2. Josh
TWO
JOSH
A fter I’d helped Zoe bring in all her things, I’d gone looking for my sister, but couldn’t find her.
Her vehicle was still parked out front, but she appeared to be MIA.
Returning from the barn, I thought I’d check the house again.
I stomped my boots on the old mat on the porch and the screen door slammed hard behind me after I stepped inside.
My mood grew increasingly sour with every empty room I passed, when finally…
“I’ve been looking for you,” I fumed at Shannon, sounding more like a parent than a big brother. “Where have you been?”
She froze in the doorway of the kitchen, shoulders up and bracing for a fight. “Um, the barn, until about fifteen minutes ago? Doing my job ?” Probably hiding from me.
Shannon scowled as her hands flew up to pull her long auburn hair into a bun, her unconscious stress move when she was gearing up to argue with me.
All three of us Cafferty siblings had our mom’s rich brownish-red hair, along with our dad’s hazel-colored eyes.
But where I took after our dad by topping out at six-foot-two, my sisters got their shorter height from our mom.
Shannon’s hair twisting happened more and more since I had stepped up to assume the role of patriarch after we’d lost our parents in a plane crash three years ago.
Our second shared trait was a quickfire temper that matched our hair color.
Bickering was second nature to Shannon, our youngest sister, Fiona, and me.
Of course, we loved one another intensely, and those familial bonds had only tightened over the years, but strong feelings and short tempers meant that we were just as likely to snap at each other as to hug it out.
“Why didn’t you tell me Zoe was coming today? I had no clue,” I huffed.
“Josh, I did tell you, you just pick and choose when you listen,” Shannon said, glaring at me with her arms crossed.
“You told me when you knew I wasn’t paying attention—and then didn’t bother to mention it again or give me a single reminder that she was showing up today. The timing is crap. The last thing I need is an outsider hanging around here for the next month. Not with everything going on.”
Shannon scowled at me. “Outsider? Really? Zoe’s spent half her life here.
Have you forgotten all the sleepovers we had when we were little?
” She took a deep breath as if she were gearing up to yell at me.
“When she got into a jam with her housing situation, of course I offered for her to stay here. Why wouldn’t I?
We’ve got more than enough room with just the two of us rattling around this big house.
And besides, she’s here to help us. She didn’t like the thought of imposing on us for so long rent-free, so I suggested she could pay us back in trade.
Our website is a disaster, which you well know, and she’s an amazing coder and graphic designer. ”
I tossed my hat down on a chair and paced the far end of the kitchen, the raspy sound of my boots on the tile filling the silence while I tried to think of how to frame what was bothering me about Zoe staying here for the next month or more.
Having enough space wasn’t an issue—Shannon was right about that.
The main house had been too big when there’d been five of us living here.
Now? There were times the house seemed to echo with emptiness, which was another thing I didn’t enjoy dwelling on.
But that didn’t mean I was open to taking in a temporary lodger; especially her .
The idea of having Zoe so close set my nerves on edge.
I didn’t want her anywhere near me, let alone in my home, in my life, and in my business.
I didn’t want her to see how much the ranch was faltering under my stewardship.
Part of me knew that I wasn’t really to blame for the fact that so much of our infrastructure and equipment had gotten worn down and outdated right when we had a dropping off of clients that made it harder to pay for repairs and replacements, but no amount of logic could change how I felt.
I’d inherited this place with the expectation that I would be able to keep it going, and I was failing.
My life had become a series of struggles, and the last thing I wanted was Zoe, of all people, finding out how far I’d fallen.
I bit back an angry comment. It was bad enough that I was letting down my family in my struggles to keep the ranch afloat.
Was it really necessary to invite my ex to come watch me fail?
Was there any way I could talk Shannon out of that part of it?
Let Zoe stay at the ranch, if need be, but keep her away from the website and out of the ranch’s business?
“A new website isn’t going to fix what’s broken around here, Shannon.
We both know how much Poplar Springs has changed in the past ten years.
Back when we were kids, there was a waiting list for riding and roping lessons.
Now we can barely fill a class. Not to mention the rising costs of the breeding side of the business.
