Page 7 of One Wild Chance

“Let’s start with the estate.” James puts on his glasses and starts to read from the first page. “Jonathan David Chance and Miriam Elizabeth Chance owned Lucky Chance Ranch, five hundred acres of land just outside Golden Springs, founded by your great-grandfather Elijah Chance in 1920. Eleven structures, including the main house, four working barns, the breeding shed, and the guesthouse. The operation currently employs four full-time staff and, depending on the season, eight to ten part-time staff, with contracted veterinary, farrier, and other farm services. At this time, the farm carries one hundred horses: twenty-two owned broodmares, thirty-five boarded horses, three stallions, fifteen yearlings, approximately twenty foals, and a handful of personal horses.”

He pauses and looks at us over his glasses. “Your parents reduced staff over the last several years to keep the farm afloat.”

Grady gives me a look. Did you know about this?

James continues, “In the original will, your parents devised Lucky Chance Ranch and all its operations in equal shares to their four sons: Jaxon, Wyatt, Grady, and Rhett Chance. If we’re able to locate Cal, he’ll be provided for separately in the trust.”

He sets that page aside and picks up another one. “Two months before Miriam passed, she signed an amendment. There are five acres she held in her own name, separate from the ranch company. Two of them Summer already farms. The other three adjoin it. Your mother placed all five in trust and directed that if Summer operates her business there for two full years, the land be deeded to her outright.”

“What does that mean exactly?” I interrupt. “In trust?”

“It means the trust holds the title. Not you, or the estate, or the LLC. For the next two years, those five acres are trust property, and I’m the one who administers them. You can’t revoke her use of that ground, and you can’t put it to another purpose or sell it out from under her.”

Rhett puts down his phone.

“Just so you understand,” James says, “she is not your employee when it comes to Wildflower Farms. She’s operating on trust land under terms your mother set. She doesn’t report to you, and you have no say over how she runs her business on that acreage. It also grants her a right of way along the existing farm road and the continued use of the north well.”

“With all due respect, James,” I say, my hands gripping the armrests, “we were never told about this change. I didn’t even know she was using our family land for her business.”

Summer looks at me, a fire in her gaze. “You would have known if you’d visited more often.”

“Did you miss the part about my career ending?” I fire back.

Wyatt elbows me gently. “Let’s hear the rest first.”

James adjusts his glasses as he shuffles through the papers. “There’s a condition on Summer’s side. The conveyance is contingent on her actively operating her business on that ground for the full two years. If she closes the business or vacates the land, the acreage passes back to the Chance estate.”

I glance at my brothers. There’s our answer. She has to stay on our land for two years, actively working it for her little business. If she folds for any reason, the land comes back to us.

“So, I have a full two years?” she asks James slowly.

“That’s right.” He nods. “And your employment on Lucky Chance Ranch is separate from the trust. You still work for the farm, and that means these boys become your employers when you’re working with the horses.”

“I understand,” she says quickly, avoiding eye contact with me.

“Wait.” I turn to her. “You still work on the farm?” This is a detail Mom failed to mention to me during any of our conversations.

Her slightly panicked gaze flicks to James.

“She’s a full-time employee on the farm,” James answers.

“Full-time?” I repeat.

No wonder she and Mom were close. Between that and this new flower operation, I’m surprised she hasn’t moved in and claimed the main house too.

“Which leads me to the next section.” James takes out a separate paper from the file. “Your father placed Lucky Chance Ranch LLC in an incentive trust. It’s a legal structure that requires each of you to fulfill certain conditions before you receive full ownership and control of the estate.” He reads from the document. “All four brothers must actively participate in the operations of Lucky Chance for a minimum of two years. During that period, each of you must complete at least six months working on the farm, which need not be continuous.”

“What?” I frown, leaning toward James’s desk. “Let me see that.”

He puts a hand up to stop me. “I need to finish first. The trust gives the farm’s trustee”—he looks over his glasses at us— “which is me, authority to evaluate whether each of you has met the participation requirement.”

“Wait. We have to work the farm?” I ask.

“Correct,” James replies.

Wyatt leans forward, elbows on knees. “What does 'actively participate’ mean? Football season is in full swing. I can’t be here.”

“Your father didn’t expect any of you to walk away from your current contracts in the event of his death. He expected you to contribute during your offseason and whatever time you have the rest of the year. He wanted to make sure that none of you were entirely absent.”