Page 30 of Fighting Happily Ever After

“You’re in trouble then, my friend.” Levi shook his head. “I’m not sure Faith Turner is capable of the right kind of attention. I mean, she’s never really been the type.”

It was true and exactly what he’d been thinking, but he didn’t need to hear it. Especially because it was the last thing he wanted to believe. Logan shrugged off his cousin’s opinion.

“Well, there’s nothing I like more than a challenge, is there?”

Levi shook his head and let out a low whistle. “There are challenges, and there is Faith. Challenge doesn’t even begin to explain how hardheaded she can be. Especially when it comes to you.”

Logan let a smile cross his face and Levi laughed. “Something tells me this is going to get interesting.”

It was going to get interesting, all right, because it wasn’t just a game anymore. Maybe it never had been. He’d spent way too long chasing Faith; it was time she knew exactly how he felt about her because those feelings were not going away. Not anytime soon.

When he was finished up in the barn and Levi left to run errands for Hope, Logan locked up and hopped in his truck. He’d been so busy with Ever After Ranch planning weddings and helping Faith with…well, everything…he’d been completely slacking in regards to his duties at the Langdon ranch for the last few months. He felt bad about it, especially considering this was his mother’s first summer since his father had passed away. Dad had always handled the running of things—with Logan’s help, of course—and Levi’s help, too, when they were younger, before Levi had run off.

When he was younger, Logan had always expected that he’d take over the ranch and his father would retire. Maybe his parents could finally travel together and see the world. After all, they’d worked so hard their entire life, they deserved a little down time. But Harold had never wanted to let go. It was almost as if the harder Logan pushed him to give up some of the duties, the more he resisted. Over time, Logan had even begun to lose interest in the ranch he’d grown up on, which was why when Hope and Levi asked him whether he’d be willing to help out Faith with Ever After, he’d jumped at it.

Well, maybe working closely with Faith had something to do with it, too. Still, he’d enjoyed the change of pace.

But it didn’t make him feel any less guilty when it came to leaving his mom in charge.

Logan drove through the gates and into the yard. He parked the truck out in front of the house, but something told him to walk out behind the barn to find his mom.

Sure enough, Debbie was leaning on the wooden fence, one booted foot on the bottom rung, her arms crossed to rest her head as she watched the activity in the horse ring.

“Hey, Mom.”

As if Debbie had expected him, she didn’t stand, but turned her head in greeting, a smile on her face. “To what do I owe this pleasure? Don’t tell me Faith kicked you out already?”

Logan laughed. “I’m sure she would if she could.” He leaned on the fence next to her. “New colt?”

Inside the ring, Travis, one of the ranch hands Debbie had hired was walking with a young horse, leading it with a rope.

Debbie nodded. “But not one of ours. Travis asked me if he could use the stables and since we really don’t have many horses of our own anymore, I thought…”

Logan nodded. Travis was one of the ranch hands his mom had hired. Logan didn’t know him well, but he seemed like a good guy and a hard worker. He raised a hand in greeting as the other man looked over.

“You seem kind of sad, Mom. What’s going on?”

“Not sad,” Debbie answered. “Just thoughtful.”

She’d gone back to watching the horse, so Logan couldn’t see her face.

“I’m really sorry I haven’t been around, Mom. I feel like I should—”

“Nonsense.” She stood up straight finally and looked at him.

Maybe it was his imagination, but his mother seemed to have aged since he last saw her only a few days ago.

“Don’t you feel bad for a second. This ranch isn’t your responsibility. It’s mine. I don’t expect you to put your life on hold so I can keep doing…” She shook her head. “Doing whatever it is that I’m doing.” Her voice fell and she dropped her gaze. “And frankly, Logan, I don’t know what it is that I’m doing anymore.”

“Mom?” Concern filled him. He’d never heard his mother speak this way. He took her hand and led her to a picnic table nearby where they could sit. “What’s going on?”

It took her a moment to answer him, but finally she spoke. “I’m going to sell the ranch.”

Whatever Logan had been expecting, it hadn’t been that. “What? You’re going to do what?”

“It’s time, Logan.”

“How is it time?”

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