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“We’re worried about you all alone in Las Vegas,” her father said. “There’s a lot of temptation in Sin City.”
LeAnn smiled. “And I’m sure I’m going to sample all of it. But that’ll be after the rodeo. I’ve come too far to blow it on gambling and booze or whatever else you think I’m going to get into.” She hoped her sole distraction would be Dylan, though.
Her parents exchanged a look, but only sighed.
“I’ve got to get Garth ready for barrel racing. Why don’t we all go out for dinner tonight?”
“Go out? Why? I’ve got a pot roast in the Instant Pot.”
LeAnn’s stomach growled. “I’m so there.”
*
Dylan wondered if LeAnn was looking up at the night sky and thinking of him. He watched every rodeo that was televised, hoping for a glimpse of her and cheered her on from the ranch house after a long day of riding the range fixing fences and herding cows.
“What are you doing out there all by yourself?”
“Just thinking, Aunt Stella.”
With nowhere else to go, he’d gone back to his uncle’s farm. He knew there would always be work for him there. He got three meals a day and a room in the ranch house. And this time, he was even paid a salary.
It wasn’t much, but it helped him to bring Lola home where he could save the boarding fees and keep an eye on her and the rest of the farm animals. No sick or old animal would be sent to the slaughterhouse while he was here. That was a condition of him working at the ranch during his suspension.
“You’re going to be late,” Uncle Lou said.
“I’m leaving now.”
Tonight, he was attending a cocktail party in Dallas. Uncle Lou had gotten him into this event. He had ten minutes to pitch his business plan for the animal rescue ranch to a group of venture capitalists looking to invest in local businesses.
Even though he had been working on his business plan for the last year or so, he was nervous about asking for money. Why should they give him a loan when the banks wouldn’t? He didn’t even have a real job. Sure, he could return to the rodeo at the end of the month, and there would be large purses for the events. And he had been practicing with Queenie this month. She was no Lola, but she would do the job.
Dylan didn’t have high hopes for his chances, but he had to take his shot. If he was ever going to be worthy of LeAnn, he had to have something to his name. But when it was his turn to present his idea for a horse rescue, he nearly froze when he recognized his father on the panel.
Wasn’t that a kick in the ass? Leave it to Uncle Lou not to warn him.
His father hadn’t ever gotten back to him. Dylan wasn’t sure if it was a good sign his father was there or if it tanked his chances. Deciding that there wasn’t anything he could do about it now, he launched into his presentation.
When it was time for questions, he wasn’t surprised when his father spoke up.
“How are you planning on sustaining the ranch?”
“Through the fees for boarding the horses and other animals.”
“Where are you getting the horses from?”
“I have several interested people that I’ve met during the last few years when I traveled around the United States.”
“At the rodeos, you mean.”
“That’s correct.” Dylan remained calm, hoping his nervousness didn’t show in his voice.
“What about veterinary care? How will you budget for that?”
“Through my contacts at the rodeo, I have several vets who I could use in emergencies, and I plan on establishing relationships with the local businesses as well.”
His father nodded, but there wasn’t anything on his face to clue Dylan in as to how he was doing. Dylan fielded a few more questions from the other investors and just before his time was up, his father said, “I’ve got one more question.”
Dylan waited expectantly.
