Jace wondered if he would have felt that way. Had he inherited the house and grounds when his father died, would he have put as much heart and devotion into restoring it as Kelly had? He’d like to say he would, but the truth was he wasn’t sure. He wanted the place to remain a good home for his son. He wanted to live here and make it the happy place he knew it could be. But now he wanted to make it that home with not just Ari, but with Kelly, as well.
“Did you like the school?” Jace asked his son.
“It was awesome,” Ari said. “I can go back again?”
Jace nodded. “You can go back.”
Ari was so happy, he hummed along to the radio without a care in the world. For a while he would forget about missing Kelly. What Jace wouldn’t give to be in his shoes.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
DREW STOOD UP from the task of cutting the grass as Jace drove up to the man’s house. Ari was ensconced in the day-care center, which had become his favorite place to go. He even forgave his dad for not continuing his riding lessons since they left the Kendall. He still asked about Kelly, but he didn’t do it a hundred times a day. Only half that many.
Mira appeared in the doorway as Jace stepped down from the cab. “This is a surprise,” she said, smiling.
Drew joined his wife and the two of them met Jace. “What’s up?” Drew asked.
“I thought I should return your truck.” Jace lifted his hand and held the keys out to Drew. He didn’t move to take them.
“Are you leaving town?”
“Not sure,” he said.
“How are you going to get around if you return the truck?” Mira asked.
“Since I’m no longer at the Kendall, it seemed like the right thing to do,” Jace explained.
“But how are you going to get around?” she asked again.
Jace shrugged. “I’ll manage. I can rent a car for a while or—”
“Do you have a job?” Drew interrupted.
“Not yet, but I’m looking. There is plenty I can do.”
“That’s not the point,” Drew said.
Mira took Drew’s arm. “What my husband means is, the truck is not being used, so you can keep it as long as you’re here.”
“Whether you’re at the Kendall or not,” Drew clarified.
Jace smiled. Drew and Mira were good people. “Thank you.”
“Now that that’s settled, want some coffee or iced tea?” Mira asked with a wide grin.
“Since I miss your coffee, I’ll have that.” He smiled.
She looked at Drew.
“Iced tea,” he said.
The three of them sat at an umbrella table and drank their beverages.
“Have you decided what you’re going to do?” Drew asked.
Jace shook his head back and forth.
“What about the Kendall?” Mira asked. “Are you going to contest the sale?”
“You heard what happened?” Jace frowned.
“Kelly told us.”
“I’m not contesting it,” he said.
“Kelly thinks you are,” Drew told him. “It would hurt her tremendously if you negate all her hard work.”
“I know. I couldn’t do that to her,” Jace said. “Ari would never get over it...and neither would I.”
“She’ll be glad to hear that,” Mira said.
“Please don’t tell her,” Jace rushed to say. “I want to do it. She should hear it from me.”
Husband and wife nodded.
“Why wouldn’t you stay around here?” Mira wanted to know.
“It would be hard to do that.”
“You mean with everyone knowing you are a Kendall and that you no longer own the farm?” Drew asked.
“I never owned the Kendall,” he said. “I never had any right to it.”
“Except a moral one,” Drew said. “Your father did you an injustice by not including you in his will.”
“It was what he did while I was alive,” Jace said. “I didn’t expect anything different at his death. It’s done and can’t be undone. Not by me at any rate.”
Sheldon had that right, but Jace would no longer undermine Kelly.
Jace stood up then. There was nothing more to say. “Well, I have to go but, thank you for the use of the truck.” He was about to leave when Drew stood up. The men shook hands and Jace nodded at Mira. He started for the truck as Drew went back to cutting the grass.
“Come by sometime and bring Ari,” Mira called to Jace, following him to the truck.
“I will. He loves those cakes you make.” He got inside the truck and closed the door.
“Why don’t you tell her?” Mira asked.
“That I’m not going to sue for ownership?”