Chapter 18
18
S everal weeks had passed since Charlie Grace had agreed to let Treasure Pickers film an episode at the ranch, and the days had been a flurry of preparation. Now, under a bright blue sky, with the last of winter’s grip fading, she worked tirelessly to make the place presentable. The flower beds circling the main house and along the path leading to the barn were beginning to show signs of life, tiny green shoots pressing through the damp soil—glory-of-the-snow and yellow bells, the earliest bloomers in the Tetons. The scent of thawing earth mixed with the crisp mountain air as she scooped mulch from a wheelbarrow, spreading it carefully around the fragile buds.
“Mom, I think I found an old horseshoe!” Jewel’s voice piped up from the other side of the barn. Her ponytail swung behind her as she ran toward her mother, brushing dirt from the rusted metal. “That’s good luck, right?”
Charlie Grace wiped the back of her gloved hand across her forehead and chuckled. “If that were true, this ranch would be the luckiest place in Wyoming. I think we’ve got a dozen of those hanging in the barn already.”
“Make that two dozen,” Aunt Mo called out, carrying a heavy sack of feed toward the chicken coop. “And half of them should’ve been thrown out years ago.”
Clancy sat comfortably in his wheelchair, soaking up the spring sunshine. His face was relaxed, his weathered hands resting on the arms of the chair as he watched them work. He hadn’t said much, just sat quietly, taking it all in.
“Tomorrow’s the big day!” Jewel exclaimed, hopping from one foot to the other. “The TV people will be here!”
Charlie Grace shook her head, dropping another rake of mulch into the flower beds. “I still think this is a waste of their time. They’re not going to find anything valuable.”
Jewel gasped dramatically, planting her hands on her hips. “Mom! It’s like an Easter egg hunt! What if they find treasure?”
Aunt Mo dusted off her hands and nodded. “Exactly. And even if they don’t find anything worth a fortune, we’re getting paid.” She gave Charlie Grace a meaningful look. “That will take a big load off you, dear.”
Charlie Grace sighed, adjusting her stance. “I know. I just don’t want people thinking we’re some gimmicky tourist trap.”
Jewel crossed her arms. “It’s fun, Mom! Not everything has to be so serious.”
“Fun or not,” Aunt Mo added, “this kind of exposure could be good for the guest ranch. People love a story, and this place has plenty of history.”
Charlie Grace opened her mouth to protest when Clancy finally spoke. “She’s right, you know.”
Both women turned to look at him in shock.
“What?” Charlie Grace narrowed her eyes. “Who are you, and what have you done with my father?”
Clancy chuckled. “I’m just saying, there are trunks and crates full of old stuff in that barn attic. Could be something worth a couple thousand in there.”
Aunt Mo tilted her head, studying him. “You’ve fought Charlie Grace on every single thing she’s done with this place, and now you’re all for some reality TV show digging through your things?”
Clancy shrugged, a slow smile spreading on his face. “Well, I like that show. Watch it all the time. And if it fills up those guest cabins next summer, then what’s the harm?”
Charlie Grace blinked, completely taken aback. She glanced at Aunt Mo, who looked equally stunned. After all the arguments they’d had over the years about modernizing the ranch, she never thought she’d hear her father say those words.
From the very start, she’d braced herself for his usual grumbling about the whole ordeal, convinced he’d complain about the disruption and shake his head at the absurdity of it all. Instead, he sat there, calm as a lazy spring morning, not just tolerating the idea but—was that a hint of amusement on his face? The man who had fought her at every turn when she’d converted the ranch was now casually suggesting they might strike gold? It was almost too much to process.
“Grandpa’s right!” Jewel bounced excitedly. “This is so cool!”
Charlie Grace exhaled, taking in the eager expressions of her daughter and aunt. And now even her father, of all people. Maybe—just maybe—this wouldn’t be such a disaster after all. Certainly, Nick was on board with the idea and had gone to great lengths to line everything up.
She straightened, rubbing the small of her back as anticipation took root, pushing aside the last of her reservations. A slow smile crossed her lips as she leaned over the rake and looked up into the blue sky. As the sun bathed her face in warmth, a new feeling settled over her—anticipation.
Treasure or not—tomorrow would undoubtedly be a day to remember.