This Place Called Home: Includes Bonus Story! (Forget-Me-Not Ranch) Read online

  No surprise there. Aunt Agatha despised talking on the phone to anyone, even him. “I can get ahold of her.” If he called at least five times in a row, she’d usually get tired of hearing it ring and finally answer. “Is there a message you’d like me to give her?” A message he needed to know about?

  He’d been on the road almost full time since April, only making it back home to check on her twice in the last three months.

  “The thing is, she’s late paying the mortgage.” The banker almost sounded apologetic. “Again. I can’t keep bailing her out. This time I have to impose the late fees.”

  “I understand.” The tension that had clenched his jaw moved down into the back of his neck. He’d talked to Aunt Agatha about this the last time it had happened. He’d begged her to let him take over her finances, but she wouldn’t hear of it.

  He sent money every couple of weeks, but his aunt insisted on taking in so many stray animals that she was probably spending every dime on feed and supplies.

  “I’ll talk to her,” he said into the phone. This time he had to do more than talk to her. She couldn’t keep on this way—taking in animals they couldn’t afford to care for. With property taxes and all the borrowing they’d had to do simply to hold onto the property after his dad passed away when he was a kid, they couldn’t keep buying the supplies required to support her menagerie of strays. “We’ll get the payment sent in before the end of the week,” he promised.

  “That’d be much appreciated.” The man said a terse goodbye and Nash pocketed his phone, sporting a whole new kind of headache.

  “What was that all about?” Kyler asked.

  “Nothing.” He didn’t discuss his personal life at work. “Looks like I’m gonna have to take a few days off though.” Being that they were only five hours from River Haven, he could get there late tonight, spend tomorrow convincing his aunt it was time to sell the ranch, and then hopefully meet up with the crew for the upcoming event in Montana.

  “Whoa. You’re taking time off? That phone call must’ve been something then.”

  “My aunt forgot to pay her mortgage.” But she shouldn’t have to worry about a mortgage at her age. Nearing 80, his aunt deserved to slow down. If they sold the ranch, she could easily settle into one of the nice newer patio homes in town.

  Then she wouldn’t have to worry about the taxes and the upkeep he couldn’t help out with during rodeo season. “I’m thinking it’s time to unload the place. Get her settled somewhere more comfortable. Easier to manage.”

  Kyler laughed. He’d visited Nash at the ranch a few times over the years. “Ha. You really think Agatha is gonna let you sell that place?” He shook his head. “Did you get kicked in the noggin today?”

  Nash had never been kicked in the noggin. He was too quick. “The idea might take some getting used to, but it’s for the best.” It had been a long time coming. They should’ve sold when he first started traveling the circuit for months at a time.

  “Agatha will come around.” Maybe. Okay, there was only a slight possibility she’d see the logic in selling. Logic wasn’t exactly his aunt’s strongpoint. After his dad had died, she’d raised him on intuition and spontaneity and ingenuity. His aunt liked to look at every day as an adventure, and yet somehow Nash had turned out the exact opposite.

  He wanted a plan. A plan that made sense. Not some big-picture vision that you had to figure out as you went along.

  He went to his locker and retrieved his bag. “And even if she doesn’t come around, we can’t keep that place afloat much longer.” Especially with all of the stray animals she took in.

  Last time he’d gone home, he’d found six new goats, three more dogs, a horse that had been neglected, and a Jersey cow someone was planning to send to the slaughterhouse. He had no idea what he’d find when he went home this time.

  But anymore…nothing would surprise him.

  Welcome to the Forget-Me-Not Ranch.

  Mack drove under the wooden sign and through an open gate where the road dipped down between two hills.

  On either side of the dirt driveway, aspen trees grew close together, their scarred white trunks of all sizes providing a barrier of protection. With the late afternoon sun backlighting those golden leaves, the warm air seemed to glow with a surreal light.

  The tunnel of trees veered slightly left and then gradually opened up to a mountain meadow where two houses and a few old barns sat. Rich sunlight seemed to spill over the idyllic setting, making it the perfect backdrop for a stunning portrait.

