Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
I t was everything she’d dreamed of and more. The small town of Potter had been more than welcoming. It had everything a person could need, plus it wasn’t too far from Great Falls. They were the kindest people she had ever met.
They were thrilled that they would finally have a veterinarian of their own. A minimum two-hour wait for a vet's response had been typical before she came.
Judging by the number of pies received, it seemed every woman in town was a pie maker. She received an invitation to their Tuesday morning coffee. They all met to catch up weekly. There were two diners in town, so they alternated.
Troy Waddy was the local house builder/carpenter. He generously offered to fix her house since it was slow at the office. Though she suspected he worked from his home. She’d heard a baby cry the last time she talked to him on the phone.
He was such a cheerful person, and a dose of positivity was just what she needed. Plus, he liked to take home pies.
When she explained she couldn’t afford to pay him yet, he smiled. “I know you will when you can.” It almost brought tears to her eyes.
She found a place in town that would serve as a clinic. All she needed was a little elbow grease.
Everything in Potter was different. She received her loan for the clinic right away. All the supplies she needed would be within her reach. Shopping online was her greatest pleasure. There was room to expand the building eventually.
For the moment, she made house calls. A lot of house calls. It seemed those folks she hadn’t met through pie-giving had an animal that had a small ailment. It gave her a sense of being needed, unlike ever before.
Quickly, many mothers were trying to set her up with their sons. While it was nice to know she was good enough, she declined all their invitations. Keeping busy helped in the broken heart aspect. It was when she was alone at night, that she’d think only of Reilly. She imagined him going to parties with clients. That would be expected. A piece of her wished for his joy, while another yearned for his love. Honestly, her longing for him was substantial.
She prayed each night, thanking God for her many blessings, and she always asked that Reilly would find happiness. He deserved that much.
Certifiable. That was what his family had called him when he moved to Great Falls and set up his practice. He wasn't interested in a high-profile legal career any longer. He excelled as a lawyer, yet he disliked public attention.
He looked around his new apartment. It was spacious, with an outstanding view, but maybe it was too big. He’d taken a page out of his sister Katie’s book and didn’t buy any furniture that wasn’t absolutely needed. It wasn’t as though he’d be entertaining.
His practice had grown in the last two months and he finally hired Kelly Stock. She was fresh out of college and eager to learn. The demand for new clients and high billable hours was a thing of the past. He could do what he wanted. The core of the problem was his inability to find something he wanted.
He went to a few meet and greet type events. It was different from past ones he’d attended. Business wasn’t all that was discussed. No one was trying to be the peacock of the room. It was quite pleasant.
His ability to be himself, in contrast to his inability to do so in Billings, was striking. Enlightening too.
He no longer talked to his mother but had been back to the ranch to spend a weekend here and there. The sight of couples walking sometimes made him feel cheated. It was worse when they had a young child. He and Lynne had never called each other, as promised. He waited and waited, but she just…never called.
But he had business to discuss with her, and he couldn’t put it off any longer. He also had a check for her that she probably needed. He’d finally received each piece of paper he needed to put the puzzle together. She needed to know.
His call to her ended with an awkward silence that left him feeling sad. He still had to handle the business related to her property and her stake in the clinic. She invited him to come to her new place.
Of course, he knew where it was since he’d set it up for her. But she didn’t know that. Today he’d see her. Excitement and dread warred within him. He was at his limit with heartache. Packing up his briefcase, he took a deep breath and started his trip to Potter.
He’d be at her place any minute. Maybe she should have just had him send everything in the mail. It would have been preferable to pacing and peeking from her trailer window.
It was a bit of a drive from Billings. He’d probably go to the ranch after their meeting. She was excited to show him her place. Showing him her clinic would be fun. She still needed a few things and hoped to find them at a nearby auction. She already hired a med tech, Noreen Flannagan. She was reliable, and she was great with animals and their owners, too. Scott Richards had come highly recommended. Next would be a receptionist.
Would he be happy for her? No, no more doubting or relying on anyone’s approval to feel good.
The sound of gravel crunching reached her ears. There was his car. She stepped back just far enough so she could observe him without him knowing. He was so handsome; he always had been. The confidence he exuded was fascinating. She had to look away before she decided she loved him.
The smile in his eyes when she opened the door warmed her heart. No one ever looked at her the way he did.
“Come in! It’s good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you, too.” He stepped forward as though he was going to hug her, but he stopped just short of doing it.
“This looks to be a great piece of property.”
“Thanks, have a seat. I made coffee for you and tea for me.”
He smiled as he sat down at the table. Then he opened his briefcase and pulled out a few thick folders.
She put their drinks on the table. “Those files look huge.”
“We have a lot to go through.” He opened the first folder. “The first order of business is the dead bull. There was no dead bull. David West and my brother McKenna sold the bull and claimed it died. I hunted down Thor and had a DNA test done. Their greed knew no bounds. But that’s one mystery solved.”
A flash of rage gave way to relief after a deep breath, but she remained somewhat upset. “Why blame it on me?”
“They got a lot of money and discredited you. I bet they thought themselves clever.” He sighed. “Let me start at the beginning. Your grandpa wouldn’t allow your father to marry Sable. He thought her to be crass, and he also thought she didn’t really love your father, she just loved how much the ranch was worth.”
She stared at him, speechless.
A wry smile lifted his lips. “I was surprised too. That’s why she never gave you a chance and got you out of my life. Because we had nannies, I didn't realize how unkind she was. She wasn’t around much. Our father raised us. I never imagined she'd say you weren't good enough, and that I was seeing someone else. She bribed your grandfather to silence him and keep you from me. Your Grandpa used the money to secure your future. He paid off the mortgage on the ranch. He paid West to buy in to his practice on your behalf. My hunch is that your grandpa didn't want you to know how he got that money. Then my mother decided to ruin your grandpa and filed a lien on his ranch. With the help of our preferred banker, she prepared the loan documents and requested payment. Your grandpa got a loan from the same bank and paid her off. She never removed the lien.
“Your grandpa was left to pay the bank loan. He paid, you paid, but those payments were never recorded, and the money is missing. I have a good idea who took it.”
It felt as though all the blood drained from her face. Lightheadedness engulfed her. How could this be true?
He leaned forward, peering at her. “Are you feeling all right? Your face is so white. I apologize for rushing; I should have given you more time to absorb what I was saying.” He stood and got her a bottle of water from a case on her counter. “Drink this.”
Nodding, she drank some of it. Sable McKeegan was the puppet master, and she was the unknowing puppet. How far had her reach extended? Were the grades she thought she earned in college real? In a flash, she was up and running toward the bathroom. Without closing the door, she leaned over the toilet and got sick.
That woman had ruined Grandpa’s life and hers. Her grandpa took money from that witch to keep her away from Reilly? Quickly, she brushed her teeth and went back to the table.
“This affected your life too.”
“Yes, in a way I can’t forgive.”