Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 95712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
I wanted to ask if Brooke had enjoyed animals but wasn’t sure whether Levi wanted to talk about his daughter. “A boy after my own heart,” I mused. “If I remember correctly, Caroline also liked to ride.”
“English, not western. She won some events she competed in during high school, but that was about as far as her love for the sport went. She thought they smelled, and she despised having to take care of them. Brooke loved to ride as well. She was just starting to learn.”
“I almost asked if she loved animals but I wasn’t sure if you’d be willing to talk about her.”
When he glanced over at me, his eyes were so sad. “I don’t mind talking about her. I try to talk about her often around Rhett. It’s painful, but I don’t want her memory to fade.”
“I’m so sorry that happened to you all, Levi. I can’t even imagine how painful it is.”
He let out a slow breath. “It is, but life goes on. Brooke wouldn’t want us to sit around and cry all the time. She was so full of life, always had a smile on her face. I miss her energy.”
“I wish I could have met her.”
He looked at me again. More sadness. “Me too. Every time we came to town, you were never at the ranch. You would have adored Brooke, and she would have loved you and Ensley.”
“I’m sure I would have,” I said softly. “And I haven’t seen Rhett since he was like three, maybe.”
“He’s growing up fast.”
When the sadness in his voice became too much, I decided to change the subject. “We have one summer session in June and one in July. We’re discussing the possibility of adding an additional week of camp in August, for children with special needs and their parents. It will be a different type of camp for the trial run. Only a day camp.”
“Wow, that’s exciting. So this will be your first year to offer that camp?”
I nodded. “It will, if we can make it happen. They’ll get a fun week on the ranch, and we’ll see if this is something we’re going to be able to offer annually. We’ll have to have properly trained staff on hand, and of course, all the legal stuff that goes along with something like this.”
Levi laughed. “The legal stuff? That’s one way of putting it.”
Shrugging, I replied, “My mother takes care of all that. She’s been doing this a lot longer than I have. I guess at some point I’ll need to learn it all, but for now, she deals with the lawyers.”
He pulled around the barn, and I pointed to a small parking area. “You can park there and we’ll get out and walk around.”
He pulled up and parked. “Wow, this place has changed since I was here last.”
I smiled. “It has changed a lot. We’re still on the small side as far as camps go, but that’s how we like it, and our needs don’t require anything on a larger scale.”
“You know, when I was in Denver, I heard someone talking about the camps here at River Falls Ranch.”
Surprised, I replied, “Really? Were they saying good things?”
Levi nodded. “They were basically saying they wished you would open it up to more campers, and since you catered to the local kids first and foremost, it’s tough to get a spot.”
“Yes, we do. But there are numerous camps available across the country, including in Denver. We began our work with kids by holding a Christmas Day event for the local orphanage, as you know. That’s what first gave me the idea for the camps when I was thirteen. We’ve grown to what you see today, and I’m proud of the work we’ve done, but my mother and grandmother are really the ones who started it all with the Christmas event. I just added to it. Being able to help kids, give them a safe space on our ranch, has been a dream of my mother’s for as long as I can remember.”
“Not to mention what you’ve done.”
I felt my cheeks heat. “Yes, it’s been my dream as well. Come on, I’ll show you around.”
We got out and walked down the path. “That cabin over there, behind the trees? That’s Ensley’s place. She wanted to be closer to the barn since she’s our farrier.”
“Does she only work here on the ranch?”
“No, she works all over the River Falls area and beyond. It took some convincing for a few ranchers that a woman could do just as good a job as a man, but she won them over.”
“I’m not surprised Ensley was up to the task. She’s been out to prove herself since she was little, when she used to challenge me and Caden to races. She was always so sure she’d win, and I remember us laughing about it.”