The Construction of Cheer

by Liz Isaacson

  His eyebrows climbed higher. “You’re going to marry Montana?”

  “Eventually,” Bishop said, tapping to wake his phone. “Now, I know there’s a house down here, on that other ranch that Daddy bought years ago, but I checked it out already, and it’s almost falling down. Plus, there are no trees.”

  He glanced at Bear, who looked at the map on Bishop’s phone. “I was thinking about up here, on the main ranch, behind True Blue.”

  Bear smiled and shook his head. “Just because you love that barn.”

  “I do love the barn,” Bishop said, not seeing a reason to deny it. “There’s room there for a house, and we’d only lose half an acre of hay at the most. Those fields are dormant right now anyway.”

  “Right at the beginning of the cycle too.”

  That was as good as a yes, but Bishop wanted to hear his brother say it.

  “I’ll talk to Ranger about putting it on the agenda,” Bear said. “With stuff like this, Bishop, we have to have Cactus and Ward there too. Sometimes it takes a couple of weeks for all four of us to get our schedules to align.”

  “Okay,” Bishop said. “Thank you, Bear.”

  Bear put his arm around Bishop. “I love you, brother. I honestly am sorry if I have added any poison to the air between us.”

  “I love you too,” Bishop said. “I’m going to try to do what Daddy said in his letter. I hope it’s not too annoying for you.”

  “I can handle annoying,” Bear said. “Just don’t expect me to be a teddy about it.”

  They looked at one another, both of them bursting into laughter in the next moment. Bishop let the healing happiness move through him, and he felt the cleansing touch of the spirit of the Lord too, as his burden of negative feelings for Bear was lifted and carried away.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Bear woke to the sound of Sammy humming to herself in the shower. A few times a week, she showered before him so he could sleep later and she could have all the hot water. He loved the sound of the spray as it twined with his wife’s voice, and he closed his eyes to listen to it.

  The water turned off at some point, waking him again. In the following seconds, Sammy cried out. Bear sat straight up and got out of bed, seemingly in the space of a single breath.

  “Sammy?” He started toward the bathroom just as she appeared in the doorway. She wore a towel around her body and one in her hair, and her whole face was filled with light.

  “Come see this,” she said.

  Bear wasn’t sure if he should be excited or scared, and his heartbeat kept sprinting nonetheless. He approached her, but she didn’t turn to retrieve anything from the bathroom.

  “I’m pregnant, Bear,” she said, giggling immediately afterward. “I’m late for my period—really late, but I had a touch of that flu Oakley had, and I just thought that was why I was a little sick in the morning. I haven’t been throwing up or anything.”

  She did pace into the bathroom then, but Bear was still trying to process her first few words. He couldn’t move and think so hard at the same time.

  “And then we had all those parties, and I thought my stomachaches were because of all that rich food or whatever.” She appeared in the doorway again, and this time, she held something in her fingers.

  “But when I realized I should’ve had another period by now, I stopped at the store last night and got a pregnancy test.” She was talking so fast, and Bear was still back on those first few words.

  “It says to take it in the morning, because you know, that’s when the hormones are the highest—that’s why you’re sick. Did you know that? I didn’t know that—anyway. I took it and got in the shower, and it says I’m pregnant.” She looked down at the stick in her hand and then back to him, her eyes wide.

  Bear swept her into his arms, wonder and joy filling him now. “My sweet Sammy,” he said. “I’m so excited.”

  “Are you?”

  “Of course I am,” he said, pulling back to look at her. “I’ve always said I wanted kids. We’ve been trying since we got married.”

  “It’s August,” she said. “But like I said, I think I’ve missed two periods now. I’m probably at least two months along. Which means I’ll be due in…March? Maybe end of February.”

  “We have to go to the doctor today. He’ll tell us, right?”

  “I can’t go today,” she said. “I have that meeting this morning, and two cars I said I’d deliver today.”

  “Sammy,” he said. “You’re pregnant. The cars can wait.”

  She looked up at him, several emotions flying through her expression. “I’m pregnant.”

