The only thing to ever mark him negatively is when I found Maddox and Della’s granddaddy, William, dead. My kiddo had wanted to see the horses before bed, so he was with me that fateful night.
Sure, he’d been around animals who had passed away, but never a person. He didn’t understand it. Still doesn’t to be honest, though the nightmares have stopped.
Plus, Lexy’s living with us now instead of just helping out when we need her to, making things easier.
I tug on Onyx’s reins, getting him to come to a halt near the barn. I hop off the back and pat his neck. “You mind handling him for me. If I don’t get moving, I’ll be late.”
“I’ll get on it. Are you coming back after?” Maddox asks, taking Onyx’s reins.
“Yeah, still got a lot to do before the days out.” I had a mental list a mile long of things I’ve got to get done.
“While I’m in town, I’ll swing by the feed store and pick up our order for the horses,” I tell Maddox and jump over the railing. “Need me to pick up anything else?”
“I can't think of anything, but I’ll text you if I do.” He pauses for a beat, his gaze drifting in the direction of the main house. “Do you mind if I give Dylan his lesson on Onyx? I promised I'd take him this afternoon.”
I glance up at the house to see Dylan, running in our direction. Amelia’s teenage son is adapting since he and his mom moved into the main house with Maddox. He’s learning all the ins and outs of the ranch, and loves the land just as much as his future stepdad.
Onyx is my horse. I bought him at auction when he was just a foal. I was pissed they had a wild mustang up for auctionand wasn’t about to let anyone else get him. He already looked beaten down and needed a caring hand. I’d given that to him, and he’d given me his trust.
“Not a problem,” I tell him.
Dylan reaches us, and Maddox smiles at him. “You ready for your ride, kid?”
“Hell, yeah.”
Maddox chuckles. “Spoken like a true cowboy. Tyler is letting us use Onyx for today’s lesson.”
Dylan glances at me, flashing me a grin. “Thanks, Tyler.”
I tip my hat to the boy and leave them to it.
I had to get home, pick up Dash, and get him to the open house to meet his teacher for the year.
The ride home is done thinking about all the shit that needs to get done.
With all the new additions happening around the ranch due to the merger with the Fallen Demons, it’s a big change, especially with taking on the bison. The workload has doubled ‘cause those animals can cause a riot when in a mood. Already, they’ve broken through some fence line, but we’ve been able to manage it all so far. It’s just a matter of learning to stay ahead of the game when it comes to them. That and keeping them away from the cattle. We don’t need dead cows, and mixing the two could be dangerous.
I know it’s the right move, going the route Maddox took in getting with the club, they’re helping us expand and become profitable again. Still, eventually we’re gonna have to hire a few more hands around the ranch to keep everything running smoothly.
Since Maddox and Della worked things out along with partnering with the Fallen Demons, things have been going at a brisk pace around here. The dude ranch Della will be managing is coming along with the building process. With her pregnantnow, Shadow isn’t letting her on the job site without him, and it’s been comical to watch as they get into it. He’s even had her wear a hard hat on location.
Hopefully, within the next couple of months, the dude ranch and restaurant that will be in the same vicinity will be ready to roll. Della’s vision for it is pretty awesome. All the buildings were being constructed using the trees that were cut down for the structures. It’s been more time-consuming, but it’s helped with materials. The scrap pieces have gone to the clubhouse, where Della asked Tormentor if he’d use them to create furniture or something of the sort.
She’s truly giving the place a real homestead feel.
I barely park in front of my place when Dash comes out the door, Lexy right behind him, a huge grin on his face.
Leaving my truck running, I hop out, and my son beelines it straight to me.
“Daddy, we going to meet my teacher today?” he asks, jumping up and down.
I scoop him up into my arms and answer, “Yeah, kiddo, we’re gonna go meet your teacher now. How’s that sound?”
“Do you think she’ll like me? Think she likes cows and bison? What about dinosaurs and baseball?”
I love this boy and his excitement. “She’s gonna love you, kiddo, and who doesn’t like all the animals around here or dinos and baseball.”
“Aunt Lexy and I were reading a baseball book before you got here. It’s about all the great players in the Hall of Fame. Nolan Ryan is my favorite.”
