Page 93 of High Velocity

He perches the reading glasses he finally conceded to on his nose and rolls out the drawings. I recognize the barn and the breeding shed on the other side of it. New is the building on the other side of the corral across the driveway from the cabins.

“What is that?”

“Equipment storage, offices.”

Annoyed I’m still trying to drag information from him, my tone is a little sharp when I prompt him.

“For?”

He looks at me over his readers with one raised eyebrow. I almost laugh, despite my mother’s efforts to soften him up, the man is still very much commander of his troops.

“Both the ranch and the search and rescue. We’re moving them out of the house.”

“Why?”

He ignores my question and flips the top drawing aside to reveal another one. This one shows the view of the front of what looks to be a single level house.

“We’re gonna break ground on the office building next week. It’s gonna be loud and messy for a while, but it should go up pretty fast.” He taps a finger on the image of the house. “This will take longer.”

Then he points over to the hill where we buried Thomas last month.

“It’s going over there.”

“You’re building another house?”

Before he answers, he pours us both a bourbon from the bottle he has sitting on the floor next to him. Then he clinks my glass with his and takes a sip.

“Hurts your mother to go up the stairs. Her arthritis isn’t getting better with age, and my knees aren’t the best anymore either. We’ll have a bedroom, bathroom, laundry, everything on the same level. Plus, I can still see everything that goes on here, even if I’m no longer involved.”

I almost choke on the mouthful of bourbon I was just swallowing down.

“No longer involved? What are you saying? Are you sick?”

“Fuck no, but I think it’s time I hung up my hat. Your mother and I aren’t getting any younger and like I told you a while ago, I’d like to take her traveling a bit before we’re both too old to enjoy it.”

My mouth is already open with the next question, even as I process the shock at Jonas’s announcement, but he already has his hand up to cut me off.

“You’re like a damn three-year-old with your questions, you know that? Give a man a chance to explain, for chrissakes,” he grumbles.

I mimic zipping my lips, which earns me a roll of his eyes.

“Effective as soon as the office building is done, I’m handing the breeding program and the running of the ranch over to Dan. Bo is gonna help him out for a year or two until he’s ready to call it a day.”

I’m trying hard not to show my reaction. As much as I couldn’t see myself living out my days as a rancher, I’m surprised at how much it hurts to see it all passed on to Dan. We’re brothers in every way but blood, and Jonas is a father figure in both our lives, but it still feels like a letdown.

“The ranch has been his dream, ever since he came working here when he was still wet behind the ears. Trying to learn the ropes while also looking after his mother, who was already very sick at the time. He turned out to be a natural, as if he was born to it.”

I nod in agreement. He’s right, Dan could run this ranch in his sleep. Other than my mother, who is a bit of a horse whisperer, Dan has a special talent with the animals, and the ranch hands respect him.

“He’s moving into the house then?”

Jonas shakes his head as he offers me a cigar.

“He’s already living in his dream house. That’s why I’m moving the offices to the new building.” He lights his before handing me the lighter. “The house is yours.”

I freeze, the light inches away from the end of my cigar.

“Sorry?”

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