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I fillto respond

“Now, I get that you were just a kid And we lost your daddy around that sa But why all the lies, Wyatt? Lord knows I raised you better than that”

I wash ulp of tea and clear my throat “What’s done is done It’s in the past It’d be in everyone’s best interest to let it go and move on”

“What, like you have?” she snickers “You haven’t so much as looked at another woman since the two of you broke up Is this about … do you not like … are you into men, Wyatt? Because if you are, it’s okay”

Malasses and cutlery, and places her palm over mine

I jerk it back “No, Mama I’m not into men”

“All I know is that girl loved you II have half a mind to think she still does”

“Well, she shouldn’t”

“And why the heck not? You’re both gro She ran off and got her education and because of you this farm is more profitable than it was the whole twenty years your daddy ran it Maybe it’s tiot yourself your own plot of land, start your own operation Been thinking maybe it’s time to sell … finally retire”

My jaw flexes “You really think Abbott will let you sell it?”

“Why wouldn’t he? We haven’t le payment”

“Yeah, but Ma the property back fro it He owns this place Every tractor, every acre, every last head of cattle If you want to sell it, you’ll have to buy it back from him first”

“And ouldn’t he sell it back to me?” Her brows lift and her tone is matter of fact “We’re old friends He wouldn’t screw ”

He would do it in a heartbeat, but I can’t tell her that

In Oliver’s eyes, his hold over this ranch is the one thing keeping hter