8. Charlie
Chapter 8
Charlie
I spend the night binge-researching while Bridgerton plays in the background. It’s a favorite pastime of mine. But tonight I’ve gone down every rabbit hole like a dog on a hunt for his bone. My lawyer skills are at play and I can’t be slowed down when there is so much on the line.
By the time the sun comes up, I’m exhausted, but too far into this to sleep. So I spend most of the following morning wandering the grounds outside of my guest cottage at Finday Farms. There’s something about being in the country that makes me want to start growing my own food and fall into the arms of my very own cowboy.
My heart hurts for what Travis must have been through in his life. He has a daughter who is walking this earth without knowing that the best man in the world is her dad. I can’t just sit with that knowledge, I want to do something about it… but what.
At this point, I’m unsure if Travis will ever want to see me again. I devastated him. He’s done nothing but pour love, laughter, and security into Paisley’s life and I was so harsh. He’s the kind of man who comes around once in a lifetime and I can’t bear to think that I might have missed my chance.
There’s only one way to start the conversation. I get back to the cottage and open my computer. It takes me less than five minutes to start righting the wrongs in this world. Without giving it another thought, I signed the Findlay Prarie property over to Travis. No matter what happens between us, the place was always meant to be his. Paisley and I will be just fine without the property, it’s Travis I’m not sure I can live without.
I ask Olivia Findlay, the innkeeper, to use her printer, and just like that it’s a done deal. Travis owns the tavern, the prairie, and all the land around it that he’s worked so hard to develop.
When I arrive at the tavern, the door is open, but the place is empty. I step behind the bar into the messy back office and leave the slip of paper confirming the title transfer on Travis’ desk. I want to move forward with Travis and this property can’t be a part of that conversation.
I wander for another few minutes calling his name. When I come up short, I make my way out back. I know Travis can’t stay away from this place for long. Besides, for him, I’ve got time and Travis is worth the wait.
The old gate at the entry to the garden opens a little easier than it has on my other walks through here. When I step inside, my mouth falls open. The garden has been completely transformed into something from my dreams.
The back is lined with sunflowers, and wildflowers bunches at every turn. The place is alive with butterflies and bumble bees. It’s stunning. There’s a massive swing made from a slab of oak and four white ropes hanging from the branch of an old oak tree. The sight takes my breath away. It’s just like the one I hoped for as a child. I sit on the swing and the breeze rocks me. I feel all my anxiety melting away with the wind.
I make my way over to the roses climbing dramatically up the wall. The pink blooms are breathtaking. I run a finger across one of the blooms when a hand on my back makes me stop and turn.
“It’s called a Peggy Martin rose. You can’t kill it. No matter what it goes through, it keeps coming back, better than ever.”
“They are beautiful… This whole garden is breathtaking. I can’t believe you did all this.”
“I figured that even when you put a bunch of homes on this property, you can keep the garden. Then all the little Paisley’s of the world who move in here can have access to a slice of my heaven.”
“That is entirely up to you. I came to drop off the deed for this property. It’s been transferred to your name. You own it, it’s what’s right.”
He puts a hand on his chest. “Thank you, Charlie. But I don’t want you to give me the land and take off. I did all this for you. It’s not my place and I know I’m probably overstepping again, but I want you to know that it isn’t too late to be a cowgirl. I hope you’ll stay here with me. I love you.”
“I want to be in your life and Paisley’s too. But just know that I won’t stand by if one of my girls is being mistreated. I won’t break promises and I will follow through every single time… It could make things awkward.” He lets out a chuckle.
“I love you too Travis.” My words come out in a rush and without any hesitation.
He wraps his arms around me and I know nothing will ever be the same. Travis and I are forever.
“There’s something else I need to tell you.” I pull away and look up at him, my throat suddenly dry. “I found Dolly.”
He furrows his eyebrows and his mouth curls into a smile. “Me too, Dolly is out in the stable.”
“No, your daughter, Dorothy. You named her after your biological mother, isn’t that right?”
His mouth falls open and his eyes go glassy. “Yeah. That’s right.”
I proceed with caution and gently pull up the contact on my phone. “I stayed up last night researching and put my team on it this morning. My office was able to find her. We haven’t made contact, of course, but this is her information.
I slide the handwritten page of notes over to him. She seems happy, a college graduate currently in nursing school. She lives halfway across the country though. It’s a small town called Lumberjack Lagoon. If you want to reach out to her, I’d bet she’s just as curious about you as you are about her. It’s up to you, I just wanted to make sure you had the option.”
He puts a hand to his chest as tears stream down his cheeks. “Thank you, you are something else, you know that?”