“They do help,” Laura replied, coming to the two boys' defense. Grayson and Alexander were Lily's younger brothers. They were good kids, even if they were a handful. They really did try their best.
“I'm sure they do,” Carter said with a chuckle of his own. It was Grayson and Alexander's antics that had led him to the meeting of Mia. They'd broken a window, and Mia had convinced him to let the boys earn back the cost by working at the ranch. “At least the weather is behaving, even if the kids aren't.”
Mia pushed his shoulder and frowned at him. “Don't jinx it!” she told him. “It's sunny and perfect now, but you know how fast spring snowstorms roll in.” She quickly rapped her knuckles on the wooden table to ward off bad luck.
Laura knocked on wood, too. Her younger brother and sister were going to come to this event, and the last thing she wanted was for weather to become a factor. She checked her watch to see that they'd be arriving from the babysitter's house in just a few minutes. She quickly started trying to finish off the table so she could go help with the horses before her siblings arrived.
Carter moved in closer to his wife, putting a hand on her belly. “How are you doing? Do you need anything?” He was like a concerned Papa Bear, and Laura loved to see it.
Mia smiled up at him. “I'm good. Just nervous. I want this to go well. I want this to work.”
“It will,” Carter assured her. “You have an amazing plan, Mia. You're going to do great.”
Mia's shoulders relaxed slightly and she kissed his cheek. She then looked proudly out at the ranch and nodded. “I think you're right.”
Laura had to agree. The foundation Mia was setting up was amazing. She was opening a special ranch to help foster kids. The ranch was technically Carter's, but he'd given her the space to make it all about kids.
Mia had all sorts of amazing ideas for this place. She wanted foster kids to come and learn tools to make their lives better, to give them confidence, and mostly a place to belong. Mountain Hope Ranch in Silver Springs was going to change a lot of kids' lives for the better, Laura knew it in her bones.
Today was a soft opening. They were slated to officially open in two months for summer, but today was about getting more investors. W Motors was a major contributor, but the more companies and wealthy investors they could bring on, the more kids they could help. Today was to show the investors what this place was about.
“Okay, it's time,” Carter said, looking at his watch. He smiled warmly at his wife. “Let's go cut the ribbon, and then there's some people I want to make sure you meet.”
Mia nodded. She flashed a smile at Laura and took a deep breath before heading toward the entrance to greet her guests. Laura was impressed with how calm Mia was. There were at least ten of the hundred richest people in America here, all wanting to see what Mia was doing.
Mia had arranged for kids from the local foster care system to come and enjoy the ranch with the billionaires. It was important that things go right. If they did, Mia's ranch would be off to a great start.
Laura watched Mia walk away with Carter before checking the information table one last time. It looked great. She needed to get to the barn before her siblings arrived so she could make sure that the horses were ready for the billionaires and kids.
Laura looked around before heading off, seeing if Ethan was still around. He was nowhere to be seen.
“It's for the best,” she told herself. He was a distraction she didn't need. She hated the way her heart fell that he wasn't there anymore. He wasn't interested, and she needed to remember that.
Chapter 2
Ethan
Ethan was trying his very best to ignore the fact that Laura was here. He was doing his best to pay attention to the ribbon cutting, but he kept sneaking glances over at the information table.
She looked even better than he remembered. A year ago, she had looked amazing in her party dress, and even better out of it. Yet somehow, here on the ranch, she looked even better than she had that night. It was taking a lot of concentration not to just stare at her.
He shook his head and tried to clear the memories of their night together from his mind. How soft her skin was, the smell of her perfume. The noises she made when he was inside of her...
“Is that you, Ethan?”
Ethan turned, glad to have something to focus on that wasn't a memory of something he couldn't have. He smiled and greeted his friend.
“Jace! It's so good to see you,” Ethan said, holding out a hand.
Jace grinned and shook his hand. “I haven't seen you since the wedding two years ago. I'd hoped we'd get to see you here.” Jace motioned to a lovely woman beside him. “You remember my lovely bride, Ella?”
Ethan shook her hand warmly. “Of course I do. How are you Ella?”
“I'm wonderful,” Ella replied. She let go of his hand just as a fluffy golden retriever puppy tried to bite at the laces of Ethan's shoes.
“Is this your dog?” Ethan asked, looking at the dog. He bent down to pet the puppy, making sure to get his shoes out of reach.
“Sorry, this is Jupiter,” Ella said, tugging gently at the dog's leash to pull him back into sitting at her side. “I'm just starting to train him as a therapy dog, so he comes with me to all my events. His vest that says he's working hasn't arrived yet, but Mia said it was fine. It's good practice for him to be around people and horses.”