  Mack slowed the SUV and followed Agatha’s old Ford truck around to the back of the smaller house. Both were simple log structures, built as though they hadn’t wanted to distract from the views of those snow-capped peaks standing guard a little further west. But they were nice homes. Sufficient. What more could you need when you lived in a peaceful mountain meadow?

  She parked her father’s SUV, grateful she’d let Agatha talk her into coming here, at least for a little while. Maybe it was because she lived in the city, but this place seemed safer, warm and open and harmonious. Everything home wouldn’t be for her right now.

  She cut the engine and gathered her torn dress in her hands so she could, not so gracefully, climb out of the car.

  The heels of her shoes sank into the soft earth when she stood, so she carefully slipped them off and tossed them back into the car. Dirt and grass cradled her feet as she walked to the front of the house to get a better view.

  For a second, Mack simply stood there, taking in those sweeping mountain vistas. Insects buzzed and birds called, but what really got to her was that quiet. There were the small noises of the natural world but also a deep peace that seemed to resound in the air. Beyond the houses, a small lake was tucked into the lowest part of the valley, reflecting the beauty that surrounded it.

  Agatha traipsed over to join her, still sipping on the black coffee she’d gotten from the gas station.

  “What a beautiful place,” Mack murmured, unable to take her eyes off the glistening landscape.

  “It is, isn’t it?” Agatha inhaled loudly through her nose as though breathing in the beauty. “My great grandparents settled here. Came over from Switzerland and started a cattle operation. To hear my grandpa tell it, they searched and searched for a place that reminded them of their home. They stopped here and never left.”

  “I can see why.” This place did bear a resemblance to the places she’d visited in the Alps—the jagged snow-covered peaks that met the sky, the meandering green valleys dotted with colorful wildflowers. Mack glanced down to her bare feet, trying to place the dainty blue flowers popping up out of the grass. She bent over and picked a couple.

  “Those are alpine forget-me-nots.” Agatha knelt and picked a few too.

  “The Forget-Me-Not Ranch.” Mack couldn’t help but smile. She’d thought the name had some other meaning.

  “My great grandmother scattered the seeds and they still grow like crazy.” The woman tucked the flowers behind her ear. “Everyone always said she was in charge and she wouldn’t let anyone forget it.”

  Mack twisted the tiny flower stems between her fingers. From the looks of things, a lot had changed since Agatha’s family had settled here, even if the flowers still grew. “Do you still have a cattle operation?” she asked, scanning the pastures again.

  She couldn’t see what sat on the other side of the barns further down the hill, but it sure didn’t look like a cattle operation.

  “No.” Agatha started toward the larger of the two houses. “It was too hard to keep the cattle after my brother died. My nephew and I tried for a while, but after Nash left for school, I had to let it go.”

  They approached the large front porch, and a dog came trotting down the steps. It appeared to be an elderly golden retriever, whose fur was graying around the mouth. “Well hello there.” Mack reached down to give the dog some love, and its shaggy tail whooshed back and forth.

  “That’s Jasper,” Agatha told her with a grin.
“He’s the man of the house. At least when my nephew’s away.”

  “He’s so sweet.” The dog had the softest fur and huge soulful brown eyes. “Hi Jasper.” She scratched behind his ears while the dog sniffed at her wedding dress as though the blood concerned him.

  “He’s a good boy.” Agatha gave his rump a pat. “Going on ten now and still as spry as a pup.” As if he understood what she’d said, Jasper darted away and found a stick, bringing it back and dropping it at Mack’s feet.

  She reached down to pick it up and threw it in the direction of the lake. “Have you had him since he was a puppy?” She’d always adored dogs, but her parents hadn’t wanted to be tied down by animals. They were too busy for that.

  “I bought him for my nephew after his dad died.” Agatha’s bright blue eyes seemed to dull slightly. “Nash was only sixteen at the time. He took it hard.”

