Chapter 5
5
Walker
The animated sounds of family chatter and the scent of rosemary hit me like the best kind of welcome as I swung open the door to Gray and Eryn’s place, the main house on the ranch—and the one I’d grown up in. ‘Course, it looked a lot different now.
Gray hadn’t done much with it when Mama insisted on moving out to the small house across the lake from mine. He just moved in and kept on keeping on. But once Eryn was in the picture, things changed. I had to admit, it was for the better.
Eryn came from money—her father was a billionaire—but she had good, relaxed taste. She wasn’t fancy or uptight. So when she and Gray decided to renovate the home, it wasn’t a surprise it came out a perfect blend of their two personalities.
They incorporated a lot of ranch history, which made me smile every time I walked in. Reclaimed wooden beams lined the two-story ceiling of the main living area combined with the now open kitchen, and refinished barn doors lined the wall leading to the pantry.
Old black and white photos of ranchers and horses lined the walls, showcasing the history of not just the ranch, but the people who lived it, worked it. Edison lights hung from the ceilings and oversized plants added a bit of welcome greenery to the space.
It felt bigger, brighter. But still Red Downs.
The timbre of family voices, all layered over one another in that comfortable cacophony, made a grin spread across my face before I could step through the threshold. I moved past the foyer and into the living area, which bustled with my loved ones.
“Hey there, cowboy,” Gran’s voice cut through from her perch at the kitchen island, her eyes crinkling with mirth beneath silver waves of hair.
“Gran,” I greeted, tipping my hat her way as she waved a wooden spoon at me like a wand bestowing blessings. She was the undisputed queen of our clan, the kitchen, her throne room to countless memories. It had once been her home, too, after all.
“Thought you might’ve gotten lost between here and the stables,” Mom teased, her smile softening the edges of her words. She stood by the stove, stirring something that smelled like heaven in a pot.
“I needed to shower up, I know you wouldn’t have wanted me to come over smellin’ like muck.” I chuckled, walking over to give her a peck on the cheek.
“You got that right,” Gray grumbled from where he sat, legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles, looking every inch the ranch owner that he was. His blue gaze flicked up from his phone, a teasing glint hidden under that perpetual stubble.
“I am the more desirable of the two Anderson brothers. Gotta keep my rep.” I shot back, giving him a playful nudge with my elbow as I passed by.
“Boys.” Mom’s warning came with a smile that said she enjoyed the banter just as much as we did .
“Hey, Walk,” Eryn greeted as she wrapped her arms around my shoulders in a hug. I stooped down to give her a kiss on the cheek too. As the future matriarch of our little clan, I respected her. But as my future sister-in-law, I loved her like my own.
Straightening back up again, I grimaced at the strained muscle in my back. It didn’t go unnoticed.
“Looks like you’ve been wrangling more than just cattle today,” Our cousin Damon remarked, leaning against the doorframe with arms folded, his broad shoulders taking up what seemed like half the space. The former Marine always had this air about him, like he’d seen it all twice and lived to tell about it.
“Yep, wrangled a stubborn old mare who thought she’d take a run at being wild again.” I grinned, shaking my head at the day’s memory.
“Sure it wasn’t the other way around?” Sutton piped in, her small frame not limiting the weight of her wit. “That horse probably led you on a merry dance.”
“Seems everyone’s a comedian tonight,” I replied, tossing a mock glare her way.
“Only because you make it so easy, Walker,” Gray added, earning a chorus of laughter.
I grabbed a beer from the fridge, feeling the familiar comfort of home settle around me like a well-worn saddle. It was these moments, full of good-natured ribbing and the warmth of family, that reminded me why the ranch wasn’t just land and livestock—it was legacy, hard work, and a shared history that ran deeper than the roots of the oldest oak on our property.
“Alright, y’all, dinner’s ready. Let’s bless this mess,” Gran announced, standing up with the sort of authority that had us all moving to our designated seats around the dining table. My stomach growled in anticipation. The clinking of silverware against plates mingled with chuckles and banter, the familiar sounds giving me a sense of comfort.
