Chapter 46
“Hayes!” Reid barks.
Fuck. I must’ve fallen asleep in the office. I pop to my feet, scrubbing my hands up and down my tired face.
“Sorry, Reid. Won’t happen again.”
“Sit down,” Reid orders, so, I do.
“The fuck’s going on with you? Don’t bother lyin’.” He leans against the doorframe of the office, arms crossed across his broad chest. Not intimidating at all…
“I’m fucking exhausted. Don’t get me wrong, I love managing the stables and wouldn’t trade it for anything. But I have three full time jobs right now—the ranch, the farrier program, and building the house. I know I did it to myself. It’s catching up to me is all,” I admit.
Reid scratches his beard thoughtfully. He doesn’t have his hat on; he must’ve come from indoors because I only ever see him in a hat if he’s working outside.
It’s a big damn deal since he spent so many years hiding his facial scarring.
Those Tate girls sure have a way of healing a man.
Except they aren’t Tates anymore—thank god.
Just when I’m sure Reid’s about to rip me a new asshole, he stuns me stupid.
“How can we help?” he asks.
“Wh-what?”
“Might take a while for you to get it through your thick head, but you’re family. If the Andersens value anything, it’s family. So, how can we help?”
I’m a fixer, the one who helps. I thrive when I’m helping others, and I rarely ask for help in return.
I’ve been getting better about it—I asked for Reid and CJ’s help pulling off the elopement.
I asked for help in one way or another when I took the job at Lucky Spurs Ranch and took a risk on the farrier program.
Reid’s been endlessly supportive, and he took a huge chance on me in his business.
He also helped me out when he agreed to sell me the land I’m building Delilah’s dream home on.
If he gave me a job and land to build a house, he’d probably help me with just about anything.
From stories I’ve heard, the Andersen brothers and Greyson don’t let silly things like the law or morality stop them from doing what’s right.
“Not used to being the one asking for help,” I admit.
Reid chuckles. “Tell me about it.”
“I’m so close to getting my farrier certificate—nothing anyone can do to help me there. I’ve taken to it like a horse with a peppermint and I love it. Have to get to the finish line, you know?” I explain. Reid nods, processing but not interjecting.
“My work at the ranch gives me purpose and I’m honored you trust me with the care of your animals and the boarded horses. They bring me a calm I never expected. When I’m out here working, my hands are busy and my mind’s quiet.”
Reid responds to my vulnerability with his own. “This land’s always been where I go when the world becomes too heavy. Real or not, I’ve always believed the ranch has a spirit of its own, and lord knows horses heal people.”
I think of my wife and how she so desperately wants to work with the horses to help people with their struggles. There’s got to be a path forward where she’s happy. Because I won’t let her give up on her dream because of a master’s degree-sized roadblock.
“Exactly, I don’t want to give any of that up—shit, not that I’m asking you to do anything about it. The work’s the work, it takes as long as it takes.”
He continues to nod, his hazel eyes impossible to read.
“Now the house is another story. I bit off more than I could chew trying to get the damn thing built in such a short amount of time with just the two of us.” I shake my head in defeat. “I don’t know where to ask for help, to be honest.”
Admitting it is a weight off my shoulders. Reid takes his time mulling it over so long I grow uncomfortable under his scrutiny.
“Tell you what. Hadn’t discussed it with you yet, but I’d like you to focus on your farrier apprenticeship after you finish your certificate program.
I’d already been planning on hiring a part-time stable manage or assistant manager to help out.
But I know how you love the animals and the work.
So, let me give you a choice.” He pauses, making sure I’m paying damn close attention.
“Do you want to take the apprenticeship slower, and maintain your workload at the ranch but with a part-time staffer? Or do you want to go full boar into your apprenticeship, and we train a new stable manager, and a part-time staffer to handle the stables?”
I blink at him stupidly. Is he seriously asking me if I want to have my cake and eat it too? Or, to have a buffet of cakes, eat them, and have leftovers?
“Reid…if I slow down, you’ll have to hire farriers until I’m done and that’s a hefty chunk of money for the ranch—on top of hiring a part-timer.”
“Mmhmm.”
“If I go full-time into the program, I’d do most of my hours here, reducing your external farrier expenses, but in exchange for hiring a full-timer and a part-timer. Either way will be fucking expensive and a lot of work for you,” I say sheepishly.
“What’s your point?” Reid drawls.
“I…uh…”
“As much as Lucky Spurs Ranch is my heart, my soul, and my home—it’s a business.
And sometimes big risks lead to great rewards.
