Page 35 of Chance

Finally, Chance said, “It must be Windsong Reservation, which is about a half hour outside the ranch.”

“Does Ms. Connie have something to do with it?” Kelly asked.

“Who is that?” Brooks asked.

“A teacher who lived on the reservation,” Chance said.

Porter piped in. “She was good friends with Dad. There are even donations to the schools on the reservation that Ms. Connie ran.”

Chance let out a light laugh. “Maybe she’s the missing link in all this.”

“She was good friends with my grandparents too. I remember her coming over a lot on Sunday afternoons to chat,” Kelly added.

Chance frowned. “That’s … interesting.”

“I guess you’re going back to Wyoming,” Trent said to Chance. “We need this figured out.”

Chapter 20

After they got back to the Stone house, there was a conference call with everyone. They all took turns looking at the piece of paper, and it was decided that Chance would return to Cross Creek.

That night, Chance took Kelly back to her house. He hugged her for a long time.

She kissed his cheek and said, “Good luck on your gold hunt, friend. And thanks for helping me figure out something important in my life.” She patted her stomach. “I’m keeping this baby. I didn’t like it when you told me I should pray about it, but I’m sure glad I did.”

She went inside, and that was that. What else could it be?

Yet, as he walked back to the truck, it didn’t sit right with him. He would be leaving in the morning, separated from her again.

The next morning, he stood outside her door, holding his breath. He hadn’t been able to sleep the night before and had spent most of it praying. He thought he had an answer; she just needed to say yes.

He was trying to work up the courage to knock, but his mind spun with questions. Would she even want to go? Did she have feelings for him? Was she insistent that she live in South Port, or would she come back to Cross Creek with him?

Was he really thinking there would be a … them?

Ahh!

It was all muddled, but he had to take it one step at a time. That’s what his father had always said. You just deal with the problems as they come. You can’t get too ahead of yourself. It was solid advice that Chance used in his daily life. Even when he investigated something, he remembered to focus on the next step, and then the next. Living in the future never helped anyone.

He knocked on the door and was surprised when she answered quickly. He was shocked to see the tear stains on her face, and it was easy to open his arms and pull her into them. For several minutes, they held each other.

She wiped her face. “I was just crying because I would never see you again. At least, that’s how it felt.”

To his shame, he was a little happy to learn that she would miss him so badly. He cleared his throat. “Well, I took my own advice and prayed. This might sound stupid, but I had this overwhelming feeling I should ask you to come with me.”

She looked confused.

He pressed on. “I mean, you already signed the nondisclosure, and you don’t have anything to do for a couple weeks. There’s nothing here for you right now, but you have a friend who would like your help. Your parents were close with Ms. Connie, and I’m thinking you might be just what we need. Maybe she’ll give us information if we’re together.”

Tears filled her eyes, and she hiccupped a sob.

He felt awful. He didn’t want to upset her. “I’m sorry.”

She shook her head. “You’re not upsetting me. I actually want to go. You’re right. I don’t have anyone here, and when I thought you would be leaving, that fact smacked me in the face and I felt so alone. I want to go.”

He grabbed her and hugged her. “You do?”

She let out a light laugh. “I do. I do.”