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“We’re booked into next year.”

“When Texas is up and running, you’ll be able to take on even more projects.”

“Texas is gonna change everything.”

“Then why don’t you seem excited? Any time I mention Texas, you look like you’re being led to the electric chair.”

Ozzie’s gaze veered from the practically empty road to my face. “It’s just a lot to juggle.”

“No different than going to Chicago, Los Angeles, or Canada.”

“All this growth requires additional hands.”

“Lucky for you, the kids at the 4-H club can assist with that.”

“They’re getting one hell of an education, that’s for sure. And I have Maple as my junior helper; she’s really taking to ranch life.”

“I’m sure she loves working alongside you.”

“She has an affinity toward animals. I’m starting her out slowly. Feeding and watering. I’ve let her brush them with close supervision.”

“It’s nice she has options: she can be a horse whisperer like her dad, a nursery owner like her mom, or something totally new and different.”

“God, I wish I had options when I was growing up.” His words seemed directed more toward himself than me.

“You don’t think you did?”

“No, it was expected that I follow in my father’s footsteps. It was like I was born to be Ernest Palmer incarnate. I’m surprised he didn’t name me Junior. Fancy was allowed to explore her options. She took piano and guitar lessons. I was in the 4-H club for agriculture.”

“But I thought you loved your job—or has that changed?”

Ozzie’s name was practically synonymous with horse training. Growing up, he’d possessed many talents, but he just had a way with animals. They trusted him and would follow his cues for leg yields and half halts. I remembered his face bursting into joy when a horse he’d been working with for months finally executed a trick. He jumped clear off the ground, pumping his fist before scooping me up and twirling us around. “Did you see that shit?” he’d say, beaming with pride.

“It’s not the profession I have a problem with,” he said now.

“Then what is it?”

“Everyone expects me to be just like my dad. But me and that man are night and day. He rules over the ranch with an iron fist. No excuses, certainly no sick days. Nothing is more important than the business.”

“And you’re a ‘work smarter, not harder’ type of guy.”

“I know there are some things that aren’t negotiable. I’m up before the sun six days a week. Those animals rely on us to be fed, groomed, and let out to stretch their legs. But so much of what we do doesn’t require hard-and-fast rules. I thought eventually I could get him to loosen the reins a bit, but he’s more dug in than ever.”

“Your father has always scared me. He’s like a drill sergeant.”

“That’s because you mostly saw him with me. If you saw him and Fancy, you’d have a different opinion.”

“Daddy’s little girl.” I’d witnessed enough to cosign Oz’s words. Fancy had always been the darling of the family, and once her songs started playing in steady rotation on the radio, her golden status was solidified.

“Yep.” Oz pointed a warning finger in my direction. “Don’t.”

“I’m just going to say this one thing and then I’m gonna leave it alone. Fancy was treated very differently than you growing up. You were given tough love. When you broke your finger, you were told to suck it up and stop crying. But Francesca skinned a knee and she was coddled.”

“She was the baby.” He steered the truck with his knees, taking another bite of his burrito.

I rolled my eyes. “For the longest time I thought maybe you were adopted or a break baby or something, because your dad treated you like a stranger and not his flesh and blood.”

“He was just trying to train me up to become a man.”