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Chapter 73: Miranda-Past
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2022-10-26 14:22:02Related chapters
The Journey Collection Chapter 74: Miranda-Past
There were some pluses to having grown up in the same small town where everyone knew each other, and all my friends' parents were well acquainted. It wasn't unusual for ranchers to spend time helping each other, and they often came from other counties. It was even less rare to find kids hanging out at all hours of the night with each other tending to animals. Or maybe that was just in Mason Belle. Either way, it was a regular occurrence for other kids in the county, just not one I'd experienced before tonight.Daddy loved the Burins and their sons, and he trusted Austin with my life. He didn't have any reason not to, although I wasn't sure Daddy remembered what life was like as a seventeen-year-old boy with raging hormones. If he had, I couldn't be certain he would have allowed Austin to spend the night in the barn with me while the two of us monitored Lacey...alone.Daddy could have easily made Sarah sit out here, which would have been far less entertaining for me, but Austin had
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 75: Austin
Jack needed to worry about getting better, not about the problems at the ranch. Unfortunately, there were decisions to be made, and I didn't feel right making them on my own. Thus far, Sarah and I had managed to keep the details of the fire damage from Jack. We had reached a point where that was no longer an option.The wooden door to his hospital room seemed to weigh a thousand pounds when I pushed it open, although that might have just been the burden I carried. Sarah glanced over her shoulder from beside Jack's bed and gave me a soft smile. She'd never been my type, nor had she been Charlie's, yet seeing her here, it was obvious how she had managed to steal my brother's heart. The role she'd played in Randi's life in high school trained her for the role she played as an adult, and she was perfectly suited to be a farmer's wife.Once I reached her side, I leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Hey, girl," I said with a gentle squeeze to her bicep. "How's the patient?"Jac
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 76: Austin
"We need cash, Jack. And we need a lot of it. The vet has dozens of ranches vying for his attention, and we need him full time. The animals need medication-that takes money. And we need extra help to get fences rebuilt and to haul hay to feed the herd, who can't be sustained on the property we currently have them on. That doesn't even begin to address the ongoing issues about those acres not producing, the irrigation systems, or the fact that several of our own hands lost their houses to the fires and are displaced.""We have guys who lost their houses?"I nodded. "Several."The county was in a bad way. Fires didn't just take out empty fields; they ate anything in their paths from animals to homes. Cross Acres had lucked out; the ranch saw far less devastation than many others the fire hit first. Jack would have lost everything had the wind not shifted again and taken the flames east. The damage was bad, but it would have been catastrophic."Open the house. I've got a couple ex
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 77: Austin
The hair on the back of my neck stood before she had even entered the room. Other than the occasional encounter at the ranch, which I made certain were painful for her, I'd avoided her like the plague. If I could have gotten out of this room without having Sarah attack me, I wouldn't be sitting here now. This was a family matter. They needed to decide what they wanted to do, how they intended to do it, and how they planned to pay for it. I was merely a hired hand in the scheme of things.Yet when she knocked on the door and then entered, it wasn't me who played the part of the outsider. We were all on edge, and none of us knew what to expect. I assumed Jack would have some sort of reunion with the daughter he hadn't seen in six years, but he didn't so much as make a fuss over her. They didn't hug. They didn't even shake hands."Randi." Jack's icy demeanor left me uncomfortable when only half an hour ago he'd demanded to see her.My attention shifted back and forth between them an
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 78: Austin
We both backed away, holding the other's stare. I never took my attention off the anger that radiated from Miranda. It oozed from every pore in her body, and it had gone from sexy as hell to downright ugly. She didn't have a clue what Cross Acres was up against. None of them did. Jack hadn't seen it, Sarah had never concerned herself with the financial piece, and Miranda had been gone her entire adult life. Come to think of it, I didn't understand the need for either sister to even be in the room."Jack," I said as I broke the stronghold I had on his daughter, "I really think this is a matter for the two of us to discuss. Why don't I come back another time?"Miranda couldn't stay quiet. "Because of me? Is that why you want to leave?"Sarah attempted to soothe her sister. "No, Miranda. Of course not. It's just a difficult time for everyone.""Yes. It's absolutely because of you," I retorted. I refused to coddle her. "You don't know the first thing about cattle ranching, much les
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 79: Miranda
"Are you sure you're going to be okay with him?" I asked Sarah after the two of us had struggled to get Daddy situated upstairs.She scowled. "Why wouldn't I be?"I pursed my lips, glanced at the steps, and then back to my sister. I held up my hands in surrender. Far be it from me to question her judgment. She'd been here. I had to trust that she knew what she was capable of and what was too much."It's not like there aren't people all over the place, Randi." She caught herself. "Sorry, Miranda. If I need help, I'll get one of the guys. What is it that you think is going to happen?"I couldn't answer that question without upsetting her, so I shrugged. I was making too big a deal out of this. Daddy wasn't an invalid; he just had a hard time breathing and got winded easily. Sarah was one of those people who needed to be needed, and this provided her with that outlet. The girls had gone back to school today, and Rand was running around the ranch, leaving her with mounds of time on
