Free The Lionhearted Cowboy Returns by Patricia Thayer Page B

over his business proposal.
    The young man behind the desk looked as if he wasbarely out of college. “This looks very impressive, Mr. Gentry,” he said as he sat back in his chair. “On paper. But these are hard times.”
    Jeff leaned forward. This guy was going to be a hard sell, but he had ten years of military training. “Farmers and ranchers go through rough times, it’s a fact of life. I know because my family ranches. And you also know that Mrs. Guthrie’s land is worth thirty times the amount of her loan. I’m bringing in stock, and Lacey is going to do the training in this business venture.”
    “It’s still a risk.”
    “What risk? Our stock combined is worth this much.”
    Dixon straightened. “Are you willing to put up the horses as collateral?”
    “No,” Lacey jumped in. “I can’t agree to that.”
    Jeff didn’t know much about loans, but shouldn’t the land be enough? “It’ll be okay, Lace.” He turned back to Dixon. “I need to make a quick call.” He stood and moved across the room, punching in numbers.
    His uncle answered. “Chance Randell.”
    Jeff explained to him what was going on. Chance listened then asked to give him ten minutes and he’d get back to him.
    Mr. Dixon reluctantly granted them the time, then he called to get some coffee. Soon a secretary came in, along with another man.
    Mr. Dixon stood immediately. “Mr. Handley,” he greeted the visitor eagerly.
    The older gentleman ignored the loan officer and walked directly to Lacey and Jeff. “Hello, I’m Bert Handley, the bank manager. You must be Mrs. Guthrie and Mr. Gentry.”
    “Yes, sir, we are,” Jeff said.
    Mr. Handley turned to Lacey. “I’m sorry to hear about the loss of your husband, Mrs. Guthrie. I wish we had known sooner.”
    “Thank you, Mr. Handley,” Lacey said. “That’s why we’re here. Since my husband’s death, I can’t handle the terms of the loan.”
    The bank manager smiled. “Then we’d best work something out.”
    “We’ve been working on that, Mr. Handley,” Dixon said quickly. “They’re going to put up their stock as collateral.”
    Bert Handley walked behind the desk and glanced over the loan papers. The older man frowned. “I don’t see a reason why the ranch itself can’t be enough to secure a loan.”
    Dixon was nervous. “It’s just that with a new business venture and no assured income, I thought—”
    Handley shook his head as he turned the page. “With these excellent credit scores, surely we can come up with a better interest rate.” He glanced at Dixon. “Larry, why don’t I take care of this? I’ve been a friend of the family for years.” He smiled at Jeff. “I gave Chance Randell his first loan.”
    At the mention of the well-known Randell name, Dixon excused himself and left the room.
    Handley looked back and forth between the two. “I like to think we’re still a neighborhood bank. Since the circumstances with your husband have changed, I’m sure we can also adjust the terms of the loan with a better interest rate for the two of you.”
    “No, Mr. Handley. This is my debt and I don’t want Mr. Gentry liable for any of it.”
    The man looked over his reading glasses. “This is a business loan, Mrs. Guthrie. I need both your names on it and both of you are to be responsible for it.”
    Jeff felt Lacey tense. “Would you excuse us a moment?” At the man’s nod, he took Lacey outside the small office and into the hall. “You can pay the money, I don’t care, Lace, but we need to get the loan first.”
    She crossed her arms over her chest. “I won’t have you take care of this for me, Jeff.”
    “Okay, what do we do? Walk away? You lose the ranch and move into town?”
    He saw the determination on her face. “No. I plan to sell you the cabin and the acreage around it.”
    Jeff didn’t even need to think about it. “Fine, when we’re rich and famous, I’ll sell it back to you. That section of land is valuable and the cabin belongs to