"Honey, this is your decision. I wish I could tell you what to do, but we both know I can't. Any ideas you want to run by me, I'm hear to listen. Heck, I'll even throw in my quarter's worth, if you want." His chuckle warmed her heart. How she wished this were a decision they made together.
Garrett turned around and looked at the desk. He laughed at the open ledger. "Your grandfather showed me this a few years ago and I called him a crazy man. He laughed, slapped my shoulder, and said, 'Yes, but look at how many friends I have helped through the years.' He then put his hand over his heart and said, 'All that matters is how I feel in here, not what's in my bank account.'"
Caitlin nodded. How many times had she heard him say those words? The one thing he always reminded her about, do what you love, the rest will come with it.
He flipped through the pages and chuckled. "Here's where he loaned money to Jake to build the tavern. He helped Harry's dad with the feed store. Marshall had a good sense about business and he knew how to treat people." Garrett looked around the den, his eyebrows raised as he surveyed his surroundings. Stacks of magazines sat on the desk and floor, almost as high as the four-drawer filing cabinet. Papers stuck out of the filing cabinet like porcupine quills. "I bet your answer is in here," he said.
She glared at him as she said, "That's not even funny." One look at his charming smile and glistening eyes and she laughed. "Don't you have a ranch to run?" she asked as she came from behind the desk and moved towards him, slow but steady. When she did not stop, he stepped backwards until they were on the porch.
He reached out and took her hand. She held on tightly, never wanting to let go. "Go with your heart," he said, giving her hand a loving squeeze. "You'll be fine, honey. I'll talk to you later." He sauntered towards his truck, and turned to look at Caitlin before getting in.
She waved until he was no longer in sight. His smile remained with her and started to fill the void in her heart, but she had to get out of the house. The deafening quiet proved too much to handle. "Even with the quiet I find too much noise to hear my heart."
When Caitlin stepped off the porch, ready to explore the ranch, a car door slammed shut. "Jen," Caitlin screamed, running to the driveway. "Thank goodness you're here." Jen and Caitlin had been best friends since diapers. As her granddaddy had always said, "Like a horse and horseshoe. Where one goes, so does the other. They need each other and always will." As usual, the man was right.