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 80: Miranda
The front door creaked behind me, and the stilted sound of footsteps approached. I swiped at my cheeks to remove the visible signs of my distress. Before I turned around, I took a deep breath and straightened my shoulders.My sister waited at the top of the steps. "Wanna come inside?"I didn't. Hiding sounded like a much better option. Or packing. That would be an excellent precursor to a flight back to New York. It had been stupid to come here and even more foolish to believe I could escape without harm.Sarah waved her hand to encourage me to take the first step. Somehow, it seemed more significant than simply dodging my embarrassment. The men behind me had dispersed, yet the trail into the house still felt like a walk of shame. If this was anything like the talks Sarah and I'd had in the past, or better yet, lectures, I couldn't handle that on the backside of Austin humiliating me.When I reached the top of the steps, I pleaded with Sarah. "Please don't make this any worse t
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 81: Miranda
"Nope." She popped the P, yet it wasn't followed by a smug I-told-you-so expression. If I didn't know better, I'd think hope glittered in her expression. "Not one."That I refused to believe. "You just don't know about it, then. No way Austin Burin has been celibate for six years." My eyes went wide to illustrate my point when I continued. "Trust me."Her right shoulder lifted in a weak shrug. "Believe what you choose, Miranda. I was here. You weren't.""Has he told you that?"That question seemed to dash the hopeful gleam I'd just witnessed and replaced it with something akin to sorrow. "No." She pulled her lips between her teeth and chewed on them, briefly. When she released them, she took a deep breath before she spoke. "It's kind of unspoken that we don't talk about you in front of him...or Daddy."Figured. Austin I got. Daddy, that was unjustified. "Of course." Sarcasm dripped from my response."That's not fair. You can't blame Austin for not wanting to talk about you.
Last Updated : 2022-10-26
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The Journey Collection Chapter 105: Jack-Epilogue-Five years later
I threw the truck in park, glanced at the clock, and then jumped out, slamming the door behind me. It had been over an hour since I'd gotten the call, and I hadn't been able to reach Austin since. My feet refused to carry me as fast as I wanted them to move, and the second I made it inside the emergency room, I came to a halt. A flood of memories hit me, and they weren't the good kind.The last time I'd stood in this room, I was blind with rage. It was also the day Austin became a man, and I lost my little girl to the person who owned her heart. It took guts for him to step in front of her that day. Almost as much as it took for him to confront me when he got back from New York. I'd hoped that day would never come, but I prayed for it all the same. In order to atone for a sin, I had to confess it...and then deal with the punishment. Austin had made damn certain I understood that if I ever raised a hand to Randi again, there wouldn't be a hound in the world who'd sniff out my remains.
The Journey Collection Chapter 104: Austin
My phone rang for the fourth time since I'd left for work this morning. I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face seeing Randi's name flash across my screen. Her calls came at inconvenient times, but damn if it didn't make my day. I slid my hand from the glove I was wearing to swipe my finger across the screen. "Hey, sweetheart." "What are you doing?" The boredom in her voice was palpable, and it caused me to snicker when I responded."I'm working. The same thing I was doing the other three times you called.""Oh... I'm sorry. I'll let you go."I tucked the phone between my shoulder and my ear so I could talk to her and at least make it appear like I was working to anyone who might see me. "Everything okay?" "Yeah, I'm just bored."We'd had this conversation several times in the last few days. "Why don't you get out of the house? Go into town. If nothing else, go grocery shopping." She was afraid of the reactions she'd get without me, Sarah, or Jack at he
The Journey Collection Chapter 103: Austin
There'd never been a day in all the years I'd been coming to Cross Acres that I'd dreaded it. Even when Randi had shown up unexpectedly, it was never the ranch I didn't want to be near. For years, this place had been my solace. Today, however, I had to have a conversation I wasn't keen on having with a man I'd respected my entire life. Not even the sound of the gravel under my tires soothed the ache in my chest.I'd debated on whether or not to go straight to the farmhouse or get the guys out working before I pulled Jack aside. I'd opted for the second. If there were a scene, no one needed to be around to witness it. I didn't care if Jack had deeded the ranch over to me; this was still his home, and these men respected him.It had taken me a little over an hour to get everyone out of earshot, and once I had, I climbed the steps to the front porch. At a little after six, there was no doubt in my mind Jack was awake-it was in his blood. He'd get up when the rooster crowed for the res
The Journey Collection Chapter 102: Miranda
