Ryan gave her a look, a kind of half smile, half grimace, then turned away and drew in a deep breath, which seemed to stick awkwardly as it traveled down his throat. “I can’t talk about it,” he said, his head stooping lower. “I shouldn’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because this isn’t something you want to hear.”

“Maybe it is.”

“Trust me, it’s not.”

She waited for him to lift his chin and look at her. “Because?”

“Because we’ve only just met. And because the last thing you want is to sit here and listen to a stranger prattling on about his problems, especially when they’re about something as tedious as money.”

“Firstly, you’re not a stranger, not anymore, and secondly, in case it slipped your mind, I just watched you break this Ferris wheel in order to hide from your bank manager, so it seems pretty clear that this is a problem in desperate need of some solving.”

“And believe me, if talking could solve it then I’d tell you everything right now, really, I would, but the problem I’m facing is serious—­it’s foreclosure—so unless you’re actually a law student or someone with knowledge of a loophole that might help me get out of this mess, then honestly there’s not much point.”

Amy’s eyes sprang open. “Wait, did you just say foreclosure?”

Ryan dropped his gaze and tried to look away.

“Foreclosure?”

“Please, forget it.”

“But that’s . . . that’s when you lose your home. That’s when the bank comes in and takes everything. Isn’t it?” She fixed him with a look and turned her body as far as the carriage would allow—any farther and her feet would be crossing over his. “Ryan, that’s not about to happen to your ranch, is it . . . ?”

Ryan’s silence was answer enough.

“But you grew up there, Ryan. Your ranch has been in your family for generations. Isn’t that what you told me? How can something like this be happening?”

“Because they’re the bank. They can do whatever they want.”

“And that’s it? There isn’t anything you can do to stop it?”

“I wish there was.”

“There must be something.”

He shook his head. The defeat in his eyes was plainly evident.

“But that’s not fair,” Amy exclaimed. “Ask them to give you some more time. If they knew everything, if they knew how long the ranch has been in your family, surely, they would—”

“Believe me, I’ve tried, but it’s just no use. They know all that. They’ve already given us time, and the time they’ve given us has all but run out.”

“What? When’s this supposed to happen?”

“Soon.”

“How soon?”

He clasped his hands together. “The day after next.”

Amy recoiled in shock, too stunned to speak.