Page 15 of The Wedding Ranch
“She’s going to be surprised. I’d love to see the look on her face.” Mark always made himself available when Diane was involved.
“I still need your help moving it over to her house on her birthday,” Ryder said.
“Yeah. I’ll be there.”
“Come by my place around noon. Reece and Ross are bringing her here for lunch so we can move it in while they’re out. You’ll have to join us for cake. You can bring Caroline if you want.”
Mark twisted in his chair. “Broke up with Caroline last week.”
“Why?” Ryder wondered if the timing of the breakup had anything to do with Diane’s party.
“She’s a nice gal. Just not the one.”
If Mark was still pining away for Diane, he was gonna die old and lonely.
“I saw that property across the way from yours went on the market,” Mark said. “Know anything about it?”
“People from Virginia owned it for years. Pop-Pop said they never took interest in it. Nice piece of land though,” Ryder said. “I was thinking about buying it.”
“You’ve got enough land around here. Can’t you let me snag that one? You could use a good neighbor like me,” Mark said.
“Got that right. Yeah, go for it, but if you change your mind let me know. Don’t want any outsiders buying that property.” Right now Ryder owned more land than anyone in Leafland County. He could trust Mark to hang on to the property. He was a good old Dalton Mill boy through and through.
Joe brought Ryder’s sandwich to the counter himself. “Gladys said you came in mumbling about the new neighbors again.”
“Not my fault they keep doing idiot things,” Ryder said.
“Hey, those idiots are paying my bills.” Joe folded his arms across his black polo. “I’m having my best year ever. I’ve got more customers, and I’m getting better produce at a cheaper price through the farmers market over there. They are doing their part in this town. I’m happy with how things are shaping up. Could’ve been so much worse.”
That struck a personal chord. Ryder’s back teeth ground together. “How do you figure?”
“At least Mill Creek Highlands isn’t filled with die-cut McMansions on postage-stamp lots. Have you seen those neighborhoods? You can’t hardly get your mower between them.” Joe looked at him dead-on, waiting for Ryder to respond, but Ryder held his tongue. Finally, Joe said, “Did you want fries with that?”
Ryder cocked his head, confused at first. “Is that a McMansion joke?”
Mark almost choked on his cola.
Joe let out a raucous yowl like back in their college days, which were long gone now. “Lighten up, man. Seriously,” Joe said. “They could’ve built a dang Walmart there or a distribution center with big rigs hauling down our streets seven days a week and not spending a single dime in our town. Now if that had happened, I’d grumble right along with you.”
“You might not want to hear it, Ryder, but it’s a nice neighborhood,” Mark said. “At least the five-acre-lot restriction limited the number of houses they could build.”
“They all think they’re farmers. And the chickens and goats they try to keep don’t deserve that level of mishandling.” Ryder took a bite of his sandwich and swallowed hard.
“They mean well,” Joe said. “It’s not any worse than 4-H kids learning their way around animals.”
“Yeah, but these adults don’t ask for help. And now the feed store is so busy I can hardly get in and out of there.”
“My point exactly. Because business is good.” Joe shrugged. “Look for the bright side.”
“I’m trying.”
Joe didn’t look convinced. “I know what your problem is, Ryder.” Joe pulled out his phone.
“I don’t have a problem.”
“Yeah, you do. I know what’ll fix it too.” He swiped his finger down the screen. “I’m going to fix you up on a date. Girl I knew in college just moved out this way. She’s real nice.”
“Oh no, you don’t.”
