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“Interesting.”
“What?”
“You’re rich.”
I nodded, feeling uncomfortable. I didn’t like focusing on the money side of my life. Sure I had plenty but I loved my horses. I loved training and caring for them. I hated the breeding part because that meant sending our horses out into the world with others who I couldn’t guarantee would care for them properly. I did my best to be selective but there was no way of fully knowing who I was selling to. The down side to the business I was in.
“It’s just things,” I muttered. “None of this is all that important.”
“Says the billionaire.” She smiled brightly and drew one from me.
“When you’ve always had it, you don’t tend to think about it much.”
“I can’t say I’ve experienced that luxury but I get what you mean.”
I lifted her luggage and motioned to the back of the house. “Come on, I’ll get you set up then I’ll get dinner started.”
“Dinner?” She paused and frowned at me. It was just after five but I was usually in bed by nine because I had to be up so early. “And I thought you had other stuff to do?”
I do but I’m liking the idea of putting it off ’til tomorrow so I can stay here with you.
“I’m up by six to get out to the stables. I have to help feed and prep the horses for the ranch tours and handle other duties. I’ll get one of my guys to handle the evening stable routine for today so I can get you fed.”
“Now I feel terrible. You’re already breaking your routine for me.”
“Not a big deal. It happens and I have to eat too, so consider it me wanting an early dinner.”
She frowned but nodded slowly. “It’s winter. How do you tour in the winter?”
I grinned but didn’t turn to her as she followed me through the living room toward the opposite end of the house where the rooms were. I stopped outside of the room at the furthest end of the hall. It was the one that belonged to my brother when he managed to tear away from Crescent Falls. He played professional baseball for the Crescent Falls Badgers which had been a shock to all of us. Just as much of a shock as our parents moving to Texas to care for my ailing grandparents the year Garrett started CFU.
The plan had been for him and me to run the ranch but after doing a walk-on with the baseball team and discovering a gift none of us knew existed, Garrett was offered a scholarship to play for CFU then picked up by the Badgers after he graduated.
That left the day to day of the ranch on me. I didn’t mind. I loved the ranch and loved my horses even more, but some days life was exhausting. With the ranch and all it took to keep things running solely on my shoulders there was little time for much else. I could pay to put people in place to do it for me. Had the money, but nobody would run your dream the way you would so I had a small team and for the rest I was hands on.
I placed her luggage by the door and she followed me into the room. I answered her previous question while she looked around. “Horses ride year round, Boston.”
“But it’s cold.” Her face filled with concern which hit me in a weird way. She cared.
“They grow thicker hair in the winter and they fare well in cold temperatures. My horses spend most of their day outside and we keep ’em in the stables at night.”
“What about when it snows?”
Well shit, either she thought I was careless with my animals or she simply had a heart.
“They can handle the snow. Don’t do well with ice and it’s dangerous for them to be in the pastures if the ground is soggy and slippery but other than that, they do just fine.”
“Hmm…” She nodded but still didn’t seem convinced which had me squaring my shoulders and hooking my thumbs into the front pockets of my jeans.
“I take good care of my horses, Boston. Wouldn’t dare think of putting them through anything that would do them harm.”
Her eyes went wide and then settled. “I wasn’t insinuating you would.”
“I’m sure you weren’t. Just wanted to make sure there was clarity.” I shifted my stance and looked around the room. “Anyhow, get settled in and I’m gonna get dinner started.”
“Um, I can help if you want.” She seemed uncomfortable again. I wondered if guilt was kicking in about intruding on my space which meant I had to see after and feed her. That wasn’t on Shore, though. That was all Melvina.
“No need. Just gonna grill a few steaks, if that works for you?”
