A Baby of Her Own (Dundee, Idaho #1)(61)
Author: Brenda Novak

“Sounds as though you’ve actually learned something about real estate since you’ve been here,” Stephen said. “But I’m afraid you don’t have much of a track record in business. Three months on this place doesn’t make you a rancher. And even if we carry the paper, you don’t have the money to keep the ranch functioning.”

“I’ll manage,” Conner said.

“How?”

“That’s up to me.”

“And in five years?”

“Just like it says in the offer, I’ll obtain my own financing and cash you out.”

Jonathan rested his beefy elbows on his knees. “You’re not going to be able to obtain financing unless you’re working in the black, Conner. No bank’s going to lend you money on a losing venture.”

“I realize that. The Running Y will be in the black by then.”

“And what guarantee do we have? Your word?” Jonathan looked at his brothers and chuckled.

Conner’s grandfather didn’t laugh with them. He seemed to be listening, taking it all in.

“If we sold the ranch to you, we’d just end up having to repossess it when you can’t make a go of it,” Dwight said. “And repossessions can take a long time and get messy. I really don’t want to be involved in all that.’

“I understand,” Conner said. “Why don’t we get around that by including an agreement along with the purchase contract that says I’ll simply sign the place over to you if I don’t meet my deadline.” He propped his hands on his hips, hoping he looked a lot more confident than he felt. “Because it won’t come to that. I’m going to make the deadline.”

Stephen laughed and began tapping his toe. “I’m afraid chances are much better that you won’t,” he said. “You’re going to need a lot of money to run this place and—”

“I agree,” Dwight cut in. “Essentially, you’re asking us not to sell at all. You’re asking us to give you a guaranteed five years before we liquidate, that’s all.”

“I’m sorry, Con. There’s no way to make it work.” Jonathan made a great show of checking his watch. “Now we’d better get moving. Wouldn’t want to make you late for your own wedding.”

Conner glanced at his watch and cringed at the passing minutes, but he wasn’t about to let his uncles best him quite so easily. “I’m willing to guarantee payment in full after five years against my inheritance, provided I’m still getting one,” he said, looking to his grandfather for confirmation.

His grandfather nodded. “You came here and tried to make a go of this place like I asked. It was our decision to sell and had nothing to do with you. I don’t see any reason you wouldn’t have an equal share with your uncles and your mother.”

A muscle jumped in Stephen’s jaw, and Conner knew his grandfather had just hit a tender spot. His uncles didn’t like the fact that as a grandchild, and an adopted one at that, he was on an equal footing with them.

“If you’ll sell me the ranch, I’ll walk away from my inheritance entirely,” Conner said, facing his uncles. “If I can’t pay you off in five years as promised, I’ll be written out of the will. I’ll make my own way, you’ll sell the ranch to someone else, and that will be the end of it.”

Stephen and his brothers had gambled on his failure when they sent him to Dundee. Now Conner was calling their bet and raising the stakes by several million. If Conner won, he’d have his portion of the Armstrong estate along with the ranch. And he would’ve done something for his grandfather they couldn’t do. If he lost, he’d have nothing.

Stephen seemed to grasp the “nothing” part of that concept more quickly than his brothers. “You really want to take that kind of risk, Con?”

Conner nodded.

“Fine. I agree.”

Dwight’s gaze narrowed at Conner for a second, but then he agreed, too. “Sure, I’m willing to give you enough rope to hang yourself.”

It was Jonathan’s turn. Conner held his breath as he looked to the man who’d most often tortured him as a child. He seemed a little more hesitant than the others. “Jonathan?” Conner prompted. “You’re so certain I won’t make good. Are you willing to put your money where your mouth is?”

Malice entered his eyes, the old malice Conner recognized so well, but the challenge worked. “Why not? You’ll never do it.”

Conner turned and waited for his grandfather’s response, but, as usual, Clive took his time. “All four of you want to do this?” he eventually asked. “Because after we leave this room, there’ll be no going back.”

“Yeah…it’s just a matter of time. We’ll get it back, anyway,” Stephen said, and the uncles exchanged nods and glances to confirm it.

“Conner? Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” he said, even though he wasn’t. Everything he stood to gain depended solely on him. But strangely enough, he liked it that way. He felt freer than he’d ever felt in his life—free to succeed or fail on his own, to prove his worth, to have some worth.

The old man rubbed his chin, and Conner thought he detected a smile. But when Clive spoke, his voice remained matter-of-fact. “Hand me that offer so I can sign it.”

Conner handed him the offer Jonathan had tossed onto the coffee table, and watched, his heart in his throat, as his grandfather scribbled his name on the acceptance line.

“I’ll have the rest of the agreement drawn up right away,” Stephen said.

Conner nodded, and his uncles left to find their families so they could head into town to the chapel. But his grandfather lagged behind. He circled the room, gazing at the wooden paneling, western prints and worn but sturdy furnishings.

“You miss the ranch, don’t you?” Conner asked.

His grandfather’s lips curved into a nostalgic smile. “It reminds me of your grandma. Besides, the harder you have to fight for something, the more it means to you. You’ll find that out over the next five years, Con.”

“I think I’m beginning to understand already.” Conner put his hands in his pockets and leaned against the doorway, finally catching on to something he hadn’t grasped until that moment. “I was right. Sending me here was a setup, wasn’t it. Only, not for the reasons I thought. This is what you wanted for me.”