Page 72 of Where She Belongs

Tate frowned. “What are you talking about?”

His brother looked away, his eyes darting this way and that before he settled on the ground. “You talk about responsibilities.” His voice was sharp and bordered on accusatory. “And yet you weren’t even out here getting ready for our session. How am I supposed to go out on my own and start a business if you’re losing your hold on things?” He lifted his eyes and the accusation Tate heard speared through him with that one look.

“I—” He cut himself off and shook his head. “I didn’t think you were serious about that. You kept saying it wasn’t important. But you keep bringing it up. Are you saying you already know what you want to do?”

“Of course I do,” Jason ground out. “I’ve been thinking about it a lot. For a long time, actually. I know what I want to do, I’m just not sure how to get it off the ground.” His voice lowered. “The start-up work was your part.”

Tate nodded. “So the meetings in town. That folder Brent keeps seeing you with. That’s been this?”

“Lease listings. Feed costs. Folks around the county who might pay for the service.” Jason lifted one shoulder. “I just call it homework.”

“Why keep it quiet?”

“Wasn’t ready to be talked out of it.”

Tate blinked. So, his brother was finally coming clean. He was standing up for what he wanted. Tate couldn’t decide if he was proud of his brother or concerned for what the future would hold. Not his future, but Jason’s. If he ventured out on his own, would he succeed or would he falter and need to be saved? “What’s your idea?”

Jason’s focus seemed to sharpen and his shoulders straightened, chest puffing out. “I’m good with horses.”

“I never said you weren’t.”

“I want to work with skittish animals. I think I could be good at that. Training them. Calming them down.”

Tate rubbed the back of his neck and shuffled his feet. “Like a horse whisperer?”

Jason gave him one curt nod.

“Well, I don’t think we have anything like that here in Rocky Ridge. There are a couple guys who train horses, but that’s more for working and starting them when they’re young.”

Another nod from his brother.

Tate continued. “I suppose the first step would be to get the community’s support. We have a lot of ranchers and rodeo competitors who live around here. And there is no shortage of horses that could need help. Even in the surrounding towns. If you could get the folks around here to back you, then you’ll be at a good starting point. Build that foundation of clients and word-of-mouth will get you to the next step.”

They stared at each other for long moments. Then Tate offered his brother a smile and clapped him on the shoulder. “I’m proud of you, man.”

Jason’s brows lifted fractionally. “Really?”

“Yeah. It’s hard to go after something like this. Takes courage, you know?”

His brother nodded thoughtfully.

“And it’s a great idea—I can tell you’ve really thought this through.” Tate didn’t know if his praise would be enough but based on the surprise and slight smile spreading across Jason’s lips, he had to believe it was.

Something eased in Tate’s chest. Not even a morning’s worth of research on the developer and his company had managed to do that. He still didn’t know how he was going to convince the people of Rocky Ridge that they needed to run this Reginald guy out of town, but at least he had a place to start.

Then there was the issue with Rylee that he had to contend with.

As if Jason could sense his thoughts, he murmured, “How’s Rylee?”

Tate shook his head. “I haven’t talked to her in a few days… not since that… argument.” He’d told his brother about it briefly. Nothing too detailed because he didn’t need Jason making his own judgments about the whole situation—probably because Tate didn’t want to hear what a big mistake he’d made. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Aren’t you the one who always says to start with an apology?”

He winced. “Yeah, but I don’t know if that’s going to be enough.” Tate was all too aware of how difficult it was for Rylee to find a place she felt she belonged. Any improvements she’d made to that belief while here in Rocky Ridge had been damaged.

“That shouldn’t matter. It’s the thought that counts, right?”

Tate eyed his brother. “Since when are you so smart?”