Chapter 24
MATTHEW
L auren’s words swam in my head as she went through all the details of her offer.
I tried to make sense of what she was saying, but it all swirled into word soup.
When did she decide all of this? Did she expect me to respond with an answer right now?
I thought she came over to talk about our relationship, not a business deal.
“I’m confused,” I said when she finally paused. “You want to become the owner of a ranch? My ranch?”
“Yes, I do. Obviously, I don’t know much about running this place, but?—”
“Much?” I couldn’t help emitting a rude burst of laughter.
“What do you know at all about running this ranch, or any ranch for that matter?” This impolite reaction was out of character for me but, in my defense, I was in complete shock.
My family had spent decades running Silver Sage, and she thought she could fly in with zero knowledge or experience and suddenly save it.
“Fine.” Her cheeks reddened, but I couldn’t tell if it was from anger or shame.
“I’m not well versed in ranch management, but I have a lot of ideas about how to make this place profitable in the long term.
I’m the chief financial officer of a highly successful business, which my sister and I built from the ground up, and we’re in a very competitive market. ”
My ego felt like it was taking one-two punches. “And I don’t have a successful business.”
Owning a ranch must have seemed so simple to a businesswoman from Manhattan who had never spent a winter here. Never dealt with a horse with colic or a summer drought. Didn’t know a Toolcat from a tomcat. What could she possibly understand about what I did every day?
Lauren pinched the bridge of her nose. “That’s not what I meant. Can’t you even listen to my ideas before you say no? I was just getting started.”
I clasped my hands tightly around my coffee mug, which was uncomfortably hot.
“Go ahead.” I tried to sound calmer than I felt. “Tell me the rest of your ideas.”
“First, we’d use the ranch as a location to host high-end retreats for singles and couples who need relationship coaching.
I have money to invest in renovations, so that’s not an issue.
” I bristled at her breezy response, wanting to mutter something about how it must be nice to have money to throw at any project you found entertaining, but I held myself in check.
“We can make not having strong WiFi and cellular service a selling point instead of a deterrent to coming here. So many marriages can be saved, but there are constant distractions that keep us from dealing with our problems. Turn off people’s phones and reconnect them with nature and each other, and I think lives can be changed for the better. I know mine has.”
I wasn’t going to be lured in by her sweet smile.
She was giving me the hard sell because she wanted to buy the ranch from me.
Her ideas weren’t bad, but I hated that the ranch sounded more like a Cozzi sisters’ property than one belonging to the Hart family.
Then she dropped a bigger surprise on me.
“I’d also like to wrap up Ms. Match at the end of this season and launch a new version of our TV show.
It would be a Western version of what we do as matchmakers with Tori as the star.
We’d probably film some scenes at the ranch, although she’d have to travel some too.
We feel like it could be an exciting spinoff series. ”
“You want to bring a film crew into Three Rivers and Silver Sage?” I sputtered.
“A small one. Imagine the free advertising for both the town and your ranch.” Her eyes glittered with excitement.
“Think of all the businesses that would benefit. Wasn’t Ella saying she wanted to re-envision The Marmot as a classier place instead of a bar where fights break out every Saturday night? ”
“You said this was a great place to get away and unplug, and now you want to bring in film crews?” I shook my head.
“I don’t think I understand your vision at all.
Let me guess, you want to put in a runway for private planes so folks can swoop in and out of here with ease, right?
” I’d seen this happen before, ranches building small runways for private jets so their resort would be more accessible to millionaires and billionaires.
That had never sat well with me. Couldn’t they fly into the regular airport like everyone else instead of contributing to global warming and destroying the peaceful atmosphere that made this place so special?
“The secluded nature of the ranch is a serious obstacle to people coming here, so we would probably need to consider that. See, these are the ideas we’d need from you, Matthew.”
I closed my eyes and shook my head, horrified that she actually thought I’d suggested putting in a runway.
“I can’t believe this. A few days ago, you were complaining about your husband wanting a small piece of your family business, and now you want to buy mine and turn it into something that I wouldn’t even recognize. ”
Lauren’s jaw dropped, like this was news to her.
“This is not the same situation at all. You said you were going to have to sell the ranch because you couldn’t afford to keep it going anymore.
If I bought it, you’d still be able to run the ranch and keep a connection to it. I want you to be our ranch manager.”
“Oh, wow, thanks!” There was no keeping a lid on my temper now. “So if Freddy wanted to buy Ms. Match and keep you on as managing director, you’d be cool with it? Is that what you’re saying? He’d call all the shots, and you’d just carry out his orders?”
“Of course not. If Freddy bought Ms. Match, I’d have to leave, but that’s because I don’t trust him, and I certainly don’t want to be around him.
If we were going out of business and you wanted to buy our company…
” She had the decency to stop and think about what that would actually feel like.
“I don’t know what I’d do, but I certainly hope I wouldn’t let my pride get in the way when I made my decision. ”
Everything was crumbling apart. “It’s not just my pride that’s hurt, Lauren. I grew up here, and this place is part of my identity. I thought you understood that.” Sure, my pride was taking a hit, but it was my heart she was breaking.
Tears swam in her eyes. “And I thought you’d appreciate my interest in keeping your family’s ranch alive, so I guess we were both wrong.”
I pulled off my cap and tugged at my hair. “Do you care about me at all, or did you come here looking for a business opportunity?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Matthew. I didn’t come out here to buy a ranch, and of course I care about you. You’re part of this. We can rebuild this place together. Can’t you see that?”
“And what if the relationship doesn’t work out?” I asked. “What happens to your new business venture, then? What happens to me?”
“I know we’d be taking a risk here, both of us, but I think it’s worth it. There are still details to work out?—”
“That’s just it. You figured out all the details on your own. I’d just be here to help you smooth the way to a totally different Silver Sage Ranch that looks nothing like the wonderful place my parents put their blood, sweat and tears into.”
“Matthew.” She was crying now, and I was choking back emotion myself. “I’m not trying to destroy your parents’ hard work. I’m sorry if I caught you off guard with all of this.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I didn’t expect it to upset you this much.”
I set my jaw and nodded tightly. “I guess I need to get used to fielding offers on the ranch. I sure didn’t expect one coming from you today, that’s all.” A few hours ago, I’d been thinking about telling Lauren I was falling in love with her, and now I wasn’t even sure who she was.
She pulled back her shoulders and swiped away her tears. “I think we should put a pin in this conversation. Let’s take some time apart, and we’ll talk again later.”
I nodded slowly, feeling like a deflated balloon. “Alright. I think some time and space is definitely in order.”
“Okay.” She smiled through her tears. “I guess I’ll see you around the ranch then.”
“Yeah, I’ll see you around.”
I felt numb as I listened to the front door of the office shut behind her, and I let my head drop into my hands. All I could think about was what a fool I’d been. How could things get any worse?
Less than two minutes later, the front door creaked open again, and I craned my head to see who had entered. Was it Lauren? Instead, Tyler shot toward me like a firecracker going off.
“We have a problem, boss.”