“Excellent spread, ladies,” I complimented, eyeing the dishes of steaming food before us. The sight of mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and a perfectly cooked pork loin made my mouth water.
“I think we make a good team in the kitchen,” Mom replied, her eyes sparkling with pride as she glanced at Eryn and Gran, who beamed in acknowledgment. I knew Mama loved having Eryn here now, a daughter to dote on and teach. Eryn was a good student, eager to learn all the family recipes that Gran had passed down, and the ways of the ranch.
She was still an independent woman too, running her own business and social media empire. But the way she took to ranch life was inspiring.
I knew Mama wanted me to settle down too and bring a girl around. That woman wanted grandbabies in the worst way. It’d have to be Gray and Eryn that gave ‘em to her, because I sure as shit wasn’t close to that stage of my life.
“Eryn, are you excited for your first foaling season?” Sutton asked as she scooped a mound of mashed potatoes onto her plate.
“Oh, more than you know. I finally got to see a foaling the other day and it was magical.” Eryn sighed, her eyes dreamy like an old Disney cartoon princess.
“It sure is something. Every time. But especially your first time,” Mama said.
Gray leaned back in his chair at the head of the table. “We’re on track to have our biggest year yet. Every single mare we have is in foal.”
“Damn, that’s awesome, cuz,” Damon replied around a bite of pork.
Damon ran a cattle ranch on the other side of town. His grandfather had bought the land in the sixties and built it up from there. It was much smaller than Red Downs, but a lucrative business in its own right. Sutton inherited half of the ranch, too, but had no interest in working it as she was busy with her bakery. That was all too well with Damon because those two butted heads almost as much as Gray and me.
“Eryn, I heard you met our new doctor. How is Caroline doing?” Mama asked, changing the subject. The mention of Caroline’s name had my pulse quickening as I thought about our breakfast the other day.
“Oh, she’s great. I really like her, which is good because I’d already scheduled an appointment with her for next week.”
“They became fast friends,” Sutton said with a smile.
“It’s true, she’s so sweet.”
“She is,” I said before I could stop myself. Everyone looked at me, but I shrugged. “I always thought so.”
Gray chuckled. “Don’t lie, now. You never gave her one minute of thought in high school. Too busy chasing cheerleaders, then fending them off when they got too close.”
I don’t know why, but that made me want to punch him in the nose. It wasn’t untrue. At least not mostly. I did notice Caroline insomuch as to know she was smart as hell and certainly not the type of girl to give me a minute of thought. And as a seventeen year old dipshit, that was enough to know to stay away from her.
Now, she was back. We were older, but she was still the smart, kind person she’d been back then. And I was a little bit less of a dipshit. We could be friends.
Mama cleared her throat. “Well, I for one am glad she’s back and took over her father’s practice. We need some new blood in town. And a female doctor in Whittier has been a long time coming. ”
“Hear, hear!” Gran said with a shimmy and a raised glass. Mama toasted her and the conversation turned to other changes in town, like Eryn’s wellness retreat Sunshine Acres, and the new cafe that opened up on the river.
Despite the joy filling the room and the savory scent wafting from the dishes, there was an underlying tension between Gray and me. I couldn’t sit here and pretend everything was fine when I knew all he had was skepticism about my plans for the ranch. I replayed his words in my head as I absentmindedly ate. The clinking of cutlery and chatter around me became a distant hum as I delved into my own thoughts.
“Earth to Walker.” Eryn’s voice broke through my reverie, her gaze fixed on me with concern. “You look like you’re a million miles away. Everything okay?”
I blinked, refocusing on her curious face. “Yeah, just thinking. Speaking of change . . . ”
Gray shot me a knowing look from across the table, a silent challenge in his eyes. I couldn’t help but bristle at the unspoken judgment laced in his gaze.
Mom must have sensed the growing tension because she paled. Gran got up from the table and left down the hall, probably pretending to use the restroom to get out of our way.
“I think Red Downs needs to be a part of this new and improved Whittier Falls. We’ve been talkin’ about it a long time.”
