Page 112 of Shattered Melodies

“Only twenty?” Caleb asked, his arm still around my waist. “I’m insulted. I thought our epic love story was worth at least fifty.”

I felt my face heating up, but I couldn’t help but laugh. “You guys are the worst, you know that?”

Hank raised an eyebrow. “Oh please, you two were about as subtle as a bull in a china shop. I’m just glad we don’t have to watch you make googly eyes at each other across the dinner table anymore without being able to do anything about it.”

“Yeah,” Dean added with a grin. “Now you can make googly eyes and then actually follow through. Just, you know, not in the barn. We have to work in there.”

“No promises,” Caleb said with a wink, making everyone groan and laugh.

As embarrassing as it was, I couldn’t help but feel a wave of relief and happiness. These people, our makeshift family, they accepted us without hesitation. In that moment, all my worries about small-town prejudices seemed to melt away.

“Alright, alright, settle down,” he said, but I could hear the laughter in his voice. “We’ve got business to discuss.”

As everyone quieted down, I couldn’t help but marvel at how easily Caleb commanded the room. He’d always had that quality, even when we were kids. People just naturally gravitated towards him, respected him.

As I stood in the corner of the crowded living room, I watched Caleb take a deep breath before addressing the group. The worry lines on his forehead were more pronounced than usual, and I fought the urge to reach out and smooth them away.

“Alright, folks,” Caleb said, his voice steady but serious. “I’m not gonna sugarcoat this. The ranch is facing some pretty serious financial issues.”

I watched as the faces around the room fell. Dean, one of the older hands, leaned forward, his brow furrowed. “How bad we talkin’, boss?”

Caleb sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Bad enough that if we don’t come up with a solution soon, we might lose the ranch to the bank.”

The room erupted in a chorus of disbelief and anger. I felt my stomach twist. This place meant so much to Caleb, to all of these people. It wasn’t just a job for them; it was a way of life.

“Now hold on,” Caleb said, raising his hands to quiet the room. “I know it’s not good news, but I want to be transparent with y’all about what’s going on. You deserve to know the truth.”

He went on to explain about the drought last year, the unexpected equipment repairs, and then hesitated before continuing. “There’s something else you need to know. My dad… he took out a pretty substantial loan a few years back when my mom got sick. Cancer,” he added, his voice catching slightly. “The treatments were expensive, and well, you all know how stubborn my old man is. He didn’t want to ask for help.”

The room fell silent, the gravity of the situation sinking in. I saw Hank, the oldest among them, nod solemnly. He’d been around when Caleb’s mom was sick, had probably seen firsthand how it had affected the family.

Mike, always quick with a joke, was uncharacteristically serious. “So what are our options, Caleb? There’s gotta be something we can do.”

Caleb nodded, seeming to draw strength from the supportive faces around him. “I’ve been looking into a few things. We might be able to diversify a bit, maybe open up the ranch for tourism or events. It’s not ideal, but it could bring in some much-needed cash.”

“Hey, I could help set up a website, maybe do some social media stuff to attract people. My cousin runs a pretty successful bed and breakfast on her farm, I could ask her for some tips.” Leo suggested.

“That’s good thinking, Leo,” Caleb said, a small smile breaking through his worried expression. “We’re gonna need all hands on deck for this.”

Dean cleared his throat. “What about selling off some of the herd? I know it’s not what any of us want, but if it could save the ranch…”

Caleb shook his head. “That’s a last resort. Those animals are our livelihood, and frankly, with beef prices the way they are, it wouldn’t make enough of a dent to be worth it.”

“So what’re we gonna do?” Mike asked after a while.

“We’re not going down without a fight,” Dean declared, his weathered face set in determination. “Whatever you need us to do, boss, we’re in.”

Caleb nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. “I appreciate that, guys. Really. And actually, we might have an idea.”

He turned to me then, and I felt my heart skip a beat. This was it. My chance to actually contribute, to help save this place that meant so much to Caleb.

“Liam here had an idea,” Caleb said, gesturing for me to speak up. “Why don’t you tell ‘em, Li?”

I cleared my throat, suddenly feeling all eyes on me. “Uh, right. So, I was thinking what if we held a fundraiser? Here at the ranch?”

There was a moment of silence, and I rushed to fill it. “We could open up the ranch to the public, you know? Have food, games, maybe some live music. Get the whole town involved.”

I held my breath, waiting for their reaction. To my relief, I saw nods and thoughtful expressions around the room.

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