Free Have a Little Faith by Kadi Dillon

know you’re more than welcome to stay with me, Alex.”
    “That won’t be necessary.” Lane pocketed her keys and shot Alex a grin. “Can you hold your liquor? I don’t want to have to pull over every mile.”
    Alex, who was oblivious to the tension flowing between the two men merely smiled at Lane. “I hold my liquor, Tanner.”
    “Hi, I’m Lindsay.” The little blond squeezed her way in between Sam and Lane and offered Lane her hand. He shook it and smiled.
    “Lane.”
    “It’s great to meet you. Can I interest you in a dance?”
    Lane looked at Alex who was busy picking at her lime , her brows drawn together in puzzlement and grinned. He took Lindsay’s hand and led her to the dance floor as Patsy Cline came on the jukebox .
    “They look cute together, ” Alex commented when she and Sam were alone. “Want to help me hook them up?”
    Sam smiled. He had known Alex since they were children. He had nothing but affection for her, perhaps now more brotherly affection. They had shared so much in the past including a one night stand that had brought them both a beautiful daughter for three months.
    They had grieved together when they lost her and in the seven years since Faith, they had shared a close bond. He recognized Alex’s discomfort the minute she spotted Lane in the bar. He felt both compelled and responsible to look out for her welfare.
    “Alex, tell me what’s going on .”
    Alex dropped her gaze then brought it back to Sam’s just as quickly.
    “My mom’s selling the ranch.”
    “What? ”
    “I know, I should have told you. But I kept thinking it was just a whim. I thought she would realize how ridiculous it is to sell. But she’s selling. And Lane’s buying it. The papers are in Tuck ’s office and… and—”
    He took her hand when her eyes filled and pulled her outside into the warm September night. He wrapped his arms around her and held on.
    “It’s all right, Alex. Go ahead, tell me.”
    She couldn’t tell him about the marriage proposal. She was too ashamed to admit that she was considering it. But with the ranch on the line, she had to consider all of her options.
    Her mother was right, however. She was ruined and would never receive a better offer. Alex took a deep breath and willed the unshed tears away. Stronger now, she straightened and smiled at her best friend.
    “It’s just that I’m so tired. I’ve worked so hard t o turn everything around after—”
    “I know you have.” Sam placed his hand on her cheek and Alex let the tears come. She didn’t weep, she couldn’t. But tears came silently and abundantly.
    “Sam, I can’t leave Faith there.”
    Sam went rigid. How in the hell hadn’t he thought of that? Images of the perfect little girl he watched come into the world swirled into his mind. Instead of the pain and long ing this time, anger came.
    “I’ll b uy that acre from you right now,” h e said between his teeth.
    Alex shook her head. “You know my mother won’t sell to you. Sam, he’s going to turn it into some kind of amusement park. I’ve tried everything. I can’t stop it.”
    “We’ll think of something,” h e vowed and kissed her forehead absently. “My break ’ s over. You should go home and get some rest.”
    “Okay. Thanks, Sam.”
    Alex waited for the door to close and drown out the upbeat tune that blurted from the club speakers before she slumped back against the building.
    Her head was pounding now from the margarita’s she had drunk . She never drank, she berated herself. Her father loved his liquor more than anything else and look where it had got ten him. She wasn’t her father, she told herself and jerked up right when the bar door opened and Lane stormed out. He looked murderous, she thought. Warmed by several margaritas, however, she just couldn’t be bothered to care.
    Wordlessly, he walked up to her and wiped a tear from her cheek.
    “What the he ll happened?”
    Alex wiped her face with the back o f her hands and