Chapter Sixteen
The following morning Spring knew she’d spend the day pacing and making herself loco while waiting for Garrett to arrive, so she ate breakfast and rode over to see Regan to pass some of the time.
“I’m in love,” Spring confessed.
Holding the baby, Regan got up from her sofa, walked to the closest window, and looked out.
“What are you doing?”
“Trying to see the pigs flying around.”
Spring shot her a look and laughed. “I will hurt you, you know.”
Regan grinned and retook her seat. “No, you won’t. Congratulations on finding someone who fills you heart.”
“It wasn’t my intention.”
“Love has a way of finding us anyway. Especially when we’re not looking. Have you told him?”
“I have.” Spring described the moment.
“That was so wrong but so perfect.”
“I know.” She could still hear Garrett yell, “Spring! Get back here!”
She spent the next few minutes telling Regan about meeting Garrett’s family, and Vernon’s reaction to Ed Prescott.
Displeased, Regan said, “Let Melody know we don’t marry bigots in this family.”
“My feelings exactly. I understand that newspapers back East don’t paint a true picture of the tribes, but we were on Ed’s land. Vernon had seen that beautiful house, the horses, and still called him a savage.”
“You wanted to do him bodily harm, I take it.”
“Very much so.” And she still did.
Regan looked down at Colton Fontaine and said quietly, “He’s asleep. Let me put him in the crib.”
When she returned, she said, “Colt said you told him the full story about working for Mitch Ketchum.”
“I did. He wants me to forgive Ben, so he needed to know the truth.” She’d shared the details with Regan right after she became Colt’s wife.
Regan said softly, “I’ve never seen your brother cry, Spring, but he did when we spoke about it. He thinks he failed you.”
Emotion clogged Spring’s throat. “I told him it wasn’t his fault.”
“I did, too, but he was heartbroken and angry at himself for suggesting you hold out the olive branch to Ben.”
Spring supposed she and her brother would need to discuss it further. The last thing she wanted was for him to berate himself for something he played no part in. “Ben told me he’s leaving me everything after his death.”
Regan looked surprised.
“I don’t want anything from him, and I think accepting this inheritance will make me feel like a hypocrite.”
Regan scoffed. “Please, don’t be ridiculous. Take whatever he gives you, so you can stop robbing Peter to pay Paul. If Ben’s trying to buy his way into heaven, fine. But accepting doesn’t make you a hypocrite. I’ve been dirt poor and wealthy. Wealthy is better.”
Spring loved her so much.
“Besides, you need that money to buy hogs so I can have my bacon.”