The Cowboys Heart 1 Read Free Page A

my house in the city. There was no way I could afford a second
mortgage on top of it. I gripped the arms of the chair and forced my breaths to
stay calm.
    “Now, as the executor of her will,” he continued, “we can
schedule a time to meet at the ranch and disburse the personal items she
bequeathed in her will. What date and time will work best for you?” He looked
directly at my mother.
    “Uh, I’m not sure. Heather?” She turned to me as if I had
any idea what to say.
    “Well, um, how about tomorrow? I know it’s Saturday, but I
have a flight back to the city on Monday, and it’s really the only time I can
do it…” I trailed off, uncomfortable with how he and my mother were staring at
me. “What?”
    “You’re going back to the city? Why? Your grandmother just
left you the ranch. Why on earth would you even think about going back to that
crowded, unsafe city?” my mother asked, indignation dripped from her voice.
    I sighed and shrugged. “I don’t know, okay?” I said sharper
than I intended. “My job is there. Jamie’s school and friends. His father. It’s
not so easy to just pack up and move back to Texas.”
    My mother’s face reddened. It was the telltale sign she was
about to give me a tongue lashing. I held my breath, waiting for it to come,
but thankfully, Mr. Munroe cut her off.
    “I can certainly do tomorrow. How does eleven a.m. work for
the two of you?” He smiled in an attempt to diffuse the situation brewing
between me and my mom.
    “Fine.” Mom stood and yanked her purse over her shoulder.
Then she stormed out of the office.
    Great. It was going to be a long drive home. I stood as
well. “Thank you, Mr. Munroe, for everything, and especially for looking out
for my grandmother. She always spoke so fondly of you.”
    He stood and shook my head. “Well, she was certainly my
favorite client. She’ll be greatly missed.”
    I gave him a final smile, and then proceeded out of his
office. When I approached Mom’s car, she was already inside, the engine
running. I couldn’t help but feel like a teenager again, like I’d done
something wrong and had to suffer the punitive wrath of my parents. As much as
I loved my mother, she needed to understand I was a grown woman now. I had an
ex-husband and a teenaged son. I hated disappointing her, but my decisions
needed to be made for me and my son.
    “I can’t believe you, Heather Marie!” She pulled out of the
parking lot, squealing her tires as she did.
    “Mom,” I groaned. Even at thirty four, I still cringed when
she used my middle name like that. “I haven’t made any definite decisions yet,
okay?” I turned to look at her. “But I have a job I need to go back to on
Monday. Jamie has school. And even if I decide to move back here, I have to
sell my house, pack everything…” I turned to stare out the window. “It’s not
just a matter of never returning to the city, you know.”
    “I know,” she whispered.
    I jerked around to stare at her. I couldn’t remember the
last time she’d ever agreed with me so easily.
    “I also know how much this meant to your grandmother, and
I’d hate to think of her not being at peace in heaven because of the decisions
we’re making down here.”
    I rolled my eyes and turned away again. That was my mother –
the queen of guilt trips. Well, this time, it wasn’t going to work. No matter
what she said or did, I had to make a decision that would be in the best
interest of Jamie. He was my top priority.
    The rest of the drive was made in silence. I was grateful
for that, but based on the way my mother slammed her door, I knew she wasn’t.
She wanted me back in Texas, and it was hard to blame her for that. I couldn’t
imagine my child or grandchild being so far away from me. I sighed and climbed
up the front steps.
    “Hey mom, how’d it go?” Jamie asked when I entered.
    He was in a surprisingly good mood. “It was good,” I said,
dropping my purse onto the kitchen island and taking a seat