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the counter in Notcha Momm a’ s Diner and sipped at a cup of surprisingly delicious coffee. She was still trying to wrap her head around everything Mr. Baird had just laid at her feet. Sh e’ d gone to their meeting with no idea what to expect. She wanted to talk about her options for selling the land. That was until Mr. Baird explained how important the ranch was to the community. She had n’ t expected to learn that she now owned a huge ranch that employed fifty cowboy s– half of which lived in bunk houses on the property and the other half in town with their various familie s– who were running over two thousand head of cattle, give or take depending on the time of year.
    She also owned half of the land Walker Creek proper was built upon. Most of the businesses in town, as well as the town hall and the police station, and paid ground rent to the Walker estate. That was her. She shook her head and wondered if her dad knew how large the Walker legacy had grown.
    Her grandfather had been more than just a cowboy. Russell Walker, Sr. had been a smart businessman. H e’ d been making lucrative investments since the day he took over Walker Ranch from his father when he was just thirty years old. It was all Kessly n’ s now.
    This was on top of the healthy inheritance sh e’ d received when her parents were taken from her. Sh e’ d never spent a penny of it. It was still collecting interest in a bank in Baltimore. She had no use for the money. She just wanted her parents back. It was silly, and she knew they would n’ t be pleased, but Kesslyn just could n’ t bring herself to take what belonged to her parents. She was saving it for them. Like maybe they might come back and claim it if she waited long enough. A tear ran down her cheek, and Kesslyn swiped at it. She was sure it would never get easier, no matter how many people told her it would.
    She had more money than sh e’ d ever imagined and more property than she had a clue about how to maintain. It was a shock to be sure. Kesslyn was going to meet the ranch foreman that afternoon. She looked at her watch. He might already be waiting for her at the main house, as opposed to one of the cabins across the ranch¸ or the large Victorian home she owned in town, or the vacation home on the beach in Galveston. It was too much to take in. Thankfully, her grandfathe r’ s trusted lawyer and accountants were taking care of everything until she was ready to dive into the financials.
    Mr. Baird explained that Russell Walke r’ s annual contributions to Walker Creek kept the town going. The ranch employed many of the tow n’ s men, from the cowboys to landscapers, a small cleaning crew, and two cooks plus several other employees. He bought and donated the police vehicles. He built the town library so folks would have a place to access the internet, books, and other resources. He gave money to the schools and was a huge sponsor of the Walker Creek High School athletic and music departments. The man had been the king of Walker Creek, and he took care of his people as such.
    Mr. Baird had been making a point Kesslyn was n’ t likely to miss. He was discouraging her from selling the property and removing the support of the Walker family from the town. She got the message loud and clear. Sh e’ d keep her thoughts of selling to herself until she had a better grip on the situation. Mr. Baird was still in shock over the loss of her father. It had been over two years, and even Kesslyn still could n’ t absorb it. There was no sense in causing further upset until it was necessary.
    Walker Creek was holding its collective breath waiting for Kessly n’ s father, the prodigal son, to return. They had faith that Russell, Jr. would continue the Walker legacy and care for the town as his father and grandfather had done before him. The news that Russell was gone and Kesslyn was there to inherit the keys to the city was spreading like wildfire through Walker Creek.
    Kesslyn finished