Chapter 6
Chapter Six
KADE
Staring at myself in the mirror, I give myself one last pep talk.
“You can do this. You’ve done a lot harder things.”
Yeah, like bumping into Presley for the first time after six years. Not like I talked to her, but what would I have said?
Nice to see you again?
How have you been?
What’s been going on with you the last few years?
She had a kid.
Presley has a daughter. One that is the spitting image of her. That’s something I’m still not over. Once I figured out the connection, I couldn’t stay there.
She moved on with her life. I guess I was the only one holding a torch. Not that I didn’t try to move on, but no relationship ever stuck. I was more scarred than I thought from Presley getting engaged to another man.
That’s the last thing I need to be worried about today.
Today? I’m meeting the staff here at the ranch. Whether I keep this place or not, it’s going to affect all of these people. The very least I can do is talk to them.
I have no idea how it’s going to go over. I don’t know who works here. What if they only see an outsider, even though I was born and raised here?
Fuck.
I really need to stop letting my train of thought run away.
Grabbing my phone, I stuff it in my pocket and head down to the lobby with a few minutes to spare. I stop on the stairs to see everyone is already gathered.
That’s a good sign. At least I won’t have to wait on anyone.
When my foot hits the bottom step, all eyes turn to me and the chatter stops immediately.
“Hi, everyone.”
All eyes are fixed on me, but it doesn’t bother me. Merger meetings are way harder than this.
“What are you going to do with the place?”
I don’t have to worry about beating around the bush with that one.
“Right now? We’re going to get this place fixed up. After that, we’ll see.”
“Are we going to have jobs?” someone else calls out from the back.
“For the time being, yes. I want to keep things running as normally as possible. I know we have a few guests for the next couple of weeks, but hopefully we can increase revenue streams.”
“Do you even know our revenue?”
I don’t miss the bitterness in whoever’s voice this is.
I scrub a hand down my face. “I only got to town last week. I’ve got a lot to learn about the ranch, so I’m counting on all of you to help me out.”
A scoff.
I have my work cut out for me.
“I know I might seem like an outsider, but trust me, I know this ranch. I worked with Verne in high school here back when it was the place to be, and that’s my goal. To bring it back to what it used to be.”
Sam stands tall in the back, with Joey and Reenie flanking his sides, giving me a confident nod.
“I’ll be meeting with everyone today to get an idea of what you do here and see how I can help you do your job. Until then, business as usual.”
Looking around, I spot some unfamiliar faces. Maybe dealing with them will be easier before talking to Joey. I point at Sam and head back to my office.
It’s not the tidiest of spaces, but that can come later. Papers are bursting out of the filing cabinet. I can’t decide if I want to trash them all or spend the time going through them.
Considering this space used to be Verne’s, it’s hard to want to get rid of anything, even the worn frames hanging crooked on the walls. Something about changing this feels like I’m erasing him.
“That seemed to go well.”
The door shuts and Sam drops into a rickety chair across from the old, wooden desk. It’s the only solid thing in this room.
I shrug a shoulder and sit in the black, dusty office chair. “Definitely could have gone worse.”
“If it helps, I talked to all the guys this morning and they’re on board. They like their jobs, so if they can help and stick around longer, they’ll do what they can.”
“Thanks. I have a feeling not everyone is going to be that amenable.”
“Really?” Sam asks, pulling off his cowboy hat and resting it on his knee. “Why do you think that?”
I think back to the two faces in that crowd of people that are going to cause me grief.
“I have a history with a few people here.”
“What kind of history?” Sam asks.
“We knew each other back in high school.”
“Did you dump them?” He guffaws.
I shake my head. “Nothing like that. But I haven’t seen them in a few years and I don’t want them to hinder my plans.”
“You tell me if anyone tries anything and I’ll be sure to talk to them.”
I study the older man in front of me. He has the air about him that people trust him. That he’s a leader around here. If there’s anyone that I think I’ll be able to count on, it’s him.
“You ever think about doing more than just working in the barn?”
He shakes his head. “Can’t say that I have. Verne was a stubborn ass.”
“You got that right. Never let anyone help him with anything.”
“Probably why he let this place get away from him.” Sam looks around. “You need anything from me? Or do you want me to send in the next victim?”
