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well as expected, we re going to be having the mother of all barbecues at the Circle C.
 I ll be there, Ty stated for emphasis.
 By Saturday if you re not back in Atlanta 
Dex again cut his grandfather off.  If you want me back in your life, you will accept Ty and the rest of
the Coopers as family. This family feud has gone on too long. It s all or nothing, Grandfather. No
compromises& no negotiations.
 How dare you issue me such an ultimatum!
 If you re interested in remaining a part of my family, Dex informed him,  you ll be there on Saturday.
Think about it this time. How much are you willing to lose before you realize that life is too short?
Dex didn t give his grandfather time to argue further, he disconnected. There was nothing else to say.
Ty would be flying in tonight or early tomorrow morning. Dex had done all he could from here.
Now it was time for stage two of his plan.
Winning back the woman who d stolen his heart.
ON SATURDAY MORNING Leanne returned home from the supply store to find a huge, yellow rental
truck, a moving van or something of that order parked in front of her house. Bewildered, she climbed
out of her old truck and headed into the house. She could unload the horse feed later.
Inside she found her mother talking on the telephone while reviewing what appeared to be pamphlets
spread out over the sofa table.
 That sounds wonderful, Joanna said.  My daughter will get back to you next week. She hung up.
Leanne hitched a thumb toward the front of the house.  What s going on? What s that truck doing
here?
 First, her mother beamed,  let me tell you about this. She thrust a colorful brochure at Leanne.
As Leanne studied the lovely travel pamphlet, her mother explained,  This is Stargazers Travel. They
want to list us in their brochures and on their Web site. The president of the company thinks he can
have us fully booked by next month.
Next month?  Whoa! Leanne stared at her mother in disbelief.  How in the world do you think we can
pull that off? We don t 
 Come with me. Joanna grabbed her by the arm and tugged her through the house and in the
direction of the back door.  You ll see, was all she would say.
Once outside, Leanne dug in her heels, slowing her mother s forward movement. Four men exited one
guest cabin, two with moving dollies, and headed back toward their truck.  Mama, what is going on
here?
 You ll see, Joanna said cryptically.
Leanne had no choice, she had to go along.
It was amazing the difference in her mother after only one week of medication. She had more energy
than she d had in over a year. She was happy, always talking about the future and Dex.
Leanne pushed thoughts of him away. She would not think about him today.
Especially not today.
And now this.
Leanne tried to muster up some enthusiasm for her mother s benefit. She hated to be depressed when
her mother was so obviously getting her life back. But she just couldn t help it.
 We are ready! Joanna announced as she dragged Leanne into the first guest cabin.
Leanne gasped. The cabin was fully furnished with a queen-size bed, dresser and mirror, couch, two
chairs, and a dinette set that seated four. It was beautiful. It was everything she d dreamed it would
be. But the bank had turned down her request for a start-up loan. How was this possible? How could
this be?
Dex.
Leanne cried. She just couldn t help herself.
Her mother wrapped her arms around her.  Don t cry, child. She hugged her close.  He only did it
because he loves you.
 He doesn t love me, Leanne wailed.  He lied to me!
 Shhh. I know he didn t tell you the truth and he should have. She rubbed Leanne s back
affectionately.  But deep down you knew all along.
She had known, Leanne admitted. She d known he was different somehow&
 He s called you every day. Even come by a couple of times and you won t even hear him out.
Leanne swiped at her eyes.  How can I believe anything he says now?
 Look at it from his point of view, her mother coaxed.  Look how much courage it took for him to
come here and face the past& come to terms with who he is. She shook her head.  He didn t come
here to hurt you or to fall in love with you. But he did.
Leanne sniffed.  You don t know that he loves me.
Her mother smiled.  Yes, I do, Joanna said softly.  I m not sure he fully understands exactly what he
feels yet, but he loves you.
Leanne gathered her composure.  Well, he s got a funny way of showing it.
Her mother winked.  If my intuition is right, and it usually is, you ain t seen nothing yet. Now come
along, we have to get all gussied up.
Leanne frowned.  What?
Joanna curled her arm around Leanne s.  We re going to that shindig at the Circle C today.
Leanne stopped dead in her tracks.  I can t do that. I can t possibly face him.
 I ve been cooped up in that house for over a year now. Would you begrudge your dear old mother a
day of festivities?
Leanne admitted defeat. How could she possibly deny her mother? She couldn t.
She would just have to face him. She prayed with all her heart that her mother was right that Dex did
love her. Because she was madly, foolishly in love with him.
Two hours later, her heart pounding like a drum, Leanne parked her old truck in the Coopers crowded
drive. It looked as if the whole community was there already. Anxiety threatened to shatter her
bravado.
Firming her shaky resolve, Leanne walked to the backyard with her mother. Joanna was immediately
swept into the crowd of friends and neighbors who were glad to see her out and about. Leanne waited
on the fringes of the gathering, scanning faces for the person every fiber of her being ached to see.
Then she saw him.
Her gaze moved over him hungrily. The fit of his jeans, the way his broad shoulders filled out his white
shirt. His wind-tousled hair. She smiled. He hated wearing a hat, she realized suddenly. That s why he
was always forgetting it.
Dex was talking to his Grandfather Cooper, who d been released from the hospital two days ago.
Thankfully, Mr. Cooper was going to be fine. Medication and proper exercise were going to keep his
condition under control.
Dex smiled at something his grandfather said. Leanne s heart reacted in its usual manner. How could [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]