for all that land, too.”