Page 16 of Parading the Cowboy Billionaire (Bluegrass Ranch 4)

She nodded, grateful for their acceptance of her views and feelings. “We can add to the reserve in other ways.”

“I thought the increased venue rent was a good idea,” Elliot said. “We’ve not seen a drop in bookings at all.”

“None whatsoever,” Harvey agreed.

“I’m glad.” Ginny looked up as her drink arrived. She stirred it with the straw and took a tiny sip. The bitterness of the soda and the lime made her pucker slightly, and she looked over as Drake slid into the booth across from her with a loud sigh.

“Sorry,” he drawled, his voice the most Kentuckian and the loudest in the family.

She smiled at him, and he grinned around at everyone else. “Y’all been here long?” He signaled to the waitress, and she came bustling over to take his drink order.

“Yes,” Harvey said dryly as the woman went to get Drake his bourbon. “Since nine, like we agreed.”

Drake just smiled at him and all three of them turned their eyes on Ginny. She’d called the emergency meeting, and none of them liked to waste time.

She took another sip of her club soda and put the glass down. “Mother’s given me an ultimatum,” she said, deciding to go right for the heart of the issue. “Sweet Rose Whiskey, or my new boyfriend.”

No one said anything, and Ginny couldn’t read their expressions. Growing up in the Winters household, one learned to hide everything behind a mask from an early age. Mother hadn’t had a problem with any of their wives, but Harvey’s came from a proper Southern society family with millions in real estate and agriculture.

Elliot’s wife came from old money in the South as well, and Drake’s wife came from the rich and famous out of Georgia. Ginny liked all of their wives just fine. They fit in the family.

She wasn’t even sure Cayden would.

She didn’t care. There was something about him that filled all the empty places in her heart and soul, and she wanted to find out if they were temporary or permanent.

“Who’s the boyfriend?” Harvey asked.

“I didn’t know you had a boyfriend,” Elliot said.

Drake was the only one who kept his smile on his face. “I can’t wait to meet him if Mother doesn’t approve.”

Ginny couldn’t help the light giggle that came out of her mouth at her youngest brother’s statement. None of them wanted to be on Mother’s bad side, but all of them certainly bucked against pleasing her all the time.

“None of you carry the same load I do,” Ginny said. “Mother’s been telling me since I was six years old that I’d have to marry well.”

“Who is it?” Harvey asked again. “He can’t be that bad, Ginny.”

“It’s Cayden Chappell,” she said, watching each of them as they absorbed the name. Confusion marred Harvey’s face, so he didn’t know about Daddy’s and Julie Chappell’s relationship. Elliot frowned; he didn’t either.

Drake shook his head, his smile disappearing. “Why would Mother care if you dated Cayden Chappell?”

“Don’t they own the biggest horse breeding farm in Kentucky?”

“It’s not the biggest,” Ginny said, remembering how Cayden had described it once. “It’s just the best.” She let her smile linger for another moment.

“Are you ready to order?” the waitress asked, and though none of them had picked up a menu, they put in their orders.

Once she’d walked away again, Ginny leaned against the table. “They’re billionaires. All of them. They run a training facility, and they’ve produced seven Derby champions in the past two decades.”

“I don’t get it,” Harvey said. “He sounds like theperfectman to bring home to Mother.”

“Yeah,” Drake said. “I’m surprised you’d even consider dating him, for that reason alone. It’d make her too happy.”

“Remember how she deemed Winston Baybury inadequate?” Elliot asked. “Perhaps this Chappell man is like that.”

“Winston wasnotinadequate,” Ginny said, her voice tight. “He was a good man, with a good job. We would’ve been fine.”

“Mother doesn’t want you to support your husband,” Elliot said quietly. “That’s all I’m saying.”

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