CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN Hunter

" I had no idea Jennie would bring that up," I defended. "There is absolutely no way she could have known."

Ben was quiet since we'd left Jay and Jennie's. If he had any concerns after finding out what Triple H Ranch was during dinner, he'd done an admirable job of hiding it and not ruining a nice evening. However, because of the surprise of him finding out about the ranch, the vision discussion about Mark came to an abrupt end. My disappointment came from the fact that Jennie didn't get to expound on the part where Mark supposedly saw a love connection between us.

The fact Jennie had mentioned a love connection was overshadowed by the unexpected news of a problem at the ranch. No one in Plentywood, besides me and my dad, knew about Ben's father's intention to sell the ranch.

In my mind, Ben had to have known about the plan. In fact, when he showed up in town and told me he was here for only a year, I was certain the sale would happen because I was certain he came to oversee that sale. No one had seen Ben's father since the day he left for college. Not once had he ever returned to Plentywood, so naturally I figured the sale fell to Ben.

I was stunned, as were Jennie and Jay, that Ben had no knowledge of the ranch. Triple H Ranch was responsible for nearly every support structure in our town. Many of our residents depended on the assistance the ranch's profits provided.

"I didn't even know we owned a ranch and I'm a Hawthorne," Ben said, turning to face me. "Were you ever going to tell me?"

"I just assumed you knew," I answered. "And when you told me you were here for only a year, it reinforced what my father had told me."

He looked further confused. "How does your father figure in all of this?"

"My dad manages Triple H Ranch for your family," I said. "He has for most of my life. I used to live there."

"Shit!" Ben muttered, shaking his head and slugging his thigh in anger. "Is this ranch around ten thousand acres?"

"Yeah, it is. Plus or minus."

"And the issue Jennie spoke of," he began. "I'm assuming it must be the sale of the ranch."

"Then you do know?" I asked.

"I didn't until tonight, or a week or so ago. After a talk with my father last week, he mentioned selling ten thousand acres we owned. I'm putting two and two together now."

"There you go. Your family is selling the ranch," I rationalized. "No wonder Jennie and Mark were stressed for the town. I mean, if you can believe she had this vision or whatever you'd call that."

"But you said there was no way that Mark knew that detail."

"He couldn't have. All was rosy at the ranch back then. I was still speaking to my dad back then as well," I stated.

"But you're not speaking to him now?" he inquired. I shook my head and confirmed that I wasn't. "Because of the ranch, or is it personal?"

"First off," I began. "Let me ask you this. Do you know why the ranch exists? How it came to be?" Ben shook his head. "When your grandfather was alive, he ran the ranch. He brought my family on when your father refused to return from college. The ranch focuses mostly on Black Angus cattle and hay as its main commodities. His intention was that upon his death, your father would run the ranch. But your father refused to live in Plentywood after his Harvard education. And as I said, he never returned."

I remained quiet while the news sunk in. Ben was staring out of his window even though it was pitch black outside. I was concerned with how little he knew regarding his own family. It would seem I knew everything about the ranch's history, his family's connection to Plentywood, and the hierarchy of the three H's, while he knew virtually nothing.

"Why exactly is your father on the ranch?" Ben asked, finally speaking after a few minutes. "And why did you two stop speaking?"

"My dad replaced your father as help in the beginning. Eventually working his way up to Foreman. Your grandfather put the ranch in a trust that funds everything beneficial in this town. The funds from the ranch pay for the clinic, the daycare center, the youth club, as well as scholarships for high school kids wanting to further their educations. How can you not know all this?"

Ben rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Long story," he said, offering nothing additional. He returned to looking out his window for a few moments before turning back to me. "Then the ranch is in a trust, right?" he responded. "So the money can still be used for the town."

"There lies the problem," I said. "According to my old man, that trust expires after thirty years. Next May, to be exact."

Ben jumped to attention in his seat, spinning his head toward me so fast he had to be dizzy. "No fucking way," he hissed. "How do you know all this?" he added, getting angrier. "Next May? Are you fucking sure?"

"My dad told me as much."

He caught me off guard. I hadn't expected him to use a string of curse words. He was actually a normal thirty-something male. "That can't be true," he muttered. "No way they'd do that to me. Oh, my fucking God! My asshole of a father knew. Shit! Even my grandmother knew. But why would she demand I come here?"

"You've lost me now," I said. "You didn't come here on your own?"

He glared at me like I was insane for asking such a question. "And why exactly would I come to this godforsaken town of my own free will?"

"Out of the goodness of your heart?" I suggested.

He laughed out loud. "Boy, are you mistaken about me, sheriff."

His voice sounded different. Like he was suddenly a changed person. What had happened to the wonderful man at the get-together? The chummy and warm person who was sneaking into my heart. The one who had charmed my friends as well as me.

I pulled into the parking lot of the clinic. "Have I done or said something wrong, Ben?" I asked. "We seemed to be getting along tonight."

"Tell me something, sheriff," he said, his finger on the door handle. Almost like he couldn't wait to get out of the Tahoe. "Why are you not speaking to your father?"

I may as well tell him the truth. Our evening had crashed and burned on the side of the road as it was. "Because he will benefit if your father sells the ranch."

"And how is that?" he asked.

"Your father has promised my dad that he will receive the main house and several acres around it if he helps with the sale of the rest," I stated. "He says he wants the house more than he cares about the town's loss of help from the ranch. I'm struggling to understand him and forgive his selfishness."

"Your father sounds like an absolute peach, sheriff."

I studied the suddenly hostile man sitting next to me, doing my best to understand the sudden change in him. "Why are you suddenly calling me sheriff?" I asked. "What happened to Hunt or Hunter?"

"Because I need to face a few facts, sheriff . And letting myself get attached to a man like you won't do me any favors," he replied.

"What facts?" I asked.

"The fact that I don't have to stay in this fucking town one more day, so falling for you is not in my plans." He opened the door and stepped out.

"Hang on." Ben paused and turned to face me. "You were falling for me?"

"Yeah, sheriff. I was," he admitted. "But just like me, you've got a father that is trying to fuck you and your town over. The main difference between those two assholes, though. Mine conspired with the only woman I believed in. My grandmother!"

Ben slammed the door shut and walked toward the clinic's back door. Once at the back porch, he stopped. I thought maybe he'd turn around, or come back, but he didn't.

As confused as I was by everything that had transpired, I had one singular thought. He had been falling for me.