33. Josh
THIRTY-THREE
JOSH
“ Y ou’ve got to be kidding me,” I muttered, pacing in the dirt outside the main barn.
“I don’t get it,” Eli responded in a shocked tone, taking off his hat to rub his head. “I mean, I trusted the guy. I’ve worked with him before. How could he blow us off? He knows how important this ride is.”
Eli had enlisted his former colleague Caleb to stand in for me while Zoe and I were away for her interview.
The young man had shown up on time for the interview a few days prior and seemed attentive as I ran through everything we would need from him.
My impression after that first meeting was that I liked him enough to consider hiring him part time if the initial ride went well.
It was our second scheduled large-group ride, a teambuilding exercise for a group of high-ranking employees from a grocery chain that I wanted to impress.
My contact at the store had told me that there were staffers from across the state that would be interested in similar teambuilding rides if the initial one went well .
“We are so screwed.” I muttered. There was no way Eli can handle the group on his own.
If something were to happen or someone were to get injured, it would be a liability nightmare if he had to leave people behind in order to go get help.
Or what if it was Eli who was injured? Once they were that far out, it would be difficult to connect with the closest cell tower, and while we did keep radios close at hand, it still wouldn’t be safe for Eli to take the group out on the trail ride by himself.
“Maybe we can find someone else to be the trail assistant for this ride, even if they’re not fully qualified?” Eli asked. “It doesn’t have to be perfect, but we need at least one other person with that many people.”
“You’re right, but who could we get at the last minute like this?
” I growled in frustration and punched the air.
“I don’t need this today. Any other time I could cover it, but I’ve got a flight to catch.
” I vaguely wondered what I might have done to piss off the universe like this.
On the one day I needed to delegate everything I do around here, I had a no-show. “Damn it!”
My phone rang and I grabbed at my back pocket.
“Maybe it’s him.” I glared at it and saw Zoe’s smiling profile photo calling me from where she was waiting in the house.
I tried to keep the anger out of my voice as I answered.
She didn’t deserve to be the target of my frustration when none of this was her fault.
“Hi, you!” Zoe chirped. “Ready to go?”
“Hang on a sec,” I told her before tapping mute. “See what you can do,” I told Eli.
I gritted my teeth as I walked away from Eli.
I hated the idea of telling Zoe that I had to let her down again.
And it was entirely possible that everything would turn out okay.
Then again, pigs don’t fly and luck was rarely on my side.
“Uh, yeah, getting there. We still have a little time before we have to leave. I’m just tying up loose ends at the moment with the big group due here. ”
“Josh, no. We have to go now if we want to make it on time. The security lines have been bad lately, and I hate rushing around. You know that.”
I threw my head back and sighed. “Zo…”
“What?”
The mistrust in her voice made my heart sink and my stomach clench at the thought of how I was about to disappoint her…but if she insisted on leaving now, then I had no choice but to tell her the truth.
“That contract guy we hired to help with the ride isn’t here yet.”
“Okay, well, ask Shannon to fill in. I’m sure she’d be happy to do it. She’s always telling you that you should delegate more.”
“Shannon is on her way home from a meeting in Durango. She won’t be back until late.”
“Okay, well, call someone else, then. You’ve got a ton of contacts in the area.” Her tone was decidedly less chipper, as if she could sense what was coming.
“That’s exactly what we’re doing,” I said.
“And I promise, I’m working as quickly as I can.
” I felt sick at what I had to suggest, knowing how upset she was going to be.
“But, Zo, you should head to the airport without me. I can handle rushing around at the last minute. You go and get checked in, get your head on straight, and I’ll meet you there before boarding. I’ll make it.”
“Josh…”
I winced. In just one word she’d let me know exactly how upset she was .
“Trust me, it’s better if we do it this way. You’ll be able to relax and take your time getting through security and settling in at the gate instead of stressing out waiting for me here at the house while I track down a backup trail assistant.”
She sighed and I closed my eyes as I waited for her to respond.
“Fine. I’ll go alone. But Josh, you better keep an eye on the clock.
I know how you are when things get busy.
You promised that you’d be there for me—and I’m trusting you to keep that promise.
You’ve got six hours before the flight leaves, and you still have to drive to Denver, which will take half that time, okay? ”
I smiled despite myself. Six hours was a lifetime. Zoe obviously didn’t know how many times I’d had to run up to the flight attendant and sweet talk my way onto a plane as the gate was closing. But not this time, if I had anything to say about it.
“Okay, Zo. Got it.”
“And Josh? Good luck getting this figured out. I know it’s important to you and the ranch.”
“Thanks. See you soon.”
I hung up and immediately felt the pressure in my temples return as I walked back to the barn.
“You come up with a name?” I asked Eli who was staring at his phone.
“No, but I got a text from Caleb while you were talking to Zoe.”
I clapped my hands. “Fantastic. He’s on the way?”
Eli frowned and shook his head. “He’s got food poisoning. The only place he’s going is the ER.”
“Fuck!” I shouted .
“And I’ve run through everyone I know in the area and no one is available. Not even for a few hours,” Eli continued. “I’ve checked with half a dozen people. They all said no—and that they couldn’t think of anyone else who might be capable and available. Sorry.”