  He whooped and lifted her off her feet. She squealed too, the towel twisted in her hair slipping. “Bear,” she laughed.

  “You’re not even going to work today,” he said. “I’m calling the doctor right now.” Not that he knew who to call.

  “You’re crazy,” she said. “It’s six-fifteen in the morning.”

  “So I have time to figure out which doctor to call. I think there’s a specific kind you see when you’re pregnant.”

  She laughed again, but Bear simply gazed down at her. He loved going to bed with her at his side. He loved waking up to his alarm and looking over to see if he’d disturbed her. He loved everything about Sammy, and while everything wasn’t perfect between them, they were both working. They both tried to forgive. They both had honest conversations.

  “I love you,” he murmured, leaning down to kiss her.

  She kissed him back, and Bear found his hand sliding down to her stomach as if he could feel the life there through the towel and all of her skin and muscle. “I can’t believe you’re going to have my baby,” he whispered. “I love you so much. So, so much.”

  “I love you, too, Bear.” She kissed him again, and Bear let himself get lost in the touch and smell and love of this good woman.

  “There he is,” Ranger said when Bear walked into the conference room in his suite. “How’s it looking out there?”

  “Good,” Bear said, brushing his hand up the back of his neck again. He needed to shower again already, as cutting hay seemed to get the stuff everywhere. “We’ve almost got the north and west sections done. Royce is mowing the last field now.”

  They’d been out working all night, as Bear liked to mow when it was dark, so the fields were ready to dry in the hot August sun the moment it came up. He was getting too old to pull the all-nighters, but he had good men who could do it when he had to stop. He paid double the daily rate for all-night work, and the sign-ups for it never ended.

  “I have two, no, three, things to add to the agenda,” he said, glancing at Cactus as he sat down. “Hey, Cactus. Haven’t seen you for a while.”

  “Same,” Cactus said, a smile actually touching his mouth. “I have something for the agenda too.”

  “And you guys forgot how to text?” Ranger asked, frowning.

  “You know about one of mine,” Bear said. “It’s the personal item.”

  “So that’s not a new item,” Ranger said, his pen poised above the paper. “How many things do you have?”

  “I have the personal thing,” he said. “And two more things.”

  “So two things for Bear,” he said, making a note. “One for Cactus.” He looked across the table to his brother, Ward. “Anything, Ward?”

  “No, sir,” Ward said, looking up from his phone.

  “Let’s start with you then,” Ranger said. “And we’ll move into the things that require all of us. Then you and Cactus can go. I know your time is short this morning.”

  “I just have that call at ten,” Ward said.

  Bear glanced at his phone. It was eight-forty-five. He’d been fifteen minutes late, and he instantly regretted it. “Sorry, Ward,” he said, but his cousin just waved his hand.

  “My only piece of business is the Walker family party at True Blue next weekend. They’re bringing all the food and stuff, but they’re using our tables and chairs. They said they’d consolidate into
as few vehicles as possible, as there’s not a ton of parking back there. I’m not worried about it.”

  “They’re great,” Ranger agreed. “And we’re all going to that?”

  “It’s right here on our property,” Bear said. “I’m planning to take my family.” He looked around at the others. “Are we saying it’s mandatory attendance?”

  “I don’t think so,” Cactus said. “We don’t even have mandatory attendance for our own family parties. It’s not our mother who passed the bar exam.”

  “Let’s send a text so everyone knows they’re invited,” Ranger said. “Cowboys too.” He looked at Ward with his eyebrows raised.

  “Sounds good,” Ward said. “I know the family wants a count for food by Monday. They’re doing their family pictures here on the ranch too. When I talked to Whitney, she said they’d stick to the blue barn and the stables right next to it. They won’t go all over the ranch. I didn’t see a problem with that, so I agreed.”

  “I see no problem with that either,” Bear said.

  “They do have a lot of kids,” Ranger said.

  “They watch their kids,” Bear said, shifting in his seat.

  “I’m fine with whatever,” Cactus said, clearing his throat. “I’m, uh, bringing a date to the Walker’s party.”

