AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’ll never be too busy for you,” Rory said and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. He straightened up, put pen to paper, then went around the room taking notes on everyone’s vlog ideas. When he finished, there were at least twenty content suggestions and his pen was smoking. “We can put out videos less frequently in the beginning to gauge the response. Maybe we can include blooper reels during the busiest times on the ranch when shooting videos, even short ones, isn’t convenient for everyone.”
Rory opened the floor to questions and was relieved when they were the silly variety. Owen wanted to know who was in charge of hair and makeup, and he looked a little doubtful when Rory replied he was good at getting people ready for the camera. “I did my hair and makeup for my videos.”
“I’ll help with all the design elements wherever I can,” Kieran said.
“Perfect,” Rory said cheerfully. “I have some concepts I’d like to run by Cash for feedback. I’m leaning toward illustration-type marketing material for the web series. I know you’re great at drawing realistic images and cartoony caricatures, but I’m thinking something a little in the middle. Just the right amount of realism in the drawings.” He snapped his fingers. “Illustrations would make excellent graphics to put on mugs, tees, and stickers if we decide to have an online merch store.”
“Oh, wow,” Cash said. “I love the concept you’ve come up with and would love to see some sketches. How long have you been thinking about all this?”
Rory checked the time on his phone. “Two hours.”
Cash gaped at him. “Two hours? I’ve had PR and marketing firms present less content when they’ve had weeks to work on their pitches.”
“I had a lot of help,” Rory said, gesturing to Ivan.
“By help, he means I made coffee, rubbed his shoulders, and listened to his ideas.” Ivan grinned at Rory. “It’s amazing to see his mind at work.”
Rory fanned his face and said, “Stop, I’m blushing.”
He fielded a few more questions and laughed when the comments turned to bets about whose videos would get more views. Rueben was the unanimous choice.
“Me?” he asked, sounding shocked.
“You’re beautiful inside and out,” Harry told him. “The camera will love your dark eyes and dimples.”
“We’ll have an entirely different swarm outside the gates,” Owen added.
Rueben’s cheeks turned pink. “My abuela will get a kick out of seeing me in videos.” His family was due for a visit in a few months, and Rory was happy he’d get to meet the grandmother he spoke about all the time.
Rory called the meeting to a close when everyone’s attention started to wane, but he and Kieran continued to work a little longer, bouncing ideas off each other. Rory could tell they were going to make a great team. He found Ivan reading in his favorite chair in the living room when he returned to the old homestead. He had one cat on each armrest and the third was sitting behind his head. All of them looked up when Rory came through the front door. Ivan set his book aside, stood up, and crossed the room to hug him.
“You looked exhausted.”
Rory nodded and leaned into his embrace. “But exhilarated too.” He pulled back and looked up at Ivan. “I want to do one more important thing before I tap out for the night. Will you help me?”
“Of course.”
Rory smiled. “You don’t even know what I want to do.”
“Doesn’t matter. If you need me, I’m there. How can I help?”
“Careful what you ask for. My presence on the ranch started out as a favor between Nick and Cash,” Rory reminded him.
“You’re not a favor, Rory. You’re a gift.”
Rory inhaled a shaky breath. “You keep talking like that, and I’ll fail in my objective.”
Ivan tilted his head to the side. “Would that be such a bad thing?”
“Waiting longer will lessen the impact. It might look more like damage control than the olive branch I intend it to be.”
Awareness dawned in Ivan’s eyes. “We best get to it then.”
Rory had left all his major recording equipment and specialty makeup behind, but he wasn’t worried about how he looked. He took a few minutes to tidy his hair and put some moisturizer on his skin to improve his complexion. He decided to film the most important video of his life in Ivan’s comfy chair in the living room. The cozy fabric would feel like one of his hugs. The cats were still where Ivan left them, and he offered to shoo them away, but Rory declined. Their purring presence was relaxing. Tux crawled into his lap as if he knew Rory was anxious, and Rory stroked his sleek back a few times, then met Ivan’s steady gaze and nodded.
“You’ll count me down from five, then press Record,” Rory told him.
Ivan sat on the matching ottoman and studied Rory’s image on the phone. He scooted the foot stool back a few inches and reassessed. “That’s better,” he said. “I press Record on one or after one?”
