Page 28 of Sunrise & Serenity

The thought makes my jaw tighten. I get the damn logic—diversifying to offset market fluctuations and bring more stability to the ranch in the long run—but having strangers wandering around, intruding where they don’t belong, trampling over trails, over memories⁠—

I cut the thought short. Memories are just that. They live in our heads, not in the world around us. Hell, I haven’t even been back to most of the places Mom used to take us before she died.

Plus, if Rick’s plans work out, I might well be gone before the first guests arrive. So why should I care if people want to wander around taking happy snaps while pretending to be cowboys for a weekend?

If Sterling, Dad, and the rest of my siblings think it’s the way to go, what right do I have to argue the point?

As we step into the cool shade of the barn, the scents and sounds of the other horses in their stalls cause the stallion to jolt to a halt again. His ears prick forward, nostrils flaring wide.

“Give him a moment,” Chance says.

I nod, giving the stallion’s neck a reassuring pat.

“So how did it go with Sage this morning?” my brother asks. “Can’t exactly imagine you charming her with sweet talk.”

I keep my expression relaxed. My brother is too observant for his own good. I don’t want him knowing how much Sage gets under my skin. “About as well as can be expected. She doesn’t know anything about how a ranch works. Doesn’t even know how to ride.”

Both of his brows rise this time, followed by one corner of his mouth. “I’m sure I could fit in a few lessons for her.”

Should’ve seen that coming. His idea of giving her riding lessons probably has less to do with getting a horse beneath her and more to do with getting her beneath him.

I narrow my eyes at him. “I’m sure you could. But it’d be nice if she were walking bow-legged after the lesson because of a horse, not because of you.”

He chuckles. “No reason it can’t be both.”

I turn away from him and mutter, “Since I apparently have enough spare time to be the designated babysitter, I guess that’ll include riding lessons if she wants ‘em.”

Smirking, he jerks his head toward an empty stall halfway down the barn’s center aisle, and we get the stallion moving again. Good. Maybe that’s the end of that conversation.

But as he swings the door to the stall open, he goes right back to it. “Why the hell have you got such a bee in your bonnet about her, anyway?”

I slide my shirt off the stallion’s eyes and tuck it into the back of my jeans, then step away so Chance can lead him into the stall. “She has no idea what she’s doing out here.”

“Does she need to? She’s here to take good photos. And you’re here to make sure she doesn’t get into any trouble.”

My brother unclips the lead rope and pats the horse on the shoulder, watching with a faint smile as the stallion drops his head and snuffles the sawdust bedding. Then, with a nod, he steps back out of the stall and latches the door behind him.

Without a word, we rest our arms on the top railing and observe. Much calmer now, the stallion swishes his tail and makes his way over to the feed bin, giving the contents a suspicious sniff before digging in. I run my eye over him. With his deep chest, short back, and strong hindquarters, he’ll be a damn fine stud.

I debate whether to compliment Chance on his purchase or do my brotherly duty and give him shit.

The rapid-fire shutter click of a camera captures my attention before I can decide, and the two of us turn to find Taryn and Sage at the barn entrance, Sage snapping photos of us while Taryn giggles.

“Cowboys hard at work,” my sister calls out. “What sort of guests do you think we’ll attract with these kinds of photos?”

The back of my neck instantly knots. I’m sure she’s just joking around, but the last thing I need is for photos of me to be used to sell the ranch guest experience. Stalking forward, I scowl at Sage. “I didn’t agree to be photographed.”

She lowers the camera, her brow furrowing. “I wouldn’t use any photos of you without asking.”

My sister rolls her eyes. “Yeah, Holden, way to overreact. I told her to do it. It was meant to be a joke.”

I scrub my hand over my face, turning to Chance as he steps up beside me. Even his brows are raised.

My shoulder throbs, and I resist the urge to rub it. Taryn’s right—I overreacted. I clear my throat. “I just had enough of that when I was on the circuit. And after⁠—”

My teeth click shut on the words, and I jam my hands into the pockets of my jeans. No need to share the details.

Sage tilts her head and studies me in her unnerving way. “Okay, no problem. I’ll delete these.”