Nick hesitated. “Well, that could be because he doesn’t know that’s why I’m here.”
“Right.” The older man’s breath puffed through the cold air as they continued walking away from the barn. “I keep forgetting who knows what.” He chuckled.
At least someone could laugh about it. But Nick had a lot more to keep straight than Thomas realized.
“Grace would kill me in my sleep if Ryan or the others found out we’re moving before she was ready.” Thomas winced. “Guess I better be more careful.”
“You and me both, sir.”
Their shoes crunched the frozen grass as the path moved uphill. “Almost there.” If Thomas was out of breath, he didn’t show it.
Nick fought to hide his own exertion. He hit the gymregularly but apparently hadn’t been doing enough cardio. The hope he’d tried to contain since arriving on the property buoyed to the surface.
He, too, was almost there.
“Ah.” Thomas stopped at the top of the hill and shone the flashlight under his chin, temporarily shading the view before them. His grin was distorted in the beam, his eyes bright. “One of my favorite spots on the property. Ready for this?”
Nick drew a deep breath, filling his lungs with the promise of snow. “Ready.”
Thomas angled the beam forward. The high-powered light bounced off the forest line and illuminated the grounds below. They’d hiked a slight incline, but the other side of the hill dropped much steeper into a dimly lit valley. Perfect for sledding, as the worn, patchy streaks down the hill already indicated. The valley ran smooth and flat for several acres. Nick could easily picture the entire field laden with wildflowers in May.
A wooden structure, shadowed by the forest’s edge, looked to be a tree house, complete with a rope ladder, fireman pole, and a staircase that started at the ground and wound its way to the top of the platform. How fun.
Nick smiled. He could imagine Holly as a kid, sliding down the pole and landing in a heap of tall grass in the spring and snow in the winter. How in the world had Ryan not mentioned this gold mine of a valley?
Then Thomas cast the light toward the left of the field, letting it rest on another surprise. Nick sucked in his breath.
An entire basketball court, complete with hoops and painted foul lines.
Nick’s eyes burned, and not from the wind that burrowed under the lined neck of his jacket. What was it Grace had said on the phone that day?Must be a God thing.This sure felt like it.A basketball court wasn’t necessary to get his ranch started. It was simply on his list as one of the more expensive luxuries he could add one day—if he was ever able to get enough sponsors.
The concrete square lying in the valley felt almost as crucial for his future campers as a roof over their heads or food on their plates.
“Wow.” Nick swallowed hard, grateful Thomas was also gazing at the court and not at him. “I can see why this is a favorite spot.”
“In the fall, this entire tree line turns orange and gold.” The light wobbled in Thomas’s hand and he steadied it. “Our kids grew up sledding down this hill in the winter, playing in the tree house in the summer.” He let out a sigh. “I guess it’s not just Grace who’s gonna have a hard time leaving.”
“I can imagine. Lots of memories were made here.” Nick returned the favor and pretended not to notice the emotion coating Thomas’s words.
The man’s smile was bittersweet as he gazed over the valley. “It makes sense, though, you know? The grandkids don’t live close enough to use all this. Not to mention every year I get a little older and the property gets a little harder to maintain.”
Nick murmured his sympathy. “Closing chapters can be hard.”
“So can starting new ones.” Thomas eyed him. “But I think you’re up for the task. I’d really like to hear more of your story sometime, before we start talking hard numbers. You know, more of your why.”
Nick’s heartbeat stilled. He knew it was inevitable they’d get around to that eventually. He wasn’tashamedof his testimony—not exactly. He’d even shared his story with a few high school groups before.
But it was one thing to tell his experience to a teenage boy and urge him down a better path…and totally another to tellit to a man clearly gauging his worth and character. Thomas hadn’t outright said that conversation would be a test.
But it would be a test.
Nick offered a tight nod. “Absolutely.”
“But not tonight.” Thomas checked his watch and let out a whistle. “Grace will be wondering where that next round of firewood ran off to. We better hustle.” He winked. “Here’s a free tip—happy wife, happy life.”
Nick joined him on their trek back down the hill. “I always thought it was happy house, happy spouse.”
Thomas leaned his head back and let out a guffaw. “You’ve been single a while, haven’t you?”
