Chapter 7
COLE
The main problem with Katherine Naylor, Cole’s brand-new boss, was that she was far too cute to criticize. Luckily for her, Cole was a pro at criticism and would not let her adorable expressions stop him from telling her what she needed to hear.
Before anything else, she had him fixing the front gate, followed by the goat pen.
He watched her drive past multiple times in his pickup, which he had allowed her to use, carrying supplies for the ranch.
The problem, he noticed, was the supplies themselves.
They were all decorative. She even brought in one of those ridiculous, fake wells people usually had in their front yards.
She’d also marked out several spaces around the property and started landscaping for some mysterious reason. There weren’t even buildings there yet.
Once, while he was securing the lock on the gate, he refused to open it for her like usual. When she leaned out the window to glare at him, he asked. “What in the world are you doing?”
She looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “Decorating.”
“Obviously,” he said. “What I want to know is why? You aren’t even decorating areas that make sense. Why are you spending money on this?”
She didn’t seem the least bit perturbed by his doubt. “Because ‘this,’ my friend, is going to be the money maker on this ranch.”
“How?” He was truly baffled.
“The place has to look nice for guests. Otherwise, they won’t even show up.”
“Guests?” What in the world was she talking about?
He couldn’t begin to imagine. She was idling there in the truck, smiling like she had a delightful secret.
She was excited about something, and Cole wasn’t entirely sure it wouldn’t wind up being a disaster.
“You’re not turning this land into a hotel, are you?
” He’d meant it as a joke, but when she didn’t deny it, he started to panic.
“You wouldn’t do that. I mean, what about the ranch?
Is this what your uncle would have wanted?
You’re just going to knock it all down?”
“Relax, I’m not knocking anything down,” she said with a chuckle. “Why do you care so much, anyway? It’s not your ranch. Don’t worry. You’ll still have a job.”
There wasn’t a lot more Cole could say to her without giving her too much information.
The long and the short of it was he had partly taken this job due to the fact that he’d be in minimal contact with the general public.
He actually wanted the isolation. He’d been looking forward to it.
It had felt like destiny when she’d offered the job so easily.
There was no chance he’d continue working in any kind of hotel.
At lunch, she wandered over to him, looking pleased as punch.
He was eating a sandwich on a pair of deck chairs just outside the barn that she’d put there for the electricians.
Why she was bothering to completely rewire a barn that housed one ancient horse and a few goats was way beyond Cole.
“I’m going to see about a horse,” she said when she reached him. “You want to come with me?
He raised an eyebrow. Finally, she was doing something that made sense. If she was going to use horses for some of the labor around the ranch, she would definitely need one who wasn’t older than dirt. “Sure. Are you looking for purchasing advice?”
“Mmm…” The fact that she even thought about it should have given him pause. “Only negotiating advice. I’m not familiar with value. But I’ve decided on this horse, and you’re not going to talk me out of it.”
Oh, this was going to be bad for sure. “Give me ten,” he said, “and I’ll drive you there.”
“Perfect,” she sang. “I knew you’d come in handy.”
As she walked away, he did his best not to stare at her.
The last thing he wanted to be was creepy, but the truth was, she fascinated him.
Something about her was just so pleasantly decisive.
He’d never met a woman like her. No doubt, she was going to infuriate him in the end, but for now he was borderline charmed.
Ten minutes later, they were on their way to look at a horse. Cole was familiar enough with horses and more than confident he could provide a good opinion on whether or not the horse was worth what the sellers were asking. “How much you lookin’ to pay for this horse?”
“Oh, they’re asking five hundred, but I’m going to try to talk them down to three or four.”
If Cole had been drinking coffee instead of driving, he might have spit it back into his cup. “Five hundred? Kitten, are you sure you aren’t missing a zero in there somewhere?”
She shook her head. “Nope. That’s the price.”
“Is it a foal?”
She laughed rather than answer him, and he thought that was probably the worst possible sign.
“So, it’s not a foal,” he concluded. “Untrained?”
Her smile dropped, and she narrowed her eyes. “Listen, mister. Your job is to advise me on price only. I’m getting this horse.”
“If you say so.” He had to wonder why she was so adamant that he not have anything to say about her choice of horse. Just what was going on with this horse?
When they got to the stables where it was being held, Cole found out exactly why she was so certain he would disapprove.
The man operating the stables met them as soon as they parked. “So you’re looking to purchase old Coal Black, are you? Can’t tell you how pleased I am the old girl will be going to a good home for her retirement.”
“Old girl?” Cole asked.
“Yeah,” the owner said, as though it were not a shock at all.
“She’s too old to work anymore, so I have to sell her.
” He led them into the stables and to a specific stall.
The horse in that stall had probably been a fantastic purchase when she was younger.
She was a beautiful black mare, but she was clearly well past her prime. Kat didn’t seem to care.
“Is she good with kids?” she asked, patting the horse on the nose.
Cole couldn’t help himself. “What difference does that make? She can’t work. Why would you spend money on a horse that can’t work?”
“She can work,” Kat said, sounding far too sure of herself, in Cole’s opinion.
“Just not the kind of work you’re thinking of.
And that’s your problem.” She smiled a cocky smile and poked Cole in the chest. “You’re too narrow-minded.
Anyway, isn’t she cute?” She went back to giving the horse her full attention.
“She shares a name with you. That’s how I knew she was the right horse. ”
“That’s how you knew?” Trust her to somehow pin this on him.
The owner who was selling the horse chimed in. “She’s the perfect horse for your needs. You made an excellent choice.”
