by D. L. Roan
He pushed from his chair and walked to the window, looking through the panes at the large feed silos towering in the distance on the other side of the field. He watched as a tractor pulling a trailer pulled into the barn at the base of them, then drove out the other end a few moments later, loaded with precisely rationed, nutrient-rich, premixed feed for the cattle.
Dani had done that. He still remembered the day she came into his office a couple years back, her hands full of research she’d done, overflowing with eagerness as she tried to convince him the ranch needed to upgrade to the new system. One look into her excited eyes and he couldn’t have refused if he’d wanted to. He’d given her the reins of the project and she’d automated their entire feed system. Could she truly believe he didn’t trust her?
The phone on his desk rang and he reached over to answer it. “Falcon Ridge, Grey speaking.”
“Hello, Mr. McLendon. It’s Clay Sterling.”
“Clay. Hey, man, how’s it going down in Texas? And I won’t tell you again to call me Grey.”
Grey slid into his chair, genuinely surprised to hear from one of the heirs to Sterling Eagle Ranch, the largest and most innovative seed stock ranch in the country. In addition to being a former drone pilot in the Air Force, Clay also ran his own agri-tech company. They’d struck up a friendship last winter when Clay had teamed up with Dani to test out his new drone calving monitoring system. A blizzard had blown in and Clay’d had to cut the project short, but they’d promised to catch up in the spring on some of the upgrade ideas Grey had been considering for Falcon Ridge.
“It’s business as usual, as far as I know,” Clay said. “I’m actually working on a ranch up here in your neck of the woods this week. Kettle’s over in Flat Range. You know it?”
Grey nodded. “Yeah. Good folks. They buy a lot of our hay.”
“Yep, that’s what I hear.” Clay chuckled. “I’m headed out tomorrow and thought I’d stop by for a visit, if you’re available.”
A brilliant idea hit Grey like a bolt of lightning and he shot up in his chair. “Absolutely. Come on by. I’ll have Gabby add another plate for dinner if you have time.”
“I’m flying out late afternoon, but I could head over in the mornin’ and do lunch if that works.”
“You bet.” Grey grinned as his plan took shape and propelled itself into action. “I’ll see you when you get here.”
Chapter Four
Dani woke with a start, the scent of acrid smoke pulling her from her makeshift bed on Connor and Carson’s sofa. After going to see Gran and her papas, she’d taken a ride into town to clear her head, stopping in to see Jonah, Pryce, and Chloe before finally crashing at Connor and Carson’s place when they made it home from their trip to Tennessee. Half asleep, she sprinted into the kitchen toward the flaming toaster, but stopped in her tracks when a loud robotic voice boomed overhead.
“Fire detected in sector three.” The echoing announcement was immediately followed by a deafening siren that sounded nothing like a smoke alarm, but more like something off an episode of Battlestar Galactica.
“Shit-shit-shit!” Her sister-in-law, Breezy, barreled into the room, dressed in a bathrobe, her hair wrapped in a towel. She lunged for the toaster and popped the bread from the slots. “Ow-ow-ow!” She snapped at the charred slices until she’d plucked them from the flames, dropping them on the floor with a yelp. Sparks flew from the outlet, popping and sizzling.
“Watch out!” Carson yelled from the doorway as he jumped in front of Breezy. He grabbed a rubber baking glove from the drawer and yanked the plug from the wall, then tossed the smoldering toaster into the sink. “Are you okay?” Carson shouted over the siren.
“I’ll reset the alarm!” Connor yelled as he ran through the kitchen toward the basement stairs.
“Let me see!” The alarm still blaring, Carson grabbed Breezy’s wrists, turning her hands one way, then another to inspect them.
“I’m fine!” she shouted just as the alarm was silenced, pulling her hands free of his. “I’m fine.”
“What were you thinking?” Carson demanded.
Breezy rolled her eyes at Carson’s chastising tone. “I was thinking I’d have a piece of toast for breakfast.”
“Helloooo!” Dani cleared her throat as she shielded her eyes.
