Page 59 of Ace of Spades
“We don’t—um, we don’t really bring up Cheyenne when Rafe is around,” Chance finally speaks up.
“Why?”
Chance looks to his remaining friends for help, Dakota taking one for the team.
“Let’s just say that they have a past. I don’t think any of us really know the full story, other than the fact that Cheyenne is the one who convinced her mom to take Rafe in when she found out that he was essentially homeless when they were in high school together. I don’t really know what happened between them, but obviously something did, because he hasn’t been the same since she up and left right after high school. He won’t tell us anything so we just put two and two together, but long story short, he just sorta shuts down whenever her name comes up.”
“Oh,” I say. “Good to know.”
“Don’t take it personally,” Chance says. “He’ll get over it, just give him a minute is all.”
“Well, I’d better get to work on this website anyway,” I tell them. “Do you guys want to help me start filming some content for the socials after lunch? I figure we could get some stuff filmed during the daytime so I can get some posts up this afternoon,” I ask the girls.
“Definitely!” Chelsea says. “I was going to get some laundry done once we finish breakfast, but after that, I’m free as a bird. Just let me know what you need.”
“That’s perfect, it’ll give me enough time for a quick morning practice, and then I’ll wash off and shoot you a text when I’m done. We can meet over at the bunkhouses,” I tell her.
“Aw man, I wish I could, but I promised my mom that I’d stop by and see her today,” Dakota says. “She actually has a day off for once so I told her that I’d take her out to lunch.”
“No worries at all,” I tell her.
“She wouldn’t have to work two jobs if she just moved into the ranch,” Weston mumbles from his place at the table.
“Just out of curiosity—and I don’t mean to pry, but why doesn’t she want to move into the ranch? There’s an open cottage near the front of the property, isn’t there?” I ask, hoping that I wasn’t stepping out of line by asking.
Dakota and Weston exchange a glance.
“She’s just set in her ways,” Dakota finally says. “Trust me, we’ve both tried to convince her numerous times, but she doesn’t like the idea of anybody having to take care of her. Kinda like somebody else I know,” she comments, her eyes narrowing at Weston.
“The ranch isn’t doing too well financially just yet, since we’re still paying off all of the startup costs on top of paying all ofthe staff. She says she doesn’t want me wasting any more of my money on her, even though I’ve tried to tell her that we could find her a job, so it wouldn’t be like we’re just handing it to her. She knows how big of a risk the investment into the guest ranch has been for us and she insists on refusing a single penny from us,” Weston adds.
“Oh,” I say. “There’s really no convincing her?”
“I don’t think so,” Dakota admits.
“I don’t know if she’ll be able to hold out for too much longer, considering how downhill everything is going at the trailer park. The rent and fees keep increasing, and meanwhile, the conditions have gotten worse every time I go over there,” Weston says.
A pang of guilt hits me in the chest.
“I’m sorry,” I tell them truthfully. “About my dad.”
“Don’t apologize, you aren’t him,” Dakota tells me, reaching across the table to grab my hand. I give her a sad smile, the excitement from earlier dying down inside of me at the realization that I would have to talk to my dad eventually.
Weston doesn’t say anything, finishing off the food on his plate as the rest of the room continues to clear out, heading to their daily duties.
“I’d better go get the horses saddled, I want to get a quick practice in with all three of them before it gets too hot. Tell your mom I said hey, I’d love to come up there with you next time to see her,” I tell Dakota, sparing a glance at Weston before standing from the table.
“She would love that!”
“It’s a promise, then,” I smile.
“Say less, I’m in,” Chance exclaims, pulling his shirt off over his head.
“Come on, babe. Please?” Chelsea asks her boyfriend, giving him the best puppy dog eyes I’ve ever seen.
“Fine,” Beau relents, following Chance’s lead and unbuttoning his shirt. “But I’m cashing in when we get to bed tonight, you best remember that.”
“Remind me again what this is for?” Rafe asks, removing his work gloves and setting them down on the bale of hay to his right.