  “I would imagine.” She couldn’t fathom losing her parents at sixteen. Right when you were trying to figure out who you were, not to mention who you wanted to become. “How old is your nephew now?” Agatha had to be in her seventies, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have a young nephew.

  “He turned thirty this year.” The woman stared off at the mountains as though mulling something over. Memories, maybe? Or some concern she seemed to have?

  Mack glanced between the two houses. “So your nephew lives here too then?” That could be awkward. What would he think about his aunt bringing home a bloodied runaway bride from the gas station?

  “Sometimes.” Agatha gave a shrug. Nothing seemed to concern her. “He travels for work a lot. Pretty much spring through fall, so I don’t see him too much.”

  Jasper came and dropped the stick for Agatha this time. The woman had a surprisingly strong arm. “Nash is a vet,” Agatha explained. “He works on the rodeo circuit. Made a name for himself treating the bulls and bucking stock.”

  “Wow.” Mack tried not to show her relief that he wasn’t around, but that definitely made her feel better about being here. Well, a little bit better anyway. This whole going-home-with-a-stranger thing was new to her.

  “Thanks again for letting me come.” A sense of awkwardness washed over her. She wasn’t used to needing someone to rescue her. “I won’t stay long,” she said quickly.

  “Don’t be silly.” Agatha linked their arms together and led her to the larger house and up the porch steps. Jasper trotted along behind them.

  “Nash’s house sits empty most of the time. I’ll put you up there, at least for the night.” She paused and faced Mack with a warm smile. “I’d put you in my spare room but I’ve got a whole gaggle of goats recovering from Enterotoxemia. Bad bout of it. I put them in the spare room so I could keep a better eye on them through the night.”

  Mack almost laughed. Goats? She had goats in her spare bedroom? “So you have a dog and goats…”

  “Oh, that’s not that half of it.” The woman opened the front door of the house and ushered her through. “But I can show you around the ranch later. First things first, we need to get you cleaned up and out of that dress.” She prodded Mack through a small entryway and then into a great room, Jasper following the whole way.

  Agatha’s nephew’s house did feel empty and hollow. It was nice enough—rustic with a heavy wooden table and leather couches, but there were no pictures on the walls or any designer touches.

  The place definitely didn’t feel as warm and welcoming as the ranch’s exterior. “Are you sure he wouldn’t mind me staying here?” She was beginning to think this whole thing was a mistake. She couldn’t stay in someone else’s house without their permission! Wasn’t that called a home invasion?

  “He wouldn’t mind at all,” Agatha assured her. “Like I said, he’s never around.” She beckoned Mack down a narrow hallway and into what appeared to be the master bedroom. Again, there were no personal touches, just a king-sized bed, a dresser, and a chair in the corner.

  “When he renovated the house, he put in this beautiful new bathroom.” Agatha opened a door past the closet and Mack peeked inside.

  “I don’t think he’s even used the bathtub,” his aunt said, flipping on a light.

  Mack stepped inside. “Wow.” It was beautiful. A large, bright space, thanks to the skylights. The double vanity took up one entire wall, and an oversized clawfoot tub sat beneath a window on the other side of the room.

  “When he did the work, Nash kept talking about resale.” Agatha scoffed. “As if we’re ever going to sell this place. Ha! But that’s Nash for you. He’s too practical for his own good.”

  Practical. That was a good word for his house. “I wouldn’t want to sell this place if it belonged to me.” Not with the land and the lake and the solitude. The house could be easily dressed up a bit. If she had a place like this, she might never leave.

  “Well, someone should use the bathtub.” Agatha flipped on the ornate faucet and stuck her arm in the flow of water as though testing the temperature.

  Jasper lumbered over and took a quick drink out of the faucet.

  Mack backed up a step. “I don’t need a bath.” It felt wrong, using this man’s bathroom—bathtub—when he didn’t even know she was there. “Really. I don’t want you to go to any trouble.” Agatha had already done so much for her, and she didn’t even know her…

  “Actually, I think a bath is exactly what you need. After what you’ve been through, you need some space, some time.”