There’s more competition than ever, and you’re running to keep up. ”
“Come on, give me some credit, Josh,” Shannon shot back. “My breeding program is way better than what’s out there. ”
It was true. My sister had an eye and a gut instinct that no one could touch, plus the technical skills to ensure successful matches.
The problem was the Lost Valley Ranch breeding program struggled to stand out in a crowded market.
Without more visibility and recognition to drive up demand, we couldn’t secure the prices her horses deserved, which meant the program often ended up running at a loss.
I huffed out a sigh. “I know it is, I’m sorry. All I’m saying is we’ve gotta make some changes around here if…” I trailed off, realizing that I’d already said too much.
“If what?” Shannon frowned. “What are you saying?”
“Nothing.” There was no use in worrying her. Worrying was my job. “It’s just that we’ve got some expenses I wasn’t anticipating, plus those upgrades we need to make to both the property and the equipment. It’s a lot, and we’re stretched thin.”
I rubbed my eyes. I couldn’t bring myself to tell my sisters that we were closer than ever to losing the ranch.
Losing everything our family had built; everything that had been entrusted to me.
The weight of the responsibility was crushing, especially when I saw all the ways I was falling short.
It had gotten so bad, even those morning sunrises had lost their shine.
“Well, then Zoe will be a big help,” Shannon said. “She said she wants to spend time with each of us to figure out what we want to highlight on the website to bring in more clients.”
I sighed. Spending time with Zoe and having her digging into everything that was wrong with this place was exactly what I didn’t want.
“Shannon, having Zoe change up our website won’t make a difference, okay?
It’s a waste of time.” I pointed outside.
“I need to be out there working, not spending time talking about what I like or don’t like.
You two can play your little computer games together—I’m going to worry about how we can pay for tractor repairs and fill my next roping class. ”
I grabbed my hat from the back of the chair, shoved it down on my head, and stormed out of the kitchen.
And ran smack dab into Zoe.
We collided with a grunt and a squeal, and I reflexively reached out to steady her. Even just the quick sensation of my hand wrapping around her arm gave me a flash of the way things used to be between us. Back when everything was simple.
In a queasy instant, I realized that she’d probably heard everything I’d just said.
“Zoe, I uh …”
She moved away a few steps and straightened her back, waiting for me to continue. It was an unexpected reaction, because the Zoe I knew would’ve scurried down the hallway in tears instead of facing a confrontation.
“Listen, I’m sorry you heard all of that. I know I got a little…heated, but it wasn’t directed at you, exactly, I swear.” I shuffled my boots and crossed my arms. “I don’t mind you being here. I just don’t think the whole website thing will do any good.”
Zoe narrowed her eyes at me.
“Is that a fact?”
I stuffed my hands in my pockets and nodded my head. “It is.”
“Well, allow me to share a few facts with you , Josh Cafferty. I’ll have you know that the Lost Valley Ranch website is an absolute disaster, and it’s no wonder you can’t fill your classes,” Zoe said in an unfamiliar, icy tone.
“Do you know that half the class registration links are broken? And the calendar feature glitches when you try to check out the Saturday schedule? And don’t even get me started on the breeding stuff.
The last time it was updated was five years ago!
Then there’s the lack of security. You’re damn lucky no one has hacked you. ”
She stepped closer and glared at me. “It’s your website, your ranch.
That means it’s your call whether or not to let me do one of the things I happen to do well, and that’s fix websites.
The Josh Cafferty I once knew wouldn’t hesitate to do everything possible to make things work.
” She blew out a breath and pushed her hair behind her ears.
“There’s nothing wrong with accepting help, you know. ”
It wasn’t just what she was saying. It was the way she was saying it. Shy little Zoe had morphed into a spitfire, and I wished her anger wasn’t directed at me, even if I did deserve it.
I started to respond but she lifted her hand to stop me. “Save it.” Then turned on her heel and stormed down the hallway.
I was loath to admit, I probably did have to make time for whatever Zoe was planning, as much as I fought against it. If I wanted to do what was best for the ranch, I was going to have to let her in, no matter how much it hurt.