The Cowboy Who Lost His Ranch to a Size 20 City Girl novel · Chapter 21 of 24
Chapter 21: Hat in Hand
Darrell Holcomb stood on Lottie's porch with his hat in both hands and ash on his good boots.
He looked ten years older than he had at the Grange hall.
I came up the steps with creek water drying on my arms, my sweater inside out and my hair full of smoke.
Jace came up behind me, still without a shirt worth the name.
Neighbors had stopped at the foot of the steps, a ring of black-faced ranchers with coffee in their hands.
The heavy deputy leaned on his truck at the edge of the yard.
My mother stood in the doorway with her arms folded.
Chet sat in the rocker, with his hearing aid turned all the way up.
"Mr. Holcomb," I said.
"Ms. Haddad."
"You're up early."
He flinched.
"The boy," he said. "My boy. He's talking."
"He's talking to the deputy."
"I didn't tell him to burn your house."
"You told him to burn my grass."
"I didn't expect him to," Holcomb said, and stopped, because everyone was listening.
His mouth worked.
"I've got a call from the bank. They're pulling the line. The loan men won't touch me. Half my hands quit last night, and the other half are standing in the road."
The rest of this chapter is part of the paid portion of the series. Chapters 1–6 of The Cowboy Who Lost His Ranch to a Size 20 City Girl are free to read — start from the beginning, then unlock the rest with coins in the app.
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