  The woman disappeared and returned with a pair of plaid boxer shorts and a sweatshirt. “Here’re some clothes you can put on after. I’d offer you a set of mine but you’re a good foot taller.”

  She seemed to give Mack a quick visual assessment. “I come from a long line of short women.” She got a gleam in her eye. “But that doesn’t stop me.”

  Nothing stopped Agatha, Mack could already tell that much.

  The woman leaned over to inspect the bloodstains on Mack’s wedding dress. “I think I can get all that out no problem, but it’ll take some time.”

  Once again, her pride reared up. “You don’t have to do that. Really. You don’t have to do any of this.”

  What was she doing here? She didn’t go home with strangers. Even kind strangers with fun yellow rubber boots. “I should drive home…” and straight into the mess she’d left behind.

  “Nonsense.” Agatha opened a cupboard and pulled out a plush towel. “You’re here now. You should take a bath, relax a bit, and I’ll warm up dinner. After that, you can decide what you’d like to do.”

  Chapter 3

  Agatha was right. Mack really did need this.

  She sank lower in the sudsy water and let the warmth fill her up. For the first time in months, she felt completely relaxed. At ease. She hadn’t realized how much the wedding—marrying Evan—was stressing her out until she’d walked into that church and all of the feelings she’d refused to acknowledge ran over.

  After what you’ve been through, you need some space. Some time. Agatha’s words rang true. She needed a place to figure things out. If she went home now, the barrage of questions wouldn’t end. Questions from her parents and from Evan and from their friends and from the media. The last twenty-four hours had been such a whirlwind, and she didn’t have answers. Not yet.

  Jasper whined from his post near the door.

  “What’s the matter, boy?” Mack reached out her hand and the dog hurried over, giving it a good lick. The dog had seemed to decide it was his job to watch over her. Even when Agatha had tried to call him out of the bathroom, he’d remained steadfastly by the door, which, according to Agatha, meant he liked Mack.

  “Is dinner ready?” She had no idea how long she’d been luxuriating in the bathtub. But at least she felt ready to face the world again. Well, ready to face Agatha anyway.

  Mack stood and climbed out of the tub. She wrapped herself in the towel and drained the water before dressing in the clothes Agatha had left out for her. The boxer shorts were too big so she rolled up the waistband a few tim
es. She had to roll up the sleeves of the sweatshirt, too, and she couldn’t help but notice the soft material smelled like spice. Not cologne necessarily, but something earthy and clove-like.

  God, what would this Nash guy think if he knew she was wearing his underwear right now? She decided not to dwell on that. The man would be gone all summer, like Agatha had said, and what would be the harm in her staying here a few days?

  She could call her parents and tell them she was fine—just on a bit of a soul-searching getaway. She could have her assistant wire her some money to pay Agatha back for the gas and help out with food and groceries. Maybe she could even help out around the ranch. The poor woman seemed so lonely. And from the sound of things, she had a lot of animals to take care of.

  Mack glanced in the mirror and decided to leave her complicated wedding hairdo intact. She’d be willing to bet the stylist had used over a hundred bobby pins that morning. “What’d you think?” she asked the dog. “How long can I leave it this way?”

  Jasper’s long, wise gaze made her feel like he really understood what she’d said. “Come on, buddy.” She gave him a pat. “I can tell you want your dinner.” The dog happily followed her to the door, where she was greeted with the savory aroma of stew and bread. Oh dear God. There was nothing like the smell of fresh bread, especially when she was famished.

  Feeling lighter, Mack hurried down the hall with Jasper by her side. They found Agatha bustling around the kitchen wearing a plaid apron.

  “Wow.” Mack walked to the dining room table to admire the settings. The woman had set the table as though she was expecting the queen for dinner.

  Agatha hurried over and set a basket of bread on the table. “You look better already.”

  “I feel better,” Mack admitted. So much better. There were still pockets of grief inside her—sadness for what she’d put Evan through. And her parents. But there was also this slow-simmering anticipation.

  For the first time in her life, she didn’t have everything planned out. And while it was terrifying, it also felt freeing.