before she gave in and told him to come over. She tucked her phone away just as a car pulled up outside. Cherry swiped her fingers over her eyes and stood.
She strode out of the office, through the kitchen and out the back door. Sure enough, her Realtor was there with a man she didn’t recognize. Must be the buyer. “Welcome, I’m Cherry Edmonds.” She held out her hand to the tall, gray-haired man who might very well soon be living in her family home.
* * * * *
A couple hours later, Cherry sat on the bed of her childhood room, feeling dazed and slightly lost. The gentleman from upstate New York did indeed want to buy her home. In a matter of weeks, it would belong to Mr. Albert Riker and his wife Rita. There were papers to be signed, but her home was no longer hers.
She hadn’t realized how hard it would hit her until she’d agreed to the sale. Not only did Mr. Riker agree on the asking price, he also agreed to keep all the current hands on salary until he decided what he wanted to do with all the stock on the ranch.
She looked around the room. It hadn’t changed since she’d left here ten years ago. The bedroom was locked in a time warp, but time marched on and change was inevitable. Somehow, in the back of her mind, she’d thought her father would always be there and the sanctuary of home would always exist. She was truly an orphan now, with only her apartment in Boston to call her own.
That wasn’t strictly true, a little voice in the back of her head reminded her. She did have Wes and Remy. But a relationship with two men? When she was with them it seemed possible. When she was alone, she didn’t know how it would work.
Tomorrow she planned to spend the day sorting through stuff and boxing up what she wanted to keep. Mr. Riker had agreed to let her store what she wanted to keep in an unused upstairs room until she could send for it. Not that there was much she wanted in terms of furniture, but there were special dishes that had come from her grandmother on her father’s side, as well as childhood keepsakes, pictures and important family papers.
She’d have to clean out her father’s room and donate his clothing to charity. The church would take the donations for their annual sale. She’d have them take the furniture as well. Mr. Riker had made it clear he and his wife would be filling the house with their own belongings.
The sob caught her off guard and she doubled over with the pain. Oh God, her father was truly gone. Cherry rolled onto her side and pulled her legs to her chest, curling up into a small ball. She cried gut-wrenching tears until there were none left and she was breathless, her nose stuffed and her lungs unable to suck in enough air.
She sat up slowly, feeling much older than twenty-eight. She pushed off the bed and went to the bathroom, blowing her nose before splashing water onto her face. Leaning against the vanity, she stared at her reflection. She looked pale, except for her eyes and nose, which were very red.
This was the right decision. She knew that. She had no desire to take over the running of a ranch full-time, even a small one. She had her business, her own dreams. Her father had always had good medical insurance and had never overextended himself financially. Once the sale of the land to Remy and Wes and the ranch to Mr. Riker went through and she paid off the remaining mortgage and outstanding bills, there would still be a tidy sum left over. As long as she didn’t do anything crazy, she wouldn’t have to worry so much about money. She could even buy a home for herself in Boston if she wanted.
And why didn’t that appeal to her when only a few months ago she would have said it was her fondest wish and the goal she was working toward?
Maybe she could keep a corner of the land by the main road and build a small place for herself. She could easily transfer her work to here. After all, her store was a virtual one and she could ship anywhere, much like she did
She strode out of the office, through the kitchen and out the back door. Sure enough, her Realtor was there with a man she didn’t recognize. Must be the buyer. “Welcome, I’m Cherry Edmonds.” She held out her hand to the tall, gray-haired man who might very well soon be living in her family home.
* * * * *
A couple hours later, Cherry sat on the bed of her childhood room, feeling dazed and slightly lost. The gentleman from upstate New York did indeed want to buy her home. In a matter of weeks, it would belong to Mr. Albert Riker and his wife Rita. There were papers to be signed, but her home was no longer hers.
She hadn’t realized how hard it would hit her until she’d agreed to the sale. Not only did Mr. Riker agree on the asking price, he also agreed to keep all the current hands on salary until he decided what he wanted to do with all the stock on the ranch.
She looked around the room. It hadn’t changed since she’d left here ten years ago. The bedroom was locked in a time warp, but time marched on and change was inevitable. Somehow, in the back of her mind, she’d thought her father would always be there and the sanctuary of home would always exist. She was truly an orphan now, with only her apartment in Boston to call her own.
That wasn’t strictly true, a little voice in the back of her head reminded her. She did have Wes and Remy. But a relationship with two men? When she was with them it seemed possible. When she was alone, she didn’t know how it would work.
Tomorrow she planned to spend the day sorting through stuff and boxing up what she wanted to keep. Mr. Riker had agreed to let her store what she wanted to keep in an unused upstairs room until she could send for it. Not that there was much she wanted in terms of furniture, but there were special dishes that had come from her grandmother on her father’s side, as well as childhood keepsakes, pictures and important family papers.
She’d have to clean out her father’s room and donate his clothing to charity. The church would take the donations for their annual sale. She’d have them take the furniture as well. Mr. Riker had made it clear he and his wife would be filling the house with their own belongings.
The sob caught her off guard and she doubled over with the pain. Oh God, her father was truly gone. Cherry rolled onto her side and pulled her legs to her chest, curling up into a small ball. She cried gut-wrenching tears until there were none left and she was breathless, her nose stuffed and her lungs unable to suck in enough air.
She sat up slowly, feeling much older than twenty-eight. She pushed off the bed and went to the bathroom, blowing her nose before splashing water onto her face. Leaning against the vanity, she stared at her reflection. She looked pale, except for her eyes and nose, which were very red.
This was the right decision. She knew that. She had no desire to take over the running of a ranch full-time, even a small one. She had her business, her own dreams. Her father had always had good medical insurance and had never overextended himself financially. Once the sale of the land to Remy and Wes and the ranch to Mr. Riker went through and she paid off the remaining mortgage and outstanding bills, there would still be a tidy sum left over. As long as she didn’t do anything crazy, she wouldn’t have to worry so much about money. She could even buy a home for herself in Boston if she wanted.
And why didn’t that appeal to her when only a few months ago she would have said it was her fondest wish and the goal she was working toward?
Maybe she could keep a corner of the land by the main road and build a small place for herself. She could easily transfer her work to here. After all, her store was a virtual one and she could ship anywhere, much like she did
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