The Rancher's City Girl

“Okay.” He put the truck into Reverse and eased out of the drive, then pushed it into Drive and headed down the gravel road. “Here?” he clarified. “Does he want me to do anything?”

It felt awkward to be suddenly so intimately aware of his father’s dying wishes. Moving from boyhood fantasies of a superhero of a father to the startling reality of the dying old man was a shock to the system, and he felt mildly embarrassed at the mention of Ruth. He’d seen the pictures on the wall in the Bessler house, but so far, Ruth Bessler was little more than a shadow—a name his father mentioned with a look of annoyance shot in Cory’s direction. At least right now they were a father and son in the same house, but as soon as Ruth came up, it was as if miles suddenly slid between them.

“I said I’d help him with it, so you don’t need to worry.” Eloise cleared her throat. “He wants to do it off your property.”

Cory couldn’t say he was surprised. His father jealously protected Ruth’s memory, and he didn’t imagine that the old man would want to lay her to rest on his illegitimate son’s land.

“That’s understandable,” he said. He scanned the passing horse barn out of habit, his eyes skipping over each gate to check that it was locked.

“Why do you put up with him?” Cory’s tone was sharper than he intended and he winced inwardly.

“It’s part of the job.” Eloise frowned. “But then again, he’s not my father, so I don’t have the same expectations you do.”

“I don’t have a lot of expectations. I don’t even know the man.”

“My patients all give me something unique. Your dad is no different.”

“You must see a different side of him, because I can’t get beyond his surliness.”

“He definitely can be a grump. But when he talks about Ruth...he really loved her. Still does, I daresay.”

Cory didn’t answer. He wasn’t sure how much a man could love a woman while cheating on her, and anger simmered inside him again. For all of Robert’s adoration for Ruth, he hadn’t been able to love his only son, and that fact still rubbed him a little raw. Eloise turned her gaze out the window and pursed her lips thoughtfully. “Is it far?” she asked.