Page 17 of Captured By the Billionaire Cowboy
“Sure we are.” He nodded to the animals. “You saved these horses. You spent your money, resources and time finding them a safe place to recover. At least temporarily, thisisa horse rescue center.”
Was he right? They had already made a difference beyond saving their lives, with noticeable progress just a day past their rescue. She stepped towards Jasmine, and the mare stared at her for a moment before scooting back. It was awin. “These are the lucky few. So many horses have no one to save them.”
They moved to the next stall, where a powerful stallion ruled over his space, assured of his power. Yet despite his strength, he couldn’t have avoided his fate if she hadn’t intervened. The horse tossed his head, stopped when he spied the apple slices in Rowan’s hand. He accepted the offering as Rowan snapped a few photographs.
Ciara smiled as the horse preened like aHorse & Houndmodel. He offered his flank for a rubbing, and she obliged. “What if I could help more?”
Rowan stopped snapping, lowering the camera. “More?”
“More.” She retreated from the stall. “I set out to rescue one horse, and instead saved a dozen. Could I turn that into two dozen? A hundred?” Plans swirled in her mind, possibilities, opportunities and prospects. She took a few steps, turned and retraced her steps. “I’d have to find a way to make it work, financially and logistically. Draining my retirement savings isn’t something I can repeat. But if all the horses are adopted, I should recover most of what I paid.”
He didn’t immediately discount the idea. “Are you talking about opening a permanent rescue center?”
Was she?“Maybe.”
“What about your life, your home, your job?” His regard didn’t waver. “Other people?”
She closed her eyes. How could she open a rescue center when she was leaving the country? And yet… perhaps there could be a way. So much could be done online now. If she started the center and hired good people, they may be able to run it here, while she did the work virtually. Or she could hand over the reins to someone else. No matter what, just by creating it, she would make a difference.
As for other people, was he talking about her family… or someone else?
“There’s no one I need to consult, although I am leaving in a few months. I would have to either run it from afar or give it to someone else to manage.”
His nostrils flared, but he said nothing. Yet his eyes reflected stark displeasure, almost as if the thought of her leaving bothered him. Staying was impossible. No matter how much she loved Ireland, she had to return to her life. “I’ve been searching for a way to make a difference for a long time. I love working with the horses at my current job, but they don’t need me. Not like these beauties do.” She stopped, frowned. “However, the money would be a problem. Even the adoption fees wouldn’t be enough. A permanent rescue center would require constant boarding, plus at least a few employees. Obviously, I can’t keep taking those from you. Plus, there will always be horses like Jasmine that need longer term care. I need a way to support them.”
Rowan leaned against the railing. “Perhaps you could get donations.”
She’d considered – and discarded – that as the primary source of income. “It would help, but it’s too uncertain. I can’t risk not having enough money for food if the donations faltered one month. We need to be self-sufficient.” She closed her eyes. There had to be a way to make her dream a reality. A thousand possibilities tangled in her mind, until…
What if she could make a difference for people, as well?
She started pacing again, amidst unbridled excitement. “Grandma Leigh said the horses helped her granddaughter when nothing else would. Her connection with the animals tempered the grief. Don’t you just feel happy when you’re with them?”
He shrugged lightly, yet for a second, his eyes said something different.
“What if I create a sanctuary that doesn’t just rescue horses, but people, as well?”
His expression mirrored her family’s when she revealed her campaign to save the skunks. Disbelief. Incredulity. The distinct impression that something didn’t smell quite right. “Rescue people?”
“Well, not exactly rescue. We wouldn’t be saving people in a physical sense, but in a far subtler, yet vital way. We could offer people the chance to live and work on a real ranch. They would interact with the horses, within safe and healthy parameters, of course. It would be an escape, a retreat away from the stress of everyday life. Simply being with them is healing. I feel it, and I know you do, too.”
For once, he didn’t deny it.
Her heart thumped in anticipation. “It would be a sanctuary, a place where people could heal and thrive, beyond the harshness of reality. They could stay for a day, a week or more.”
He nodded slowly. “I could see the interest, but this is a relatively rural area. Do you think you’d get enough customers?”
It was a concern, however, a manageable one. “We don’t have to limit ourselves to locals. We could advertise in Dublin and other large cities. With the Internet, it’s easy to reach a broad audience. It would also be a great way to find adoptive families for the rescue horses. Someone may come for a vacation and leave with a new four-legged friend.”
“But you only have a dozen horses.” He inclined his head toward the stalls. “Ten when you discount Jasmine and Cinnamon.”
“That’s the beauty of it.” She grinned. “I can help many more horses. Every day I learn about horses in desperate situations, and it breaks my heart I can’t save more of them. Now maybe I can. This could really work. But…” She breathed out. “I have to be realistic. Even if it could work long term, I need money to getit started. A lot. The main cost is finding a stable to house the horses.”
“What about here?” Rowan gestured to the stalls around them, indeed already a temporary horse rescue. “What about using this ranch for your horse rescue center? The stables should more than meet your needs, and the administrative building could be transformed into a bed and breakfast. It used to accommodate ranch workers, so it already includes bedrooms, a big country kitchen and spacious common areas.”
It would be a dream come true, yet there had to be a catch. “But don’t you use the ranch?”
His eyes shuttered, and he glanced away. “We only occasionally keep horses here since we opened the new facilities. I tried to convince Frank to move, but he’s lived here so long, he doesn’t want to leave.” His voice turned low, so she had to strain to hear. “There are just too many memories to sell it.”