“What?” Carson looked over at her and she pointed to the open fly of his blue jeans, revealing the lack of underwear beneath.
“My roommate would be my personal slave forever for a picture of you right now.”
Carson cursed and turned his back, hurriedly tucking and buttoning. “Jeez, Boo, don’t even joke about that.”
Ugh, she hated that nickname. “Keep calling me Boo and it won’t be a joke next time.”
“There won’t be a next time,” Carson grumbled and turned back to Breezy. “Babe, what the hell happened?”
Breezy picked the black briquettes off the tile and tossed them into the trash. “I put the bread in and…I got distracted trying to get ready for our appointment and I guess the lever thing didn’t…pop up.”
Connor reappeared from the basement in a rush. “Everything alright?” he asked, looking Breezy over.
Dani watched the way both of her older brothers fussed over their wife. It was the same way Grey, Matt, and Mason hovered over their mom. The same way they hovered over her. Her mouth twisted into a derisive pucker as she chewed on the inside of her cheek. She knew Breezy to be a strong, independent woman, so why she tolerated it was a mystery. Dani loved her mom and dads, and her brothers, but if she ever got married, she was definitely adding a no hovering clause to the prenup.
“I’ll be fine,” Breezy insisted as she walked to the refrigerator. “I’ll just eat a bowl of cereal. Go get in the shower or we’ll be late.”
“Are you sure?” Connor asked as he bent down to inspect the outlet.
“I’m sure, now go!”
“I’ll toss this into the trash outside.” Carson took the toaster from the sink and headed out the back door.
“Mornin’.” Connor gave Dani’s shoulder a brotherly nudge as he slipped by and headed up the stairs.
Dani waited until Carson came and went before she took a seat at the bar.
“Want a bowl?” Breezy offered, sitting a box of cereal and a gallon of milk on the counter.
“No thanks.” Her stomach had been queasy since leaving Billings. Seeing Uncle Cade and then finding out he and Grey had been spying on her hadn’t helped. “What’s with the space-age smoke alarm?”
Breezy set the bowl on the bar and let out a frustrated groan. “Con and Car had a new system put in when we started trying for a baby. It’s supposed to be state-of-the-art sensing tech blah-blah-blah. I don’t know all the terminology. It was Uncle Cade’s idea, so I didn’t have the heart to say no.”
Dani chuckled. She should have known Uncle Cade was involved. “Well, no chance of sleeping through that. They probably heard the siren at my parents’ house.”
Breezy nodded as she poured the bowl full of cereal, but didn’t reply.
Dani studied her sister-in-law. She and Breezy had become as close as real sisters since Breezy had married Con and Car. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but something was off. “Is everything alright? You seem…tense.”
Breezy paused, her spoon almost to her lips before she lowered it back to the bowl and braced her hands against the counter. “It’s this damn test.”
“Test?”
Breezy nodded, taking a glance at the stairs to make sure Con and Car weren’t hovering nearby before she continued. “We’re going to a reproductive specialist today to have some tests run.” She pushed the bowl away and slumped down on the barstool across from her.
“But you’ve only been trying for a few months,” Dani argued with a shrug.
“Six months and nine days to be exact.” Breezy stared out the large floor-to-ceiling windows lining the back wall of their log cabin. “Something’s wrong, and it has to be me,” she said
, her voice breaking on the last word.
Dani left her seat and walked around the bar. She wrapped her arm around Breezy and pulled her into a hug. “It’s not you,” she said. “I mean, I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m sure it’s nothing.”
Breezy sobered, wiping her eyes with the heels of her hands. “I keep telling myself that, but…the odds aren’t in my favor. I mean…I could see it if...”
“If there wasn’t two of them,” Dani finished for her.
Breezy nodded. “There can’t be something wrong with both of them.”
Dani snorted. “Trust me. I know you’re blinded by love, but there’s plenty wrong with them.”
Breezy’s lips turned up into a grin, then she and Dani both laughed together. “That doesn’t help, but I love you anyway,” Breezy said and hugged Dani back.
“Stop worrying so much.” Dani gave her shoulder a shake. “They say stress makes it worse, you know.”