  “Okay, so—” Ranger cut off, his gaze flying to Cactus as his brain caught up with what he’d said. “What?”

  “Her name is Violet Hamshire,” Cactus said. “We, uh, met at the therapist’s office.”

  Bear leaned forward, his interest in Cactus ultra-focused now. “Is this your thing?”

  “Yes,” Cactus said. “Ace has been taking me to see a counselor. We go every Friday, which is why this has been hard to set up.” He shifted in his seat and looked away, something Cactus rarely did. He knew who he was, and he didn’t care if someone disagreed with him. He didn’t look away during difficult conversations, and Bear wondered who he was looking at.

  “I just moved to every other week,” he said. “It’s been, uh, real good for me.” He nodded and looked around at the other three men watching him. “Real good.”

  “That’s amazing, Cactus,” Ranger said. “Good for you.”

  “Yeah,” Ward said, smiling. “Have you been out with Violet before?”

  “Once,” Cactus said. “It was a fast lunch date after my appointment. We’ve been talking a lot through text and calls for a few weeks.”

  “And you think a giant family party is the best idea for your second date?” Bear asked.

  “I figure it can’t hurt to expose her to the crazy right up front,” Cactus said, grinning at Bear. “Besides, she knows most of the Walker women. She’s got, uh, a son the same age as Rhett’s oldest boy.”

  Bear’s eyebrows flew up. “She’s got a son.”

  “Yes,” Cactus said, looking down now. “No one needs to say anything else, okay? I know what it looks like, and it’s not that. I’m not trying to replace Allison and Bryce. I’m not.”

  “Well, maybe Allison,” Ranger said gently. “You do want another wife and best friend.”

  Cactus looked at Ranger, something powerful passing between them. “Yes, I can agree to that.”

  Ranger nodded and made a check-mark next to something on his agenda. “Ward is good. Cactus is good. Let’s talk about Bishop.” He looked at Bear. “And your personal item, as they both require us all to be here.”

  “All of my items require us all to be here,” Bear said. “Let’s start with the easy stuff. I want to sponsor a booth at the Harvest Festival this year.” He looked at Ranger. “An informational booth about Three Rivers, where we’ll feature your app.”

  Ranger’s eyes widened. “What? What does that look like?”

  “We get signage made,” Bear said. “Advertising the app. We can partner with some of the top businesses in town, and they can have reps on-site to answer questions, hand out fliers, give out coupons, or whatever works for them.” Bear opened the folder he’d given to Ranger earlier to bring to the meeting. “I’ve already asked Oakley about having someone from Mack’s there.” He barely glanced at Ranger, because he wasn’t sure if Oakley had spoken to him about it.

  “She said yes. Montana is meeting with Micah Walker this week, and they might have a partnership to promote. Either way, she’ll be there. Sammy is going to be there for her shop, obviously. I’ve called Heidi Ackerman, but she said the bakery is going to have their own booth.” Bear looked at his list and back up at the others.

  “I just went through the app and took the number-one rated businesses. I’ve got calls out to several people. Tony from Down Under has agreed, and he’s bringing samples. Roberto from Pizza Pipeline will be there. I wanted more than restaurants, and I’ve got a confirmation from Camila Cruz for her plumbing services, as well as Karl Madrid from that custom glass shop.”

  “Bishop is putting his custom windows in the Ranch House,” Ward said. “I was there yesterday while they started the install.”

  “Exactly,” Bear said. “Oh, and Ace’s new girlfriend will be there for her catering company. I’m focusing on locally owned and operated shops and businesses. Montana is asking her uncle to represent the outdoor outfitters, and Holly Ann is asking her boss at the tack and feed store.”

  “Don’t most people know about all of these places?” Cactus asked. “Especially because of Two Cents?”

  “It’s for advertising,” Ranger said quietly. He hadn’t looked at Bear during his speech. “Right? You’re doing this because Ward and I were talking about offering paid advertising on Two Cents, and it’ll be the local businesses who want that space.”

  Bear grinned at him. “Yep. And I think we should invest in Two Cents for our yearly donation this year.”

