Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Renn
Family Affair
The Hart house was much noisier than Renn expected as he pulled into the drive with his windows rolled down.
Mrs. Hart said he better show up for dinner tonight, so he’d stopped to pick up some flowers for her on his way.
It was strange but he knew his mama would be happy to know he’d connected with the Hart family.
Even if it didn’t last. He still wasn’t convinced they’d want to keep in touch for long, but if he was going to have a bossy grandmother he may as well bring her flowers and enjoy some home cooking.
He didn’t spot Jeremy slumped in the porch swing with his football between his hands, until he’d climbed up the steps.
“I bet you sleep with that ball too?” he said, before sitting across from Jeremy in a wooden rocker on the porch.
Jeremy just nodded. “Not that it matters.”
“Is this about getting on varsity?”
Jeremy’s body language screamed he didn’t want to talk about it, and he just grunted.
“Two hundred and ten pounds,” Renn said.
“What?”
“The kid who broke one of my ribs my sophomore year of high school. He was a senior, eighteen, and two hundred and twenty pounds of pure muscle,” Renn said, setting the flowers down on the side table.
“You played in high school too?”
“Ya, and I’m lucky it didn’t kill me. The doc said it could have punctured a lung, and it took me out for the rest of that season.
But in this state, where football ranks right up there with God and Country, my coach just wanted to win.
So, you can bet he had another kid to put in my place,” he said, holding out his hand for the ball.
“So, you think I should wait too?”
“Do you really want my opinion?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Ya I think you should wait. Hone your skills. Start lifting more, watch film, and up your protein. See how much muscle you can gain this year. Study the rosters of all the players on all the teams you’d play.
But if you’re not at least in the fiftieth percentile for weight, then you wait until you’re a junior or even a senior. ”
“Coach says the more field time I get now, the better chance I have at a scholarship.”
“You’ll also have a better chance of getting injured and needing an academic scholarship. If anything, waiting gives you a better chance of playing ball all four years of college.”
Jeremy sighed.
“Still don’t believe me, look up the stats on the varsity players at the two closest high schools.
” He twirled the ball while Jeremy pulled out his cell phone.
“Now tell me if any of the kids on their defensive lines weigh less than two hundred pounds. Because that’s who will get through that line and tackle you. ”
Jeremy scrolled through the websites that posted all the players stats. Then sat back with a disgusted sigh. “They all weigh two hundred or more.”
“Alright then, consider this a building year.”
“Will you show me that slanted spiral again?” Jeremy asked with less of a scowl.
“Sure will, right after dinner, if you promise not to give your sister a hard time about wanting what’s best for you. And I’ll come by each day before you head off to camp to help you with ranch chores and to practice. Football can’t come before your family or chores.”
“Deal,” Jeremy said, hoping up with enthusiasm.
“Are you boys gonna come grace us with your presence for dinner?” Mrs. Hart said, stepping out onto the porch.
“Yes ma’am, I’m starving,” Jeremy said.
Renn handed the large bouquet of daffodils and daisies over to Mrs. Hart.
“Oh, look who’s my favorite grandson today, bringing me these friendly flowers.”
“They were Mama’s favorite.”
She wrapped one arm around his waist and gave him a squeeze. “Obviously she was a woman with great taste, and she sure did raise you right. It was really nice of you to talk to Jeremy about his future. I’m sure Miranda will be appreciative.”
“Sometimes it’s tough to see what’s right when you want something so bad.”
“Yup, you’re my favorite today. Now come on in and let me feed you too much.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He couldn’t help but smile and enjoy his paternal grandmother’s bossy but loving nature. His mama had been a strong woman, but she’d been quieter about her opinions.
Inside the coastal Victorian-style home, the warm air smelled of fried chicken and melting cheese.
But that wasn’t what he was hungry for when he spotted Miranda’s blond hair and took in her slender curves in a floral dress.
She was huddled in the corner of the living room talking to Wes, and his heart thundered at the thought of getting to spend more time with her.
They both looked serious, but then a smile spread on her face and she hugged Wes.
A wave of jealousy washed over him as he walked over toward them, unsure what he was going to say.
But when he stopped in front of them the conversation ended abruptly. “Am I interrupting?” he asked not wanting to walk away.
“No, no, just chatting with Wes about some property lines,” Miranda said standing. “I’m gonna see if your gran needs any help before we eat.” Then she walked away abruptly.
“What was that about?” Dalton walked over and asked.
Wes sighed. “Miranda asked if we would buy a few acres from her.”
“She must be running short on cash. How many?” Dalton said.
“About sixty grand worth, and she’d rent back the use of the land for the horses with a hope to one day buy it back with interest.”
“She doesn’t need to rent it back, but can we afford to buy it? I mean we definitely don’t want her selling off any of the acres between our land to someone else.”
“We just moved that chunk of change into the trust, so the estate is a little light on liquid funds. But I figured between you, me, and Levi we could probably put enough together,” Wes said.
Renn grimaced. “Land is better than money—use the cash you all think I’m owed for the land.”
“The thing is we can’t touch that money now,” Wes said.
