Page 10 of Second Chance at Mountain Creek Ranch
7
TRAVIS
It’s weird how good and bad news comes in waves, but then sometimes it comes so quickly it feels like you’re on a roller coaster going up and down and spinning around. And your mind can’t catch up to what’s happening around you.
Brenda from the bank calls a few days later when Harper is over. We are sitting up on my apartment's roof, watching the sunset. Seconds before her call, I would have told you nothing could ruin having Harper in my arms again. After that afternoon at the Greenway Ranch, we picked right up where we had left off. Neither one of us willing to go too far from the other.
“I’m afraid I have bad news,” Brenda says.
I tense and sit up. Harper, who had been leaning against me, sits up too. I push to my feet and start pacing. “What happened? I thought you said—”
"I tried. I really tried to make the numbers work, but you don't have enough to put down for the bank to be confident enough to approve the loan."
“Is there anything I can do to change your mind?”
"I'm sorry, but without more to put down, we can't move forward."
I want to crush the phone in my hand. But I take a breath to try and push away the wave of crushing disappointment I’m feeling.
“Thank you for calling and letting me know.” I end the call.
Harper doesn't say anything. She doesn't need me to say it for her to know what happened. She stands up and pulls me into her arms. I hate that she sees my failure to make this happen. But if there is anyone I need right now to keep me from putting my fist through the wall, it's her.
“There will be other ranches,” she tries to soothe.
I know she's right, but I'm not ready to face this. The pain of failure is too intense for reason to break through to me.
“I think maybe I should take you home,” I finally say, pulling back.
Now she looks hurt. “I thought I was staying over.”
“I need some time alone to think about this.”
She doesn't say another word but turns and heads for the roof door to head downstairs. She already has her bag on her shoulder by the time I head down. I know I'm making a mistake pushing her away, but for some reason, I can't stop myself from digging myself deeper into this hole.
We pull up the drive of Mountain Creek Ranch. There is a shiny black town car parked next to Garrison Traeger's old Crown Victoria. Garrison is standing with Landon and another man I don't recognize.
“What the hell?” Harper asks.
I pull to a stop, and she grabs her bag and gets out. I follow her despite her telling me I don't need to stay.
“There you are!” Garrison greets Harper. “You are one tough lady to get ahold of.”
“What’s this about?” Harper asks.
“Miss Holloway, my name is Phillip Harkness.” He holds out his hand to her, but she doesn’t take it.
“I know who you are,” she says coldly.
He nods once and pulls his hand back. “Mr. Traeger and I have been trying to reach you all day.”
Harper reaches into her bag and pulls out her phone. The screen is black.
“I forgot to charge it.”
"Well," Garrison begins. "If you had, you would have gotten the eleven messages I left for you, letting you know that Mr. Harkness and I were coming to speak to you."
“Who is this guy?” I finally ask, not able to hold my tongue.
