Cheyenne and Chet will come in their RV with four kids.
I’ve reserved three cabins and one RV site. The cabins are for Mom and Dad, Brad and me, and Brett and Darcy. I’ll hold a cabin for Brett and will pay for it if they don’t come.
Please let me know if you have questions.
We’re so pumped.
Kitty
Molly sat back exhausted. The resort was crazy busy. The new outdoor dining area was almost unmanageable. She had ten out of control German Shepherd pups. She had her own responsibilities for the Stampede, the parade, and the rodeo. And now she had two weeks to get ready for Bart’s family. The cabin would be the gathering place in the evenings for food. That meant major menu planning and shopping. She hadn’t tried to add the numbers, but it seemed like at least a dozen. Couple that with watching Kitty’s final competitive ride, competing with the McKinnon ladies in the relay race, and entertaining Bart. It all felt overwhelming and at the very busiest time for the resort.
She planned to book the pups into the trainers that week. They’d be six weeks, so that’s when training would start anyway. She’d bring them to one of the dinner meals at the cabin. She assumed Bear, Shadow, and Cheyenne’s four kids would manage them. She couldn’t imagine what they’d be like at six weeks. They were a squirming jumble now.
God help her. It was exhausting just thinking about it all.
Chapter 18
Molly had exercised Ginger more than her share of the rotation for the first three weeks in July. On the days she didn’t, she stopped by her stall. She liked talking to her like she’d done with Jo. There wasn’t anything she couldn’t share with Jo. Jo was her best friend, her therapist, and her riding partner. Ginger wasn’t like that, but the conversations sounded the same.
“Hey girl, we’re not riding today, but I thought I’d see how you’re doing. You’re only here for another week or two. We’re really going to miss you, but it looks like you’re going to be a special present for a very lucky girl. We’re excited for you. And you’ve inspired me to start looking for a new horse.”
On the days she did get to exercise her, it was a work of joy: a powerful, young horse with agility and good training. There were skills Molly wanted to develop, and she did the best with the short time she had, but it was pure pleasure riding an exceptional animal that moved with speed and grace. Molly was ready to get her own horse.
Molly was going to miss her, but was resolved to enjoy the time they’d had, thinking about that day her father had surprised her with Jo.
Was that the happiest day of her life?
Ginger was on the schedule for five more days, and Molly noticed that Silas had booked her for three of them. She filed that under buttering up the owner. He had some serious budget requests in the mix.
“You’ve got me booked for three of Ginger’s final days. You sucking up to the owner?”
“Maybe I’m not as dumb as I look. You going to miss her?”
“I’ve really enjoyed having her here. It actually helps knowing that some girl is about to have the best day of her life.”
Silas didn’t say anything to that. That was unlike Silas. He had something to say for everything. They were at the corral. She could tell his mind was working something over.
“What’s up?”
“Why do you ask?”
“You’ve got something to tell me, and it feels like bad news. Is that why you’re loading me up with Ginger? Prepping me for bad news?”
Silas hesitated, then said, “It’s just that I don’t like lying to you.”
Molly felt her heart skip a beat. Silas didn’t lie. He just didn’t. He’d never lie to her. What was going on? She looked at him. He had a grim face and wouldn’t look at her.
“What have you been lying to me about?”
Silas couldn’t bring himself to say anything. She could see he was trying to get the words out.
“Silas. Right now. Out with it. What’s going on? Are the stables having financial troubles that you haven’t told me about?”
Silas couldn’t look at her, but said, “I’ve been lying about Ginger.”
“What about Ginger? Is she sick? Is the owner going to put her down?”
“If she were available, would you be interested in her?”
