Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 77936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“Anytime.” I brushed a soft kiss across his lips. “I mean that. Anything for you.”
I meant it. So much for my assertion that I didn’t want long-term or serious again. I’d do anything to keep Colt close, to have more of these nights.
Chapter 24
Maverick
“Oh my God, I feel like I just stepped back fifty years.” Adler stepped out of his tiny teal hybrid car, gazing around the ranch. I’d barely beaten him to the ranch, having come directly from a meeting with the trust folks. Mid-August meant being busier than I had been since leaving LA—managing Faith, keeping up with Hannah, stealing more time with Colt, helping Grayson where I could, and preparing for Adler’s visit. For his part, Adler had apparently prepared by going thrifting. He wore close-fitting jeans and a plaid shirt, which he’d tied rather than tucked in, giving him the look of a backup dancer in a lumberjack-themed video. His curly red hair was even more flyaway than usual in the dry heat, adding to his air of bemusement and wonder. “An old Ford with a hound dog in the back is about to drive up any second and Saturday Night Fever is playing this weekend at the drive-in.”
Heat gathered in my lower stomach at the mention of a drive-in, but now wasn’t the moment to revisit that memory. Instead, I greeted Adler with a hug.
“You didn’t time travel.” I gestured around us. “And this isn’t a Hollywood set. It’s just an average ranch, not even one of the biggest in Colorado.”
“I still want a tour.” Adler had to be approaching thirty, but he had the energy and enthusiasm of an eighteen-year-old on an energy drink bender. “Show me everything.”
“I’ll come.” Hannah wandered out of the main house. I introduced her to Adler. I’d used Adler for multiple projects partly because he was excellent with people of all ages—guests, staff members, people he needed to manage, VIPs, and more. He’d never met a stranger, and he easily charmed Hannah.
As we walked toward the oldest of the barns, I noticed how much better Adler looked than the last time I’d seen him when he’d been fresh out of rehab. His hair was shinier, copper color catching the sun, and his pale skin was rosier and less pasty. He moved more easily too, less labored. I made a mental note to compliment him where Faith could hear. Maybe vanity could motivate Faith toward sobriety if nothing else. First, she needed to admit she had a problem, though, and we weren’t remotely there yet. I’d followed some of the links Adler kept sending me, and I understood on a logical level that I couldn’t change or fix Faith, but the urge to try remained strong.
After a peek inside the old barn with all the equipment, we continued toward the horse barn. It was a nice clear day, not too hot, so many of the horses were out in the attached paddock, enjoying the sun.
“Those are real horses!” Adler sounded absolutely awestruck.
“Wait till you see the cows.” Exiting the horse barn, Grayson ambled up, limp and frown more pronounced today. He’d been at the trust meeting with me, and we shared a frustration over how hard it was to get simple answers about the ranch’s finances.
“This is our foreman, Grayson.” I made introductions while Adler made heart eyes in Grayson’s very straight, very oblivious direction. “Grayson, this is my friend from California, Adler.”
“I could have guessed on Hollywood.” Voice dry, Grayson gave a once-over to Adler’s outfit.
“I’m not Hollywood. More like Culver City,” Adler said brightly, speech much too fast. Adler anywhere near silver-fox top energy was hilarious, not that I’d ever once thought of Grayson in those terms. Adler, however, was clearly smitten, bouncing on his feet. “I’m rambling. Can I pet one of the horses?”
“Here, I’ll show you the one I usually ride.” Hannah led Adler toward the side of the paddock. “Magnolia is friendly and likes treats.”
“Well. He’s enthusiastic,” Grayson drawled as they departed.
“Adler brings a lot of energy to the table.” I was loyal, but Grayson’s expression stayed skeptical, not easily convinced.
“The table we need to worry about more is with the trust.” Grayson’s frown deepened. I’d been rushing to make it back to the ranch and Adler’s arrival, so we hadn’t had time for a proper debriefing. “We need a better plan for the next trust meeting.”
“Cash flow is an issue with every business I’ve ever worked with. I didn’t like the trust’s suggestion to cut labor.” That spoke to lazy management practices. In the hospitality industry, I preferred to focus on the product itself along with marketing.
“Good. Me either.” Grayson nodded, expression turning more hopeful. “I don’t want to let what few good hands we have left go. That’s not the answer.”
“Selling cattle at a loss may not be the solution either.” Applying my prior skill set to the ranch was a dicey proposition, but the problem solver in me couldn’t resist. I watched as Adler and Hannah pet Magnolia. Hannah loved it here so much, and her love inspired me to want to do more than merely wait out the year. I wasn’t going to run her legacy into the ground. “Can I see expense records from the last few years? Do you have them, or is there an accountant?”