“Yeah, and we just talked about it the other day. I’m not doin’ this now.”
“Gray,” I began, my voice steady despite the thrum of anticipation racing through me. “You’re stuck in the past, and all these changes in town are just evidence that things evolve.”
“Riding lessons? Tourism? Equine therapy?” His deep voice rumbled with skepticism. “Those things are fine but I’m not convinced they’ re for us.”
“Why? Because you don’t trust me?”
“For a start.” Someone dropped a fork and the silence in the room became deafening. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut after all. “Walker, we breed champion horses here, not run a petting zoo.”
“Come on, it’s more than that.” I leaned forward, my hands animated as I outlined my vision. “Imagine families coming out for the day, getting a taste of the cowboy life. We’d be providing a service—and equine therapy’s proven to help folks with all sorts of issues. We’d be doing more than just business, we’d be helping people.”
“And who’s gonna manage all this? You?” His blue eyes, so like mine yet filled with the weight of years running the ranch, pinned me in place. “You think you’re ready to step up and handle the kind of responsibility that keeps you home nights?”
“Damn right, I do.” The words shot out of me, fueled by a mix of pride and something fierce like the kick of a wild mustang. “I’m tired of being the family joke, Gray. I can do this. I want to do this.”
He rubbed the back of his neck, the lines around his eyes tightening. “Responsibility ain’t just a word you can toss around, little brother. It’s showing up every day, rain or shine. It’s making tough calls. It’s putting the ranch above everything else.”
“Isn’t that what I’m trying to tell you I’m ready for?” I challenged, the frustration simmering beneath my calm exterior.
“Come on, Gray,” Damon said beside me, his broad shoulders casting a shadow over the table. “The kid’s got some fire in him. ‘Bout time he put it to good use.”
“Kid?” I muttered under my breath, trying not to bristle at the nickname that stuck to me like burrs to denim.
“Got fire, sure,” Gray conceded with a grunt, “ but what about staying power? It ain’t just about having ideas; it’s about seeing them through.”
“Gray’s got a point,” Sutton chimed in, her voice as smooth as the icing on her famous cinnamon rolls. “But Walker’s been showing up, day in and day out. He’s more than earned a shot at this.”
“Showing up for chores is one thing,” Gray replied, his eyes not leaving mine. “Running a business is another.”
“Then let me learn,” I retorted, my hands finding the edge of the table, gripping it as if it could anchor me in this storm of doubt. “You weren’t born knowing how to run Red Downs, were you?”
“Sure wasn’t,” he admitted, folding his arms over his chest. “Took years of learning and a fair share of mistakes.”
“Then let me make mine,” I urged, feeling the weight of our heritage pressing down on me. “Let me help carry this legacy.”
“Responsibility means being the first one to rise and the last one to hit the hay,” Gray said, his blue eyes piercing. “Can you do that, Walker? Can you put the ranch before everything else—before the rodeo nights and finding hookups at the bar?”
“Ranching’s in our blood,” I answered, lifting my chin defiantly. “And I’m ready to prove it. Not just with words but with action.”
Gray studied me for a long moment, his gaze searching. I met it head-on, the flicker of hope burning bright within me.
“Alright then,” he finally said, his voice low but not unkind. “Prove it.”
The silence that followed Gray’s challenge hung heavy in the air, like a thundercloud ready to burst. I stared at him, my jaw clenched tight enough to grind dust from my teeth. It felt like he’d saddled me with a weight heavier than any steer I’d ever wrangled. The hurt dug in deep, festering like a thorn in my side .
“Prove it, huh?” I muttered, feeling the sting of his doubt. “Sure thing, big brother. I’ll prove it.”
“Boys,” Mom’s voice cut through the tension like a knife through warm butter. She held up her hands like a peacekeeper. “Let’s not spoil supper with an argument.”
Gran shuffled back into the room, her eyes sharp despite the wrinkles framing them. She had a knack for stepping into a fray at just the right moment. “What’s this ‘bout proving now?” she asked, peering from beneath her spectacles.
