Page 48 of Captured By the Billionaire Cowboy
Hundreds of thousands?“Oh my goodness. How many horses we can now save. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Even if only a small fraction actually donated, it would be enough.”
“That’s right.” Spencer winked. “And a lot of people donated while they entered to win an amazing retreat. The money added up.”
“And added up.” Quinn grinned.
“And added up.” Davey laughed.
“And now this is the number.” Spencer handed her a small piece of paper. “Or was, as of a few hours ago. It’s probably more now, and it will definitely grow before the contest closes tomorrow.”
Rowan stood over her shoulder, brushing against her as she read the amount. And read it again. And once more, just to be sure. “Oh. My. Goodness,” she repeated, but nothing else was appropriate. She looked up, waited for them to reveal the punch line to what had to be a jest.
But instead they just smiled widely. Davey gave a thumbs up as Uncail Frank congratulated her. “Mrs. Murphy won’t be able to deny you that loan now.”
“If you even need it.”
She still needed it, but not like she did before. Davey was correct: Her dream was indeed coming true.
“You can even buy your own ranch.”
Ciara froze. For a moment, her mind reeled, a facet to the success she hadn’t considered. With the combination of contest money and a loan, she could indeed purchase her own stables. She was no longer tied to Rowan’s ranch.
No longer tied to Rowan.
Rowan stared at her with a tight expression. Would he argue if she announced her intention to leave? Would he try to change her mind? Although it would be wise to consider other options, something in her so firmly rejected the notion of moving, the thought so patently wrong, she couldn’t even consider it.
She shook her head. “I won’t find something as perfect as this. With Rowan’s generosity, I’ll help the most horses here.”
And remain tied to Rowan.
Rowan nodded, his satisfaction as stark as her success. Something unspoken passed between them, as if a monumental decision had been made. Spencer, Quinn and Frank all sobered, clearly noticing it, too. Only Davey was still focused on the excitement from the contest. “You should get to the bank right away! Can I come? Can we have ice cream?”
Ciara dragged her gaze away from Rowan, smiled and held up her hands. Now she had to focus on the rescue. “Hold on just a minute. I made a mistake by not being prepared the first time I went to the bank. This time I’m going to be ready.”
“That money will go a long way.” Frank tilted his head towards the earnings report. “She couldn’t possibly deny you now.”
“It’s a start, but money wasn’t her only concern.” Ciara rubbed her hands together. “She said I had to possess the rightexperience and skills – or employees with them – to make the operation a success. And she was right.”
“Those resources are vital,” Rowan agreed. “We need a business plan. We should create a comprehensive proposal for every aspect of the operation, including both the rescue and retreat.”
“Exactly,” Ciara continued, not protesting that he saidweand notyou. She also wouldn’t mention the satisfaction it wrought.
“That was another benefit of the contest.” Spencer tapped the kitchen counter. “It’s generated a great deal of interest in the rescue. Dozens of people asked when we’d be open for business, and others inquired about the horses available for adoption. You’re off to a great start.”
“We should highlight that to Ms. Murphy,” Rowan pointed out. “We’ll add it to the business plan.”
“I have a lot to do.” Ciara flexed her fingers as excitement buoyed her, along with the unease of overwhelming responsibility. She never expected matters to move this quickly. Her to-do list had just quadrupled in size, and of course her first priority would remain the horses.
As if Rowan sensed her disquiet, he moved closer, put a hand on her arm. “We’ll get through it together. Why don’t we start the business plan right away? If we work today, we should be able to visit the bank tomorrow.”
“I can reply to people who inquired about the retreat,” Spencer offered. “I’ll thank them for their interest and promise to contact them when we have more information.”
Rowan’s brother had already done so much for her cause. “Are you certain, Spencer? You have your own work.”
“I don’t mind.” He gave a mischievous smile. “I’ll do it whether you tell me to or not, so you might as well say thank you.”
Ciara laughed softly. “Thank you. That would be great.”
“We should start taking reservations as soon as we get approval from the bank. That way we won’t lose the interest the contest generated.” Rowan opened a notes app on his smartphone. “Travelers make plans months in advance. We should start scheduling the moment we know our opening date.”
