Second Chance Ranch (The Circle D series) by Harders Audra

Author:Harders, Audra [Harders, Audra]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Published: 2014-03-14T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Mrs. Wells hadn’t aged a day in twelve years. Former Sunday School teacher and perpetual president of the Ladies’ Aid Guild, she held more love for the Lord in her sterling silver tea spoon than most people could claim in a bushel basket. He’d tumbled in fights with her boys and cheered on her daughters as they barrel raced in high school rodeo competitions. Now the boys ran her ranch and the girls had married, but still lived close to home. Something about small towns just made it tough to stay away.

He stood behind her in the church narthex as she greeted folks coming in the door. Rain or shine, she stood there with a smile making sure folks knew they were welcome. At a lull in the action, he tapped her on the shoulder. “Jon hasn’t run you bankrupt yet with his eye on the auctions, has he?”

Her face lit up as she turned around. Grasping his hand in her firm hold, she pulled him into a hug. Years melted away as she patted his shoulder like she had when he was a little boy.

She pulled back and held him at arms’ length. “Isaac, nice to see you again. Heard you’d come back for your brother’s wedding, but I never saw you.”

She waited for his answer with an expectant air. Zac searched for a non-cliché answer. He couldn’t find one. “All I can do is beg forgiveness. I’m back for longer now.”

“Humph, well, better to see you now than not at all.” She shook his hand with a grip to match any rancher. “Don’t you go leaving town again without stopping by the house and catching up.”

Forgiven. Zac relaxed with instant relief, the kind he didn’t even realize he’d been waiting for. The kind he wanted to bask in a while longer. Mrs. Wells had always been his champion, defending his rambunctious behavior to anyone who complained. She’d understood boys, an insight he appreciated to this day. “I’ll stop by this week since I’m not planning on leaving.”

Her gray eyes studied him before she urged him to go socialize. “Fine. Fine. Come over soon, we’ll talk then. My cookie jar is always full. Right now, I have people to invite into the house of God.”

He gave her a hug and then turned toward the crowd of people. Folks milled around greeting one another as they’d done for years. A few couples smiled and nodded. A slow warmth grew within him as he greeted friends he hadn’t seen in ages. Just like old times.

Funny how some things change and others…just don’t.

“Zac. It’s been a long time, my friend. Heard you’ve been harvesting up at the Eklund place.” Neal Stricher came up behind him with a cup of coffee in hand.

Zac shook hands and gave Neal a slap on the back. A few years older than Zac, Neal had been a worthy roping opponent. “Word travels, huh? Jess asked me to help out.”

“If I’d known that’s all it took to get you to come back to Hawk Ridge, I’d’ve asked you to bring in my hay a long time ago.

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