  “That’s a conflict of interest,” Ranger said.

  “Is it?” Bear asked. “Why? We want our money to make more money. Your app is ripe for that, Range. Why can’t our money make more money through your app? You win. We win.” He looked at Cactus and Ward. “Maybe this is a full-family decision.”

  “I would think so,” Cactus said. “Otherwise, why aren’t we investing in Mack’s? Or Sammy’s shop? Or Montana’s home designs? Or Holly Ann’s catering? You know? We could invest in Micah’s construction firm. Just give money to all of our friends.” He looked around at everyone and reached for his bottle of water. “The whole family needs to vote on this one.”

  “I agree,” Ward said.

  “Okay,” Bear said, frowning. “Can we agree to sponsor the booth at the Harvest Festival?”

  No one said anything, which meant none of them wanted to be the first to say yes or no. Ward and Cactus both looked at Ranger, who stared at Bear with a hard edge in his eyes.

  “Fine,” Ranger said.

  “Okay,” Cactus and Ward said together. The tension broke in the room, and all four of them chuckled.

  “I want to see everything,” Ranger said, tapping Bear’s folder. “You should’ve told me about this before now.”

  “Sorry,” Bear said, but he wasn’t really sorry. Ranger wouldn’t take the next step for Two Cents if he wasn’t prodded a little, and Bear knew how to prod his cousin better than anyone.

  “Up next—Sammy is pregnant.” He couldn’t say those words—or even think them—without grinning from ear to ear. Everyone else grinned at him too, and Bear chuckled and shook his head as the congratulations came at him. “She’s due at the end of February, and I want to take time off the ranch.”

  He swallowed, because he loved Shiloh Ridge with his whole heart and soul. “I’ll still be here. I’ll still work. But I don’t want to mow all night, and I don’t want to work from sunup to sundown. I want to enjoy my wife and family.” He cleared his throat. “I want to show Lincoln how to ranch, and I want to teach him how to fix tractors and I want him to know how very much he belongs to me, and that this ranch is important to all of us.”

  He blinked and stopped talking. He nodded. “I want more time to do those things.”
He looked at Ranger. “I imagine as more and more changes around here, we’ll all want to find a better balance between ranch and family.”

  “I’m sure you can take time off,” Cactus said. “Bishop just finished all those cowboy cabins. We have money to hire people.”

  “Yes,” Bear said. “That leads me to the next item. I want to increase the cowboy pay.”

  Ranger muttered something about having so many big discussions in one meeting, but he gestured for Bear to go on.

  “Our men work hard for us. I think we need to include them more in our lives here, and we need to pay them more.”

  “What brought that on?” Ward asked.

  “The overnight mowing,” Bear said. “I sent the signup for it, because it’s an optional thing, and we offer double the pay. Everyone signed up within ten minutes. They all want the work, because they want the money.” He looked at Ranger. “I think we should think about hiring a foreman—maybe two—and providing bigger and better homes for them. That way, they can bring their whole families to live here and work here as career cowboys. Not day laborers.”

  Bear took a deep breath. “I know this is a lot for one meeting, so we can table it for now. But Bishop wants to build a house for himself out by True Blue, and he told me there’s a house on that ranch my father bought before he died. There’s no reason we can’t fix that up—it used to be a homestead for that ranch—and add a couple bigger places down there. Then our foremen can live there. They’d be permanent men or women we hire and treat like family. They’d come to these meetings. They’d essentially do what Ranger and I do, so we can do less. He can work on his app. I can be the husband and father I want to be.”

  “I’m writing all of this down,” Ranger said. “But I do think it too requires a whole family discussion and meeting. Perhaps there’s someone in the family who’d be willing to take on more of a leadership role you want to vacate.” He nodded at Ward. “Yes?”

  “Yes,” Ward said.

  “You do?” Bear asked.

  “I’m not saying I do,” Ward said. “I’m saying you and Ranger own the ranch, and you’ve been running it for fifteen years. If either of you want to turn over some responsibilities, that’s great. Fine. But they should be offered to family first.”