“If I transfer the funds to you, can you handle the purchase, without her knowing it was my inheritance?”
Wes and Dalton looked at each other and then him speculatively.
“I just think it’s best if she thinks the money is from you all—neighbors she’s known her entire life and trusts.”
“Alright, but the extra land gets added to your portion then,” Wes says.
“Fine, minus your fee for managing the sale and the property for the last almost twenty years.”
Dalton grinned and patted Renn’s back. “Well played, brother. You always gotta meet Wes’s bossy nature with some of your own.”
“Let’s eat, boys,” Gran called out.
“Are you sure about this?” Wes asked, standing.
“Absolutely, and if you need more just tell me how much.”
Wes nodded. “Alright.”
Renn moved over to the table and made sure he grabbed the chair next to Miranda.
The dining room table was covered with a feast, dishes filled to the brim along a delicate light blue tablecloth.
There were delicate faint blue glasses filled with water and large white plates with blue ribbons on the edges at each table setting.
He had to school his features and try not to react when Mrs. Hart asked everyone to hold hands for grace.
Miranda had looked at him with questioning eyes but gently placed her small, soft hand with small worn parts from her ranch work.
Renn enjoyed every fleeting second holding on to her a beat too long as everyone moved to take their seat.
He could feel a few sets of eyes on him and didn’t miss the mischievous smile from Mrs. Hart.
“This is a charming table,” Renn said. “And I haven’t seen a feast like this in years.”
“Thank you, honey,” Gran said, winking at Renn as he held Miranda’s chair out for her to sit.
Dalton and Wes groaned. “Who is going to break it to Levi?” Dalton said.
“Break what?” Levi’s voice called from the kitchen before he and Missy appeared.
Mrs. Hart popped up from her seat. “What are you two doing here tonight? I swear you said you had a travel day?”
“We decided to swing through for the night,” Missy said, smiling and hugging Mrs. Hart.
“Missy has news,” Levi said with a big grin.
“We have some news,” Missy said and moved her hand to stomach.
But before she could say anything else Ms. Hart and all the women at the table were standing up.
Dalton grinned and stood before he slapped Levi’s back.
“Guess you’re the favorite again.” The two hugged and laughed.
“What did I miss?” Renn said as Miranda sat back down next to him with a smile.
“Missy and Levi are having a baby,” Miranda whispered.
“Best be having that wedding too,” Declan said before he also shook Levi’s hand and then captured Missy in a big hug.
Renn stood and shook his brother’s hand too. “Congrats.”
“Thanks, little brother, how are you making out as a Hart? Anyone giving you shit?” Levi asked as he pulled up a few more chairs.
“I’m not sure folks in town realize it yet and I’ve been spending most of my time here or helping out at Miranda’s ranch.”
Levi looked between the two of them as if he was trying to figure something out.
“He’s good with the horses and kept showing up, so I put him to work,” Miranda said.
“Alright, now I’ve got all my boys and our extended family at my table, let’s eat,” Mrs. Hart said.
Renn ended up scooting his chair closer to Miranda as they all made room for two more place settings.
And he could listen as she talked with Missy about her art and Shelby about her books, but she didn’t seem to talk about her horses much.
Maybe she was more private, or people didn’t realize how hard she was working on her business plan.
And he couldn’t help but wonder what it would have been like to grow up with this big family and be resentful to his father for keeping him away.
“It must be a lot coming into this new family and everyone knowing so much about each other?” Miranda said to him in a quiet voice.
“Can’t decide if I’m jealous or overwhelmed,” he admitted.
“You can be both.”
“Have you made your decision about letting me tag along this weekend for the big show?”
“Yes, I could use the help, and I can’t pull Jeremy out of summer school or away from football. You can come if you still want to.”
“Great, when do we leave?”
“Friday morning at dawn.”
“Sounds good.”
“Hey, Renn, are you ready to get in some spirals?” Jeremy asked after polishing off his plate.
“Sure, anyone else up for a little football?”
“As long as you promise to go easy on us,” Dalton said, standing from the table.
Each of his brothers kissed their women as they got up from the table, and when Renn looked over at Miranda he could see the same longing in her eyes that he felt. But then she quickly looked away.
Once they were outside Wes paused next to Renn.
“So, you’ve been spending a lot of time with Miranda?”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“No, she’s a good woman. I just think you should know she’s got a lot on her plate and has made some missteps in the past. People around here tend to pass judgment before finding out all the facts.”
Renn nodded. “Something I should know?”
“She’s been engaged a few times, most recently to her father’s business partner, and he’s a bit older. People think she only agreed to the engagement because she’s a gold digger, that she was just going to marry him to help her get her property out of debt.”
Renn felt like he was sucker punched in the gut. “And what do you think?”
Wes nodded. “I think Miranda’s stepmom has a lot of medical bills and she’d do just about anything to keep her little brother in a comfortable home and well fed. And I don’t blame her. But she ended the engagement.”
Renn nodded. “Thanks for telling me.”
The rest of the night Renn couldn’t help but wonder why Miranda would have ever agreed to marry someone she didn’t love? And why did it bother him so much?