Page 26 of Riding the Storm
Hegives me a surprised look.
“Guess I’m not that good at sittin’ still.”
Cabe chuckles. “Yeah, me neither. Although I could use a few extra hours of sleep every now and then.”
“It must be hard. Having to be up at the crack of dawn every day and working until the sun’s down,” I muse.
He just shrugs. “It wasn’t always so taxing. Our staff is low at the moment. The ranch has been experiencing some financial hardship the past few years, and Matty had to let people go, which meant Charli, Shelby, and I had to step up and cover the work. But things are getting better now. Albert and Matty sold some acreage to a neighboring ranch, and she’s been using those funds to make some much-needed repairs, buy new equipment, construct the new boarding stalls, and build our breeding program. All of which will start generating the income needed to begin hiring again.”
“Then you’ll get a vacation, I hope.”
He scoffs. “I’d settle for a day off a week.”
That hits me in the gut. Maybe Charli’s right, and I am spoiled.
“Have the girls always worked the ranch?” I ask curiously.
“Pretty much. Before their mom passed, they were just kids, figuring out what they wanted in life. After, however, they had to grow up fairly quickly. Matty, in particular. Albert was a mess. An old-school rancher, lost in his own grief, who didn’t know what to do with four young girls. He loved them more than anything, but was clueless how to raise them without Miriam.”
“How old were they?” I ask.
“Matty was fifteen, Charli thirteen, Shelby ten, and Harleigh was just six.”
“Babies,” I mutter to myself.
“Yeah, Earl and Evelyn moved in and helped run the ranch for as long as they were able. Matty was in high school and planned to go away to college, but instead, she stuck around and helped with the other three girls. Shelby was a junior barrel racer. Matty made sure that she did get to go to college.”
“A barrel racer, huh?”
“Yep. A damn good one. She was even on the circuit, tearing things up, until things went south, and we needed her help back here on the ranch.”
Shit.
“And Charli?” I ask.
“Well, now Charli is the only one who was born to do exactly what she’s doing. Aunt Miriam was a horse woman. She just had a way with them. It was like she understood them in a way other humans don’t—or can’t.”
“Natural talent,” I state.
He nods. “Yeah. Charli has it too. Always has. She’s great with both riders and the horses. It’s like watching a dance. Her instincts and patience are impeccable.”
I snort. “Could have fooled me. She has the patience of a gnat where I’m concerned.”
He pauses in his work and looks at me. “Hmm, that’s true. Nothing usually flusters her, but you got under her skin from day one. Wonder why that is.”
I shrug. “No clue. I’m a fucking delight.”
He chuckles. “Anyway, Charli started working under Giles the minute she graduated high school,” he continues.
“Giles?”
“Yeah, he used to be our head trainer, but he left last year to start working with racehorses, and Charli took over. And Harleigh, who you haven’t met yet, is now in college, and she’ll be home for the summer later today.”
“I thought Matty said that she’d be another week?”
“I know, but Matty’s birthday is tomorrow, and her man has something extra special planned. He isn’t saying what exactly, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to guess. So, Harleigh is sneaking home for the big surprise.”
I grab a pitchfork from the rack. “Want some help?”
