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“What’s wrong?” Harper gasped.
“Nope. No. Hell no.” Chase shook his head, grabbing Harper’s hand and taking Houdini from Dina. He turned to the others. “I’m sorry for wasting your time, but he’s going to stay with me.”
“Chase?” Leah asked.
He kept his mouth shut and strode forward, not letting anyone stop him. There were things in life he didn’t know. So many things he couldn’t control, but there wasn’t a hope in hell he could let this puppy go. No one tried to stop them when he hurried out of the office and made it back to his truck. He opened the door for Harper and looked back at her.
She finally blinked, looking startled. “What was that?”
“You’re right.” He glanced at Houdini in his arms, all his earlier tension now gone. “We found him together. It’s only right that he stays with me.” He gestured to the passenger seat. “Now get in the truck before I realize this is complete insanity and change my mind.”
Harper gave a beaming smile, grabbed his shirt with one hand, and planted a hard kiss on his lips. “You are a good man, Chase Blackshaw.” She jumped into the truck, and he placed Houdini on her lap.
Chase began shutting the door, and Houdini’s sweet eyes met his. For the first time since he woke up that morning, he smiled.
* * *
A half an hour later, after dropping Harper off at home to continue with her packing, and greatly annoyed that he wouldn’t see her until late that night, Chase passed by the large wrought iron gate toward the ranch. The first thing he noticed was Shep leaning against his truck, arms folded, a frown on his face. Then he discovered his crew was nowhere in sight. His mother’s car was gone, but that wasn’t a surprise. Today was the day she played bridge with her friends downtown.
His concern amplified by the tension in Shep’s expression, Chase parked the truck and scooped up Houdini, hurrying outside. He gently placed the pup down, and Houdini took off toward the grass. “Where is everyone?” he asked.
Shep’s shoulders rose and fell with a heavy sigh. He opened the passenger side door of his truck with BLACKSHAW SURVIVAL written on the side. When he closed the door, he offered Chase a file folder. “I had to send your team home.”
Hot adrenaline pulsed through Chase. He arched an eyebrow. “I hope you have a good reason for doing that.”
“I do have a reason, but it isn’t a good one.” Shep’s brow wrinkled as he motioned Chase to follow. He took a seat in the closest Adirondack chair around the fire pit. Once Chase joined him, he gestured at the file. “Have a look for yourself.”
When Houdini returned, running directly to Shep, Chase opened the file, reading the documents within. He studied the numbers on the page until he reached the final number: $10,352.00. That number hit Chase in the chest like a freight train. The guest ranch needed five thousand dollars after the grand opening for their startup. They had also budgeted for another five thousand to have some cushion. “Please tell me I’m not seeing this right.”
Shep gave Houdini a final pat then leaned back in his seat, crossing an ankle over his knee. “Like I said, I don’t have good news.”
“We’re out of money?” Chase asked. “Already? How can that be possible?”
“Believe me, I was surprised the funds ran out so quickly too.” Houdini jumped up against Shep’s leg, wanting more attention. “But I triple-checked the numbers. They’re not wrong.” He reached down, scratching Houdini’s ear. The puppy opened his mouth, tongue wagging out. “We knew we were extremely tight going into this. There simply wasn’t room to redo the work that has happened because of the inspector.”
Chase inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly to keep his cool. There was always a simple way forward, even in the most complicated situations. While Shep had the experience running a business, which was why he’d taken over the financial management of the guest ranch, Chase knew this project inside and out. “I don’t think it makes sense to put more money i
nto this venture by dipping into the emergency fund. We need that money there, so we don’t fold after we open.”
“I completely agree,” Shep said with a nod.
Chase glanced out as Houdini took off running after a bird flying low by the cabins before addressing Shep again. “I’m going to have to do the work myself.”
Shep’s brows winged up. “Can you finish this job by yourself?”
“We don’t have any other choice if we want to make the grand opening.” Chase’s gaze roamed over the numbers laid out before him on the paper again, especially the cost of the extra work the inspector had cost them. “If it comes down to crunch time, and I’m not done, I’ll bring in the team and use my savings to finish up what I can’t get done.”
Shep’s lips pressed together in a firm line. “I don’t think that makes sense either. To drain your business right out of the gate won’t do anything to help your future.”
Of course, Shep was right. Chase ran a hand over his eyes. “So, basically, I either get the job done or we’ll need to delay the grand opening?”
Shep gave a slow nod. “I think that’s the only two options we’ve got. Anything else makes this messy. We don’t want messy.”
“No, we don’t.” And yet, messy seemed to be a perfect description of Chase’s life right now. He dropped the file onto his lap to run his hands over his face, absorbing all this.
One step forward. Ten steps back.
Whatever crossed his expression when Chase lowered his hands caused Shep to frown. “I know that Nash and I will only be in your way while you’re trying to get this done—since we’re both good with a hammer but that’s about it—but whatever we can do to help, we’re here for you. Meals delivered to you, hardware store shopping trips, whatever you need, use us to help you.”
