Page 41 of Million Dollar Ride

“I work for a company, Deltex, that has expressed interest in establishing a resort in this area. It just so happens that a part of your land is also a part of the vision they have. They have expressed a desire in acquiring that piece of land. “Oh, the offer is a very generous one,” he said and placed a document in the table in front of Hayden who looked at it then at him.

“What is the meaning of this?” He asked.

“Oh, I believe you know what the meaning of this is. I just explained it to you,” he said.

“Kenneth. I have known you since we were boys. You grew up on this ranch, same as me. Why would you want to…why would you even think of…”

“The fact that you have to ask me that question proves my point. I assume you'd want to show that to your lawyer?” He asked.

“Leave,” Hayden said through clenched teeth. Kenneth smiled broadly at him.

“You see, my brother Austin, it seems that he has forgiven you. I haven't. I won't.”

He stood and nodded at Hayden then turned around to leave when Lenanee spoke behind him.

“Why are you doing this? He has done nothing to deserve your hatred. Any mistake that happened was not his fault. Why would you want him to pay for Ike's mistake?” She asked. Kenneth paused.

“You see, you do make a very good point. A very good point indeed but we, the sons, suffered the consequences. I think he should know what that is as well.”

“He already does. Hasn’t your brother not done enough damage?” She asked him. He shook his head.

“Not nearly,” he said and walked away. Hayden watched him leave then he turned to face Lenanee.

“What will I do to end this?” He asked. Just then, his phone rang. He looked at it then he sighed.

“As if one brother wasn't enough.”

He answered the call and Austin's voice came through from the other side.

“Hayden, Kenneth has returned, and I think that we should talk. He will try to reach out to you. You must try your best to remain calm. He will try to rile you up and make you do something rash, something stupid. Don't listen to him, don't do anything. I'm on my way,” he said.

“He already came,” Hayden said.

“What did he want?” Austin asked.

Hayden blew breath through puffed cheeks and shrugged.

“He wants my land,” he replied, staring at the document that had been given to him.

†

Under the vast expanse of the open field, the sun was high in the sky, as Austin and Hayden both rode leisurely on horseback. The rhythmic clip-clop of hooves on the soft earth echoed through the quiet expanse, a comforting cadence against the backdrop of the endless horizon.

As they ambled side by side, the men exchanged nods of acknowledgment, the shared history of their childhood woven into the fabric of the ranch they called home. Austin watched it and he sighed deeply. He had missed the place. He didn't wantto ever return but he was glad that he did. The golden hues of the setting sun painted the landscape in warm tones, casting a nostalgic glow over the familiar surroundings.

Sparse tufts of wild grass danced in the breeze, and the distant call of a hawk added a touch of nature's melody to their conversation. Austin, his weathered hat shielding his eyes from the fading sunlight, spoke with a hint of sentimentality.

"You remember the old oak tree by the creek?" he asked, a smile playing on his lips.

Hayden, squinting against the sun, chuckled in agreement. "Yeah, spent most of our summers there, didn't we? Dang, those were good times."

They continued to meander through the ranch, the horses moving in tandem as if guided by the unspoken understanding shared between the riders. Dust kicked up behind them, catching the golden rays of the sun like a trail of memories.

Austin, a hint of nostalgia in his voice, continued, "I recall the time we thought we could catch those runaway calves. Spent the whole day chasing after 'em, only to end up stuck in that muddy patch near the south pasture."

Hayden laughed, the sound echoing across the tranquil landscape. "Never did catch those calves, did we? But we sure had one heck of an adventure trying."

“Oh, Kenneth and Marcus went after them the next morning and they did catch them,” Austin said. Hayden watched him for a while then he nodded.

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