The four-day drive back to Mason Belle turned into seven. Austin and I used the time to catch up; although, not a lot had gone on in either of our lives. Our greatest sticking point had been my relationship with Eason. It took a FaceTime call to him and Garrett to get Austin to relax about the security of our friendships. By the time we'd hung up, Garrett had Austin howling with laughter and Eason shaking his head in the background. Austin and Eason would need to get to know each other, and that could happen over time. For now, they seemed to appreciate what the other brought to my life and left the mutual understanding at that.After stopping at the airport to pick up his truck, we arrived at Austin's house before lunch, and he'd insisted we go inside to eat before he went to Cross Acres. Unable to convince him that food and a nervous stomach didn't make a happy union, I gave in. It dawned on me that it wasn't his refrigerator he wanted to show off. Austin was proud of the two-story
The Journey Collection Chapter 101: Miranda
Every inch of my body coiled, and each step I took required more effort than the last. I'd left Austin to explore New York-well, the bagel shop at the corner-while I went to have a conversation with my best friend and boss. My stiletto-clad foot slipped on the marble floors in the lobby, and an older gentleman kindly prevented my fall. Heat rose in my cheeks, and embarrassment gripped what little hold I had on reality. "Don't worry, sweetheart. Happens to me all the time." He lifted his hand, and a nervous giggle passed my lips. Even at his age, he was spry, and I found humor in the cane he showed off with pride. I wondered if women found that attractive later in life, although I didn't ask. Instead, I patted his hand and thanked him. He then shooed off my apology. "A girl as pretty as you, the pleasure was all mine." Yeah, this guy definitely played the geriatric field. The man straightened his suit jacket, tipped his cane to the up arrow, and then pressed the button to ca
The Journey Collection Chapter 100: Miranda
It took me a moment to recognize the arms wrapped around me and realize the heat behind me wasn't a blazing inferno I needed to escape before the house burned to the ground. In the haze of waking, last night was more like a dream than reality, and his embrace reminded me that life didn't always follow an expected path. I wiggled free without rousing him and rolled to my side. As soon as I did, I regretted losing the comfort that being close to him provided. Although, the view made up for the loss of contact. Austin's disheveled hair gave him a boyish appeal in direct contrast to the maturity that age had given his body. My heart swelled, knowing I could think about him and not feel like a dagger had pierced my chest. He had the capacity to forgive, and despite the unknowns, that trait had the power to heal. Couple it with devotion and love, and somehow, we would get through this together. Austin stirred in front of me, and my picture of perfection came to life when he moved. His
The Journey Collection Chapter 99: Austin
We had talked late into the night. I didn't know where her roommate was, but I was glad he hadn't interrupted. Eason would throw a monkey wrench into any progress I made once she realized she hadn't factored him into the equation. By the time she had convinced me to spend the night, I didn't have a commitment from her to come home with me. She had, however, admitted that she wanted to be together. If that meant I needed to sell my house in Mason Belle and relocate to New York, then I'd do what I had to do. Life without Randi was no longer an option.She held my hand and led me down a dark hallway and up a flight of stairs. Randi didn't bother flicking on a light until we stepped into her room. Her life had changed drastically while she'd been in New York. Her family had money by Mason Belle standards-at least they had while she lived there-but she lived in luxury here. Her bedroom was the size of my den and kitchen combined, her king-sized bed overflowed with pillows, and while I did
The Journey Collection Chapter 98: Austin
I'd made it this far without nerves taking over or second-guessing my trip, not even on the flight from hell where I swore the masks were going to fall out of the overhead compartment at any given moment. Oddly, I'd been most apprehensive over leaving my truck in an uncovered parking lot at the airport. Now, standing on Miranda and Eason's doorstep, I hesitated to lift my fist to knock.For two days, I'd tried to reach Miranda, and for two days her phone went to voicemail, even after I assumed she'd gone back to work. That same lost feeling I'd experienced when she left the first time had returned, except this time, I wasn't willing to accept her decision as my fate. I didn't ask Sarah where she lived. I didn't talk to Jack about where I was going when I told him I needed a couple of days off. Not even my parents were aware I'd left the state. I made the choice to chase her, and no outside influence would alter my plans, so there was no point in discussing it. It proved a tad diff
The Journey Collection Chapter 97: Austin
I'd expected her to call. After the things Miranda had admitted, I thought she'd use my number when she got up. The minutes and hours barely moved on the clock. Exhausted wasn't a good way to spend a day on a ranch. The work was physical, the sun was brutal, and I needed it to end. Hearing from Miranda would have broken up the monotony, and I'd hoped the two of us could sit down to talk. The few hours of rest I'd had last night were spent mulling over every word she'd said. The things she had confessed brought on more questions than answers. I doubted I wanted the answers, but in the end, I'd need them. Since she hadn't called, it was clear, I would have to force the conversation. She needed to get her rental car from The Hut which gave me an excuse to be alone with her without making an issue out of it.But when I got back to the barn, the only vehicles there were mine and Brock's. I'd successfully avoided him all day, and if I played my cards right, I'd get out unnoticed. I didn
