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“Fine. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking on this, and the property is perfect for a horse ranch,” Rafe said as if that was the end of the conversation, that there was no need for her or Bass to pitch any ideas. “We can have several horse barns built, arenas, and trails. It’s a decent piece of property and it can make a lot of money for the Palazzo Corporation.”
Ella thought it was a great idea so she nodded. This wasn’t about what she wanted, it was about what Nana Bee wanted, and Rafe was her grandson and probably could speak best for her. Bass shook his head, which made Rafe stare daggers at him. Was Bass disagreeing because he couldn’t agree with anything Rafe wanted or because he had another idea? She wasn’t sure. She knew she wasn’t planning on pitching any ideas though. She didn’t want to upset this sort of balance the three of them had reluctantly agreed to.
“I think it needs to have something to do with kids. Nana Bee loved helping the community, and I think that’s what her property should stand for,” Bass told them. She was shocked at his words, but she liked his idea even more than Rafe’s. She felt it in her gut that Nana Bee would love her property being used to help children. She had spent her entire life doing just that. Her and Bass were prime examples of children she’d taken in beneath her beautiful wings.
Rafe scoffed. “What? Do you want to make it some kind of orphanage or homeless shelter?” Rafe asked with sarcasm.
Bass shook his head. “No, that’s too simple, and I’m not a hundred percent sure what I want to do with it, but I’d like it to involve kids.” He then smiled as if an idea had just come to him. He stared at Ella for several heartbeats, making her shift in her seat. What was he up to now?
“Your job isn’t going well, so if we set up some sort of non-profit there, you could run it,” he told her.
She immediately shook her head. “No, I’m helping set this up and then I’m gone. This isn’t my land, it belongs to the Palazzos.”
Rafe nodded emphatically, finally agreeing with something she was saying. She placed a bonus point in her column, not that she was tallying anything up.
Bass shook his head. “That’s not true. Nana Bee was very specific that this land is to be held by you, me,andRafe. That means we’re in this together until the end. It can’t be sold or your father gets the money. Do you want that?”
She was violently shaking her head now. “No, I don’t want that crook to get a dime, but I also don’t want to take anything.”
“Are you sure about that?” Rafe asked snidely. Bass glared at him. Could they have a single conversation without a fist fight or people yelling.
“I don’t think she needs to keep defending herself. If Nana Bee trusted her, that should be enough for you.”
Rafe went silent as he glared at both of them.
“I don’t want anything from Nana Bee. I just want to finish this and go away,” Ella said miserably.
“A horse ranch could be run by a third party. We’d be filling our obligation to Nana Bee and each of us would get a stipend from the money after the taxes on the property are paid. I think this is the way it needs to go,” Rafe said again. She was shocked he was offering her a stipend, not that she wanted it.
“No, that’s not what Nana Bee wanted,” Bass insisted.
They were at a stalemate.
“Do you have any ideas on what the property should be?” Rafe asked her, his gaze fully focused on her once more. How in the world did the focus keep coming back to her? She didn’t like it one little bit. An idea hit her all at once, but she was afraid to share it. She looked from Bass to Rafe and back again.
“Tell us what you’re thinking,” Bass said, his voice encouraging. She shouldn’t.
“What is it?” Rafe asked, more impatient. She felt like she was being backed into a corner. She sighed before opening her mouth. They didn’t have to love it, but she’d at least say what was on her mind and then they could dismiss it and this would be over. They all knew the bottom line was that they’d do what Rafe wanted at the end of the day.
“You’re both the businessmen. I’ve never run my own company, and I don’t know what it should be. I like the horse idea, but maybe you could implement the horses with helping children. I heard something about horse therapy years ago and how traumatized children can get a lot of healing with animals. You’re both filthy rich so you don’t need to make money from this, and I think Nana Bee would love the idea of horse therapy for needy kids. It’s just an idea, but I think the land would be perfect for it, and then you’d both get what you wanted.” She shrugged trying to show them that she didn’t care if they liked it or not, that it wasn’t a big deal to her. She didn’t want them to know how hard her heart was thundering as she looked at the floor as if it was utterly fascinating.
She wasn’t going to admit to them she’d looked horse therapy up when she was a kid and had prayed she could get some help from people who’d truly cared. She hadn’t, because her aunt never would’ve paid for that, and no one else could’ve done it for her without her aunt’s permission. But man, would that have been a true blessing. She’d cried herself to sleep too many nights while living in that monster house.
Rafe seemed to perk up at her words. She was shocked that he seemed to like the idea. He wasn’t fully embracing it, but at least he wasn’t throwing it out either.
“My wife has adopted rescue horses a few times over the years. They seem to do better with children than adults as they’ve been abused themselves. I don’t hate the idea of therapy horses,” Rafe finally said.
Bass smiled. “I’m not hating the idea either. Let’s all think on it more. I have some ideas flowing in my head and I need to process them.”
“I’m not saying I want that, I’m just saying I don’t hate it,” Rafe had to add.
Ella found herself smiling. She’d actually come up with an idea that both men weren’t outright rejecting. It was better than winning a gold medal in her opinion. They were brilliantly smart andshewas the one coming up with ideas.
“I have a meeting. We’ll all think on this and talk more about it at dinner in three days.”
“Dinner?” Ella asked.
“My lovely sisters seem to be taking this condition Nana Bee has set a lot more seriously than I am. She wants to make sure her wishes are fulfilled, therefore we have to have another dinner. I want to get this finished as soon as possible so I’m all for it,” Rafe said.