I wince. “Do they really think it’s going to be that bad?”
“No. I’m giving you grief, kid.”
“Seriously, I’m not that much younger than you.”
He pops his hat back on his head. “Still young enough to be my kid. I’ll see you later, boss.”
I cross Sam off the list of people I’ve spoken to. My goal is to make it through everyone on the ranch today so I can hopefully get out and go for a ride. It’s something I haven’t done in years.
Back when I used to work here, I loved taking Lady out for a ride. Roaming the acres of land with her was fun.
But before I can do that, there’s a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
The person who waltzes inside has a no bullshit look about her. One that I haven’t seen in years.
“Kade Miller.”
“Georgia Halliwell.”
She crosses her arms over her chest, leaning back in the chair. Her face says don’t mess with her or her best friend.
Her blonde hair is pulled into a low bun, and she wears a red plaid shirt with jeans and boots. A name tag is pinned to the front of her shirt.
“So, Georgia. What is it that you do here?”
“After all these years, that’s what you lead with?” She scoffs.
“Considering it’s my job, yes.”
It’s not like I have any beef with her. More so her best friend.
“Unbelievable. You come back after all these years like nothing happened.” She shakes her head, muttering to herself.
“Like nothing happened? Believe me, I’m well aware of what happened all those years ago.”
Fire blazes in her blue eyes as she narrows her gaze on me. She’s already written me off after what I did all those years ago.
And yet, she doesn’t have the first clue on what happened.
“You mean breaking my best friend’s heart?”
“Not how I remember it,” I snap.
Fuck. I shove a hand through my hair. This is the last thing I want to be talking to her about.
In and out. Some time to fix this place up and sell it to someone that will hopefully agree to keep the staff and the ranch.
Conversations with Presley’s best friend? Not what I want to be dealing with.
“Yes, leaving her high and dry makes you the good person in this scenario.” She rolls her eyes at me.
“Are you going to make this harder than it is? Because if you don’t want to be here, I can find someone else to do…whatever it is you do.”
I don’t want to have any conversations about Presley or her daughter. Seeing them once was hard enough. The evidence that she moved on without me?
Yeah, I don’t need to have it thrown in my face on a daily basis.
“I’m a horse trainer. I work under Sam.”
“And Joey works here too.”
“Observant.”
“You do realize I’m your boss now, right?”
“Doesn’t mean you didn’t hurt my best friend and I’m pissed as hell about it.”
“Is that what you think?” I scoff.
“It’s what I know to be true.”
The look Georgia throws my way tells me she’s ready to castrate me. Probably the same look Joey gave me too.
I’m surprised one of them hasn’t already done it. In high school, wherever Presley was, Georgia wasn’t far behind. The two of them were as thick as thieves and it seems nothing has changed.
Me?
I cut all ties with Pinecrest. It was easier to move on that way.
“Anything else you want to know?” Georgia asks, not as defensive as before.
“Look. I know you hate me. I can’t say you’re my favorite person either, but we’re both going to be working here. I’ll stay out of your way if you stay out of mine. I can talk to Sam if I need anything. And as long as the guests are happy, I’m happy.”
“Good.” She nods.
I return her nod. “You’re free to go.”
She doesn’t say another word as she leaves the office, closing the door behind her.
Fuck. I have a headache and I’ve talked to two people. I have no idea what the rest of the day is going to hold, but I have a feeling a lot of my days are going to be like this in the coming weeks.
People are resistant to change. It’s the one thing I know about life. I hate change. The people at my firm in Seattle hate change. With most mergers ending in lost jobs, no one likes it.
Here? I’m hoping to get everyone on board to get this place into shape. I hope more people are like Sam and not Georgia.
Not that I don’t think she’ll help, but damn, I don’t want to deal with people hating me on reputation alone.
It’s not like I wanted to leave.
I had my entire life here mapped out. A white house with a wraparound porch and a swing. Two, maybe three kids.
A good life.
That all went out the window in one night.
The thought of settling down here again makes it feel like the walls are closing in. I can fix this place up and go back to Seattle. My life isn’t here anymore. It’s in the city.
I can sell this place then get the fuck out of Pinecrest.
Should be easy enough, right?