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to consider waiting much longer.”
    Amanda stiffened instantly. Mr. Ellinger? Wasn’t that the gentleman who wanted to buy Moonlight Ranch?
    “ Mr. Sargent, sometimes I wonder why I’ve kept you as my financial advisor for so long. It is not a risk if I eventually get what I want!”
    “ But Moonlight Ranch is still not for sale after all the years you’ve been waiting to acquire it. And the other ranch in San Antonio is. I think the risk of losing the available ranch is too great.”
    Mr. Ellinger seized two loaves of bread and motioned for his companion to follow him as he walked away.
    “ I’ve waited this long for Moonlight Ranch, Mr. Sargent. I can wait a little while longer. I have to have it! Besides, I can be very cunning when the need calls for it.”
    Amanda shivered after the two men left. She wondered if Noah was still in touch with Mr. Ellinger, giving him updates on how Thomas was coming along...and if he was caving in. It made her queasy to even think about Noah’s involvement with a snake like Mr. Ellinger. But what could she do?
    She picked up a pumpkin pie and then hesitated, tapping her fingers against the tin dish. Maybe she could talk with Noah tomorrow night after Thanksgiving dinner. Hopefully he had enough time to think about his insane idea to sell the ranch and would listen to her this time!

 
    CHAPTER ~ THREE
     
     
    “ I think I’m gonna bust!” Thomas chuckled, rubbing his stomach. He pushed his empty plate away and began to stir some sugar into his coffee. His eyes crinkled in the corners when he looked at Amanda. “Thanks for bringing dessert. You must have had a premonition about Maria’s apple pie.”
    She placed her napkin on the table and lowered her voice. “I still don’t understand how she could have sat in it, Thomas.”
    He held back a snicker. “I think she just forgot that she had placed it on a stool in the kitchen to cool...and the rest is history.”
    She covered her mouth with her hands to stifle a giggle.
    Noah sat quietly listening to their conversation, until the laughter started. He couldn’t help but join in.
    Amanda inhaled deeply, trying to get her breath back from giggling so hard. She wiped the tears from her cheeks, and glanced at Noah, who immediately let out a chain of rippling chuckles. “We better calm down before Maria comes in here and swats all of our heads.”
    Thomas started to say something but began coughing instead. Hunching over, his breathing became labored. Noah rushed to his side and helped him from his chair. “Dad, why don’t I take you upstairs to your room so you can rest for a while?”
    “ I’m fine, I’m fine. The laughing just brought on a cough. That’s all it is,” he gasped and began coughing again. After a while, he stopped resisting and allowed Noah to guide him from the dining room.
    Amanda wanted to follow them but Noah shook his head. So, she stayed behind, her mind spinning with anxious thoughts. Worrying about Thomas. She jumped from her chair when Noah reappeared.
    His brows were drawn together with concern. Placing a hand on hers, he looked into her deep blue eyes. “He’s not well.”
    She blinked back tears. “Tell me, Noah. What’s wrong with him?”
    “ He has emphysema from smoking way too much and way too long. He’s been battling it for years now.”
    “ Is he getting worse?”
    “ I’m afraid so. That’s why I came back to the ranch, Amanda. I spoke to Maria a couple of weeks ago and she told me he wasn’t doing well. So I dropped what I was doing in Dallas and came back here as quick as I could.”
    “ What can I do to help him?”
    “ Just being here is helping him. He’s always adored you,” his eyes held hers in a locked gaze. “And so have I, by the way.”
    “ Y-you’re always catching me off guard, Noah West,” she tried to pull her hand away but he squeezed it tighter.
    “ Dad fell asleep almost as soon as I helped him to his bed. So, I don’t know if he’ll be coming