Cole wanted to remind Kat that any seller would say the same regardless of the horse and that the seller’s opinion on the matter was relatively meaningless, but he did have some amount of decency that kept him in check.
Instead of spouting off, he chose to pull her aside. “Can we have a word?” he asked.
“Oh, sure.” Kat turned back to the owner. “Don’t go away now. I’m buying Lady Coal today.”
“Sure thing, Miss Naylor,” the owner said.
Cole grabbed her by the wrist and practically dragged her out of the barn. When they were far enough that he was sure they had some privacy, Cole finally got to say what was on his mind. “Don’t buy that horse, kitten. What are you thinking?”
Kat cocked her head. “Do you think I’m being taken advantage of or something? Is the price not good?”
“For that?” He sighed deeply. “The price is fine. She’s cheaper than any horse I’ve ever bought. But she’s going to cost you in vet bills as she ages, and she’s not going to be able to do much work. She’s past her prime.”
Kat smiled a knowing smile that did not comfort Cole in the least. “All I need her to be is gentle,” she said.
He squinted down at her. “Can you at least let me in on whatever it is you’re trying to do? I can advise you better if I know what you’re trying to do.”
She hesitated but eventually decided to tell him. “OK, but you have to hear me out.”
He nodded.
Her shoulders dropped as she relaxed a bit, and her optimism started to shine through any kind of insecurity she might have had about getting herself in over her head.
She clearly didn’t doubt herself very often.
“I thought about it, and I don’t know a lot about selling meat or eggs or whatever, but I do know a little something about selling an experience.
I’m a marketer, a social media expert. Uncle Roy knew that about me.
I was wondering why on earth he would leave a ranch to me, but I think I’ve figured it out now.
He wanted me to save it by turning it into an experience.
So I’m going to start with gentle livestock, maybe animals that can’t work anymore for one reason or another, and I’m going to put together a petting zoo for children. ”
By the time she finished her explanation, she was out of breath.
Her excitement would have been infectious if she were dealing with anyone else, Cole imagined.
But it was him she wanted to convince, and so far, she was failing.
“That’s not how ranches typically make money,” he said.
“You want to run a ranch, just run it like a ranch. Why take all these extra steps?”
“Because it’s what I’m good at,” she said, the insistence clear in her tone.
“I know what I’m good at, and I’m playing to my strengths.
” She didn’t even give him time to think before she concluded, “Anyway, if you think it’s a good price, I’ll go ahead and make the offer.
” And she marched off without waiting for him to follow.
After the purchase was made, which included delivery of the animal, she happily drove back to the ranch.
If Cole didn’t know any better, he’d have said she was downright smug.
Maybe she was. Either way, while she drove, she elaborated on her scheme.
“We’re going to get a couple sheep, some calves, and I was thinking something small, too—rabbits or chickens or something. Ooh, maybe I should get a peacock.”
Cole could only shake his head. “All this for a petting zoo? I wouldn’t recommend the peacock in that case.”
“It won’t just be a petting zoo, silly man,” she said, and he couldn’t help liking the sound of it.
Something about her talking down to him in just that way reminded him of a tiny, hissing kitten.
Spicy but cute. She continued her explanation.
“I’m going to have modular cabins built around the property, so people can stay for a while.
We’ll have activities for children and adults, and a gift shop.
We could sell wool mittens made from our sheep, cheese made from our cows and goats.
” She paused, and he could almost see the lightbulb flicker to life over her head.
“Oh, Fabergé eggs for the holiday season! How cool would that be?”
Cole flipped on her blinker for her when she failed to do so before turning. “You’re like a woman possessed. All these ideas are well and good in the city, but here? No one’s going to come out here for vacation. There’s nothing else here.”
“That’s the whole point,” she said, not even a little discouraged. “People in the city need a break from the city. Believe me, I know. They want to get away from it all, and this is about as far from it all as you can get without going into the wilderness.”
“How’s anyone going to know it’s even here?”
She nudged him and winked when he glanced over at her.
“Now, that is my specialty. The trick is to create a social media platform. We grab their hearts with our animal rescue videos. We build anticipation with our work-in-progress clips for the hospitality part. We grab their imagination by selling them on a life-changing experience. And then we sell them useful, homemade products to remember it all.”
Everything in Cole resisted her idea. It was ridiculous, and he knew it.
He wanted to debate her more on the matter, to keep her from making this massive mistake.
She wasn’t a bad person at all, but she was na?ve.
She thought people would come to an old ranch to…
What? “What kinds of activities are you thinking people will pay for here?” he couldn’t help asking.
She shrugged. “Educational ones. Like milking cows and goats, horseback riding—you know, all the stuff you said I couldn’t do. So, that’s where you come in, I guess.”
Cole felt the frown invade his face before he could do anything to stop it. “I don’t do hospitality or customer service.”
“Then teach me how, and I’ll handle it. You can do behind-the-scenes stuff instead.”
She was so sure of herself, but Cole knew he would have to leave as soon as guests started visiting the ranch.
Outing himself wasn’t a risk he was willing to take, at least not yet.
For now, he’d play along. Watching this lost kitten start to explore her world, pouncing on problems with the confidence of a full-grown tiger, made him start to feel optimistic for the first time in a long time.
It was too good of a show to walk away from, especially not when he had front-row seats.
Even if she failed—and he was pretty sure she would—he knew she’d do it in the most spectacular way.
She was right. She was good at selling experiences, and truth be told, Cole was desperate to buy this one.