Chapter 41
Chapter Forty-One
Emma
I pulled into the ranch, hoping that I had beaten Mason there. However, the sight of his Bronco at the barn left my heart sinking in my chest. I parked next to him, and climbed out, already hearing Mason’s voice inside the barn…
And he sounded angry.
“Why did you not answer your phone?” he demanded, his voice carrying through the evening air. “I tried to call you multiple times.”
“Dad, I’m sorry… I was just out riding…”
I stepped into the barn, my eyes falling on the back of Mason’s head and then to Jess, who was standing wide eyed a few feet away. “What’s going on?” I kept my voice nice and calm as I approached them.
“This isn’t your concern,” Mason snapped at me.
I raised my brows at him, reading the fatigued expression on his face. “I understand that… I was just asking. ”
He shook his head, letting out a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry. I was just worried.” Mason looked back to Jess. “Please just tell me what your plans are from now on. I was worried.”
Jess nodded, her shoulders slumping under her braided hair. “I’m so sorry. I should’ve told you. It’s my fault.”
“It’s okay,” Mason said, running his hand along his jaw. “Let’s just not send me on a wild goose chase again. Freaked me out after everything that happened with Emma.”
“I know… I know,” Jess said in a quiet voice. “I’m sorry.”
Mason pulled Jess into a hug and kissed the top of her head before turning to me. “Thanks for coming.”
“Of course,” I replied with a smile. “So, what do you think about the fundraiser?” I had spent some time working on it with Lily after Mason and Jackson had left, and I was determined that it was a great idea to help save the ranch.
Mason was hesitant. “I don’t know how warm he’ll be to the idea, really. You think we can get the money?”
I shrugged, seeing Jess’s eyes light up. “I think there’s a good chance. There’s always a huge turnout with the other events put on here… I think it’s worth a shot.”
“I think so, too,” Jess chimed in. “Let’s go talk to him about it. He’s been in a terrible mood ever since all this. It’s no fun to be around him anymore.”
Mason and I exchanged sympathetic glances. I knew Lucas was struggling with everything going on, and Mason was still carrying the burden of getting him out of the mess. Together, the three of us made our way toward the main house, where Jess said that she had last seen him.
“What’re y’all up to?” Lucas greeted us with a smile as we walked into the main kitchen. He was flipping through paperwork on the counter, but folded it up and flipped it over, making it face down. He must’ve noticed Mason’s eyes, because he shrugged at the stack, flipping it back over. “Just more insulting offers…” He slid it across to Mason with a sigh.
“You tell ‘em no, right?” Mason flipped through the papers. “You can’t take any of the offers that they throw out there…”
“Mason…” Lucas’s voice trailed off. “I don’t know what else I’m gonna do. If I don’t take one of the offers, then I’m just gonna lose the ranch to the bank—and then I don’t even have any money to survive. If I can take an offer, maybe I have a shot at making a little and maybe even keeping ten acres or somethin’ for myself.”
My heart sank at the words, but I wasn’t going to give up on my idea. “Well… We have an idea.”
Lucas blew out a sharp breath. “I don’t think your idea worked out too well last time. I think you might be better off just letting me take care of myself.” His words were sharp, but I understood why he felt the way he did. I knew he was still blaming himself for what happened to myself and Mason.
“Well, first of all,” Mason jumped in. “I was the one who came up with the last idea. Emma just went along with it. This one is actually her idea, and it might be the best one yet.”
Lucas pursed his lips, not convinced slightest. “I’ll hear y’all out, because you’re my friends, but you should know that’s the only reason I’m hearing you out.”
“Fair enough,” I agreed, smoothing out my chocolate-colored maternity dress. “I think we should have a fundraiser for the ranch.”
Lucas didn’t seem amused in the slightest. “And you really think people are just going to hand over money to pay off my debts?” He chuckled in the most defeated tone, shaking his head at all of us. “I don’t want to ask that of anyone.”
“But we don’t want you to lose the ranch…” Jess spoke up, her brows furrowed. “Why wouldn’t you take the help? Do you really want to lose all this?” Her boldness was admirable, and the look on Mason’s face reflected his similar thoughts.
“Jess, you know how much I love this ranch—and this town—which is why I can’t take everyone’s money to try and save it. There are more people in the world that need more help than me. It’s not fair. If you want to have a fundraiser, have one—and you can have it here—but don’t give me the money. Give it to someone who really needs it.”
“But you really need it,” Mason urged, leaning against the dark granite countertops. “Everyone believes that you deserve it. You’ve been through the ringer, so if we can help you, why won’t you just take it?”
Lucas was quiet for a few moments. “You know what? I’m not gonna argue with y’all. If you wanna put together some crazy fundraiser and try to raise money, then go for it. I don’t care. I give up.”
“Good,” Mason chuckled, squeezing his shoulder. “Then we’re gonna put on the best damn fundraiser we can come up with, and you’re gonna see just how much people care about you and this ranch.”