Breezy nodded. “Yeah. And please don’t say anything to Gabby or your dads. I don’t want to worry them.”
“Or wind up discussing it at the dinner table,” Dani added.
“Exactly.”
“Don’t worry, Sister,” Dani assured her. “I’ve got your back.”
“Hey.” Connor stopped short as he walked into the kitchen. “I knew you weren’t okay.” He marched over and took Breezy into his arms, giving Dani an apologetic glance.
“No, I’m fine,” Breezy insisted as she snuggled against his chest. “Really, I just needed a girl moment.”
Dani quietly backed away and left the two of them alone to talk. She hadn’t seen Breezy so anxious and emotional since her wedding day. She brushed off her worry and righted the throw pillows on the sofa. Breezy would be fine. She’d fought her way through worse things.
“Hey,” Connor said as Dani was pulling her last boot on. “Thanks for that.” He nodded toward the now empty kitchen. “She’s been stressed out lately, blaming herself for…you know.”
“No problem,” Dani said as she folded the quilt and draped it over the back of the sofa. “She’s being too hard on herself, you know.”
“Yeah.” Connor massaged the back of his neck and Dani paused to study him. “What?” he finally asked.
Dani considered her words, debating whether or not she should say them.
Connor crossed his arms over his chest with a huff. “I know you’re dying to say whatever’s churning around in that head of yours, so just say it.”
Dani shrugged. “It’s nothing.”
“Say. It,” Connor insisted.
“Fine.” Dani sank down onto the edge of the footstool and looked at her brother. “I know she wants to start a family, too, but are you sure it’s not you who’s pushing her into this?”
“Of course not!” Connor insisted.
“Come on, Con. I know you. You’re like a bulldog with a bone when you get an idea in your head. You don’t stop.”
“Not with this,” he resolutely denied. “We’ve talked about this ad nauseam.”
“That’s my point,” Dani said, pushing to her feet.
“We’ve tried to assure her there’s no hurry. This whole testing thing was her idea.”
Dani held her hands up in surrender. “I believe you. I’m just saying. She loves you and Car like mad, and she’d do anything to make you happy. Just make sure she knows you already are.”
Connor considered her a moment, his eyes narrowing before he spoke. “When did you get so damn smart?”
“Pfft.” Dani shouldered him out of her way and fetched her purse from the end table. “Technically, I was smarter than you the day I was born.”
“Sadly, I believe that.”
“Good.” Dani held her arms out for a goodbye hug. “Maybe you can convince Grey to believe it, too.”
Connor laughed as he hugged her. “Give him time, Boo. Ow!” He grabbed his stomach where she’d sucker punched him.
“I told you—”
“Not to call you that. Yeah. Got it.”
“Yeah, right.” Dani rolled her eyes as she turned for the door. “Have fun jerkin’ the gherkin later.”
“Dani!” Connor choked as he followed behind her. “Jeez!”
Dani laughed. “What? It’s not like it’s the worst thing I’ve ever said.” Connor held the door and she gave him one last hug goodbye.
“Go easy on Grey, okay? It might not seem like it right now, but his good outweighs his bad.”
“I know.”
“And just so you know.” Connor let her go and held her gaze. “We may have promised not to hover, but when you do find a guy worth your time, Car and I will kill him if he hurts you.”
“Whatever,” Dani scoffed as she made her way down the front steps to her truck. “You can have what’s left after I get done with him,” she shouted over her shoulder with a wave. It wasn’t as if she’d have to worry about that anytime soon, anyway.
The morning sun shone bright above the treeline as she parked in front of her parents’ house. Her younger brother, Cory, was sitting alone at the kitchen table when she walked inside.
“Hey!” he protested when she snagged a piece of bacon from his plate.
“Good morning to you, too,” she said around the salty goodness. “Are you just getting in or waking up?” She’d never known firefighters had such crazy hours until he’d joined the station over in Clarkston last year.
“Just getting in,” he said on the heels of a yawn. “But I promised Matt I’d load up the corn stalks for the mulcher today.”