“Lemme call Shannon really quick. She might know someone you haven’t thought of.”
I hated the feeling of desperation gnawing at me. I never half-assed anything, let alone something this important. The pull between doing what was right for Zoe and doing what was right for the ranch was tearing me apart. I dialed my sister and hoped she had a solution.
“Hey, what’s up?’ she answered with music blaring in the background.
“Got a second?” I asked.
“I’ve got plenty, I’m sitting in traffic. What’s going on?”
“That guy, Caleb—you know, the one we hired to sub for me while I’m away with Zoe—has food poisoning.
Eli and I are tapped out of people qualified to take his place, so do you know of anyone?
At this point I just need a live body that knows how to ride and will be mostly polite to the VIPs who are coming. ”
“Oh, that sucks. When are you leaving again?”
“I was supposed to go now. Zoe just took off on her own, and I said I’d meet her at the airport.” I paused. “She’s not pleased.”
“Can you blame her?” Shannon asked. “Anyway, everyone I know is up to their eyeballs in work right now. You know it’s peak season. I wish I could help, but there’s no way anyone I know can slip away for that many hours.”
“Right, right,” I said, rubbing my eyes. “Okay, thanks anyway.”
“Hope it works out,” she answered in a sympathetic voice. “And sorry this happened. ”
“Yeah, thanks,” I said through gritted teeth. “Wish me luck.”
I disconnected the call and looked out at the horizon. It was a perfect day for a ride, sunny, clear, with a light breeze and no humidity. I stomped back to where Eli was getting things ready for the group.
“I’m staying.”
Eli looked up at me with a dumbfounded expression. “But I thought you?—”
“Nope, we can’t find anyone to step in, and it’s not like you can handle everything on your own.
Plus, there’s the liability issue with my insurance company.
I either go with you or we have to reschedule the ride, and how well do you think that will go?
” I could feel panic clawing away at my throat as I swallowed down bile.
We were barely open for rides now, there was no way I was going to screw anything up at this stage.
The potential loss of revenue was a big deal, but also there was no way I was risking bad reviews while we were barely off the ground. That would kill this enterprise fast.
“I understand how important this is to you and the ranch. Hell, it’s important to me, too.” He rubbed his chin and straightened his hat. “Maybe you can head out afterwards? Catch the next flight?” Eli offered.
“Maybe.” I said, knowing deep down that it was unlikely. “I need to call Zoe and let her know. Back in a few.”
I walked to the split-rail fence with a pit in my stomach trying to figure out how I could I break it to her without throwing her off her axis.
She was already nervous about the interview and having to speak to a panel.
I hated the thought of causing her additional stress at a time like this.
I called her before I could think too hard about what I had to do .
“Wow, are you right behind me?” she chirped without even saying hello. “I’m impressed!”
“Uh.”
“Oh.”
Damn.
“Zo, listen, I’m so sorry, but I can’t come.
” I plugged on before she could say anything more.
“Turns out that the guy who was supposed to work as the trail assistant has food poisoning. We’ve called around and there’s no one available who can pitch in.
This group might not seem like a big deal, but they’re sort of a test run for the rest of their corporation, and I need to impress them.
It could be really nice steady money for the ranch. ”
“Oh.”
Once again, all it took was a single word for her to communicate an entire conversation’s worth of disappointment.
“Zo…I’m sorry, I really am. But you know how important this trail riding program is to the ranch. I can’t screw up this ride.”
She sighed. “Mm-hmm.”
“You’re mad.” I scrambled to come up with a way to make it better. “What if I fly out later tonight, after I’m done? I can meet you at the hotel. Make it up to you in any way you want…”
The line went quiet and I held my breath.
“No, it might be better if you didn’t. Just stay there and take care of the ranch. That’s your priority. You’ve shown me that a dozen times over. Let’s stop pretending otherwise.”
The resignation in her voice was unmistakable.
“Zo, now that’s not fair?— ”
“Enough, Josh,” she said. “I need to focus on the road; I can’t fight with you now. Okay? I’ll see you tomorrow when I get back.”
“That’s it?” I asked, my heart dropping. “You don’t even want to talk tonight once you get there?”
“No. You’ll only throw me off when I need to prepare. We can talk in person tomorrow. In fact, I think we need to.”
I had a sinking feeling that I knew what she meant and it sounded ominous.
“Okay. Good luck with the interview.”
“Yep. Thanks. Have a good ride.”
She disconnected the call before I could reply.
I kicked my leg up on the railing and stewed about what had just gone down between us.
I hated that I was disappointing Zoe, going back on a promise I’d made to her, but she had to know that work came first. The ranch needed me.
This was my family’s home, and the ranch was our livelihood.
The only things I knew were horses and ranching.
If I lost this place, what would I do? I shook my head.
My parents had entrusted me with Lost Valley Ranch.
Its success or failure were on me. Of course it came first. Wasn’t it supposed to?
The more I thought about Zoe’s accusation, the angrier I got.
It wasn’t like I was bailing on her because I got a better offer.
I had no choice . The only way the ranch was going to pull out of the financial slump it was in was if I dedicated every bit of my focus to growing it.
My family legacy rested on my shoulders.
And if Zoe couldn’t see that, well, maybe it was better we figured things out between us sooner rather than later.