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My eyebrows raise in surprise. “Wow, that sounds great.”
She gives me a tight smile, and I get the feeling that it’s not actuallygreatat all. “Pays the bills at least.”
“Since when did anyone in this family need topay the bills?” War asks, about as tactful as a sledgehammer to the face.
Kerry gives him a hard look. “I’m not sure what you mean. Nothing’s free, is it? Sorry, what was your name again?”
“War,” he says, flashing her a smile. “Pleasure to meet you. And I meant that I thought everyone in the family was taken care of.”
“Not everyone,” Kerry says, staring straight ahead. “And things haven’t been the best around here these days.”
I give War a dirty look and he only shrugs like he doesn’t understand why Kerry’s getting all defensive. “Sorry about him,” I say before War can make things worse. “He has basically zero tact and we’re just trying to get a feel for how the ranch has been since I left.”
Kerry glances at me, expression softening. “Honestly? It hasn’t been all that great. There was a really ugly period after everything went down and you moved away, but Daisy’s got the place stabilized, except apparently we can’t afford to employ everyone anymore. Which means cousins like me had to get jobs.”
War’s expression practically lights up as he shifts closer. “What do you mean, cousins like you?”
Kerry rubs a hand over her face. “I know what you two are doing,” she says.
“Sorry, Kerry, I don’t—”
“It’s fine,” she says, tone sharp. “Seriously, I don’t care. I know you’re not getting along with Daisy, and I guess you’re trying to find out what the deal is with everything around here.”
“Pretty much,” War admits and I give him a hard look, but maybe he’s right and being straight up and honest is the best approach here.
“We’re not trying to get anyone in trouble,” I say and pat Lily’s flank. “It’s just, so much has changed and I don’t understand all of it.”
“I wish I could tell you more, but I haven’t been very involved with things around here for a few years. Daisy took over, a few of us were cut out, and the rest all closed ranks around her.”
“The rest, meaning?” I ask.
“Uncles, aunts, the few cousins she kept around. You know, her cronies.” Kerry scowls and shakes her head, patting her hair flat. “I’m not trying to sound too bitter, okay? Daisy really did turn this place around. From the way I heard it, the ranch was basically on the verge of bankruptcy, and Uncle Colton—” She hesitates and gives me a strange look. “Apparently, there was talk about selling the property and the house.”
I blink rapidly and try to take that in. “Really? My dad was going to sell?”
“I’m not sure it was his idea, but everyone was talking about it as a possibility at the time. But then Uncle Colton got even sicker, and Daisy started making all these decisions and all the uncles were backing her up. People got fired and horses and cattle were sold, and they auctioned off a few of the big machines, and now it’s like—” She gestures around her at the sad state of things. “It’s not gone, but it’s not what it was.”
“Why Daisy though?” I ask, genuinely curious now. War got in my head apparently, and I can’t stop thinking about it. “I don’t get why everyone would go along with what she wanted and not one of the uncles.”
“I think she was the only one with any ideas at the time.” Kerry looks uncomfortable as she talks. “You know how everyone is. Uncle Colton was the one running the place and everyone just sort of… went along, you know? We all enjoyed success when the place was successful, and when things turned—”
“Nobody wanted to step up,” War says.
“Except for Daisy.” Kerry lets out a long breath. “Listen, Melody, I know you got treated really badly for a while back in the day.” She stops walking and faces me, but her eyes slide off to the side like she can’t meet my gaze. “I just wanted to say that I’m sorry for, you know, how that all went down. And also, that I think Rosie was capable of a lot more harm than everyone was willing to admit at the time. It was just so soon after she died, and then the whole thing with you and her came out, and I guess—” Kerry sighs and looks up. “Anyway, it’s been bothering me for years. And I’m sorry.”
I blink rapidly at her, trying to make sense of what she’s saying. I never, ever expected someone from the family to apologize to me for how things went down, and to hear Kerry say that—
Tears press against my eyes. “Thanks,” I say and give her a tight hug. When I let go, she’s blinking back tears and wiping her eyes too. “I really didn’t expect that but it means more than you probably realize.”
“Well, I should’ve said it a long time ago. Everyone should’ve. But I think they’re afraid of Daisy now.”
“I don’t get it. Daisy can’t be technically in charge, right? I mean, she was so young back then.”
“The problem is nobody’s in charge. Your dad is the outright owner, and he’s the only one with any legal right to make decisions, and since he’s incapacitated, I guess it just falls to whoever’s willing to do the work. Mostly that’s Daisy.”
I take a deep, shuddering breath and try to calm myself. I grin at Kerry and squeeze her hand. “Thanks for talking to us. And thanks for saying what you said, you know?”
“Yeah, of course.” She laughs too and wipes her eyes. “Can I ask you something? You don’t have to answer, but I’m curious. Why are you back? Daisy thinks you’re trying to take over. Is she right?” There’s a strange hopefulness in her voice that breaks my heart.