It often takes upfront losses to see a return back on new investments—such as bringing a farrier in-house.
Decisions at the ranch are solely my responsibility, but if you’d like to discuss it with James and my folks, they’d be open,” he offers.
I think it over, fiddling with shit on the desk. I know what I want, but I’m afraid to ask for the help. Stop being a pussy.
I clear my throat, sit tall and meet Reid’s attention.
“If it’s my choice, if my opinion matters in your decision making, I’d like to focus full-time on the farrier program and help train a new stable manager and staffer.” I gulp.
“Done.” Reid pushes off from the door frame, widening his stance. “What else?”
Is he serious? I can’t ask for anything else. Can I?
When I don’t say anything, Reid speaks up.
“The two of us have kicked ass on your house build. Haven’t had to rely too heavily on contractors, but we’re on the final push. If you’ve got the cash to burn, I’d suggest we hire out a few of the remaining jobs.”
I cringe. I wanted to build Delilah’s home with my own hands. Maybe asking for help doesn’t negate the work I’ve done…
“I’d also suggest—if you’re comfortable—letting the rest of the family in on the plan.
You’re so close to the finish line. If you’d be willing to tell James, Grey, my folks, Isabelle, Olivia, and your sister, we could knock it out of the park.
I know you told CJ. He ain’t exactly a builder, but based on your elopement, he’s proven he can herd cats like a pro, which we’re gonna need. ” He chuckles.
My hands have tangled themselves in my hair, tugging painfully. Fuck. If I want to pass my farrier program and not let Reid and the ranch down, I need help.
God, how I wish my dad was around. I’d give anything to have his hand on my shoulder and his gruff voice encouraging me. But maybe I could convince Quincy. Being out on Sam’s land would be hard on her, but maybe it’d help her grieve and heal as well.
“This close to the end, no one’s going to blow the secret. Everyone will want Delilah to be surprised and happy. Ain’t no one in the family going to fuck that up for you,” he chastises.
“Shit. You’re right. I didn’t mean to come across as distrustful. I don’t want to inconvenience anyone,” I say, before promptly receiving a slap upside the back of my head.
“Come on loverboy, we’ve got troops to wrangle,” he says, walking away expecting me to follow him like a puppy. Which I do.
“You can’t be serious.” Delilah wails as Iz and Liv take off her pajamas and dress her like a Barbie doll.
“Deadly,” Liv says—damn that girl’s fucking terrifying. James must have balls of steel to deal with that one.
“Chop, chop, twinie,” Izzy says.
“I can’t go vacationing right now! I graduate in two weeks! I don’t have time for this!” Delilah shrieks, expecting to me to save her from her sister and best friend.
“Connorrrrr!” she whines.
“You owe me, Lilah. I didn’t get to come to your wedding, you’re giving me a girl’s trip,” Liv says lightly, but completely serious.
I usher the girls out of our bedroom and sit my wife on the bed. Kneeling in front of her, I gently brush her silken hair out of her face and run my thumb over her bottom lip.
“Dollface, you deserve this. You need a break. You’ve worked your cute little ass off and are so close to finishing. You told me yourself you only have one more session with Tanya, and you’ll be observing, not running the workshop.”
She objects but I cup my palm over her mouth silencing her.
“Take a deep breath and have some breakfast. Izzy brought Mrs. Andersen’s lemon-cream cheese Danish you love. Let the girls pack for you and you’re leaving your phone and laptop with me.”
Panic floods her eyes. I don’t like taking her phone any more than she does, but she needs to disconnect to relax. Plus, I can’t risk anyone spoiling the secret.
“We can communicate through Izzy and Liv. You’re going to the new library lake house Izzy themed for Swift Property Management to do nothing other than read, relax, eat, laugh, and sleep. Okay? I’m not taking no for an answer, baby,” I say with no room for argument.
She gives me the cutest stink eye but melts under my stare. The minx licks my palm, and I remove my hand from her mouth, wiping it on her face.
“Connor!” she squeals, wiping at her cheek.
“Don’t lick me if you don’t like the consequences.” I chuckle.
“You love it when I lick you…” she says suggestively.
Nope. Now is not the time to pop a boner for my wife. There’s too much work to be done.
I give her a stern look, trying my damndest not to crack.
“Okay…” Delilah relents.
And just like that, my girl is whisked away into the hills so me and the guys can finish this fucking house. I hate lying to her, but it’s a necessary evil at this point. I’ll tell her the whole truth as soon as possible.
Standing in our apartment for what’s hopefully one of the last times, I focus inward to the heart Delilah owns.
“Almost there, baby. Almost there.”