“Gray here doesn’t think I can handle more than mucking stalls,” I said, trying to keep my tone light but failing.
“Aw, come on, Walker,” Sutton chimed in, purposely keeping her tone lighter than normal. “He just wants to make sure you’re not biting off more than you can chew. Like that time with the chili cook-off.”
Laughter bubbled up around the table, and even I cracked a smile remembering the incident. But it faded quick, replaced by the sour taste of Gray’s skepticism.
“Thanks, Sut,” I said dryly, “for the support.”
“Gray’s got a point, though,” Damon added, scratching his stubbled chin thoughtfully. “You’ve got spirit, Walker, but running a business is tough. Taking care of people, managing finances—it ain’t all sunshine and rodeos.”
“Yeah, and it creates more work for everyone. Not just the physical work, but have you thought about what all that extra business means for Mason? Man’s already crushed under the weight of his spreadsheets.”
“I’ve talked about it with Mason at length. I’m not afraid to do some math.”
“It’s not as easy as all that,” Damon said.
“Since when did y’all become a bunch of naysayers?” I asked, but my voice lacked the punch I wanted. I knew they were just looking out for me, for the ranch, but it didn’t make the words any less bitter.
“Nobody’s saying you can’t do it,” Mama interjected, her voice steady as she dished out seconds on her plate. “We all just want to make sure you’re ready for the commitment it takes.”
“Commitment,” I echoed. That word again, tying me down like a lasso. I rubbed at the back of my neck, feeling the heat rise. “I’m committed. I’m ready for commitment.”
“Then show us, son,” Gran said, her gaze locking onto mine with an intensity that belied her small frame. “Show us all.”
The room was quiet then, save for the clinking of silverware and the occasional scrape of a chair. They were waiting, watching me with a mix of hope and hesitation. I drew in a long breath, willing my pride to step aside.
“Alright,” I said, finally breaking the silence. “I’ll show you. I’ll show everyone what I can do when I set my mind to it. I’m not waiting around for permission anymore. I’m gonna take what I want. Make it mine.”
More silence. And then a grunt.
“Good,” Gray replied, giving a curt nod. “That’s what I want to hear.”
“Then it’s settled,” Mom declared, raising her glass. “Now, let’s finish eating before everything goes cold.”
I settled back into the worn wooden chair, my fingers tracing the grain of the table as I listened to the laughter and conversation that once felt like home. The roast was savory, and each bite should’ve been a comfort, but it lay heavy in my stomach, like an unspoken promise I had yet to keep.
Gray’s words echoed in my head, a challenge wrapped in concern, and I couldn’t help but wonder if there was merit to his skepticism. Had I been too carefree, too wild? The cowboy hat on the hook by the door felt like a testament to a life half-lived, one foot always out the door to the next rodeo or late-night adventure. But times were changing, and so was I.
Gran always said actions spoke louder than words, and Gray needed more than promises; he needed proof. To earn his trust, I’d have to do more than change—I’d have to evolve. Not just for him, but for all of Red Downs Ranch. It wasn’t just about riding lessons or tourists or even the therapy. It was about legacy, something enduring I could build and be proud of.
And being committed wasn’t necessarily about losing your sense of fun. It was about planting your boots firmly where they matter. Proving you could be counted on.
“You alright, honey?” Mama asked quietly, her eyes soft and knowing, as if she could read the turmoil written in the crease of my brow.
“Better than alright,” I replied with a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes yet. “Just thinking about tomorrow’s work.”
Mama nodded, pleased, and the conversation shifted, leaving me alone with my thoughts again. As dinner wound down and everyone said their goodbyes, I lingered at the table, looking out the window at the sprawling ranch bathed in twilight.
The night was quiet, save for the distant call of a coyote, and the stars above were starting to blink awake. Tomorrow would bring the scent of hay and leather, the sound of hooves against the earth, and the feel of dirt on my hands. It would also bring a chance—a chance to transform doubt into belief, and belief into something tangible.
I just needed to do something big to prove it to Gray—to all of them. Something that would turn their opinion of me on its head.