“All right,” he gave in, giving up with a shrug. “Just tell me what I need to do to get ready for it, and I’ll help out where I can.”
“You don’t have to do anything at all,” I chimed in. “We’ll take care of it all. All you have to do is be present.”
“If that’s what you want me to do, then that is what I will do,” he said, swiping up the packet of papers on the counter. “But I still have to plan that it’s not going to work out for me. So, I’m going to go ahead and keep forcing myself to read through these offers. If the fundraiser bombs, I have a back up plan.” He held up the packet as he slipped out of the kitchen, heading off down the hallway.
“He’s not right in the head anymore,” Jess said in a low voice as he disappeared from ear shot.
I was surprised by the comment. “Why do you say that?”
“I just think something is off with him,” Jess replied with a shrug, turning to head out of the house. “He didn’t even really tell us bye or invite us to eat. He always does that.”
“He’s just going through a lot,” Mason commented, placing his hand on Jess’s shoulder and guiding her toward the back door. “I think we ought to just give him space.”
“Yeah, but that’s the thing, Dad,” Jess stopped, turning to face him. “We always give Lucas space—and what if that’s not what he needs right now? What if he needs us to you know, like rally around him? Maybe we should just offer to make him dinner tonight or something?”
I nodded. “I actually think she has a great point. Maybe we should at least just ask? We could always invite him to the cabin, too?”
“Yeah, maybe he needs a change of scenery?” Jess perked up. “Or at least we should offer it to him. He’s always alone…”
Mason hesitated. “I don’t know…”
“Come on, Dad,” Jess urged. “Just go ask him.”
“Or I’ll go ask him,” I suggested, shrugging my shoulders.
“No, no,” Mason contested. “If you go ask him, he’ll feel pressured to say yes. I’ll just go and ask him right now—but don’t get your hopes up. I don’t know if it’ll work out in your favor. We’re already forcing the poor guy to have a damn fundraiser.”
“Oh, just go,” I shooed him toward where Lucas had disappeared off to.
Mason rolled his eyes, and ducked off, leaving us there standing in the kitchen. Jess giggled as he left, turning to me.
“I don’t know why Dad always thinks that everyone needs space.”
“Maybe that’s because he always copes with things by needing space,” I suggested, watching him until he disappeared. “That’s a great idea you had though,” I admitted. “You’re a very thoughtful person.”
“Thanks,” she smiled. “I honestly thought of it because of you. No one ever reached out to us the way that you did. After Dad’s accident, I don’t ever remember people coming over or caring about him. It was lonely, and you’ve just made me feel like… Like someone cares about us.”
“I’ll always be here for you.” I grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze. “I promise.”
“No matter what?”
I nodded. “No matter what.”
About the time that the words left my mouth, Mason appeared in the doorway of the kitchen. “Well, I guess we’re going to be eating here tonight. Lucas has agreed to dinner with us.”
I smiled. “Perfect.”
“I think we should just order pizza,” Lucas called from the hallway, before appearing next to Mason. “I could really use some good pizza. Also, there’s nothing to make here.”
“Pizza is good with me,” Jess chirped. “And I can go with Emma to pick it up while you two have some bro time.”
“Bro time?” Lucas burst into laughter, sounding ten times lighter than before. “What the hell is bro time?”
“It means you and Dad hang out and talk about guy stuff. I don’t know,” she giggled, shrugging her shoulders. “Still, we’re going to go pick it up.”
“Whatever,” Mason laughed, shaking his head. “I guess we’ll go watch some TV and wait for ya.”
“Deal,” I agreed, grabbing Jess’s hand, and pulling her toward the door. “We’ll see you two in a bit.”
We stepped out into the evening air, and I took a deep breath, relieved to have the night off from cooking. I usually loved it, but now that I was about halfway through my pregnancy, I was running out of steam a little faster… Even if my appetite wasn’t.
“Ugh,” Jess’s voice caught my attention as we made it to my car.
“What?” I asked, confused by the change in her demeanor.
“Cody,” Jess pointed to the young man entering the barn.
Part of me wanted to just let it go, but the other part knew that I shouldn’t. “Is something wrong between the two of you?”
She shrugged, climbing into the passenger seat. “I don’t know if I’d say that. He’s just been acting so weird ever since his dad got arrested. It’s like he has a big chip on his shoulder. He doesn’t care about us anymore.”
“What does he care about now?” I started the motor and began to back out of the spot.
“I don’t know…” Jess’s voice trailed off, her ey es still fixed on Cody, who was carrying a couple of buckets full of feed. “Maybe he just wants space.”
“Well, he is going through a lot himself,” I said carefully, eyeing her. “And it probably doesn’t help that his dad’s violence was directed at his girlfriend’s family.”
“I’m not his girlfriend,” Jess said softly. “He’s made that very clear.”