Dani furrowed her brows. “Where’s Matt’s assistant?”
Cory looked at her like she’d hit her head on a rock. “Duncan’s last day was last Wednesday. Remember?”
“Ugh, that’s right!” She’d completely forgotten he’d given notice. “Matt hasn’t hired anyone to replace him?”
Cory shrugged. “Not a lot of good choices out there after the winter we had.”
Dani frowned. Thousands of head of cattle had frozen to death in the string of unprecedented polar vortexes they’d had last winter. A lot of smaller ranches had gone belly up from the loss. She’d never thought about what that meant for the ranch hands. “You’d think there’d be a surplus of good help.”
“You know Matt,” Cory said as he reached for his glass of milk. “He’s picky about who he hires. Says now that the drought has ended down south, most of the good ones moved on for greener pastures.”
Dani grinned. As disappointed as she was to have missed Duncan’s last day, this gave her the perfect opportunity to prove, once and for all, she was ready for the job herself.
“Go get some sleep. I’ll take the shift,” she said in a rush as she gave him a quick hug and snagged the toast from his plate.
“Dammit, Dani!” Cory yelled after her as she sprinted up the stairs, scarfing down the toast on her way to the shower.
Having left her suitcase and boxes in her truck, Dani pulled a ratty pair of jeans and an old T-shirt from her dresser. Working the mulch was a dirty job anyway. Once dressed, she pulled her hair back into a sloppy ponytail, shoved her feet into her work boots, and headed downstairs.
“There you are,” Grey said as she passed his office.
Dani stopped in the hallway, cursing herself for not sneaking out the back door.
“We missed you last night,” Grey said as he met her at the door. “Where were you—don’t answer that,” he quickly corrected with a staying hand.
Dani arched a brow. That was progress. Weird, but she’d take it.
“Look, Dani. Can we talk?”
“Daddy, I—”
“Just come in a second and hear me out,” Grey insisted, taking her hand and pulling her into his office.
“I told Cory I’d take his shift helping Matt today.” She was being cold, but she didn’t want to have this fight today. All she wanted to do was show him and everyone else that she was ready to run the ranch, and she was already late. “Matt’s out there by himself,
waiting on me.”
“This will only take a minute.”
“Fine.” Dani calmly took a seat in front of Grey’s desk. “But if this doesn’t involve an apology and a promise to stay out of my personal life, then we’re already done.”
Grey propped his hip on his desk and crossed his arms over his chest. Not exactly the humblest of stances, but what else did she expect?
“I’m sorry,” Grey said. Dani’s tense expression fell and she gazed up in surprise at her dad. “What I did was inappropriate and wrong, but I—”
“Stop right there.” Dani held up a staying hand. “That’s all I need to hear. Please don’t ruin it by qualifying it with an excuse.”
Grey chuckled. “So, does that mean I don’t have to promise to stay out of your personal life, then?”
“No, but give me a minute. I just want to savor the essence of rare humility.” Dani closed her eyes and took a slow deep breath. “There,” she said, blowing it out, and settled back in her seat. “You may continue.”
“Smartass.” Grey laughed and pulled himself up to sit on the desk. “Dani, I’m never going to stop worrying about you. I’m your dad. It’s hardwired into who I am, who we are. It’s my job.”
“But, Daddy, I’m an adult now. I get to decide whether I need you to worry.”
Grey bit down on his lip, his head shaking in disagreement. “That’s not how this parenting thing works, baby girl. Believe me. Sometimes I wish it did.”
“But that doesn’t mean it’s okay to run background checks on every male friend I have, or threaten to castrate them if they bring me home late, or-or-or set off the fire alarm in my friend’s building.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve never threatened to castrate anyone.”
“Oh no?” Dani shoved from the chair and paced to the window. “So, you admit to setting off the fire alarm in Molly’s boyfriend’s apartment building, then?”
“What? No!” Grey denied. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Dani spun on her heels, looking for the truth in her dad’s eyes, surprised to see an utter lack of guilt. “Nothing,” she conceded with a sigh. Why did his answer feel disappointing?
